Now that the holidays and winter have arrived, life has taken a change of pace. But this doesn’t mean we can’t stay fit or be healthy. It simply means we take a different approach.
In the fitness and bodybuilding industry, the holidays and winter are used as a bulking stage for bodybuilders. Gym rats like myself, focus more on putting on weight and lifting heavier. Many, take in extra calories to fuel their workouts. It’s a time for growing physically.
It’s also a season to get more rest since the days are shorter. When spring approaches, focus shifts back to cardio and getting leaner. Physically the extra muscle helps to burn calories and cut pounds easier. For the time being it’s better to focus more on being well-rested.
Winter is the time to have a different pace to your life and training. Martin Johnson says, “It’s time to rest!” If you do, you won’t just prepare yourself physically you’ll put yourself into a position where God can nurture you spiritually.
Biologically, our muscles are built when we sleep and are resting. This is why I and other bodybuilders take in a casein protein like Kaged Muscle before bed. The slower digesting protein helps our muscles recover while we are sleeping all year round. It can also help regulate blood sugar levels which have lots of benefits.
Our brain’s primary source of energy is glycogen, which helps our brains recover while we sleep. When I was younger, I always looked at sleep as a feeling, but it’s a function. During sleep our brains detox and recoup from the day’s activities. This is why it is beneficial to be still and rest (Psalm 46:10). [For more on brain health read Top 5 Brain Superfoods.]
TAKE A BREAK, REST, AND RECOVER
Most of us have a desire to get bigger and stronger physically. I can’t help but laugh when I see young guys at the gym going “beast” mode. They stack on the weights and try to pump out as many reps they can as fast as they can.
Day in and day out, they never take a break to rest and recover. “Beast” mode is pointless unless you have a rest mode, I take rest days and rest weeks to let my body recover from my workouts and keep me from getting tired of working out. Rest is a natural part of life that many people neglect.
Biblically, we have been instructed to take rest days since the beginning (Genesis 2:3, Exodus 20:11, Deuteronomy 5:12-14, Psalm 4:8). Even God knew the importance of resting and being still. We know faith is action, but there are times in life when it takes more faith to be still and trust God—let Him take the wheel.
This is what the nation of Israel experienced when they fled Egypt. Imagine finally being free from your captives after almost 500 years, then getting trapped between the Red Sea and a raging Army.
“Beast” mode is pointless unless you have a rest mode.
That is what I would want to go, “beast” mode and fight. But that’s not what God tells Israel to do, he told them to be still (Exodus 14:12-14). I wonder how much their faith grew as they watched God fight their battles for them?
There are times in life when we must act in faith and then there are other times when we must wait on God, a life of faith has different seasons. Seasons aren’t forever, they change as needed.
SEASONS?
The older I get the more I realize I cannot go as fast or as hard as when I was younger. Honestly, I’m okay with it, I understand the seasons of life. Every season is temporary but serves a purpose.
- Faith in action
- faith in rest
King Solomon understood the seasons, in his wisdom he saw a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-15). There are days to grind it out in the gym, but there are also days when we just need to be still and grow!
