Tag: #exercise

Daily Habits for Mental Wellness as a Christian – PT. 1

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, hey, everybody! This is Q’Zion, and welcome to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen.

There are so many aspects to being healthy . . . not just how much exercise you get or how healthy you eat. Are those things important? Absolutely! But a healthy body is not the only factor of a healthy spirit. That’s where mental wellness comes in. While this is a major topic on my blog, I realized that I’ve never directed a post about positive mental habits for fellow Christians. But that changes today.

As followers of Christ, there are so many ways to please God. And one thing that I know God wants is for us to be healthy–mentally, physically, and spiritually. And implementing healthy, productive habits into our daily lives to boost our mood and gain a sense of self worth is perfect for maintaining mental wellness and deepening our relationship with our Heavenly Father, in the process. Today, I will be listing a few ways that we can do so, with a scripture representing each point. So without further ado, let’s get started!

Practice Gratitude in all Circumstances

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

For me, showing gratitude as a Christian is not simply just being thankful. It’s showing appreciation–through our actions, thoughts, and words–that God has loved us enough to bless us with salvation (eternal life) and all the other people and blessings that put the icing on the cake. While anyone can practice gratitude, it’s even more critical that we practice this lifestyle as followers of Christ.

By acknowledging the things that we are blessed to have, even in the moments where everything isn’t going our way or we don’t feel our best, we can build on our relationship with God as we give Him glory for all that He’s blessed us with. And the best part is, when we show God that we are thankful, He can (and will) bless us with even more than what we have now. What an amazing Father we serve!

Communicate with God through Prayer

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

– 1 John 5:14-15

Praying should be a no-brainer for all followers of Christ. Some people say that they are happier when they spend time with their family and friends. And while our loved ones are all wonderful gifts from God, it’s important that we take time everyday to communicate with the Lord, as well, with the power of prayer.

One of the most common questions that I see about prayer is simply “How do you pray?” Well, the simplest answer to that is have a conversation with God. That could be in the form of thanking Him (another great way to express our gratitude), asking Him for what we need, asking for forgiveness, and even using memorized scriptures to strengthen our conversations. Praying doesn’t have to be difficult, in fact. Even “Thank you, Lord” is a prayer.

Instead of thinking of praying as a daunting task (particularly for new Christians) think of it like this: God has given us the gift of being able to speak to Him whenever we’d like. We can get to know more about Him and better our spiritual and mental wellness while doing so. And when we decide to take that opportunity, we are taking a huge step towards becoming the best people that we can be; both as people and most importantly, God’s children.

Get Your Exercise

Do you not know that your bodies are temples 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 bodies.

– 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Although they are most often separated as two different topics, our physical and mental health are more connected than some may realize. For example, if you eat an apple everyday, you will most likely have lower hormone fluctuations (meaning less mood swings) and a boosted mood. While on the other hand, too much stress can suppress one’s immune system and make them more susceptible to diseases.

Our bodies are yet another blessing from the Lord. And the functions of our bodies that seem as simple as walking and breathing are miracles. And because our bodies are such gifts, we’ve got to do what we can to keep them healthy. Exercise (preferably 30-60 minutes a day) is the perfect way to release happy hormones (therefore making you feel more relaxed and accomplished) while keeping our physical health in check. But, even if you get bored during your next jog, you can always play some of your favorite gospel tunes to add worship to your workout!

Understand Who You are In Christ

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

– John 14:27

Having a sense of confidence is something that anyone can struggle with, including God’s children. But the thing is, when we take a look into God’s Word, we notice that throughout the entire book, He is constantly telling us who we are to Him: the apple of His eye, forgiven, loved, saved, strong, made with a purpose, wonderfully made, and worthy to have a happy, eternal life.

While self confidence is something that can take time to build, we can’t help but be grateful when we receive all that God has called us to be. So whenever you need a little bit (or a lot) of encouragement, take time to study who God says you are. Because at the end of the day, that matters WAY more than what anyone else thinks/says about you.

