Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Add, Don't Subtract
The other day, while pinteresting (the act, nay art, of perusing and re-pinning on pinterest), I stumbled across an article boasting "67 Ways to Lose Weight". Of course, I had to read it. The article basically consisted of a number of small changes that one could make to their diet that could aide in weight loss. While I scanned the article, picking and choosing which points to fully read, I came across one point that deserved my full attention. Number 45. "Add, Don't Subtract." I will let you read it for yourself...
45. Add, don’t subtract
Instead of fixating on cutting out cookies, cake, pizza, and all that heavy cream in your morning coffee, focus instead on adding healthy foods to your menu. Ditching all the “bad” stuff can be a daunting task, one that’s easier to stick to by focusing on one habit at a time (science says it takes anywhere from 18-254 days to form a habit). Add in as many healthy habits as you’d like — drink more water, stock up on fresh fruits and veggies — and slowly wean off of the not-so-good-for-you goodies
I liked this idea. Rather than focusing on cutting out "bad" habits, shift your focus to adding in more "good" habits. Instead of cutting out soda, chocolate, carbs and salt, opt for adding more water, veggies, protein and fiber. Eat more. I can do that!
The brilliance of this principle is that if you successfully add the right things; protein, water, fiber... they will fill you up. If you are adding protein and fiber to every meal, you won't be hungry again in an hour or so. If you are constantly drinking water, your craving for soda will diminish. If you are snacking on veggies throughout the day, you won't be snacking on chips or cookies. Adding "good" things will naturally begin to subtract the "bad" things. The more good things that you consume, the fewer "bad" things you will have room for. The more you allow yourself to be filled with healthy things, the less you desire to snack on the unhealthy things.
John 3:30 reads, "He must increase, I must decrease." As Jesus increases, I must decrease. It happens automatically. It is not possible to be completely filled by two different things. If one of the two is increasing, there is not enough room for other. It must decrease.
The more good things I fill up on, the less room I have for the bad things. The more I am filled with God's truth, the less room I have for the lies of this world. The more I am filled with biblical wisdom, the less room I have for worldly ignorance. The more I am filled with God's direction, the less room I have for selfish ambition. The more I am filled with godly fellowship, the less room I have for unhealthy, ungodly relationships. The more I am filled with Holy Spirit, the less room I have for my selfish, sinful, sorry, self.
Although I became a Christian at an early age, I did a pitiful job of truly living a life that was pleasing to God until I was about halfway through college. At this time, the Lord began changing my heart, stirring and prompting me to make changes... to ADD things to my daily life. He prompted me to begin attending a local church, to take part in a campus ministry, to join a Bible study, and to read scripture. He created in me a desire to add these things to my life. And I did.
The ironic part, however, was that there were many habits that I was still practicing that were far from godly. bad habits. bad choices. bad relationships. But at this point in time, I felt no conviction whatsoever to subtract any of these things from my daily life.
I think often times people feel that before they can be spiritually healthy, they must work on ridding themselves of all of their bad habits. We believe that we cannot attend church or bible study while we are still frequenting bars and clubs. We feel that we can't start studying scripture until we have stopped looking at pornography. We think that we cannot begin to fill ourselves with Christ until we have been completely purged of our sin. Well, guess what? we can.
It is not necessary, nor possible, to empty oneself of sin in order to make room to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is quite the opposite. God seeks to pour His truth and life and power and love into us while we are still full of sin, so that as we begin to be filled by Him, our sinful desires are forced out. As He increases, we will decrease.
When Jesus got a hold of me, he did not prompt me to cut out all of the bad things in my life, He challenged me to add more good things. more godly things. God knows that as we fill up with His truth, His love, His purpose, we will soon be so full that we will not have the desire, nor the room, to fill up on the sinful things that we once did. And while it may have seemed odd, even wrong, to others who saw me leave a bar on Saturday night and enter a church on Sunday morning, it looked just right to God. He knew what he was doing. He still knows what He's doing. He knew that the more of Him I had, the less of everything else I would have room for. He knew that as He increased, I would decrease. And I did. I still am.
To read the full article mentioned above go to http://greatist.com/health/tips-lose-weight/
45. Add, don’t subtract
Instead of fixating on cutting out cookies, cake, pizza, and all that heavy cream in your morning coffee, focus instead on adding healthy foods to your menu. Ditching all the “bad” stuff can be a daunting task, one that’s easier to stick to by focusing on one habit at a time (science says it takes anywhere from 18-254 days to form a habit). Add in as many healthy habits as you’d like — drink more water, stock up on fresh fruits and veggies — and slowly wean off of the not-so-good-for-you goodies
I liked this idea. Rather than focusing on cutting out "bad" habits, shift your focus to adding in more "good" habits. Instead of cutting out soda, chocolate, carbs and salt, opt for adding more water, veggies, protein and fiber. Eat more. I can do that!
