Keeping Fit

The Zambian attitude to keeping fit is almost non-existent. Is it because we are too poor for our dream health diets, or because the vast majority do so much walking and public transport commuting? Or is it because some sections of society have glorified the “pot-belly” as a status symbol, and so aim for obesity and a “beer-gut”? Do we feel it is the realm of the athlete and soldier? Or maybe, with the daily struggles of life it just falls off our list of immediate priorities?
Physical fitness is a biological factor in prolonging life. It reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, helps build and maintain healthy bones, joints and muscles, and is even said to reduce the chance of getting certain types of cancer. We are “stewards” of our health, and as much as depends on us (i.e. responsibility) we should maintain it. But do we?

Life is a precious gift, and we are responsible to take care of the good gifts given us. When you buy a car, you make effort to maintain it, even when we take it for granted that “it will probably be ‘on stones’ in ten years time”. When someone drives carelessly, adding dents and damage in a carefree manner, you would say they are wasting the car! We have something more precious – our health. One dying queen is quoted as saying “A world of wealth for an inch of time”, that’s what she would give!

This is not to deny the “days ordained for us” (Psalm 139), that our lives are in God’s hands. The Bible also shows we are responsible beings, and the flipside to “do not murder” is “do everything possible to preserve life, your own and others” According to Question 68 in the Westminster Shorter Catechism. (A catechism is just a set of questions and answers about what the bible teaches. The quoted catechism was written by a group that met in Westminster London hence the name.)

The common saying goes, ‘healthy body, healthy mind’. Your body affects your mind and your mind affects your body – We know how fatigue can make someone “touchy” (short-tempered/irritable), and we know how hunger can induce sleep! The interplay of mind and body should not surprise us when we reflect on how the first man was made “a living soul”, a singular being. It is in fact our fallen state that is susceptible to death, separation of body and soul on one level. But make no mistake; we were made to be body and soul, as the redemption promise of resurrection shows. The body is not a transient vessel but rather we will be embodies forever, after we are raised and death is thrown into the lake of fire (revelation 20). We are made for bodies, and we should not treat them as a burden (in a Hindu/New Age way), but instead sin is the burden. When God promises to give rest to his people, it will include their glorified bodies. Let us not resent this existence, even if it is entangled with sin and pain. Let us not resent the body, but except the created goodness, even as we long for the final redemption, body and soul.
I must confess much guilt as I first started thinking of this article. Guilt, because a key factor in exercise is self discipline. I have to make it a priority –no one will make it a priority for me. Here is an example of a skipping rope medium-fitness program that requires discipline. A friend gave this to me, who wishes to remain unknown (but get proper personalized advice on where you can begin to exercise):
This is to be done daily or at least five days a week

WEEKS ONE & TWO
100 skips
100 marches
50 skips
50 marches
150 skips
150 marches
50 skips
50 marches

If I have the motive, the means and the chance, what should hold me back? “Bodily exercise is of some value”. Let us treat it that way!