FIT Fridays: The Heart

Dear bloggy friends,

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, we make a plan. We decide to cut calories and increase exercise -- starting tomorrow. The morning comes. We hit the snooze - again and again - and the time for exercise is gone. Disgusted over the failure, we eat doughnuts and a tall coffee with cream and sugar. Why not? "I'll just start tomorrow." Of course, tomorrow comes. So do the same bad decisions. We give up.

Even though we know calories in minus calories out equals weight gained or lost [cal in - cal out = weight gain/lost], we struggle. On rare occasion, a health condition affects that balance and a doctor's assistance is necessary.

Good health isn't as simple as a math formula. We have to factor in the intangible: Health is a matter of the heart. We must have the heart desire to make the change. Like any change (I blogged yesterday about my bad parenting habits), it's hard. We live in the age of "do what feels good now."

To win the battle (whether it's food or something else), we need God. God tells us we can overcome any obstacle -- even persistent habits -- if we let Him fill our hearts instead. Colossians 3:7-10 says:

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander and dirty language. Don't lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become more like him.

For two weeks I've struggled about whether to share that verse. I don't want to condemn anyone or motivate by guilt trip. We heap enough guilt on ourselves as it is. I certainly don't need to add to anyone's burden. No matter what, though, choosing food (the old nature) for comfort instead of turning to God (our new nature) is sin. Until we choose God over something else, we cannot break free from it.

Let me be clear, food is not the enemy. Any old habit that we turn to instead of God could be substituted for food here -- it's a matter of the heart. I scream, yell and stomp my feet instead of praying for wisdom, patience and calm when I discipline my kids. That's the old self vs. the new self. I get bad news and run to the tub of ice cream in the freezer vs. pray and seek God's comfort. That too is the old self vs. the new self.  The only difference between a food battle and most others is that we can't hide our food battle! Like it or not, it shows.

Let's fill our hearts with the word of God instead of filling our stomach with temporary comfort. Let's win the battle. Romans 8:2-8, 11-13 says:

And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. ... So God ... sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws and it never will. That's why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

... The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by the same Spirit living within you.

 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature you will live.

To make the switch to healthy living now and forever, be sure to equip yourself.

1. Study God's word and find strength from him.
2. Resource yourself. There are several great Christian books on healthy eating and living. Choose one and pursue it.
3. Develop accountability. God didn't create us to do life alone. Ask a friend or family member to help you stand strong.
4. Pray!!!
5. Make the choice and begin. Today!

This will be the last FIT Fridays post. I could come back each week to encourage and share, but I've said all I know. From here, it's up to you. And God. Together -- you're unstoppable!

Dear God,
Thank You for giving us your Spirit to walk through life with us. Help us to listen to the Spirit's nudge when we need it. Help us turn to You for guidance and strength. Help us overcome the past to live for You -- and only You.
In your Son's precious name I pray,
Amen

FIT Fridays: Check this out!

Hey FIT Friday Friends,

Very busy day. The best part was celebrating my friend's birthday... I don't want to rush my post... so it will be here next week.

If you haven't seen this blog entry from Lysa Terkeurst, then check it out. AMAZING!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!
God bless,
Karen

FIT Fridays: Three tips for a healthy diet

Hey FIT Fridays friends,
I recently ran into a friend I hadn't seen since May. At first, I didn't even know it was her -- the only thing I recognized was her hair. She had lost 50 pounds! In five months! I asked her secret (so I could share with you). She said it was really simple. She was tired of looking in the mirror every day and hating the person who looked back at her. She was tired of her kids asking her to play outside and being too tired to do it. She was tired of snapping at her kids when she knew, deep down, really she was mad at herself for letting her body become her enemy. She said she finally looked in the mirror one day and decided enough was enough. Food would not be her comforter any more.

I think many of us fall into that trap. We know what we're doing right and we know what we're doing wrong. Hating who we see in the mirror, we turn to food anyway, consoling ourselves with doughnut, chips, ice cream, convinced we just don't have what it takes to change.

Last week, I shared practical tips to get the most from your exercise routine. Exercise alone, though, doesn't  bring good health. Without healthy eating habits, our bodies lack the fuel they need to work efficiently. Even thin people can suffer from bad health because of poor nutrition, such people are "skinny fat people." Honestly, that's been me for most of my adult life. I can eat just about anything without gaining weight (or at least much slower than most people), but I still am at risk for major health problems. Whether you're thin or a little more curvy, what you eat matters!

Restrict Calories:
For those who want -- or need -- to lose weight for optimal health, restricting calories is a necessity. Exercise alone helps, but the weight loss is so slow, it's discouraging. When I want to lose weight, I watch every bite, every crumb, every drop that goes in. It's as they say: What goes in must come out... sometimes it goes out with our waistband. I track:

• every meal, 
• every snack, 
• every lick of a spoon, 
• every bite I nibble from my daughter's plate (those really do add up). 
• I track the calories in my multivitamin and in my calcium supplement. 
• I track how many glasses of water I drink each day. (Goal of 8 per day. Work up to it, starting at 4 glasses per day if you don't already drink water)

I aim for a total intake of 1,350 calories or less per day. Over the course of the week, it usually averages out to about that. Until I began restricting calories, I exercised with no weight loss results. Sure, the arm flab got a little less wiggly. My belly got more firm. But I still didn't feel the energy I had expected. Once the extra baggage started coming off, I realized how important calorie tracking is.

Watch fats and cholesterol:
Heart disease is a risk for women, not just men. High fat and/or cholesterol intake affects our heart health. As a skinny fat person who can eat just about anything, I tended to eat the yummy higher fat foods that taste oh so good. Fat and cholesterol tend to coexist in the same foods. Even if we eat a low cholesterol diet, our bodies manufacture it. Fatty foods may lead to greater cholesterol production than other foods. Too many calories can lead to cholesterol production.

Think of your blood vessels as a garden hose and cholesterol as glue. If you squeeze glue into a garden hose, eventually it clogs up so the water can't pass through. Your flowers would die from not getting water. The same is true for us. The cholesterol clogs our blood vessels restricting blood flow. Eventually we can die from it... and until then, we wilt. (That's a simplified version). Why would we do that to our bodies?

Choosing cholesterol free foods high in fiber and low in fat will help lower your cholesterol. Some "super-foods" such as such as fatty fish, walnuts, oatmeal, and oat bran, and foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols are especially beneficial. Read those labels, educate yourself and take action!

Add fiber:
In addition to the best known benefit of fiber (that's improved efficiency in the bathroom), it also helps fight diseases and improves weight management. Fiber improves the efficiency of the digestive system. It fights diseases, particularly heart disease, many types of cancer, diabetes, diverticular disease and gallstones and kidney stones. Fiber helps us feel satisfied more quickly and keeps us feeling full longer providing weight management. For those who want to lose weight, adding fiber rich foods will help tremendously. For more detailed information on the benefits of fiber, check out this article.