The brilliance of this principle is that if you successfully add the right things; protein, water, fiber... they will fill you up. If you are adding protein and fiber to every meal, you won't be hungry again in an hour or so. If you are constantly drinking water, your craving for soda will diminish. If you are snacking on veggies throughout the day, you won't be snacking on chips or cookies. Adding "good" things will naturally begin to subtract the "bad" things. The more good things that you consume, the fewer "bad" things you will have room for. The more you allow yourself to be filled with healthy things, the less you desire to snack on the unhealthy things.
John 3:30 reads, "He must increase, I must decrease." As Jesus increases, I must decrease. It happens automatically. It is not possible to be completely filled by two different things. If one of the two is increasing, there is not enough room for other. It must decrease.
The more good things I fill up on, the less room I have for the bad things. The more I am filled with God's truth, the less room I have for the lies of this world. The more I am filled with biblical wisdom, the less room I have for worldly ignorance. The more I am filled with God's direction, the less room I have for selfish ambition. The more I am filled with godly fellowship, the less room I have for unhealthy, ungodly relationships. The more I am filled with Holy Spirit, the less room I have for my selfish, sinful, sorry, self.
Although I became a Christian at an early age, I did a pitiful job of truly living a life that was pleasing to God until I was about halfway through college. At this time, the Lord began changing my heart, stirring and prompting me to make changes... to ADD things to my daily life. He prompted me to begin attending a local church, to take part in a campus ministry, to join a Bible study, and to read scripture. He created in me a desire to add these things to my life. And I did.
The ironic part, however, was that there were many habits that I was still practicing that were far from godly. bad habits. bad choices. bad relationships. But at this point in time, I felt no conviction whatsoever to subtract any of these things from my daily life.
I think often times people feel that before they can be spiritually healthy, they must work on ridding themselves of all of their bad habits. We believe that we cannot attend church or bible study while we are still frequenting bars and clubs. We feel that we can't start studying scripture until we have stopped looking at pornography. We think that we cannot begin to fill ourselves with Christ until we have been completely purged of our sin. Well, guess what? we can.
It is not necessary, nor possible, to empty oneself of sin in order to make room to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In fact, it is quite the opposite. God seeks to pour His truth and life and power and love into us while we are still full of sin, so that as we begin to be filled by Him, our sinful desires are forced out. As He increases, we will decrease.
When Jesus got a hold of me, he did not prompt me to cut out all of the bad things in my life, He challenged me to add more good things. more godly things. God knows that as we fill up with His truth, His love, His purpose, we will soon be so full that we will not have the desire, nor the room, to fill up on the sinful things that we once did. And while it may have seemed odd, even wrong, to others who saw me leave a bar on Saturday night and enter a church on Sunday morning, it looked just right to God. He knew what he was doing. He still knows what He's doing. He knew that the more of Him I had, the less of everything else I would have room for. He knew that as He increased, I would decrease. And I did. I still am.
To read the full article mentioned above go to http://greatist.com/health/tips-lose-weight/
Friday, February 8, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Doomed to be Dehydrated
I have this purple water bottle that I carry with me everywhere. At the gym, at church, at home, in the car... I tote that sucker with me wherever I go. That way, I am constantly drinking water. Well, it's more like 70% water and 30% lemon juice. Anyway, the other day when I came home from work, I forgot to take my purple water bottle out of the car, which Danny then drove to work, leaving me water bottle-less (and thirsty) ALL day!
Now, while it seems an easy enough solution to just pour a glass of water and drink it, let me assure you, it is not that simple. My water bottle can go anywhere. On the floor, the couch, the swing set. It can't spill or break and it doesn't need a coaster. It is just much harder to tote a glass of water around all day when I am chasing little crazies all over the place.
With all of that being said, my POINT is that without my purple water bottle by my side, I did not drink water all day. I may have had a glass with lunch and dinner, but it was nothing compared to my usual continuous consumption when "old Violet" is around. I was dehydrated.
Despite my dehydration, Danny and I left for our routine weekly run. Within the first few minutes I could tell this was going to be a rough one. My feet felt heavy, my breathing was already labored, and before we even finished the first mile, my muscles were beginning to ache.
I usually love to run. I run between 3 and 6 miles at least 3 days a week and Danny and I run between 5 and 10 miles together once a week on our "date night run". Normally, I feel great when I run. It energizes me. It relaxes me. It makes me feel strong. But not tonight. Tonight I felt weak. Sore. Tired. Tight. Hot. Weary. Defeated. Thirsty.