Mental health is critical in our day to day lives, and we should all take time to make sure that we are taking time out of each day to maintain a happy, healthy, and godly state of mind. Hopefully, these simple yet life-changing habits will help you do just that. Please tell me some of your healthy habits (as a Christian) that you do to maintain mental wellness. Also, were any of these tips eye-openers for you?

Have a beautiful and blessed day, everyone! God bless you all and I’ll catch you later! Peace in! ♡

5 Things that Exercise Has Done for Me

Q'ZionLeave a comment

It’s been about a month since I started my fitness journey, and it all started when I began my ‘Physical Education with HOPE’ course. After struggling to complete the mile run for a baseline fitness assessment, me and my grandmother started walking a mile (at minimum) three days a week, while incorporating other exercises (like dancing and muscle strength training) to spice things up, in between.

Even though these awesome changes in our lifestyle are still pretty new, my life has changed for the better in so many ways (even as a teenager) and I’d like to share some of the things that exercise has done for me with you all! Let’s jump into it!

1. It’s made me stronger

Believe it or not, exercises as simple as walking engage quite a few of your muscles. And I’ve noticed that my muscular endurance–or the amount of walking that I can do without getting tired–has increased significantly within this first month. Now, we always manage to surpass our goal of 1 mile on our “park dates” and I always love the challenge.

2. It has increased my confidence

There’s something about creating an exercise routine and sticking with it that gives your self esteem a huge boost. Like you’re capable of anything that you set your mind to. For me, exercise has become a way for me to clear my mind and have a productive rest of the day. Whenever I’m done with a workout, I feel like I’m ready to take on the world!

3. I feel lighter on my feet (mentally and physically)

Even while scooting the results on the scale aside, I can see just by looking in the mirror that I am making progress. Plus, I can feel my progress with how much easier it is to engage in physical activity, both while exercising and doing everyday things. And while most people think that exercise is just for physical benefits, I think the mental aspect is what keeps me the most motivated. While getting a breath of fresh air and working off some calories, I can’t help but feel that much more at peace. And considering that that’s coming from someone who’s always had a happy personality, it means a lot!

4. I’m more productive

Remember how I said that walking has helped me prepare for a productive day? Well, something else that I’ve noticed in the last four weeks is how much more energy I have throughout the day. I’m able to focus on my school assignments even more than before, my attention span has increased, and I’m able to get more done throughout the week.

5. I have a better quality of life

In short, exercise has made me feel happier, healthier, and more productive every day. I’m able to do more and feel great while doing it. Even a little bit of exercise a few times a week has made a huge difference in my physical, mental, and spiritual health. And a healthier body, mind, and spirit make for a happier life.

As you all can see, exercise is a powerful tool that we all need a little bit of in our day to day life. I wrote this post not only to share my experiences during my fitness journey with other teenagers, but also to encourage other young people to get a few minutes of exercise every day! From dancing to playing fitness video games to playing sports, there are so many different ways to get active: we just have to be a little creative! Hopefully, this post will help you do just that!

What are some of your favorite (or most fun) ways to exercise? I would love to read your responses in the comments!

Have a healthy, happy day, everyone! May God bless you all, peace in, and never forget that God is love! Bye everybody! ♡

Run With Me // a summer day at the park

Q'ZionLeave a comment

Hey, y’all! It’s Q’Zion, here and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen! I hope you all are enjoying the beginning of the brand new school year; I know I definitely am!

Speaking of school, one of my electives that I’m taking right now is Health Opportunities Through Physical Education, also known as HOPE: in short, it’s like P.E., except it goes a bit more in depth with how we can set goals to benefit our physical, mental, social, and academic health.

This week, we have to submit this fitness assessment, where we do a variety of exercises to test our physical endurance, strength, and stamina. One of the largest parts of the assessment was the 1 mile walk/run. Me and Goodmommy decided to get the job done by visiting a local park for the first time.