I know the complaint, but the side effects... Properly cooked, high fiber foods do not have quite the same effect as under-cooked high fiber foods. Make sure those beans are cooked through. Steam the broccoli, cauliflower and other veggies to ease the effects on the digestive system. Your body may talk back for a few days, but once it's used to having all that healthy food, these effects do decrease.

The internet is full of healthy food recipes, exercise suggestions, meal planning tips, calorie counters... We know what we need to do to live a healthy life. Like my friend, though, nothing changes until we decide we're really committed. Not half committed (like I've been much of my life), but fully committed. Willing to say NO to the desserts, the chips, the fried chicken. Willing to fill our plates with vegetables and whole grains. Willing to say, "I love that person in the mirror and want her to have a long, fulfilling life!"

No matter how many FIT Friday posts I write, just reading this won't change your life. You must choose -- I must choose -- to make the decisions that lead to excellent health. What do you think? Is this your day to look in the mirror and take a stand.

**As with all diet and exercise recommendations, please see a doctor if you have any concerns whatsoever about your health.**


Dear God,
Please speak life into the heart of each person who reads this post. Let them know you love them, just as they are... and that you want the very best for them. Help me live out what I speak through this page, getting healthier myself so I can serve you more. We adore you for creating us.
In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen

FIT Fridays: Effective Exercise!

Good morning (or afternoon or evening) my bloggy friends!

As promised, today's post focuses on exercise. I've shared tips before, but today, it's more concrete. How does exercise work to improve weight and/or health?

Long ago, before dishwashers, electric washing machines, electric dryers, riding lawnmowers and cars, we used our bodies to work. Before grocery stores, women kneaded bread, knelt by the kitchen fireplace and baked it. We chopped wood, scrubbed clothes on a washboard, and walked to the neighbors house. What?! No texting? It's true. Today, the only muscles that get regular exercise are our fingers!

To stay healthy, exercise has to replace what we used to do just to survive. Of course, if you don't want to exercise, you could give up all the electronic goodies and go back to the old-fashioned way of doing things, but I sure would miss you here in bloggy-world.

Effective exercise does two things. It revs up the heart rate and strengthens muscles. The heart is the key to much of our health. It drives the blood through the bloodstream. The blood carries oxygen to the body so it can function well. Efficient bloodflow decreases swelling in the ankles. It speeds digestion and improves our ability to absorb the nutrients we need. Without a strong heart, we don't function well.

We need strong muscles too. The core muscles in our lower abdomen and back, as well as the muscles that wrap around from back to front, give us strength and stability. Strong core muscles improve our posture. Good posture improves our lung capacity. We breathe in stronger, getting more oxygen. The increased oxygen improves the oxygenation of our blood. Better oxygenated blood improves the health of the muscles... and so on and so on. It's one big circle. One intricately created, enormous, delicate circle.

An effective exercise regimen balances cardio work for the heart and strength training for the body.

To maximize your cardio workout:

• Participate in an aerobic exercise (walking, running, elliptical machine, bike),
• Learn your target heart rate (explanation and chart here),
• Warm up at a lower heart rate for five minutes,
• Maintain your target heart rate for half an hour (more details available at the AHA site) 
• When first starting exercise you may not be able to maintain a half hour of strenuous exercise. This is the goal to work toward over the course of a month.
• When you can sustain your workout for thirty minutes at your threshold target heart rate, increase your heart rate for a more vigorous workout.
• Cool down at the end for about five minutes.

Why?

• This workout strengthens the heart muscle to pump more efficiently.
• Cardio workouts that don't push the heart rate up (they aren't uncomfortable, they don't take your breath, they aren't difficult), don't work the heart effectively. When you've completed an effective workout should feel physically weary.
• For instance, strolling through the park for three hours could be called three hours of walking, but it doesn't work the heart. Walking at a brisk pace through the park for thirty minutes, sweating, breathing hard, and feeling the heart pound, is effective exercise.

To maximize muscle strengthening exercises:

• Start with larger muscle groups first (chest, abdominals, thighs, and rear end) because they stabilize the body to improve core strength,
• Crunches and leg lifts work the abdomen,
• Squats and lunges work the thighs and rear end,
• Push ups or knee push ups work the chest.
• Start with a number of repetitions that is challenging but not painful.
• Controlled, steady movement that works the muscle is more effective than quick movement. Quick movements use momentum and work the muscles less. 

Alternating days between cardio and strengthening exercises should provide a healthy workout. Push yourself hard every day, to the limit of what you think you can do. 

As with any exercise or health regimen, be sure to consult your doctor if you have -- or think you might have -- any medical condition that might make exercise harmful!

God bless!

Karen

FIT Fridays: Another step forward

Hello FIT Friday Friends,

How are you this week? Southern friends, has the soggy weather dampened your spirit? your energy? Has it sent you scurrying to the pantry for snacks? Yep. Wet weather can do all those things. I've certainly battled a lack of energy -- like a sun-loving annual, I wilt in too much darkness.

This rain signals fall's entrance. The weather, preparing the land, trees, bushes and flowers for another season of cold hibernation. (Thankfully, we southerners don't hibernate too long!) As fall drops in (get it? rain drops?), it's time to make a plan. What's the next step on your road to good health?

Spirit: My quiet time with God tends to suffer in the fall. The dark mornings just don't spur me out of bed to spend time with the One who made me. I'll trick myself into thinking that's okay -- God knows I don't function well without sunshine. After all, He made me. What a lie! When the sun's not shining, I need the Son more than ever! Like so many women I know, when the darkness sets in, so do bad moods and lack of energy. Press ahead, just one step forward. Commit to waking up each morning for some time with God.

Consider these verses:

• Daniel 2:21
• Matthew 4:4
• Genesis 8:22
• Ecclesiastes 3:1-22

Diet: As my quiet time dwindles each fall, so does my commitment to healthy eating. With so many harvest soup recipes, fall may be the easiest time to eat healthy. Other foods are abundant as well such as apples. Try different varieties to discover your favorite. 

One of my favorite soup recipes is:

3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Set oven to 425. Toss the above ingredients together. Spread into a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring at 15 minutes so the vegetables roast evenly.

While roasting the vegetables, prepare the rest of the soup.

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 stalk of celery diced

1 sweet onion diced

1 quart of vegetable broth (you can use chicken or beef broth instead)

pinch of salt

ground black pepper to taste

Drizzle the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the celery and onion; cook and stir until the onion turns translucent, but not browned. Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer, uncovered. Add the roasted vegetables from the oven and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup becomes too thick, you can add vegetable broth.

