Are you following the Olympics? I am just amazed at the beauty and grace of the swimmers, the gymnasts, the volleyball players and so many others. I dreamily imagine myself being the one in those races trying to beat the Olympic record and going for the gold. And on Monday, July 30, the third day of the Olympics, I psyched myself up and decided that I was going to imagine I was training for one of the Olympic races. I did not have enough time to be specific as to which race I was training for—if I waited too long, the moment would pass. I just went.
Experiencing the intensity of training was my goal. My coach was by my side (make-believe), and I had my water bottle (for real). My training started at a slow pace, and then I picked it up by pumping my arms and stretching my legs. I walked. That’s right, I took my training seriously. I was inspired. Instead of exercising my daily 30 minutes, I was jazzed, and I walked for 45. You got it — an extra 15 minutes. And then I stretched for 10 minutes. I wanted the gold. Here I come! I am on my way…to better health, which is as close as I might get to the Olympic medals, and I am OK with that.
The Olympic challenge given by Michelle Obama resonates with me. I am right there. Check out the article that the Public Health Newswire wrote about the First Lady’s challenge. While we don’t have to spend every minute training like great Olympians, we can make modest changes to our physical activity. Remember to try to engage in physical activity daily. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day for most days of the week.
-Joy Williams, PHW Regional Consultant
Partners in Health and Wholeness is an initiative of the NC Council of Churches. Please visit our website to view more resources on health and faith.