I needed water. Dehydration has powerful effects on our bodies. Water is essential in order for our bodies to function properly. Without water, we literally cannot survive. Water is critical for maintaining functionality of our brains, heart, lungs, kidneys and muscles. Even a slight drop in our body's water level (2%) and we begin experiencing fatigue, headaches, cramps, decreased concentration, reduced muscular strength and endurance and impaired balance and coordination. Our bodies are made of mostly water and therefore cannot operate without it. We cannot deprive our bodies of their main source of power and expect to be able to function normally.
When we are properly hydrated we are able to thrive and function as we were designed to. We experience a marked increase in our energy level as well as our metabolism. It also improves our memory, digestion, circulation and increases concentration, flexibility, muscle tone and lean muscle mass. Drinking enough water also improves our complexion, builds stronger teeth and bones, decreases fluid retention and suppresses appetite, which can result in weight loss.
It is estimated that 75% of Americans experience mild, chronic dehydration. In fact, we have gotten so accustomed to dehydration, many people are unable to recognize our body's natural thirst cues and often mistake thirst signals for hunger. This results in overeating, which leads to excess weight gain, all the while never addressing the original underlying problem of dehydration. We have become so accustomed to dehydration that we don't even recognize our own body's cries for water! We are attempting to solve the wrong problem. We are consuming the wrong substance. We are worsening our dehydration and allowing our bodies to suffer the consequences because we are ignorant of our own needs.
In John chapter 4, Jesus addresses the Samaritan woman at the well...
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
The woman at the well was thirsty. She was thirty in a way that she herself did not even realize. But Jesus sees her thirst. He sees her symptoms of dehydration. He sees her failed attempts at solving the problem. This woman has been married five times and is now living with another man to whom she is not even married. She is attempting to satisfy her thirst with these relationships. She is consuming the wrong substance. Attempting to solve the wrong problem. She is worsening her dehydration because she is ignorant of her own needs.
She is thirsty. For purpose. For fulfillment. For truth. For love. But not just ANY old love will do. Not the love of a husband. or five. She is thirsty for the love of a SAVIOR. She is in desperate need of living water.
I would venture to say that far more than 75% of Americans suffer from spiritual dehydration. Christians and non-Christians alike, we all experience the tell-tale signs that indicate our desperate need for a drink of living water. Anxiety. Frustration. Entitlement. Anger. Ungratefulness. Unforgiveness. Selfishness. Emptiness. Pride. These are all signs of spiritual dehydration.
We have grown so accustomed to living with these symptoms that we fail to recognize them for what they truly are. We are ignorant to the REAL problem. We often see these things in our lives and misinterpret them as something else. HUNGER. We think we can feed these symptoms and cure them. So we eat. We feed on revenge, bitterness and jealousy. We seek satisfaction from sex, relationships, work, appearances, money and other indulgences. But at the end of the day, we are still thirsty. We cannot quench our thirst if we do not recognize that we are thirsty. We cannot solve a problem that we do not realize exists. And so our souls continue to ache, to cry out. Our hearts cease to be satisfied and continue to thirst.
We are thirsty for a Savior. We were made by God, in His image (Gen. 1:27), filled with His breath at our creation. He literally breathed life into us (Gen. 2:7). We were made by God, created from God and intended for God and therefore cannot thrive without Him. We cannot expect to deprive our souls of their main source of power and still function normally. There is one thing and one thing only that we quench our thirst. One thing that will fill us and allow us never to thirst again. Jesus.
As a Christian, I have been filled with God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit Himself dwells within me. My power source. My spring of water welling up into eternal life. I have a constant flowing source of strength surging inside of me. I should have no need to return to ANY well ever again. And yet I do. I fail to recognize my thirst. I confuse my symptoms for something else and feed off the wrong substance. I continue to go to wells. Wells filled with material things, physical appearance, the approval of others. I consume and yet I continue to suffer the symptoms of entitlement, frustration, ungratefulness, bitterness, jealousy and anxiety.
I am thirsty. Thirsty for purpose. For fulfillment. For truth. For love. But not just ANY old love will do. Not the love of money. or things. or even my husband. Only the love of Christ will do. It is the ONLY remedy to quench the thirst of a dehydrated soul. The Holy Spirit is the ONLY water that will satisfy my needs and subdue my symptoms.
Everyday I need to hydrate. Not just a glass of prayer with lunch and a sip of a sermon on Sundays. No. That won't do. I need a purple water bottle of Holy Spirit to tote alongside me throughout my day. A slurp each time my children test my patience. A swig when I feel anxious about our finances. A chug or two when my ungrateful, entitled heart begins to rear its ugly head. In order to prevent dehydration, I need to be drinking in the Spirit all day long. Praying without ceasing, reading my Bible, studying scripture and relying on the Holy Spirit to fill me up.