I’ve got to admit that before I began taking the HOPE course, it had been a long time since I’ve actually went outside and had a good run; probably too long, in fact. But what I love about the course is it allows you to look at your overall health as is, and use the information that you gather from workouts like this to set goals for future improvement.

Our Apple Watches were a huge help in keeping track of our distance and heart rate, while we ran—and took walking breaks, in between. Seriously though; a fitness watch is truly a necessity for anyone who wants to keep track of their physical activity.

Everyone needs to get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily. And while it might take a little extra effort—there’s nothing like taking a walk in the summer breeze.

Walking in nature is such a different feeling then working out in your home. Not only is there much more space to move around, but it’s pretty hard to resist not taking a photo here and there. But can you really blame me? I’ve got to give it to Goodmommy, she found a beautiful park!

And I think one of the things that I love most about this particular location is that it has a lot of statues and other structures that can help you learn about the history of our country, such as past wars and victories. The historical aspect of the park almost makes it feel like an outdoor art museum.

This eagle statue on a podium was probably my favorite of them all. It looks so realistic; I can’t imagine how long it took to make. Plus, can we just talk about how perfect the landscaping is? Now that’s what I call ✨gorgeous ✨!

Overall, me and Goodmommy had such an awesome time together. From now on, we plan on going outside to get some fresh air a lot more often. Next time I’ll be sure to take pictures of us in action. I can already see both me and Goodmommy reaching our fitness goals pretty soon! And I can’t wait to continue to document our journey!

What’s your favorite way to exercise? Also, do you prefer to work out inside or outside? I would love to hear from you all down below in the comments!

Hav a great rest of your day or night, y’all! God bless you all, and I’ll see you next time! Laters! ✨

3 Reasons Why You Should Exercise Everyday

Q'ZionLeave a comment

What’s up, fellow teens? You know, Generation Z is known for many things. And one of them happens to be video games. I mean, a good majority of us play them, and there’s no shame in it. However, how often do you actually take a walk or get some physical activity? And I mean besides in P.E., lol. ✨

You know, a lot of experts recommend that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday. As well, a 2019 study stated that 80% of teenagers don’t get enough exercise. And, this being before the pandemic, I can only imagine how much that number could have increased. This is exactly why I wanted to share 3 Reasons Why You Should Exercise Everyday! Besides, no matter how old you are, we all need a little bit of physical activity!

So, are you ready? Let’s get started! ✨

  1. Exercise boosts your mood. ✨

You know, you might not know this, but exercise can boost your overall mood. Having at least a little physical activity daily can help you feel happier and more relaxed. It can even help increase your self confidence! And trust me, as teenagers, we need a little break from all of those insecurities and mood swings!

2. It decreases your chances of contracting diseases or other health issues. ✨

I’m sure that you already know that exercise makes your body healthier. However, you may not know that it actually reduces your risks of getting certain diseases (like COVID-19) and other health issues like heart disease and cancer! I know that we are young, but diseases don’t discrimintate!

3. It gives you an opportunity to spend time with your family and friends. ✨

I’m sure that a lot of people, especially those our age, haven’t thought about the opportunity exercise truly gives you to spend time with those that you love. And sure, I know that lifting weights and doing push-ups with your friends might not be the coolest thing to do-well, I can only speak for girly girls, like me, lol. However, there are a lot of cool forms of exercise like running, swimming, and even skateboarding, that can all make a super fun weekend with your friends!

Okay, y’all! I hope that you enjoyed these 3 Reasons Why You Should Exercise Everyday! Don’t forget, that we may be teenagers now, but eventually, we will need to exercise more and more to maintain our health. Our bodies will thank us when we’re all in our 70s, 80s, and 90s. looking younger then ever!

Have a healthy, fun, and positive day, fellow teenagers! ✨