Thursday, May 2, 2013

Feel Better--Write Better


Along with studying grammar and style tips on how to become a better writer, I found another ingredient that has helped me in the process: feeling better physically. Translation: eating more healthily, and exercising.

As part of our New Year’s Resolution, my wife—Marsha—and I joined a nice little program called Feel Great in Eight. (Eight, in this case, means eight weeks.) It’s a plan that balances the physical dimensions of becoming healthier (eating better, drinking eight glasses of water per day, exercising, getting enough sleep, etc.) with the spiritual dimensions (reading your scriptures, saying your prayers, doing service, etc.). Points are awarded for each area of activity. You total your points for each day and then add them up to get the weekly total. You submit your weekly total (first names only) to the Feel Great in Eight website, along with your weight loss. The results are posted each week and you can see how you are doing in relation to others in your group. (Again, it’s first names only, so it maintains your anonymity.)

Marsha and I liked the eight-week program so well that we signed up for a second term, which we just completed on Monday. Sixteen weeks of eating right, doing exercises, and keeping up on our spiritual activities! It’s been great!

So how does this apply to my writing? It’s simple. I feel better so I write better.

I’m not promoting this program necessarily. I’m just promoting the idea that when you feel better, you can’t but help have more energy. And when you have more energy, obviously you can do more, which includes writing too.

Anyone out there have an exercise/healthy-eating program that has worked for you?

2 comments:

Martha W. Rogers said...

Yes. I've been involved with the First Place 4 Health group for twenty years now. I've been a leader for a group for most of that time and now help out with our Tuesday class. We combine healthy eating, exercise, prayer and Bible study in our meetings each week. We also memorize a verse of Scripture each week. I lost 64 pounds the first six months and have kept all but a few pounds off for that length of time.

You're right on with the idea that feeling good and being in good health make our tasks much easier. Hope you and your wife keep up the good work and let it become your new life style. You'll be glad you did

Darrel Nelson said...

That's a wonderful accomplishment, Martha. It's one thing to lose weight but it's quite another to keep it off. That's my goal too. Thanks for the encouragement.