We are all thirsty. Until we acknowledge our thirst and recognize the only water that can quench it, our needs will continue to go unmet. Our souls will continue to suffer the symptoms. Our minds will seek to feed the wrong problem. Unless we are drinkingdaily, hourly, continually from our purple water bottles of living water, we are all doomed to be dehydrated.
Now, while it seems an easy enough solution to just pour a glass of water and drink it, let me assure you, it is not that simple. My water bottle can go anywhere. On the floor, the couch, the swing set. It can't spill or break and it doesn't need a coaster. It is just much harder to tote a glass of water around all day when I am chasing little crazies all over the place.
With all of that being said, my POINT is that without my purple water bottle by my side, I did not drink water all day. I may have had a glass with lunch and dinner, but it was nothing compared to my usual continuous consumption when "old Violet" is around. I was dehydrated.
Despite my dehydration, Danny and I left for our routine weekly run. Within the first few minutes I could tell this was going to be a rough one. My feet felt heavy, my breathing was already labored, and before we even finished the first mile, my muscles were beginning to ache.
I usually love to run. I run between 3 and 6 miles at least 3 days a week and Danny and I run between 5 and 10 miles together once a week on our "date night run". Normally, I feel great when I run. It energizes me. It relaxes me. It makes me feel strong. But not tonight. Tonight I felt weak. Sore. Tired. Tight. Hot. Weary. Defeated. Thirsty.
I needed water. Dehydration has powerful effects on our bodies. Water is essential in order for our bodies to function properly. Without water, we literally cannot survive. Water is critical for maintaining functionality of our brains, heart, lungs, kidneys and muscles. Even a slight drop in our body's water level (2%) and we begin experiencing fatigue, headaches, cramps, decreased concentration, reduced muscular strength and endurance and impaired balance and coordination. Our bodies are made of mostly water and therefore cannot operate without it. We cannot deprive our bodies of their main source of power and expect to be able to function normally.
When we are properly hydrated we are able to thrive and function as we were designed to. We experience a marked increase in our energy level as well as our metabolism. It also improves our memory, digestion, circulation and increases concentration, flexibility, muscle tone and lean muscle mass. Drinking enough water also improves our complexion, builds stronger teeth and bones, decreases fluid retention and suppresses appetite, which can result in weight loss.
It is estimated that 75% of Americans experience mild, chronic dehydration. In fact, we have gotten so accustomed to dehydration, many people are unable to recognize our body's natural thirst cues and often mistake thirst signals for hunger. This results in overeating, which leads to excess weight gain, all the while never addressing the original underlying problem of dehydration. We have become so accustomed to dehydration that we don't even recognize our own body's cries for water! We are attempting to solve the wrong problem. We are consuming the wrong substance. We are worsening our dehydration and allowing our bodies to suffer the consequences because we are ignorant of our own needs.
In John chapter 4, Jesus addresses the Samaritan woman at the well...
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
The woman at the well was thirsty. She was thirty in a way that she herself did not even realize. But Jesus sees her thirst. He sees her symptoms of dehydration. He sees her failed attempts at solving the problem. This woman has been married five times and is now living with another man to whom she is not even married. She is attempting to satisfy her thirst with these relationships. She is consuming the wrong substance. Attempting to solve the wrong problem. She is worsening her dehydration because she is ignorant of her own needs.
She is thirsty. For purpose. For fulfillment. For truth. For love. But not just ANY old love will do. Not the love of a husband. or five. She is thirsty for the love of a SAVIOR. She is in desperate need of living water.
I would venture to say that far more than 75% of Americans suffer from spiritual dehydration. Christians and non-Christians alike, we all experience the tell-tale signs that indicate our desperate need for a drink of living water. Anxiety. Frustration. Entitlement. Anger. Ungratefulness. Unforgiveness. Selfishness. Emptiness. Pride. These are all signs of spiritual dehydration.
We have grown so accustomed to living with these symptoms that we fail to recognize them for what they truly are. We are ignorant to the REAL problem. We often see these things in our lives and misinterpret them as something else. HUNGER. We think we can feed these symptoms and cure them. So we eat. We feed on revenge, bitterness and jealousy. We seek satisfaction from sex, relationships, work, appearances, money and other indulgences. But at the end of the day, we are still thirsty. We cannot quench our thirst if we do not recognize that we are thirsty. We cannot solve a problem that we do not realize exists. And so our souls continue to ache, to cry out. Our hearts cease to be satisfied and continue to thirst.
We are thirsty for a Savior. We were made by God, in His image (Gen. 1:27), filled with His breath at our creation. He literally breathed life into us (Gen. 2:7). We were made by God, created from God and intended for God and therefore cannot thrive without Him. We cannot expect to deprive our souls of their main source of power and still function normally. There is one thing and one thing only that we quench our thirst. One thing that will fill us and allow us never to thirst again. Jesus.
