My father is the king of people watching. During our annual family trips to the beach three things were guaranteed: (1) Dad would have us to the beach within 30 minutes of his original ETA, period (2) He would refuse to try to understand why I (particularly 13-18 year old me) couldn't stand to cruise into Panama City in our mini van with adjoining cartop luggage carrier on top (3) Dad would post up underneath his umbrella everyday, radio alongside and quietly observe. He has always been a great judge of personalities. In fact, just last week as we had our most recent family getaway in Myrtle Beach dad dissected each of our personalities and hypothesized as to why each of us fit so well into the family as we do. I feel like I picked up a bit of this from my dad. We always liked to guess what each person's story was and how each family interacted with each other. Dad also is the guy who will jump out of his seat to catch your umbrella as it flies down the beach and strain his back trying to help you find a better way to secure your shade. He always knows when there is a kid who is "not a happy camper" and is subconsciously figuring out how best to "set up camp" for the following year.
My brother and I took to different beach relaxation strategies. Brad gets more of a workout on vacation then he does any other time throughout the year. If he is not skim boarding, throwing baseball/football/wiffle ball, playing paddle ball, quizzing the beach lifeguards, or swimming in the pool then he is more than likely in transition to one of those activities. I took more of my father's approach and posted up with my music, a book and a watchful eye. This year was no different other than the addition of my stud nephew Cade (who joined Pops underneath the shade-see pic above).
Now that I have started writing health and wellness based blogs, I am increasingly aware of my surroundings. Last week as I watched the eclectic blend of people around us everyday I couldn't help but notice the overwhelming percentage of people that appeared to be terribly unhealthy. The beach was overrun with overweight children eating junk and staying hydrated with Italian Ice and adults with harmful amounts of body fat crushing their organs seemingly unconcerned that they are decreasing their life spans daily. It was refreshing when I saw a young, fit couple playing soccer with their kids and it was rare to see someone who appeared to be in good shape. I am not trying to say that everyone should strive to be a fitness model. I am simply making an observation that I feel inclined to make. It is so much easier to be unhealthy in our society than it is to be healthy, that is a fact. The goal of this blog is to help people find a strategy for getting into shape that works for them. The hardest thing for me is to find an effective way to help a wide variety of people. My observations from the beach made me realize that this is a cause worth trying for. One thing that isn't talked about enough by the Christian community is health. This has always troubled me. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says that our body is a temple so we should honor God in and through our bodies. If you are a parent, don't you want to set a good example for your children with your finances or with how you treat others or with being a model citizen? Why should being healthy be any different? I am going to try to focus on baby steps to getting on the right track this week. Hopefully they will be helpful. I am also going to do some intense workouts that don't require much extra equipment. I challenge you to "Lock it up" and get yourself moving in the right direction.
*I am more than willing to help anyone with diet plans, personalized workouts or anything else. Just contact me!
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