Feel free to substitute other vegetables: parsnips, turnips and celery root would work well.

Crock pot method: Instead of roasting the veggies and cooking stovetop, you can put the chopped vegetables in the crockpot. Take the time to cook the onion and celery and then pour over top with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer all day on low. Roasting adds depth of flavor, but this method is great for during the week.

Exercise: This may be my biggest downfall. I slow down so much in the fall. No matter what I want to do, I just have no energy. This is our opportunity for mind over matter... really, for prayer over mind over matter :). God designed us to use our bodies. He rewards our efforts. When we exercise our energy level increases. Exercise is a great antidote to seasonal affect disorder (SAD). Will it eliminate it? Maybe not, but exercise will increase the endorphins, leading to a sunnier outlook regardless of what the skies tell us! Let's keep moving ladies!

It's time to ramp up the intensity to fight the doldrums that come with gray skies and raindrops. This is the best time ever to bump up the number on that bike. Increase the reps. Move it - faster! Whatever you do, this is not the time to slow down, but to increase your momentum. Let the energy of exercise carry you through the dark days.

Next week, I'll be focusing on the exercise component more specifically. If you have exercise questions, comments or suggestions please share them here. Let's move into the new season together, committed to finishing the year strong and changing our lives for the good, forever.

With love in Christ,

Karen

If you don't know what FIT Fridays is all about, check out where we began. If you're a long-time friend of FIT Fridays, please read over old posts now and then. It never hurts to be reminded of the basics! Please, share FIT Fridays with your friends who are dedicated to healthier lives, spiritually and physically. I hope to hear from you!

FIT Fridays: Take off the mask

FIT Friday friends,

How are you doing today? Not just with your weight. How's life?

Do you know that you are God's precious one?

A friend shared recently that she's excited at her weight loss and improved health. She's lost quite a bit of weight this year and feels better than she has in a long time. She's nervous, too, as she's hitting that place she's been before... that "plateau" of weight loss that she's never broken through.

It's not just weight loss that can "plateau." Sure, we talk about weight all the time. It's visible. It's easy to measure. Our societal stereotype says thin people have their lives together. Heavy people don't.

The reality is very few of us have our act together. It's exactly that -- an act.

We need to take off the mask and live the way God designed us. It means breaking through barriers like food addiction, control addiction, and approval addiction. It means turning to the One who created us in the first place.

When Rob and I were first married, I had serious food issues. I wasn't anorexic... but when the finances got tight, I would get scared and control what I could. My issues were food and control -- tangled together in a big knot. I would eat the bare minimum to get through the day. Tiny portions to keep my tummy from growling, but not enough to really nourish me. I had no energy. I got depressed.

The issue wasn't food, it was fear. I didn't trust that we'd have the money to get through. I didn't trust that God would provide for our needs -- even though he loves us more than the birds of the air (Matt. 6:26). I needed control, so I'd limit what I ate to control what I could of how much we spent.

For years, I didn't told Rob about my fears. I just bottled them up and shoved them inside me. Deep down inside. I certainly never talked to God about them.

Eventually, I got to the place I had to deal with it or be stuck. God -- and Rob -- helped me overcome my fears. God helped me let go of control -- for the most part. To succeed, I had to take off the mask of self-control and open my heart to God. Rob was sensitive to my fears and reassured me that God will always take care of us... Just like it says in the Bible.

So, what about you? Are fears keeping you from being who you're meant to be? Do you hide behind food so no one will see you? Do you have issues to tackle, but avoid them, instead comforting yourself by eating?

Whether we are thin or not, we all have fears and issues to deal with. Let's take off the mask and deal with them head-on.

Dear God,
I can't begin to comprehend your love for me. Your love is deeper than the oceans and wider than the seas, but even standing at the edge of the water, I can't see that big. Thank you for loving me that much. Forgive me that I don't trust you all the time. Forgive me for wearing a mask -- hiding my fears with control, comforting myself with food. I know you want to be my comforter. Help me give my concerns to you. I don't want to carry these burdens anymore. They're too heavy. I can't live the life you have for me if I carry the past around all the time. Please, God, help me let go so I can really begin to live.
In Jesus' name,
Amen

FIT Fridays: Fall! Or Autumn, if you prefer. :)

Hello my Fit Friday friends,

We got through summer and now... FALL! Typically this time of year means sweater weather which can lead to less motivation to exercise. After all, those bikinis (NO -- I don't actually wear one) are tucked safely away until next summer. Why worry about it?

The end of summer often signals an end to exercise. We hibernate in front of the TV and well... we eat. Tailgate parties. Halloween candy. All those yummy harvest foods like apple pie, pumpkin pie, cobbler... Ohhhhh, I could go on, but I'm making myself hungry!

What's a woman to do? Let twelve hard weeks of healthy eating and exercise just slide away? Do we really want to "stock up for winter," packing on the extra pounds like a chipmunk or a squirrel? I don't think so!

To prepare for the new season... let's make a plan!

First, let's thank God! Let's thank Him for health. For bodies that work. For wisdom! Since "actions speak louder than words," let's not just thank Him with our mouths. Let's live healthy and actually apply all we have learned this summer. Show God your thanks!

Second, let's discover the joy of healthy eating during this season. The farmers' markets overflow with incredibly wonderful food. Discover the flavors of fresh-picked local produce... Don't drown those veggies in butter or saute them to death. Enjoy them, fresh or lightly steamed. Spritz with lemon juice and savor the flavor!

In the kitchen, make zucchini bread (you can substitute whole wheat flour or oat flour for some of the white flour for  a health boost and cut the sugar by half. You'll never miss it!). Enjoy pumpkin pancakes. Bite into a crisp apple and remember your childhood. Delicious!

Finally, enjoy the cooler air. Get out there and keep moving. If your family loves football like ours does, why not toss a football in the back yard before the games come on? Or head outside for a half-time football game with the kids... Lots of people do that on Thanksgiving, but you can play other days of the year! :) Hike in the woods and appreciate the smells of fall, the feel of the cool air on your cheek, the color of the world as it prepares for winter.

God gave us seasons. Let's embrace this one in a new way. Enjoy and God bless!

FIT Fridays: Read the Label

Hey bloggy friends,
So... that day of grace I asked for turned into a full week. I admit our time management did not go so well. We'd get the kids to bed each night, and then I'd fell asleep. Back to school is apparently tougher on moms than kids these days.

So... here's the long-awaited post. Thanks for your patience. :)

Processed foods. Yep. That's what you've been waiting all this time to read. I hope you're not disappointed. Packaged food has always been my friend. Since I don't like to cook much, I've kept a good supply of frozen, one person meals around forever. I thought I'd eat these amazing, convenient wonders and stay healthy.

