An excerpt from "Who You Are When No One's Looking" by Bill Hybels:
Most people have no idea how much their physical condition undermines their attempts to love other people. They fail to realize that it takes physical energy to listen, to serve, to confront and to encourage people who need help sorting out life. Not only are physically run-down people short on energy; they also tend to be easily irritated, critical, short-fused, defensive and negative. (Any names coming to mind?) It is hard for them to love others, and it is equally hard for others to love them.
You and I both know the three rules for staying fit: eat right, sleep enough and exercise. Most Americans eat far too much sugar and fat; consequently, many are overweight. It is also why people suffer from sugar highs and lows, and it has a lot to do with the high rate of heart disease. It is impossible to maintain good physical reserves on a junk-food diet.
In addition, some people add insult to injury by being careless about sleep. If you don't wake up reasonably refreshed, you're probably not spending enough time in bed. Or maybe the time you spend there is less than refreshing because the coffee you drank all day or the greasy slice of pizza you ate at midnight is keeping you awake.
But the real kicker is exercise. Here's a good clue: If your only form of physical activity on a typical day involves walking down the hall to the next meeting, you're missing the exercise boat. I know, I know, there's not enough time to exercise. Trust me, either take the time to workout or you'll be spending all of your time cleaing up the relational messes you make because you're always wiped out.
I know when I think of exercise I think in terms of health conditions, maintaining a certain weight, looking my best, etc. but this page really jumped out at me of why so many people might be so darn crabby. They aren't moving enough!
I've seen it happen in my own life. I remember a point last school year when I took about a week off to write papers, study for exams and make sure everything was turned in. That week was HELL! I remember thinking to myself, "Why the heck are you SNAPPING at EVERYBODY!?" Omg I was a bitch.
And I didn't realize I missed working out until I did it. I decided one night that I would wait to write the paper and go do a 45 minute workout dvd, I felt SO much better!
But there are so many people who have never tried to exercise - meaning they don't know what they are missing out on. I've personally seen it, someone's personality will do a 360 once they start working out. The crabbiest person can transform into the one with the most spirit! That person becomes the one attracting people instead of pushing others out with their off-personality.
Don't let something like exercise ruin your relationships with others. You never know who you could be sending the wrong message out to!