As a Christian, I have been filled with God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit Himself dwells within me. My power source. My spring of water welling up into eternal life. I have a constant flowing source of strength surging inside of me. I should have no need to return to ANY well ever again. And yet I do. I fail to recognize my thirst. I confuse my symptoms for something else and feed off the wrong substance. I continue to go to wells. Wells filled with material things, physical appearance, the approval of others. I consume and yet I continue to suffer the symptoms of entitlement, frustration, ungratefulness, bitterness, jealousy and anxiety.
I am thirsty. Thirsty for purpose. For fulfillment. For truth. For love. But not just ANY old love will do. Not the love of money. or things. or even my husband. Only the love of Christ will do. It is the ONLY remedy to quench the thirst of a dehydrated soul. The Holy Spirit is the ONLY water that will satisfy my needs and subdue my symptoms.
Everyday I need to hydrate. Not just a glass of prayer with lunch and a sip of a sermon on Sundays. No. That won't do. I need a purple water bottle of Holy Spirit to tote alongside me throughout my day. A slurp each time my children test my patience. A swig when I feel anxious about our finances. A chug or two when my ungrateful, entitled heart begins to rear its ugly head. In order to prevent dehydration, I need to be drinking in the Spirit all day long. Praying without ceasing, reading my Bible, studying scripture and relying on the Holy Spirit to fill me up.
We are all thirsty. Until we acknowledge our thirst and recognize the only water that can quench it, our needs will continue to go unmet. Our souls will continue to suffer the symptoms. Our minds will seek to feed the wrong problem. Unless we are drinking
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Fat Christians
The basic principle of weight loss is very simple: your output must exceed your intake. If you are using and burning more calories than you are consuming, you WILL lose weight. The reverse is true as well... If you are consuming more calories than your body is using, you will gain weight. Likewise, in order to maintain your weight, to be healthy and balanced, your intake must equal your output. You must consume the same amount of calories that your body needs to sustain itself.
This is exactly why we are FAT. Not because we are terrible at math (which I am), but because we are lazy. We expect to be able to consume to our heart's content, yet we do not want to put forth the effort to burn off any of the excess. We eat until we are stuffed, we lie around and do nothing, we consume far more than we expend. And then, something totally expected happens... we become fat and unhealthy.
Do you sense a parallel coming? You should.
When I look at the Church today, I see pews full of fat Christians. Now before you get offended for the wrong reason, let me clarify. I not talking about beer-bellies, muffin-tops, and thunder thighs... I am talking about spiritually obese people. Religious consumers. Churchgoers who stuff themselves full of sermons, services, bible studies, retreats, luncheons, small groups and worship songs. They take it all in. which is fine. It is better than fine. it is great! That is what the church wants. That is what God wants. For us to soak up all of the knowledge, passion, wisdom, inspiration and other spiritual outpourings that the Church has to offer. The intake isn't the problem. The problem is what we do once we have been filled. Nothing. We do nothing. We just eat until we are stuffed and we get fat. We are a bunch of fat Christians.
Now you can be offended.
If this isn't you, if you are spiritually fit, if you are putting forth as much spiritually as you are receiving, then I am not talking about you. I am not addressing the spiritually healthy. I am not addressing the spiritually anorexic (not yet at least). I am talking to those of you whose spiritual consumption outweighs your exertion. I am talking about fat Christians.
God did not design us (or the Church) for this purpose. The Church is not a Buffett and Christians are nor hungry customers. If anything, Christians are the waiters in this analogy. Luke 22:27 says, "Who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves."
The purpose of food is to fuel our bodies for work. The purpose of exercise is to burn off the excess calories we consume. In order to remain physically fit, we must balance our caloric intake with our caloric output. This is how God designed spiritual fitness as well. The intake we receive, the sermons, small groups, sunday school lessons, worship music, marriage retreats, women's luncheons and wednesday night bible studies... they are all designed to feed us. but not so we can eat, sit and get fat. they are food that serves as fuel. fuel to serve. When we fail to exert any spiritual effort, when we are consuming without exerting, we get spiritually fat.
Take a good look at your spiritual diet. Are you consuming more than you are exerting? Is your spiritual waistline widening as you eat your fill on Sunday mornings but fail to exert any effort through serving? Are you a fat Christian?
It is time to get healthy. It is time to give back. Find a place to serve. Find a way to work. Find an opportunity to pour out all that has been poured into to you. Over-indulgence is bad for your body, bad for your faith, and deadly for the Church. The Church needs fit Christians to be healthy. It is time to get up from the pew and into the pulpit. Or the kitchen. Or the classroom. Or the nursery. Just get up and get to work. No more fat Christians.