Wrong!

Processed foods are tricky! Some so-called low-calorie frozen items are so high in sodium that they cause their own problems. Any food item that provides 40-50% of daily sodium needs is best avoided, especially for people with high blood pressure. High sodium consumption can lead to other health problems too.

Many low-cal foods are packaged as two portions, not one. Without reading labels carefully, the purchaser might think he or she has hit the low-cal bonanza. Instead, calorie consumption is doubled, and the weight sticks around. How frustrating!

Low-fat does not mean low-cal. Sugar-free does not mean fat-free. Low-cal doesn't mean sugar or fat free... It could simply mean a really tiny portion size. These conveniences rarely help.

Sugar free soda presents its own challenge. Obviously, it's comprised of chemicals -- and I just can't imagine those are good for anyone. Chemical issues notwithstanding, researchers believe that sugar-free sodas do the exact opposite of what we expect. The soda's sweetness tells the brain that sugar is on its way. The sugar doesn't arrive and our bodies end up craving it more. I'm not an expert. I'm not saying the research is right. I do know when I've eaten sugar-free (usually accidentally) I'm not satisfied. My mouth just wants more.

The solution? Read the entire label carefully and select prepared foods wisely. Read the portion size before sitting down to eat. Understand the real calorie count.

Better yet, cook and freeze at home.

• We make our own pasta sauce. I use one half of the recipe at the time and freeze the other half for another day.
• We make and freeze our own jam (that might have been helpful information back in June and July when strawberries were fresh). I cut the sugar by about 50% without adding artificial ingredients.
• We cook several pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and freeze what we won't use that week. No preservatives, just cooked right and frozen immediately. 
• Make meatloaf two at a time. Eat one now (not a whole meatloaf. Please share.) Freeze one for later.

Many cookbooks offer an eat one-freeze one recipe section. These recipes are available online as well. The meals are usually simple to prepare and great for families. 

To substitute for that all desired soda? How about fruit infused water? We enjoy mango-water, lime-water, lemon-water, peach-water... just about any fruit works. Simply place some sliced fruit into a pitcher of water and chill for several hours. We peel citrus first so the bitter rind doesn't affect the taste. The natural fruit flavor will infuse the water with delicate sweetness. Refreshing and flavorful. And healthy!

I ran across this verse recently, and it reminded me that I am responsible for the care of my body. "Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?" (Job 12:12)

Healthy eating is an informed choice. It leads to healthy living. Wisdom. And long life.


God bless,
Love,
Karen

FIT Fridays: Under Construction

Hey FB friends and family!

I apologize for the FIT Fridays posting delay... Rob's helping me with some information but he's had a crazy week.

It's a little funny actually. If we make healthy life choices, we put him out of business.

Hmmm.... maybe I should recommend large quantities of chips, ice cream and chocolate instead.

JUST KIDDING!

Posting tomorrow, probably.

Happy, healthy living!
God bless,
Karen

FIT Fridays: Check-point

Hello my FIT Friday friends,

We've been at this for more than two months already. Yep! We started on Friday, June 4th. Have you made any changes in your life? Did you start strong and taper off? I hope you started strong and are still going strong!

As you regular readers know, I hit a few snags this summer. The heat! Wow, that's tough. My broken toes certainly challenged my fitness program. As I look back to week one, I have grown spiritually -- and shrunk a bit physically. How about you?

Our week one challenge was fairly straight-forward. (If you want to read the full post, go to "Introducing FIT Fridays.") I challenged you to:

• eat what you normally do -- only before you sit down to eat it, measure out how much you're really eating. Honestly! You can't know where to begin until you know where you are. I think you'll surprise yourself. 

Do you practice portion control now?
Did you step it up after week one to limit your calorie intake?
Have you started substituting healthy snacks for junk food? Or eliminated soda and sweet tea?
Your physical health won't change if your habits don't. So be honest. Where are you? What's the next step?

• ask yourself if what you're doing is helping you improve your life. Just think about it. Again, you can't change until you know where you are.

Have you gotten off the couch to "move it?" 

Did you change some habits to add exercise to your day? 

Do you park further from the office to add some steps to your routine? Do you take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can?

Without exercise, the weight doesn't come off very easily. More importantly, without exercise, we aren't using our bodies the way God intended. Those muscles were meant to move and work! Exercise is really the best energy booster we've got. Assess the changes you've made and step it up. Be honest! 

• Read these passages and pray. Ask God to show you the plans he has for your life. Ask him for strength to make wise decisions. Ask him to help you in the battle against food. Proverbs 4:6-7, Psalm 107:43, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 14:1, and Jeremiah 29:11.

This is the heart of it all. When you know -- with all your heart -- that you are precious to God, loved dearly, you will want to live the best life you can for him.

So, have you opened your heart to Him?

Have you dealt with the "junk" -- those hurts from your past, the lies you believe about yourself, the low self-esteem? 

Or, is it still there nagging at you and literally weighing you down?

Dear friends, with a pure heart filled with love from God, your life is so different. Look inside. Let go of the hurts once and for all. Choose now to relaunch your efforts if you slipped away. Going strong? Then step it up! Reach for those goals and live the life God has for you! Let us know what you've learned so far on this journey. Let's praise God for the great things He has already done!

Dear God,

As always, I am awed by your love. Thank you for my life, my family, and my dreams! On my own, I wouldn't have the life I do. You continue to amaze me with your creative plan for me. Give me strength, Lord, to give every moment of my day to You. I give you my thoughts -- don't let me talk myself down anymore. I give you my choices -- what I eat, what I do, and how I parent. Everything, God, is yours. Forgive me for the many mistakes I make and help me move ahead of them. I love you, Lord. Let my life reflect your love to those around me.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen

FIT Fridays: Joy and Peace

Hello my FIT Friday friends and guests!

One of my all-time favorite verses is Romans 15:13 (It's at the top of the blog). "May the God of hope fill you..." See that? It's not your job to fill you up. It's God's job. "With joy and peace..."  God doesn't just want to fill you up. He wants to fill you with JOY and PEACE.

Imagine that. Your life filled with God's joy and peace. Ohhhh.

Each time I write this post, I pray that God will use me to help you see His love for you. I pray that for me too! I've learned that when I spend time with God I discover more of His love for me... and the more I understand about His love (and I have so much more to learn), the greater my joy and peace.

As joy and peace grow, I make better choices. I eat healthier. I watch less TV. I play with the kids more. I clean house without grumbling (well... with less grumbling).

This week, spend time in God's word. Ask Him to reveal more of His love to you. Share that love with others in the way you live. Rejoice in the way it changes you -- from the inside out!

