There is an unwanted obstruction that changes names depending on who is carrying it. It is sometimes known as a pooch, paunch, potbelly, beer gut, or stomach weight. I land in the category of people who house the “extra love” at the front of the belly. After my first pregnancy, I grappled with the issue of looking pregnant even while holding my baby in my arms. The pregnant look continued until I was actually pregnant with child two and so sick I tossed up most of my meals for a month and a half. The pooch disappeared for a very short while (I don’t recommend this way to loose weight though!). Now, our second child is fourteen months old and again I hold onto the stubborn big belly.
Last fall, I thought perhaps I was dealing withdiastasis recti. I called my doctor and she said I could visit a physical therapist to see if I did indeed have abdominal muscles slid out of place. This problem bothered me enough to make calls, set up an appointment, and find a babysitter. I went to the initial appointment hoping diastasis recti was the problem. I thought if we knew the problem we could work out a solution.
The physical therapist had me bend and stretch while she asked questions and looked at my posture. I learned I did not have abdominal separation, but my lower abdominals were so weak my brain didn’t communicate with them telling them to function. We spent a handful of appointments strengthening my lower abs. I practiced the exercises at home several times a day.
During the last few years where my body has changed through pregnancy and two cesarean sections, my viewpoint of fitness and exercise has evolved. As I store jeans I wore when I was first married, and compare them to my current jeans, I know there is a difference in my physical body. There are poignant moments of wishing I could drop jean sizes to fit into those small American Eagle denims. I might be thinner than some, but many places jiggle that I would prefer wouldn’t. I want to be slim, trim, and toned. The constant advertising messages point to this as the attainment of beauty and physical fitness. However, when I look around at the beautiful people in my own life, I know beauty (even physical beauty) comes from their strength and energy.
The book “Hello Mornings” by Kat Lee was recommended to me last year. I relished the writing and the themes of the book still stick in my thoughts. Kat encourages our mornings to begin with three areas she calls “God, Plan, Move.” Some of her insights from chapter seven come to mind when I feel discouraged about my belly or the fact I can count the number of pushups I can do on one hand. She writes: “God’s ultimate purpose for our physical bodies isn’t based on how we look in a bathing suit or how much we weigh. It isn’t even about how we feel about ourselves or the example we leave for our children. Those might all be lovely by-products of being healthy, but, as believers, the sole purpose of our fitness is to answer this one question: Am I fit enough to do all God has called me to do with excellence and joy in this season of my life?”
We need the energy to do as God asks. We are called to be strong, and this differs from boasting a beach body. What has He asked you to care for, start, finish, or give-up at this time in your journey? Would you more readily answer “yes” if your body felt strong and energized?
My spiritual mission right now is to love and train two little people in my home and be a teammate and support to my man. My work feels more joyous and less draining when my body is full of energy and I’m strong enough to pull wagons, stand at the sink, carry a heavy one-year old on my hip, do yard work with my husband, or learn new recipes to cook for my family.
You know the superwoman of the Old Testament Scriptures? She is known as the Proverbs 31 woman. She is a savvy businesswoman, employer, family caretaker, and she’s respected by her husband and people in her community. She sounds very busy when I read her job description. She wasn’t too busy for exercise. The last chapter in Proverbs reveals this woman saw the importance not only of being a woman with a strong character but also a strong body.
Prov. 31:17 “She girds herself with strength
And makes her arms strong.”
She is a model for us: she demonstrates the importance of increasing our physical capacity. Could this be part of the reason for her success? If we can grasp the concept that fitness is not about image but about energy, it changes so much of what we think about our physical health.
How liberating to change the motivation of caring for my physical body! When I shifted my reason for exercise from looking a certain way to increasing my energy and strength, the new perspective revived my motivation. A scale is a harsh taskmaster, while a clearer head for the afternoon hours and an easier time falling asleep is an instant persuader. As I incorporated increased physical activity into my lifestyle, I noticed other pleasant changes tagging along with a stronger body. I napped less, had fewer headaches, the soreness in my back left, and my ankle stopped giving out at random.
I’ve found what I can commit to is a 15-minute workout five times a week. This is what my body needs to grow in strength and stay energized. The fitness activities will look different for you. You have your own personality, body type, set of skills, and needs pulling at your energy. I encourage you to take a fresh look at the motivation behind why you do (or currently don’t) move and exercise. Ask yourself: do I have the strength and energy to do well what the Lord has asked of me?
This viewpoint assists in harnessing comparison between what others look like and what we see in the mirror. There are plenty of slender people, but being skinny doesn’t mean you are strong. There are plenty of larger people, curvy people, and petite people who have zip and muscle. When our perspective of fitness changes from body appearance to strength to endure, we keep walking, lifting weights, mountain biking, jogging, and more to honor God.
We don’t exercise and strength train alone. When obedience is the purpose for our strength, we can look to our Creator for help. I encourage you to consider the source of our strength. We are partnering with God in the care of our selves. The songwriter says in Psalm 147:5, “Great is our Lord and abundant in strength.” The God of creation holds infinite strength and is continually making us more like Him. He asks for our obedience and assists us in gaining strength to obey. Our focus is loftier than a slim body or being comfortable in front of the mirror; it’s to serve God with strength.
-Kassie Joy
You sound like me! Love it!