This is exactly why we are FAT. Not because we are terrible at math (which I am), but because we are lazy. We expect to be able to consume to our heart's content, yet we do not want to put forth the effort to burn off any of the excess. We eat until we are stuffed, we lie around and do nothing, we consume far more than we expend. And then, something totally expected happens... we become fat and unhealthy.
Do you sense a parallel coming? You should.
When I look at the Church today, I see pews full of fat Christians. Now before you get offended for the wrong reason, let me clarify. I not talking about beer-bellies, muffin-tops, and thunder thighs... I am talking about spiritually obese people. Religious consumers. Churchgoers who stuff themselves full of sermons, services, bible studies, retreats, luncheons, small groups and worship songs. They take it all in. which is fine. It is better than fine. it is great! That is what the church wants. That is what God wants. For us to soak up all of the knowledge, passion, wisdom, inspiration and other spiritual outpourings that the Church has to offer. The intake isn't the problem. The problem is what we do once we have been filled. Nothing. We do nothing. We just eat until we are stuffed and we get fat. We are a bunch of fat Christians.
Now you can be offended.
If this isn't you, if you are spiritually fit, if you are putting forth as much spiritually as you are receiving, then I am not talking about you. I am not addressing the spiritually healthy. I am not addressing the spiritually anorexic (not yet at least). I am talking to those of you whose spiritual consumption outweighs your exertion. I am talking about fat Christians.
God did not design us (or the Church) for this purpose. The Church is not a Buffett and Christians are nor hungry customers. If anything, Christians are the waiters in this analogy. Luke 22:27 says, "Who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves."
The purpose of food is to fuel our bodies for work. The purpose of exercise is to burn off the excess calories we consume. In order to remain physically fit, we must balance our caloric intake with our caloric output. This is how God designed spiritual fitness as well. The intake we receive, the sermons, small groups, sunday school lessons, worship music, marriage retreats, women's luncheons and wednesday night bible studies... they are all designed to feed us. but not so we can eat, sit and get fat. they are food that serves as fuel. fuel to serve. When we fail to exert any spiritual effort, when we are consuming without exerting, we get spiritually fat.
Take a good look at your spiritual diet. Are you consuming more than you are exerting? Is your spiritual waistline widening as you eat your fill on Sunday mornings but fail to exert any effort through serving? Are you a fat Christian?
It is time to get healthy. It is time to give back. Find a place to serve. Find a way to work. Find an opportunity to pour out all that has been poured into to you. Over-indulgence is bad for your body, bad for your faith, and deadly for the Church. The Church needs fit Christians to be healthy. It is time to get up from the pew and into the pulpit. Or the kitchen. Or the classroom. Or the nursery. Just get up and get to work. No more fat Christians.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
If It Doesn't Challenge You, It Doesn't Change You
The other day at church I was listening to a sermon on God's will. It was a great sermon. It was the kind of sermon that made me feel as if God Himself was speaking directly to me. I had clarity. direction. inspiration. passion. I was fired up. I knew exactly what God was calling me to do.
In 2 Peter 1:5-8, it says, "5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
There were two things in this passage that resonated in my heart... "make every EFFORT" and "possess... in INCREASING measure". In this passage, God spells it out for us... if you want to change, if you want your faith to INCREASE, you have to put forth EFFORT!
It seems so logical. So simple. If I want to see changes in my life. My faith, my body, my marriage, my family, my job... I have to put forth the effort. I have to work for it. I have to be challenged. If I am not growing spiritually, if I am not changing physically, if my marriage isn't improving, it is because I am not being challenged enough. I am not working hard enough at it. I am not putting forth the effort required to see real, lasting change.
I think I have been living under this false notion that prayer, while powerful and effective, is the only weapon I need in my arsenal. As if I can simply pray away every problem that I encounter without feeling the need to put forth any additional effort. It's like praying for God to dig me a hole while I sit and wait patiently beside a shovel. It is plain and simple laziness.
As this realization flooded over me, I immediately began thinking of how I could practically apply this new found knowledge to my life. How could I challenge myself in a way that would yield true, lasting change? I decided to challenge myself in 5 different areas of my life: my faith, my marriage, my children, my finances and my health. Here is what I came up with...
My Faith: I am challenging myself to pray for a specific person/thing each day of the week. I set a schedule so that on Mondays I pray for my parents, my brother, my nephew and my cousin. On Tuesday I pray for my husband, my marriage and my children. Wednesday, for my small group girls, for our youth ministry and for our church and its leaders. Thursday I pray for my friends, the women that I am closest to and their marriages and families. And on Fridays I pray for my mentor and for the young woman that I am mentoring. I made a similar "Day of the Week" challenge regarding how I read my Bible as well.