Keep making healthy choices -- grab some carrots or an apple when you "need" to munch. Skip the chips! Don't forget to move it! Dance with your kids. Swim laps at the pool -- or at least grab the side and kick! Kick! Kick! Park at the far end of the lot.

Consider why you're doing it. Are you improving your life for you? Or are you living for God?

Dear God,
Your love never ends. Every time I learn more, I realize how little I really know. Fill me with a passion to live in your love, the love that leads to joy and peace. When the world overwhelms me, forgive me for stumbling. Forgive me for turning to food for comfort instead of you. Forgive me when I curl up in a ball instead of choosing to really live. Give me strength for today. Let my life be a testimony of your love, joy and peace! 
In Your Son's name I pray,
Amen

FIT Fridays: Accountability

Hello FIT Fridays Friends,

One of the most vital aspects of healthy Christian living is accountability. We are personally accountable to God for the choices we make (Romans 14:12). We are also accountable to each other. First Corinthians 12 says that we are part of one body, the body of Christ, and we belong to one another. Through the relationships we build with FIT Fridays, we should encourage one another:

• sharing our successes to set an example by our testimony, 
• encouraging one another with recipes, strategies and even scripture that spurs us to live the life God designed,
• confronting one another in love when we fall to the temptation of gluttony. It's one thing to understand, but it doesn't mean we don't remind each other of what we know is true. 

Such accountability to each other helps us grow in spiritual maturity. Wow! Did you ever think about that? I tend to think of spiritual maturity as those "Biblical things:" scripture reading, prayer, or patience. I never really considered my health to be a reflection of maturity, but it is. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Paul wrote, "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." Paul understood that God gave us these earthly bodies to live for him. Healthy living is a sign of spiritual maturity. 

Doesn't that make you want to:

Exercise -- indoors or early morning during this heatwave!

Eat healthy -- veggies are your friend! Cut calories if you still need to lose weight. If you've cut 25% already and have been there a while, then take off another 10%.

Spend time with God -- Read 1 Corinthians and ask God to show you what He wants you to learn.

Let's be accountable with each other. Share your testimony - glorify God with the victories He gives! Pray for one another. 

Dear God,

You are amazing! The more I learn about how you created me, the more in awe I am. We truly are fearfully and wonderfully made. Give me strength to live the way I should for you, taking care of my mind, heart and body so that I can run the race you planned for me. Be with each of us who read this prayer -- help us to be accountable to one another and spur each other on to live the life you want for us. Thank you for your love. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that guides us. 

I pray in your Son's precious name, Amen

If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge to learn all about it. We're glad you're here!

FIT Fridays: Just cut to the chase!

Hello!
Welcome to another FIT Friday post. I must say, I've been working on this post for a few days. Either it's really bad -- or it's gonna be amazing. I'm hoping for the latter! Since we started this little journey, I hope you realize that God loves you! I hope you realize you are special.

Some of you have reported in the past couple weeks. Amazing stories worth celebrating!

• One of you lost two pounds in one week. Just by cutting some calories and cutting out the soda. YEA!
• Another shared that getting your heart and mind in shape has helped you organize your home and declutter. Losing weight -- physically and at home! 
• Another of you shared how finding balance -- or at least more balance -- is benefitting your whole family, regardless of what the scale happens to say. Healthy eating and getting active makes everything better.

That's the way it works. Take small steps, trusting in God, and your life will improve.

Let's not forget why we do this though. Not for good looks. Not just to feel better. We strive for self-control because gluttony is a sin. Ouch! When we turn to food for comfort or out of habit, that food becomes our god. We eat to feel better instead of pray and read God's word. 

Consider this passage, "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age." (Titus 2:11-12) Simply put, living healthy -- such as exercising for good health but not for the bikini body glamorized in magazines or eating for nutrition and not to seek comfort -- is all God wants. 

How are you doing? Do you see yourself turning more to God for comfort and strength? Or are you still grabbing those oreos? Are you exercising for health or for beauty?

This week, I encourage you to really meditate on Titus 2:11-12. Ask God to show you the areas where you trust Him -- and those areas where you don't. Ask Him for strength to live a "godly life in the present age." Perhaps hang this verse on your refrigerator or your bathroom mirror as a reminder of who you live for.

Still not exercising? I know it's been a tough summer for me. Two separate broken toes have slowed me down. Then there's the crazy heat we've had here in North Carolina. If you haven't started or got derailed like me, don't quit. It's never too late to get moving.

I think you know what's good to eat and what's not. Why not make it easier and shop for just the good stuff? Grocery stores keep the healthy foods such as produce and dairy along the perimeter of the store. Stay out of the aisles that tempt you! Fill that cart with more green stuff and less boxed stuff.

Keep in touch. I love hearing your stories. It's awesome to know that people are making changes, one at a time, and discovering that God has a great life in store!

Much love in Christ,

Karen

If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge to learn all about it. We're glad you're here!

FIT Fridays: Get out there and live!!!

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Hey everyone,
It's time for a FIT Friday post! If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge before you jump in where we are now. Faithful friends, thank you for understanding the past couple weeks while I was away with my family. I prayed for my FIT Friday buddies throughout our vacation and I hope you are having a fabulous, fun, energetic, healthy summer!

At Yosemite last week, I was AWED by God's majesty. As we hiked up the granite mountain, I could find no words to describe His handiwork. Simply inspiring. So many times, we stopped, just to look. Five of us, hushed by the enormity of the space around us. We are so small. I felt insignificant against that backdrop. Yet God's word is clear. He cares more for us than anything else in all creation! (Matt. 6:26)

Hiking up those mountains, I was constantly reminded that God created the world for us -- for you and for me. He created this world for our enjoyment! Just as parents prepare for a new child by painting the nursery, selecting just the right crib, decor, even hospital homecoming outfit, God prepared this world -- the whole thing -- for us. WOW! What are we doing with that?

• When did you last go to a park, just to walk and enjoy?
• When did you last walk through your neighborhood, listening to the sounds of the birds and bugs or enjoying the bright colors of summer flowers?
• When did you last walk along a beach squishing sand between your toes? Or watch the waves break against the beach?

Since our trip, I realize exercise does not have to be mundane! Instead of riding the exercise bike every day -- staring at the television as we log the time -- why not head outdoors and enjoy what God made while we enjoy the bodies He gave us? I got a better workout hiking through mountains than I ever have on an exercise machine! And it didn't "hurt" the same way! Enthralled by the ever changing view, I used my whole body to climb those rocks -- up three miles before getting to go down the first day -- and I never felt weary. 

