Know Thyself

Kahlil Carmichael

I am so grateful for not just the start of another year, but the start of a new decade. It’s 2020 and I cannot wait to get moving. Like so many, I have set some wonderful, personal goals for my spiritual, mental, financial, relational, and physical health.

And just like many others, I am susceptible to falling short, missing the mark, and not completing or fulfilling them. Statistics tell me if I’m not careful, by the end of February—like countless scores of other people—I will give up on more than half of the goals I set before I accomplish them, unless I take an honest assessment of myself and determine what works and does not work for me. Someone once said, “Everything will line up perfectly when knowing and living the truth becomes more important than looking good.” Many of our greatest thinkers wrote about the importance of understanding ourselves and living authentically.

Here are some tips for your consideration that can help you move forward in 2020 and beyond and reach some of your physical fitness and health goals:

• Find a Doctor
Before starting any exercise program, make an appointment with your physician (if you don’t have one, find one) to determine if you are healthy enough to start an exercise program.

• Face the Truth
The truth may be that you do not have the capacity or knowledge to work out on your own. You need a professional, Beloved! You need a professional trainer—a fitness doctor! I want to invite you to give me a call and I will be glad to help point you in the right direction.

• You are a “Foodie”
A foodie is a person who has an ardent or refined interest in food and who eats food not only out of hunger, but enjoys food for pleasure. Let’s be honest: you like to eat and you will not stop!! My sacred text teaches that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10 NKJV). It has also been said that knowing thyself is the beginning of wisdom. There is some truth in that. Beloved, you know that fad diets, food deprivation, and starvation tactics do not work for you. Eat healthy and enjoy the food you love in moderation.

• Fitness is Not Your Friend
I understand you don’t like to work out. But I also understand you don’t like the way you feel. If you find a way to overcome your disdain for exercise and implement a consistent exercise program, you will feel better. Someone once said, “Change happens when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”

I am expecting great things this year and beyond. I believe this is going to be one of the best years ever at the Fitness Doctor. I am excited about helping all people exercise consistently, eat healthier, and live well. Why don’t you take a self-assessment and decide to get healthier?

Live Whole, Live Well, Live Free.

Disclaimer: The information contained in thiscolumn is of a general nature. You should consult your physician or health care professional before beginning any exercise

Kahlil Carmichael MAPCC, MDIV, CPT is the pastor of Live Well Church, in Somerset, New Jersey. He is a fitness specialist at The Fitness Doctor, a fitness and wellness consulting company; and the author of 50 Tips for a Better You. He is a contributor to Guideposts magazine. His first publication, Living Longer Living Better, is available now. Go to www.livewellchurch.org for more information.