By Becca Christensen

Two years ago I never would have imagined I’d be blogging about health.  I had been overweight my whole life, having tried and failed on more than a few occasions to lose weight.  I was unhappy with not just the way I looked but the way I felt!

After moving back to Florida and returning to Grace Family Church as my home church, I determined it was time to work on discipline in my spiritual, personal, and financial life.  I began by signing up for the Dave Ramsey course and as I’ve shared in a previous blog, it changed my life.  What I didn’t share is that it didn’t just change my financial life, but it showed me the value of discipline.

After taking control of my finances, I determined it was time to address my health. In fact, it was way past time!  I started on Easter weekend two years ago and within a year I’d dropped 70 pounds and run my first 5k!

That’s a little background but what I really want to share with you today is a few tips that I hope will encourage you on your journey to meet your personal health goals:

1. Set attainable goals.  While it’s important to push yourself, it’s equally important to set goals you can reach.  If you’re trying to lose weight, for example, don’t set your goal at 10 pounds per week!  Most weight loss programs suggest 1-2 pounds is healthy. If you want to train to run a marathon, don’t start with a 12 miler.  Set goals you can meet so that you will keep working towards them and can feel proud of your performance.


2. Have Accountability.  There’s safety in numbers.  Find a friend or group of friends with the same goal(s).  Make sure you check in weekly. This will keep you motivated and keep you from falling off the bandwagon.


3. Make a Plan.  If you fail to plan you can go ahead and plan on failing!  Eating healthy requires having healthy foods on hand.  Working out requires scheduling in the time and following through.  So whatever your goals, plan out how you will achieve them.


4. Reward Yourself.  I find that rewarding myself goes a long way.  Every month that I reach my weight loss or exercise goals, I reward myself.  The trick is not to reward yourself with a cupcake (you laugh, but we’ve all done this).  A new workout top, a few new songs on your ipod, or perhaps a new workout video can be great rewards to keep you moving forward.


5. Pick a Plan You Can Stick With.  The greatest mistake I see with people failing at their health goals is picking a plan they can’t maintain.  Realistically you aren’t going to give up carbs forever or workout 3 times per day for the rest of your life.  Make a plan you can stick with long term so the results will last.

Taking care of our bodies and taking our health seriously is important!  I hope that these tips help you reach your goals and when you need motivation look for it here:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – I Corinthians 6:19-20

Becca Christensen works as an event specialist in the non-profit/sports world. She loves to bake, travel, read, blog, spend time with family, and root on the Indianapolis Colts. In addition to contributing to the Beautiful Blog, Becca attends Beautiful Monday Nights. You can read more about Becca on her blog, Oh, The Places You'll Go.