This week, get out there (yes, the heat is way up -- go early in the morning and watch the world come to life as the sun climbs into the sky or go late as the sun sets and the noise of the world hushes, replaced by the song of the crickets)! Run, walk, hike through a hilly park. Enjoy God's majesty. Your routine won't get boring! You'll go farther than you ever thought you could.

As to nutrition, I'll write more on that next week. For now, keep drinking water -- lots of water! Perhaps it's time to "splurge" on a water bottle that makes you smile. Really! I have a pink stainless steel water bottle covered in flowers. I love it. My son selected a black, gray and silver "camo" water bottle and drinks twice as much as he used to. Enjoy that water drinking!!!!

While you're at it, head out to the farmer's market. Why not eat the freshest fruits and vegetables now that they're readily available? My NC friends, just stop at a corner fruit stand and load up! Fresh fruit and veggies are hard to beat for flavor and healthfulness!

Spiritually, remind yourself that you are special to God. Read scripture on His creation and majesty (the book of Psalms is loaded with these kind of verses). He made this world for YOU! I pray that you will realize that the world is not a burden (we make the burden by overloading ourselves with responsibilities). God's creation is a gift! Memorize a couple verses that speak to your heart. Meditate on them as you get out there and live!

Please share your favorite verse on God's majesty with the rest of us! 

Dear God,

I am simply awed by your majesty. Thank you for making such a beautiful place for us to live. Thank you for the variety of landscapes you created, just for our enjoyment. Help me remember to enjoy the world you created for me. Fill me with inspiration and commitment to keep getting healthier so I can truly enjoy the life you have given me. Remind me, Lord, to eat healthy. Convict me when the cookies tempt me -- and remind me that you created peaches, watermelon, strawberries, and so much more, just so I can eat fun food. I commit my health -- my life -- to you. Be with me as I continue to get healthier, so my life can bring you the glory you deserve.

In Jesus' name I pray,

Amen

FIT Friday: Don't hit the wall. Climb it!

My son, Ben, and me at camp this week!

Hey everyone,
It's Friday and you know what that means! Time for a FIT Friday post! If you're new to FIT Fridays, please read our week one challenge before you jump in where we are now.

This week, I went to student camp and had the honor of leading the seventh grade girls group. It's been a long time since I was in middle school -- let's not dwell on that, though :) Some things I noticed about these precious 13 year olds: they have incredible energy. They do not need sleep -- at all -- at least if there's mountain dew available. They like to look alike -- we braided a lot of hair this week. Seriously, they were amazing and they reminded me how precious it is to just love living!

Our last day at camp, we participated in a team challenge -- to get four of our team members up and over a 15 foot wall. Seriously. I had two who are afraid of heights and one with a sore knee. That left five girls... and our team needed a sixth participant. Obviously, the sun had burned my brain. I said I'd do it. WHAT??? Their 44 year old leader? Climbing a wall? I'm afraid of heights too, you know. AND I leave on vacation this weekend. What if I break my arm or leg -- or neck?

We sent girlie number one up and over that wall in no time! With three of us helping her go up and our strong hoister at the top (seriously, this girl has amazing strength), it was a piece of cake. Then it was my turn.... YIKES! No fear. Or at least never let it show!

Our strong base girl (she's incredibly tough too and such a sweetie) held out her palm. I stepped into it and she pushed me up. I stretched. She and another girl pushed. And I locked arms with the hoister. I "climbed" the wall and got near the top. With a little help that first leg went up and over -- oh my gosh! We did it!!! I have a few bruises which I wear with pride.

The next two came up quick and easy. Four of us went up and over in 2 minutes and 17 seconds. AWESOME! We did it!!!

At lunch, I told my teen sons that I had climbed the wall. One high fived me -- "Great job, Mom. I tried, but I couldn't do it." My other son, "Really? You climbed the wall. No way." Hints of disbelief. The girls backed me up -- and then, "Cool. Good job, Mom."

FIT Fridays is just like climbing that wall.

• When you struggle, the rest of us are here to lift you up. You can always comment to share a success story or word of encouragement or scripture that has helped you. You can join our email group (just email me privately or post a comment below that includes your email so I can add you).
• We are stronger together than any one of us alone. No one can climb a 15' vertical wall without help. Becoming healthy is just as hard to do alone. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us that two are better than one, and a cord of three strands is not easily broken. Alone we are weak. Together, we are strong.
• Celebrate your success. When we finished, we screamed and hollered, jumped around and hugged each other. We were so proud of ourselves!!! It felt good to celebrate. Inside, I knew I succeeded because of the exercise and healthy eating I've been doing lately. I know my body was ready for that challenge. I had confidence I didn't have last year (when I refused to climb the wall).

Healthiness takes a commitment of heart, attitude, and mind. This week's "homework" is intended to help you make a healthy commitment. 

First, write down what you want in this life. When you're 40 (or older), do you want to be able to play frisbee in the hot sun with your kids without feeling like you're having a heart attack? How about doing laundry or dishes or cooking dinner without a backache? You can do it! Set the goal, make choices that will help you reach that goal, and celebrate. You'll get there quicker than you think!

Second, pick a theme verse. I am motivated by 1 Corinthians 10:31, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." At camp, I ate healthy. People noticed. One girl asked, "Why do you take the bread off your sandwich?" I explained that I want the food I eat to make me strong so I can do whatever God asks of me and I don't want to eat more than I need. So, I take the white bread off and eat more salad. 

Another girl asked how I stay so fit. Me. Really? NEVER had that question before. Then again, I've never been able to play soccer and ultimate frisbee, cheerlead and climb walls before! I explained, briefly, how I work exercise into my day so that my body can be strong for whatever God brings... I told her how I wished I had done it younger. Whatever you do... Glorify GOD!

Third, drink more water. Water is your "secret weapon." If you drink more water, you aren't as hungry. If you drink water, you have energy. My husband's job sometimes requires him to be up most of the night -- he sometimes only gets one or two hours of sleep. He has never reached for the coffee pot for a quick burst of energy. As long as I've known him, he has reached for the water bottle. He can drink two gallons of water on those exhausting days -- yes, more trips to the bathroom, but he is more alert. Your brain is mostly water. Without it, you get sluggish -- your mind is literally thirsty! For me, not enough water leads to migraines. Since eating healthy, I get fewer headaches than ever. Drink that water!

Fourth, keep cutting calories. If you've mastered the 25% less challenge, step it up. Never go below 1200-1400 calories per day. You can't function and be healthy on less! For those who are still over that, though, it's time to cut some more. What can you swap for healthier eating? How about cutting sugar out of your coffee? How about switching to more vegetables and a couple less fruits? Instead of dessert, how about just a bite? HINT: brush your teeth after meals. You'll crave sweets less.

