Temple Building

It’s a brand-new year! So many of us use the beginning of a year to implement new habits and routines or to get rid of old ones. So, we make New Year’s Resolutions. In case you’ve been living under a rock, a New Year’s Resolution is a promise that you make to yourself to start doing something good or stop doing something bad on the first day of the new year.

In a Forbes Health/One Poll Survey of one thousand US adults, nearly 48% of respondents listed improving fitness as their top priority for 2024. However, an article posted by OSU Fisher College of Business indicates that forty-three percent of people abandon their resolutions by the end of January. Another twenty-three percent quit by the end of the first week. Only nine percent of Americans make successful changes through New Year’s Resolutions, yet every year, we continue to make them. We reached out to Cliff Barnett Jr. of Temple Builders Fitness Ministry for some insight on how we can become successful at what 48% of surveyed Americans have prioritized.

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
“Taking care of our bodies is not only a personal responsibility but also a reflection of our commitment to Christian living, which promotes healthy living in mind, body and spirit.”

On a bright Thursday morning late last year, we sat down with young Barnett to discuss 5 things that we can begin right away to get us on the path toward building a healthier earthly temple. Here is what he had to say:

1. Start now. Waiting until the new year really doesn’t get you anywhere. Wait to start, what makes you think you will progress in the New Year? Start now. It doesn’t have to be anything super extensive. Doing something for 10-15 minutes. There are things that we can do now that will help us gain momentum as we progress into the new year. Also keep in mind that tomorrow is not promised. Use the time you have today.

2. Be consistent. Consistency is key. It doesn’t matter how long you’re doing something or the intensity of it. If you are consistent, you will see results. There is a study that came out that says people doing a brisk walk for 11 minutes a day had better results than people who went to the gym and did different exercises once or twice a week.

3. Do something that you enjoy doing. If it’s gardening, walking, fitness classes, aerobics, or core work. Whatever it is that you are enjoying, build on that.

4. As a nutrition coach, I gotta go here: Eating whole foods. Not eating whole foods is a contributor to many of the health problems that we face, especially as African Americans. What I mean by whole foods is your produce, meat, and eggs. God-made foods vs. man-made foods. The beef from a cow, the eggs from a chicken, veggies, and fruits. Not processed or ultra-processed foods. Your processed foods are things like canned vegetables. They are still in their natural form, but they had to be put in the cans, and preservatives were added. Your ultra-processed potato chips are the foods that we love but aren’t good for us: popcorn, sodas, popcorn, sodas. These are all contributing factors to why many of us are so unhealthy. Just by eliminating those foods alone, you are going to see progress, I promise you!

5. Prepare your own foods. Here’s an example. One of my clients loves sausage, egg, and cheese sandwiches. One day, I looked at how many calories one of these sandwiches has. For one sandwich, it is 500 calories. You can reduce the number of calories by half just by making it at home. On top of that, you save more money by making it at home.
“What about water?” I ask.
I tell my clients to drink a gallon of water. Everybody may not be able to do that. I would say start with at least a half-gallon and work up from there.”

For more information, weight loss help, improvement of overall health, or for support and accountability, follow Temple Builders Fitness Ministry on Facebook or Instagram @tbfitmin or visit the website at www.tbfitnessministry.com. Free virtual consultations are available.