Week 8: Moving Through a Plateau - Walk to the Beach Fitness Challenge

Week 8: Moving Through a Plateau - WTTB Fitness Challenge

Week 8: Moving Through a Plateau

I encourage all participants to send me Week 7 mileage totals to be included in the data graph. This week marks the halfway point. Don't give up - you can do this!

Healthy Soul: Renewed Strength

But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

We all experience failing strength at times, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually. Eagles can spread their wings and rest on warm air currents that allow them to soar for hours. They can fly at 35-50 miles/hour yet may dive at 100 miles/hour. I can relate to the rapid speed of descent. I think it is helpful to look at life more as a marathon than a sprint. Some seasons will be blissful and amazing while others are tempered with discouragement, pain, and grief. Waiting for the Lord to renew our strength may seem difficult at times, but a "time-out" may be a necessary part of spiritual growth and can help us ascend peaks much higher than we could ever imagine.

Healthy Mind: Hamlet

Hamlet, NC is a city in Richmond County covering approximately 5 miles and housing a little over 6,000 people. It is home to the National Railroad Museum and Hall of Fame, and three major CSX rail lines run through the city. In the days when rail transportation peaked, Hamlet served as "The Hub of the Seaboard," and the city's annual festival honors the Seaboard Air Line. With a name like Hamlet, it is not surprising that the city had an opera house in which Enrico Caruso once performed.

Several people who have achieved fame call Hamlet home, including John Coltrane, jazz saxophonist; Justin Malachi, actor/writer/director; Tom Wicker, former columnist for The New York Times; Frederick C. Branch, first African American Marine officer; and J. Kenneth Lee, first lawyer for the famous Greensboro Four who participated in a sit-in during the civil rights movement; and several more.

Healthy Body: Moving Through a Plateau

Hikers are often grateful for a plateau after ascending a mountain. Resting one's legs and enjoying the scenery from a plateau can prepare a hiker for the next challenge. However, people who are working on developing healthy lifestyle habits often hit a plateau as well. This type of plateau is not nearly as enjoyable. Noticeable changes enjoyed a few weeks ago begin to slow, stop, or reverse. Sometimes the cause is easy to identify, such as lapses in healthy diet choices or decreases in exercise. In other cases, the person has not clearly changed those lifestyle choices but still experiences a time lacking in positive health gains.

When experiencing an unwanted physical plateau, examine trends or triggers that are hindering progress. Consider changes in the routine that might bring back that positive progress. Something simple such as keeping a cold pitcher of water in the refrigerator or keeping exercise clothing in a convenient place might make a big difference. It can be tempting to simply give up, but plateaus are very common and can be overcome. They can serve as learning experiences for future reference. Every day offers new opportunities; reflect on previous accomplishments and draw from those experiences in order to renew our resolve, dust ourselves off, and continue moving forward.