FitSpirit explores the mind-body connection and the intangible benefits we gain from our efforts to stay physically fit.

My mother-in-law just had her third hip replacement surgery. She's 82. She's a breast cancer survivor. She was always in great shape when her hips cooperated. I remember her hiking with us in her 70s and keeping up better than some folks half her age.

But lately, being religious about the regular walk schedule she should be keeping to ensure ongoing mobility and recovery hasn't been a strength of hers. Adding a religious element just might change that. My sister-in-law recently wrote to us about such a strategy when it comes to Mom's roadblocks with walking:

"She doesn't like walking alone and needs to push herself to just do it or to call some friends ... She mentioned that walking seemed like a 'chore.' I suggested she offer the walk as a prayer of gratitude for the gift of mobility and use of her senses to enjoy the day."

My mother-in-law is also a devout Catholic. And so, when I read about my sister-in-law's suggestion of exercise as an offering of prayer, I found myself thinking of her as an ingenius saint. Nothing like Catholic guilt to get Mom to do something. And, I thought, that just might be the answer for the rest of us, too. Rather than taking our working bodies for granted and blowing off exercise for some sedentary activity, maybe we should all be a little more grateful for our working bodies and get moving more often.