Week 8: Moving Through a Plateau - WTTB Fitness Challenge |
Week 8: Moving Through a Plateau
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.
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