My Marriage: I am challenging myself to serve and love my husband in the ways in which he needs it most. Through kind, encouraging words and sex. That is all he needs. He couldn't care less if the laundry is folded and the beds are made. He wants verbal affirmation and sex. That's it.
My Children: I have challenged myself to spend intentional time with each of my children everyday. Not just playing, but really loving them as they need to be loved. Teaching them and listening to them and talking with them as well as playing with them.
My Finances: I have challenged myself to spend no more than $150 cash at the grocery store each week. That is all I bring and therefore all I can spend. That is for food, diapers, dog food, paper towels and everything else that we need. I also started a weekly savings plan in which I deposit $1 into a savings account for whatever week of the year it is. So the first week of the year I deposit $1, the second week, $2 and so on until the last week of the year when I deposit $52 and then have saved over $1300!
My Health: I have challenged myself to exercise 6 days a week, to drink nothing but water all day long (except for one glass of tea with lunch), and to consume something green (mint chocolate chip ice cream excluded) everyday.
I am now a couple of weeks into these challenges and let me tell you, it has not been easy. In fact, it has been really difficult. Last weeks sermon was exactly what I needed in order to inspire me and assure me that I can do this. God never intended for my life to be easy. Marriage, faith, parenting, weight-loss, budgeting... these are not easy things. They all require effort. LOTS of effort. The only way to keep my marriage healthy, my kids on track, my faith fueled, my weight and waistline decreasing and my bank account above double digits is with EFFORT. And if my efforts do not continue, than I cease to change and I become unproductive, just like scripture says.
It has proven true in every single area of my life... if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you! I want to change. I want to do better, to look better, to feel better, to be better. So I will continue to put forth the effort. I will continue to face and embrace these challenges, because if I am not being challenged, I am not being changed.
In 2 Peter 1:5-8, it says, "5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."
There were two things in this passage that resonated in my heart... "make every EFFORT" and "possess... in INCREASING measure". In this passage, God spells it out for us... if you want to change, if you want your faith to INCREASE, you have to put forth EFFORT!
It seems so logical. So simple. If I want to see changes in my life. My faith, my body, my marriage, my family, my job... I have to put forth the effort. I have to work for it. I have to be challenged. If I am not growing spiritually, if I am not changing physically, if my marriage isn't improving, it is because I am not being challenged enough. I am not working hard enough at it. I am not putting forth the effort required to see real, lasting change.
I think I have been living under this false notion that prayer, while powerful and effective, is the only weapon I need in my arsenal. As if I can simply pray away every problem that I encounter without feeling the need to put forth any additional effort. It's like praying for God to dig me a hole while I sit and wait patiently beside a shovel. It is plain and simple laziness.
As this realization flooded over me, I immediately began thinking of how I could practically apply this new found knowledge to my life. How could I challenge myself in a way that would yield true, lasting change? I decided to challenge myself in 5 different areas of my life: my faith, my marriage, my children, my finances and my health. Here is what I came up with...
My Faith: I am challenging myself to pray for a specific person/thing each day of the week. I set a schedule so that on Mondays I pray for my parents, my brother, my nephew and my cousin. On Tuesday I pray for my husband, my marriage and my children. Wednesday, for my small group girls, for our youth ministry and for our church and its leaders. Thursday I pray for my friends, the women that I am closest to and their marriages and families. And on Fridays I pray for my mentor and for the young woman that I am mentoring. I made a similar "Day of the Week" challenge regarding how I read my Bible as well.
My Marriage: I am challenging myself to serve and love my husband in the ways in which he needs it most. Through kind, encouraging words and sex. That is all he needs. He couldn't care less if the laundry is folded and the beds are made. He wants verbal affirmation and sex. That's it.
My Children: I have challenged myself to spend intentional time with each of my children everyday. Not just playing, but really loving them as they need to be loved. Teaching them and listening to them and talking with them as well as playing with them.
My Finances: I have challenged myself to spend no more than $150 cash at the grocery store each week. That is all I bring and therefore all I can spend. That is for food, diapers, dog food, paper towels and everything else that we need. I also started a weekly savings plan in which I deposit $1 into a savings account for whatever week of the year it is. So the first week of the year I deposit $1, the second week, $2 and so on until the last week of the year when I deposit $52 and then have saved over $1300!
My Health: I have challenged myself to exercise 6 days a week, to drink nothing but water all day long (except for one glass of tea with lunch), and to consume something green (mint chocolate chip ice cream excluded) everyday.