Finally, get off that couch! Move it. Move it. Move it. And thank God you're alive! Park far away at work, at the mall, at church. Wherever you go. Run up those steps, don't just walk! Get up from your desk and do a lap around the floor in your office building or outside around the building every hour or two. It will keep you sharp! Or run a couple flights of stairs. Just keep moving!!!

One of our FIT Fridays friends did a backflip in the pool this week. AWESOME! Celebrate! God made you special.

Lots of love,

Karen

FIT Fridays: Who are you?

Welcome to our third week of FIT Fridays!

If you're new to FIT Fridays, find out what it's all about at our inaugural post. Our "team" continues to grow in number... and we're starting to see outward results of the whole person transformation! Thanks for sharing your testimonies with me. It's truly awesome to see prayer answered and hearts and lives changed for the better!

One reader shared, "It's exciting to get closer to God again. Will I fail along the way? Maybe, but I know God is leading me... He is directing my steps. I must say... it feels good."

God wants each one of us to share that excitement. He wants each of us to know that He really is in control and we don't have to be. He wants to guide each of us. As this lady said, it feels good to do it God's way!

Where do you begin?

With God, of course. DeLynn Rizzo, of Healing Place Church in Baton Rouge, recently shared an amazing message on our identity in Christ. DeLynn said, "We can't change the world until we know who God made us to be." She explained we are not the job titles we carry (wife, mother, employee, volunteer, cook, chaperone, etc.). Those are all the things we do.

We are:

1. Strong! Strong women are durable. Strong women are capable of enduring much without collapsing. Joshua 1:9 says, "...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Whatever we do and wherever we go, including spiritual, emotional and mental battles, God goes too. We never face the dark alone.
2. Valuable and precious! I have shared this before -- we are more precious than rubies! (Proverbs 31:10). Unfortunately, we discount our worth all the time. I spoke with a friend yesterday who needs a new swimsuit -- but she hasn't made time to shop for one. Don't we all do that? The kids need this, that or the other... We sacrifice ourselves for the sake of our kids. But that's not God's plan. He values each one of us. Of course, it's not about swimsuits, it's about our heart. Do we appreciate our "special-ness"?
3. Get comfortable with yourself. Easy to say, but so very hard to do. Instead we believe the lies. We get focused on the wrong things: how clean the house is, how smart the kids are, how wide our hips are... you know the comparisons. We believe we are less than wonderful, because somebody else is "all that." God, though, created us all unique. Special. Beloved for who we are in HIS eyes. Ephesians 2:10 says "we are God's workmanship created to do good works." In 2 Corinthians 10:12, Paul warns us of the pitfalls of comparing ourselves with others. It's not about who we aren't. With God it's all about who we are!

If you got to hear DeLynn speak live, review your notes this week. Stick the verse that spoke loudest to you on your bathroom mirror. Claim your rightful place as God's precious jewel and tell satan to get off your back! If you didn't get to hear DeLynn, please take time this week to meditate on the notes above. Ask God to reveal His plan and purpose for you -- just as he designed you.

As the precious reader said, God wants to direct our steps. Living that way feels good!

Walking with God, we are less likely to turn to food for comfort. With a renewed purpose that comes from God, it is difficult to sit on the couch and waste the day in front of the television (or computer). Even with that open heart, we still may not understand how to change the bad habits.

Healthy eating is not all about soy milk and organic vegetables! Sure those things are great, but they aren't necessary to get fit from the inside out. Ready for some basic, easy to apply tips that you can use at every meal? I have two teenage boys who require thousands of calories a day! If I eat like them, I'll grow too. Horizontally. Not exactly what I want. Here's what I do:

• I use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. Less space means less food! (A good alternative is a small diameter, three section paper plate if you don't have salad plates.)
• My meals consist of 50% vegetables, 20% starch -- or less (which means I just don't include that portion and leave that section of the plate empty), and 30% protein. Some examples:
• Tossed salad with lemon juice instead of dressing, three small meatballs, and a small serving of pasta with tomato sauce.
• Grilled vegetables (zucchini, carrots, onions), three ounce boneless grilled chicken breast brushed with olive oil and seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper, and half a baked potato drizzled with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and seasoned with chives.
• Steamed broccoli, three ounce grilled burger - a tsp. of ketchup and/or mustard, but no mayo, and a slice of Ezekiel bread toast drizzled with 1/2 tsp. of olive oil.
• Before dinner, I usually drink a large glass of water. It fills me some so I'm tempted to eat less.
• Chew that food! When I was younger, I ate slowly and chewed all my food. Motherhood and schedules led to quick eating without enjoying my food. You know the drill... take bite, chomp three times and swallow. Get back to savoring that food! Digestion begins in the mouth and chewing your food will naturally help you eat less!

As I've appreciated who I am in Christ, I naturally got a spring in my step. I'm so excited to live that I have a hard time just sitting around all day! I want to live. I want to experience all that life has to offer! Exercise at the gym is awesome... But don't discount those chances to do things with your kids or your spouse. Take a brisk walk after dinner. Dance with your kids. Or your husband! Get out in the garden and pull the weeds (just be sure to wear sunscreen and drink lots of water). Play tennis. Belong to a pool? Swim during the rest period -- I'm up to five complete laps in ten minutes. When God fills your heart with love, live it out!

Here's the challenge for this week:

1. Review all the scriptures from DeLynn's message. Jot them down in your journal and ask God to fill you with His plan for you.

2. Keep cutting those portions like you have been. Also, eat a balanced diet like I outlined above. Write it down -- in your journal, of course... Celebrate your progress during the week.

3. Get moving!!!! Include your family and have fun using the body God gave you!!! Keep track of how much you move this week. Add it to your journal too. See what God is doing? Yea!

If you'd like to receive emails during the week for encouragement, prayer and ideas, please let me know. You can email me or leave a comment with your email address below. Be sure to follow this blog too. Thanks! Welcome to our growing community of FIT Friends!

Dear God,

Your creativity just blows me away. You made our bodies to do so much. I'm truly amazed at all the different things I can do. You created a smorgasboard of incredible foods -- from the coconut to avocados to asparagus. So many tastes and textures just for our enjoyment. And you made each of us -- with different talents and passions. Your creativity is simply astounding. Help us, God, to appreciate it all. Be with us as we discover more about who we are -- as you designed us to be. Let our lives glorify you in all we say, do and even in what we eat! 

In Jesus' precious name I pray,

Amen

FIT Fridays: ATTITUDE

Hello FIT Friday friends,
How was your first week?

