Well, yes and no. I don’t think 1 Timothy 4:8 can be interpreted as telling us not to waste our time with fitness and exercise. Certainly we are to be good stewards of the bodies God has given us. At the same time, there is no Scripture telling us that fitness is next to godliness, either.

I’ve had a number of wake up calls over the past few years, and I’ve been forced to face the toll that the life I’ve lived…and am living…has taken on my aging body. I’m way past my prime; whenever that supposedly was, I think I may have missed it.

Without getting all whiny over relatively trivial aches and pains, I can sum things up by saying that normal wear and tear plus a minor injury or two kept me from being as active as I’d like to be. This went on for long enough that I’ve lost energy, range of motion, flexibility, balance, strength, and motivation. I’ve been slowly easing back into being more active.

Now it’s time to get more serious. I’m tired of feeling blah. I’m tired of the weight I’ve gained. I’m tired of my poor eating habits and semi-sedentary ways. For a couple weeks now, I’ve been gearing up for today, the first of what I decided to dub “Move it Monday”. Here’s what I’ve done:

• This morning, I started a new workout regimen at the gym.
• I’ve eaten healthily all day so far.
• I’ve kept busy and active.
• I’ve surpassed my daily step goal.

It feels good. I don’t expect to turn back the clock or whip myself into some incredible shape. Mostly, I want to be fit and energetic enough to play with my grandchildren, enjoy long hikes, go on teaching karate for a while longer, and stay as healthy as possible. Oh, and fit back into my clothes…