Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Prov. 8:10, 11, NIV.

I had alarmingly high blood pressure and a cholesterol count that was frightening, and I easily ran out of steam. So when Weight Watchers brought a class to my workplace, I decided now was the time to do something about my condition.

Eight months later and 40 pounds lighter, I felt better, looked better, was more cheerful, and felt good about myself. I followed the program, but there was one thing I resisted. At the close of each class period I was asked to commit to an exercise program. For a number of weeks I refused, because it meant getting up early. Finally I promised to walk around the block one or two days a week.

To my surprise, I enjoyed it. The scenery was pleasant, I encountered friendly people, and when vacation time came I increased my walking distance to a mile. I bought earphones and listened to tapes of Robert Delafield reading the New Testament, exercising my mind at the same time. Walk time now is the favorite time of my day.

As my weight came down, so did my blood pressure. The exercise program brought my cholesterol down as well. After a few weeks I began to feel really terrific. I had more energy, pep, and vitality than I could remember. For the first time in a long time I could walk up those three flights of stairs to my apartment without huffing and puffing.

I had been walking about three months when I went on a trip to the Holy Land. It had mountains to climb, camels to ride, seas to swim in, and I was ready and able to do them all. I even made the three-hour climb to the Cave of En-gedi, where David hid from Saul! I took the snake path up to Masada, where Herod built a palace. And I rode a camel partway up Mount Sinai, hiked the rest of the way, and then hiked down. But I would not have been able to do all these things a year earlier.

I am not a young person; I regret that I did not start an ongoing exercise and self-improvement program when I was much younger.

Ellen White counsels: “Eat sparingly, thus relieving [the] system of unnecessary burden, . . . encourage cheerfulness, and give [oneself] the benefits of proper exercise in the open air” (Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 419).

Will you make a commitment to follow this prescription for healthy living?

Used by permission of Health Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.