Manic Monday ~ The Best Gifts

The best gift is LIFE. As we honor the birth of our Savior this season, let us not forget WHY He was born. This is why I do not take for granted His sacrifice for us. This is why I live my everyday life with a purpose. This is why I make sure I take care of my health. We were given one body to live with here on this Earth. Our bodies require activity to keep strong, healthy fuel to be functional, and rest to restore. For many people, these requirements are absent. The result is not a good feeling: weakness, lack of energy, and sickness. How about. The the gift of health? Who doesn't want a gift that makes them feel fantastic?

I believe one of the best gifts to give someone is a gym membership (even better paired with personal training sessions). I can tell you many success stories of people who were given this gift and made life transformations. I, was one of them! In high school, my father gifted me a fitness membership to a local community gym that just opened. In those days, girls athletics didn't have strength programs. I remember going in to the gym before school 3 days a week and performing strength exercises. I even began running long distances. This all fueled my love for competitive running in my 20's. I also shed 10 pounds and felt great! This passion led me to a life of running and enjoying it! I clock 30-35 miles every week and I'm in my 40's. It's a lifestyle thanks to the initial gift my dad gave me that Christmas.

This invaluable gift can support a health life that brings a multitude of benefits that really are priceless! The benefits include:

Weight loss

Increased strength

Increased endurance

Improved cardiovascular

Decreased blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides

Decreased body fat percentage

Better sleep

Higher energy

Better self esteem

Improved cognitive thinking

Reduction in sickness/illnesses

Reduction with depression

Aren't THESE the best gifts? I mean, really.... If I am struggling with my weight, am very weak, can't walk for more than a few minutes, have high blood pressure, have a high body fat percentage, can't sleep well, don't have any energy, avoid social encounters, experience difficulty with concentrating on work or projects, get sick, have daily prescription medications, struggle with depression..... Wouldn't change be wonderful? Even if I possess one or two of the struggles I just mentioned. Most people are experiencing more than a few of those struggles. On this earth many of us yearn to be optimal. And I say optimal in a sense of serving and provision. Optimal for our families, optimal for our friends and neighbors, optimal for our jobs, and optimal in striving to contribute in making our communities and world a better place. We can't serve or provide to the best of our abilities if we are hindered by weak health.

For $1 a day what can you buy? A plain coffee, a soda pop, a candy bar, a small fry, a donut, and the list really is going to be slim because many things cost more. But these are small little pleasures many of us do buy on a daily bases. But GUESS WHAT? A membership at MVP Fitness Center is $1 per day (paid by the month)! And it's LESS than that if you pay annually! That is an INCREDIBLE gift to buy for yourself or someone you love! The gift of health: PRICELESS!

Have a GREAT week!

~ Rachel Zimmerman