• Did you discover that you eat more than you thought??? That 3/4 cup serving of cereal isn't as big as we tend to think it is!
• How about exercise? "You got to move it!" I was amazed a few months ago when I realized how much time I spent on the computer and watching TV compared to moving... moving... moving.
• What about those verses on wisdom? Do you believe that God has a plan for you, other than feeling tired all the time? Did one verse really speak to you?

John Maxwell wrote, "Your attitude and your potential go hand in hand." He explains in his book, Attitude 101, that what we believe is reflected in what we do. Why do we eat when we're stressed? Or lay on the couch watching TV when we know we should be moving?

It boils down to self-worth. Not in a new-age kind of way, but in an appreciation for who God made each of us to be. He made me -- and you -- to live with energy, excitement, and passion for everything good and wonderful in this world. Including kids and housework! He made me a woman with a heart to love. He wants me to love myself too.

It's all about love!

That's tough for a lot of women. We carry hurts the same way we carry extra weight, silently and sadly. We suffer past pains over and over again -- it's like satan wants to make sure we never realize how special we are. We don't forgive -- sometimes we think we can't. Sometimes we're stubborn and we won't. All that pain makes it hard to appreciate ourselves for who we are in Christ.

If you carry baggage that weighs you down, ask God for the strength to forgive. Ask Him to show you have very special you really are to him. If you don't know where to begin, here are some verses:

Forgiveness:

• Proverbs 20:22
• Matthew 5:44-45
• Matthew 6:9-15
• Mark 11:25
• Luke 7:47-48
• Ephesians 1:7
• Colossians 3:13

Your identity in Christ:

• John 1:12
• John 15:15
• Romans 5:1
• 1 Corinthians 6:17
• 1 Corinthians 12:27
• Ephesians 1:3-8
• Colossians 2:9-10

That's step one, clearing out the spiritual junk that weighs us down. With God's help it can happen. 

The second step, involves cutting some calories and taking a step toward healthier living, but only by 25%. For example, if you eat 3000 calories per day, cutting to 1200-1400 calories (as many diets suggest) would leave you feeling starved! Instead, cut down to 2,100. For most people, that means substituting water for the sodas and sweet tea and cutting portions just a little. Maybe a bit less butter on the potatoes? Cutting just 25% this week is manageable. It's a great start. Really!

Finally, get moving! Set a goal of ten minutes per day. That might be a walk around the block, or wii fit, or dancing with the kids. If you belong to a pool swim for ten minutes. Laying on the pool float doesn't count! ;-) Just ten minutes...

Are you ready? Have fun!

Dear God,

You created me to be a wife, a mom, a friend. Thank you for the life you have given me. Help me to remain strong in my quest for health. When I think it's too hard, remind me that you made my body to move. Remind me that you created me so that certain foods would strengthen me and give me energy to be me! Help me forgive others when they hurt me, intentionally or unintentionally. Help me let go of the lifelong hurts that weigh me down so I can live the life you planned for me. Thank you for giving me your word and your spirit so I don't have to do this alone.

In your son's name I pray,

AMEN

Introducing FIT Fridays!

Welcome friends to Fit Fridays! I'm so excited you're here.


Since January, I've been working, slowly and steadily, to improve my physical health. I'm motivated for a few different reasons. 

• My slower metabolism... You know how our bodies slow down as we age? Well, the belly bulge comes right along with it! (Men, aren't you glad you're here right now?) 
• I'm a 44 year old mom to a 5 year old! When Ellie graduates high school -- in 13 years -- I'll be (big sigh) 57 years old. Age, though, is just a number. Eating healthy and exercising, I'll be able to keep up with her through it all. She deserves a healthy mom. 
• I want to live a long and vibrant life to make a big difference for God's kingdom. I want to "finish the race" as Paul did... whatever God has planned.
• Of course, being honest, I want to look good too. More on that in a minute...

God has a lot to say about taking care of our bodies. I bet as I share this it's nothing new to you. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 says, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." Simply put, when we take care of our bodies, we honor God. With healthy bodies we can do more, and that includes more for God.

Being healthy for the right reasons is something God will support. If we "get healthy" to look good to others, our motivation is temporary and external. It's not what God cares about. Consider God's admonition to Samuel, "Do not conisder his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7) Does your heart long for what God longs for? Does that include healthy living so you can go wherever He sends you and do whatever He asks?


Women face an uphill battle. Men are allowed to go gray. Their wrinkles are "distinguished." Women, on the other hand, are never supposed to age but to fight the gray and botox the wrinkles... at least if you pay attention to television and print ads. On top of that, there's fashion. Of course, it's not wrong to dress nicely, even the "Proverbs 31 woman" does that to honor her husband and family. (Proverbs 31:21-22) God insists that our "beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as... fine clothes. Instead it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's eyes." (1 Peter 3:3-4).


As I've been exercising, eating healthier, drinking water, and spending time with God more intentionally (especially that exercising part), I realize I actually have more time to help others. I have more energy, too. I love how this new way of living is changing me -- but I don't want to keep it to myself (you know my big mouth). Life is better shared with good friends and blogger buddies. And that's where FIT Fridays comes in.


FIT Fridays give us all the opportunity to share with each other, to celebrate healthy successes and to pray for one another as we discover what it means to live in the body God gave us for this life. I'll share what's working for me and why. You know, we all do better when we understand why to do something -- or not do it. It won't just be exercise and recipes, though. Healthy living is a spiritual battle! We all know we should eat our veggies and not eat quite so much chocolate cake. Yet, we give in to the gluttony. You get the idea!


Each week I'll share scripture, areas for prayer, and concrete steps to take in eating and in exercise. Then we'll each live it out the best we can throughout the week. How's that sound? 


If you'd like to join me on this journey to good health, please commit by commenting below. If you provide your email, I will add you to an email group for more tips and encouragement throughout the week. Easy enough, right?


Well, then... here's this week's "assignment." 

• Don't change your eating habits this week! (YEP!!! You read that right and hopefully I caught you by surprise :D). Instead, eat what you normally do -- only before you sit down to eat it, measure out how much you're really eating. Honestly! You can't know where to begin until you know where you are. I think you'll surprise yourself. 
• Every time you sit in front of your computer (except when reading this blog, of course) and/or the TV, ask yourself if what you're doing is helping you improve your life. Just think about it. Again, you can't change until you know where you are.
• Read these passages and pray. Ask God to show you the plans he has for your life. Ask him for strength to make wise decisions. Ask him to help you in the battle against food. Proverbs 4:6-7, Psalm 107:43, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 14:1, and Jeremiah 29:11.

That's it. Are you ready?

*NOTE: I am not a physician or a nutritionist. Do not change your diet or exercise habits just because of what I write here. If you are under a doctor's care, you should make sure you can participate in exercise and/or modify your diet.*


With prayers for good health!
In Christian love,
Karen