Healthy Habits

Healthy Habits

Statistics show that sales for gym memberships and diet plans skyrocket this time of year. But being healthy is a year-round decision, not a simple resolution. Answer these questions together to rate your healthy habits.

1. Doctors say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so every morning I eat

   a) Choco-Coco crunch cereal. b) coffee. c) oatmeal or fruit.

2. When I have free time, I enjoy

   a) watching TV. b) dancing around to music. c) hanging out with friends.

3. I love to sleep, so every night I get

   a) five hours. b) seven hours. c) ten hours.

4. I know my body needs food to work properly, so I eat

   a) when I’m sad, bored, or excited. b) all the time; I’ll snack on anything. c) only when I’m hungry.

Now check your answers. If you said mostly a’s, then you may be on a potentially dangerous path when it comes to your health. Look for ways to introduce more whole grains and vegetables in your diet. And remember that sleep is important for a healthy body. If you answered mainly b’s, your body may be doing okay, but there’s still room for growth. Food is fuel, so try to stay away from sugary snacks. Finally, if you fell in the c category, keep up your activity level. A healthy body takes work, but the benefits are worth it.

There’s a great story about Daniel and his friends in the Bible. When King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem, his officials took some of the best and brightest young people—which included Daniel and his pals—to a Babylonian palace. They were offered rich and decadent foods. However, Daniel humbly refused and asked if he and his friends could eat vegetables and water. At the end of ten days, “Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king” (Daniel 1:15).

Daddy-Daughter Time

What did you pick up from Daniel’s story? Get some paper and pens and write down everything you eat for one day. Look at your food choices. Do you need to make any changes? Being healthy isn’t about being rail thin. It’s about taking care of your body and treating it like a temple (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Commit to come up with a plan to be healthier over the next month.

What’s The Word?

At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.   Daniel 1:15