Wednesday, April 11, 2012

a lady by 27: exercise

i know i'm stepping into dangerous grounds as i get into this next post on ladyness.. i admit, i lack all street cred required to expound on a topic such as this.  but nevertheless, i believe that it's important and definitely something i'm looking into as i journey into womanliness.

one of my pet peeves is seeing girls be so physically weak that they need a guy to help them with the smallest chore.  like carry their purse.  puh-lease!  let the dude be a dude and take out all your heavy crap and carry your own gigumbus purse!!  >__<  okay, that was slightly hyperbolic and mean.  and don't get me wrong, i'm definitely a fan of chivalry.. but the point is, ladies must be able to carry their own - not for the sake of shadowing a man's strength, but to nurture a certain physical strength that matches their inner strength.  let me explain:

mental willpower  i'm still trying to convince myself of this point, but i think that exercising provides an opportunity for a lady to sharpen her willpower and discipline.  sure, these traits can be honed through other skill-building practices but for someone like me, committing to a physical activity that doesn't particularly enlighten me incorporates a huge amount of challenge and willpower.  it's my thought that as a lady continues through life, she will encounter many events that will test her ability to persevere and all that kinda tough stuff.  that's a given.  the true test then would be whether or not she can weather those tough times with the grace of a lady.  therefore, wouldn't it be wise to start growing an armor of discipline in preparation now?

cost effectiveness  in the context of the high prices of medicine, my mom used to always say wearing a sweater doesn't cost any money.  so true.  neither does exercising.  years of school has taught me that a healthy lifestyle that incorporates moderate amounts of physical activity (at least 30 to 60 minutes of heart rate-raising activity a day) can prevent the onset of most preventable diseases ie. diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc.  if the cost of a coronary bypass surgery is equivalent to that of my dream car, i'd rather run a few laps a day and drive happy.  it's interesting to think of physical activity hobbies you might invest in.  what may seem like a fortune for a bike helmet, knee pads, gym shorts or vibram five-fingers, is completely dwarfed by the physiological, emotional and financial cost of a diabetic leg amputation.

it's not yours  first corinthians says your body is the temple of the holy spirit and is not our own.  romans says to offer your bodies as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to god.  contextually, these passages are pretty meaty and would require another blog series to extract.  but i think the overarching principle is that christ dwells within us and gives us these kinesthetically amazing bodies to use for his glory.  i don't think it's necessary to be ripped in order to provide a dwelling fit for the king.  but i do think that by maintaining a healthy level of physical endurance allows a lady to have the stamina needed to do a good work - whether it's chasing kiddies in sunday school or running around a mall with a friend all day in the name of fellowship.  also, i have a feeling couch potato missionaries would not do well in jungles where cheetahs and other fast, hungry animals reside.

long life  i'm too lazy to look up research for this so don't kill me if i'm spewing medical blasphemy here.. but generally if you're healthy and active, you are more likely to steer clear of preventable diseases and thus, live a longer, more satisfactory life.  as a lady, family is somewhere along the horizon and it should be her desire to maintain good health in order to serve her family well.  in all my life, i cannot recall a time when i've ever had to make my own lunch or find a ride home from school because my mom was lying sick in bed.  while i think this is superhuman and crazy, i also think she's set a pretty high standard for womanly conduct that is worth pursuing.

hot stuff  this requires no explanation.

big fail.  it's raining today and i'm still trying to figure out how to cure my vocal chords so there was no attempt at exercising.  although i did stretch a little (can't touch my toes =[ ) and do laundry, which requires climbing two flights of stairs 6 times.  i'm well on my way!

up next: well read


feel free to object to any of my beliefs on the lifestyle of a lady.  these come primarily from my own understanding of how women were created to be based on what i've witnessed in my own family , what i've learned from jane austen and what i've gleaned from a few select bible heroines.  thank you 1900s feminist movement for your hard work but the side effects of your achievements have also caused much havoc to the modern female life that i'm looking to change.

2 comments:

  1. it's fun and a good way to build friendships too... i initially started biking to keep my blood pressure in check, but i still do it because i like riding. and i feel like i'm better friends with everyone that i bike with consistently.

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  2. hm! didn't think about that! good point =]

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