Combining Faith + Fitness

I’m just like you. I have stretch marks, a few extra pounds, maybe a few muscles that could be more toned, cellulite [which the appearance of got worse and worse as I recently lost weight. UGH!]. Anyway, I’M REAL. However, I try my best to take fitness seriously. But I'm not perfect.

Like me, you may be similar in the fact that you get excited to start your fitness journey, but can quickly find yourself feeling unmotivated, lost or stressing over your progress. Maybe you find that you are comparing yourself to someone else's journey, creating frustration over your own journey. Whatever it may be, you will realize faith may be the missing ingredient to be able to stick to your fitness journey. Sometimes it might be difficult to figure out how to bring your faith into your journey, but there are ways to make it a little easier...

So, without further adieu, here's 5 ways to combine faith with fitness!

♦ Pray constantly. 

You will struggle along your fitness journey, I'm not going to lie. There will be plenty of ups and downs along the way, and it won't always be easy. Some days will be harder than others, yet this is where Jesus comes in to help. Lean on Him to help you when you are feeling like giving up. Pray all your worries and weaknesses to Him and watch Him strengthen you in your fitness journey. You will be amazed at the will power and strength He can give you!

♦ Fill a journal with verses that bring you motivation.

Writing verses down is one of my favorite ways to reach God and feel connected. I keep a special notebook that ONLY contains Bible verses and motivational quotes. Whenever I find a verse I feel moved by, I immediately write it in my notebook so I can look back at it when I need it the most. Having a notebook like this during your fitness journey will be very important! Whenever you're feeling down or need a little extra push, you'll have a notebook to look through and find the strength to keep moving forward. Pick Bible verse and motivational quotes that mean something to you!

♦ Look to Jesus for motivation, not social media.

The fitness world on social media is huge, and it's ridiculously easy to fall into a whirlwind of comparison and self doubt. There will always be women online who are in incredible shape and seem to have perfect lives. It's easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to others, leading to feelings of frustration, negative thoughts and a lack of motivation to keep going. Turn to Jesus for the motivation to keep going. Give your journey to Him and He will provide you with all the motivation you need. You will realize that you do not need social media for guidance along your journey. Jesus is there to support you and help you keep going to reach your goals.

♦ Treat your body well.

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Your fitness journey needs fuel to keep going and rocking those workouts. Remember, God said your body is a temple and you need to treat it as such. Fuel your body with healthy, all-natural foods and avoid anything processed and packaged. Most processed products are filled with chemicals that do harm to your body and are not meant to be consumed. Stick to organic fruit and veggies, grass-fed meat and lots of water. Fueling your body properly will help you the most for achieving the fitness goals you have set for yourself.

♦ Find a faithful workout partner.

Your fitness journey will be even better if you have a friend or family member as a workout partner. Having a workout partner will make it easier to get up for those early AM workouts and to eat the healthy meal over ordering pizza. You will need that partner to help you keep your focus on Jesus, too. You can pray together when the going gets tough, while also keeping each other accountable to keep going. 

Your fitness journey can be tough, but do not forget that your faith can help you make it through. Remember to lean on God when you begin to feel overwhelmed or losing motivation. He will never steer you wrong. You can always count on Him!

I’m a California girl turned Texan + loving every second of living in Texas. My husband + I are newlyweds + LOVING married life. [We met in middle school so my husband likes to tell people that we are middle school sweethearts, even though we haven’t been together since then.] I consider myself down-to-earth, creative + absolutely hilarious. I’m over here perfecting my mindset to make my dreams a reality. Follow me on Instagram ✢ Facebook ✢ Blog