Move, Eat, Rest, Pray

Most of us know what we "should" do for our health. Move more. Eat better. Get to bed earlier. Make time for God. The trouble isn't knowing. It's Tuesday afternoon, when the week has gotten away from you and the plan you made on Sunday night feels like it belonged to someone else.

I've been a chiropractor in Kelowna for 33 years, and right now I'm in the last weeks of training for the Athens Marathon on November 8. Not elite. Just showing up. If training has reminded me of anything, it's that the big day is built from a lot of small, unremarkable ones.

So this isn't a program or an overhaul. It's four simple areas, with a few steady habits in each. Pick one. Keep it. Add another when that one feels normal. This is general wellness, not medical advice, so check with your own health provider before you change anything significant.

Move: a little, often

Your body was made to move. Not just in a gym, but all through the day.

• Walk after one meal. Ten minutes around the block after dinner. Bring someone with you if you can.
• Get up every hour. If you sit for work, set a gentle reminder. Stand, stretch, refill your water, then sit back down.
• Take the long way. Park farther out. Use the stairs when it makes sense. Carry your own groceries.
• Pick a movement you actually like. Walking, swimming, gardening, dancing in the kitchen. The best movement is the one you'll do again tomorrow.

Most of my marathon runs are slow and easy. That's not a shortcut. That's how steady is built.

Eat: simple and unhurried

I'm not going to hand you a diet. I'd rather help you notice a few things you can do at almost any table.

• Add before you subtract. Before you worry about what to cut, add a vegetable or a piece of fruit to one meal a day.
• Drink water first. A glass when you wake up and one with each meal is an easy place to begin.
• Sit down to eat. Not in the car, not standing at the counter. Sit, slow down, and taste your food.
• Say grace. Even a short "thank you" before a meal is a pause. It reminds me that food is a gift, and it slows me down long enough to notice when I've had enough.

Rest: protect the evening

Rest is where your body and mind catch up with the day. It's also the first thing most of us give away.

• Set a wind-down time. Pick a time each evening when the work stops and the screens get put away.
• Keep a steady bedtime. Going to bed and getting up at about the same time each day, weekends included, gives your days a steadier rhythm.
• Take a real Sabbath. One day a week, or even part of one, set aside for worship, family, a slow walk and no to-do list. Rest isn't laziness. It was built into creation.
• Notice what drains you. If one habit leaves you wired at night, whether that's late coffee, late news or late email, try moving it earlier.

Pray: for yourself and for each other

This one may feel different from the other three, but for me it holds them together.

Prayer doesn't have to be long or polished. It can be a sentence in the car, a few quiet minutes with your coffee, or a walk where you talk to God about whatever is on your mind.

One habit that has helped me most is starting the day this way. Before the phone, before the news, open a simple prayer journal. Write a few lines to God about the day ahead and the people on your heart. Then, as a small part of that same journal, keep a gratitude list: a few things you're grateful for, and a few people you're grateful for. Naming the people matters. It turns gratitude from a feeling into a prayer for someone, and it often reminds me who to call or check in on that day.

One habit I'd encourage is praying with and for other people. James 5:16 says to "pray for each other." There's something good about knowing someone is holding you up, and about holding someone else up in turn.

• Start with a prayer and gratitude journal. First thing in the morning, write a short prayer, then list what you're grateful for and who you're grateful for.
• Find one prayer partner. A spouse, a friend, someone from church. Share one thing each week and pray for each other.
• Pray on the move. Some of my clearest prayers happen on easy runs. A walk works just as well.
• Keep a short list. Write down the names of people you're praying for. Check back in with them.

Prayer isn't a technique for getting what we want. It's a way of staying close to God and to each other through whatever the week holds.

Start with one

If you read all of this and feel a little tired, that's okay. Don't try to do everything. Pick the one habit that feels most doable this week. Do it on ordinary days, not just good ones. When it feels normal, add the next.

Steady beats dramatic. Small habits, kept on ordinary days, are a pace most of us can actually hold.

Want some help getting started?

Sometimes it helps to have someone walk alongside you, help you pick the right first step, and check in as you go. That's what my health coaching is for. It's practical, it's faith-friendly, and it starts wherever you are right now.

Book a coaching call with me at linktr.ee/drcaryyurkiw.

Dr. Cary Yurkiw