I am now a couple of weeks into these challenges and let me tell you, it has not been easy. In fact, it has been really difficult. Last weeks sermon was exactly what I needed in order to inspire me and assure me that I can do this. God never intended for my life to be easy. Marriage, faith, parenting, weight-loss, budgeting... these are not easy things. They all require effort. LOTS of effort. The only way to keep my marriage healthy, my kids on track, my faith fueled, my weight and waistline decreasing and my bank account above double digits is with EFFORT. And if my efforts do not continue, than I cease to change and I become unproductive, just like scripture says.
It has proven true in every single area of my life... if it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you! I want to change. I want to do better, to look better, to feel better, to be better. So I will continue to put forth the effort. I will continue to face and embrace these challenges, because if I am not being challenged, I am not being changed.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Monday, January 14, 2013
All The Small Things
Change is hard. It is stressful. It is overwhelming. And, it is really difficult to maintain. Especially when the change we are making is a big one. That is why most of us avoid change. We are comfortable with our usual routine. We are content with our regular habits. Not because they are good. Not because they are healthy. Not even because they make us happy (often it is quite the opposite). But because it is easy.
Making any change is hard. Making a big change is really difficult. Making lots of big changes at once is next to impossible.
But for some reason, when it comes to diet and exercise, we often try and make lots of really big changes all at once. We begin a drastic new diet, start a hard core workout regimen and try to completely change our everyday lives overnight. Now, some people can do this. That is Awesome! Most of us, however, fail miserably (I once began a 7-day cleanse and made it a full 45 minutes before eating). I believe there are two main reasons that we often fail when we attempt to make drastic changes to our lifestyle...
Reason #1: We take on too much. When we try to change multiple habits all at once (like no more sweets, no eating after 8, exercise 5 days a week, eat veggies everyday, etc), we get overwhelmed. We feel that we can't do it and so we give up altogether and change nothing.
Reason #2: We make temporary changes and expect lasting results. When we try to make short-term changes, a 7-day cleanse, a month of meal replacement shakes, or even a 90-day exercise program, we may get great results. However, when you stop these things, your results stop too. If we are not making lifestyle changes that we can stick with, then we can't expect the changes in our bodies to last either. Lasting changes equal lasting results.
So, what is the solution? How do I succeed at changing my habits to live a happier, healthier life? Simple. Change one thing. That's it. Just one. It isn't overwhelming or intimidating or stressful. In fact, it almost seems too easy. Good. That's the point. Starting today make one change and then one month from now, when this change is old news, make another. Just one more. Try changing one little thing each month. If one of the changes takes longer than a month before it is second nature, then wait. Don't change anything else until you're ready. The point is that you should only ever feel like you are working on ONE change. This month start exercising. Next month try exercising 5 days a week. The month after that, cut out soda. And after that, start drinking water with every meal and all throughout the day. By the end of the year you will have completely changed your lifestyle without feeling overwhelmed. without giving up. without turning your life upside down. And all the while, your body is getting stronger. leaner. healthier. and your results are getting better. And better. You are making changes that will last. Changes you can maintain. And when you change and then maintain your HABITS, you will change and then maintain your BODY.
There are no shortcuts. There are no quick fixes. The only equation that always results in success is work + time. But small changes can get huge results if you take your time, work at it and don't give up!
Making any change is hard. Making a big change is really difficult. Making lots of big changes at once is next to impossible.
But for some reason, when it comes to diet and exercise, we often try and make lots of really big changes all at once. We begin a drastic new diet, start a hard core workout regimen and try to completely change our everyday lives overnight. Now, some people can do this. That is Awesome! Most of us, however, fail miserably (I once began a 7-day cleanse and made it a full 45 minutes before eating). I believe there are two main reasons that we often fail when we attempt to make drastic changes to our lifestyle...
Reason #1: We take on too much. When we try to change multiple habits all at once (like no more sweets, no eating after 8, exercise 5 days a week, eat veggies everyday, etc), we get overwhelmed. We feel that we can't do it and so we give up altogether and change nothing.
Reason #2: We make temporary changes and expect lasting results. When we try to make short-term changes, a 7-day cleanse, a month of meal replacement shakes, or even a 90-day exercise program, we may get great results. However, when you stop these things, your results stop too. If we are not making lifestyle changes that we can stick with, then we can't expect the changes in our bodies to last either. Lasting changes equal lasting results.
So, what is the solution? How do I succeed at changing my habits to live a happier, healthier life? Simple. Change one thing. That's it. Just one. It isn't overwhelming or intimidating or stressful. In fact, it almost seems too easy. Good. That's the point. Starting today make one change and then one month from now, when this change is old news, make another. Just one more. Try changing one little thing each month. If one of the changes takes longer than a month before it is second nature, then wait. Don't change anything else until you're ready. The point is that you should only ever feel like you are working on ONE change. This month start exercising. Next month try exercising 5 days a week. The month after that, cut out soda. And after that, start drinking water with every meal and all throughout the day. By the end of the year you will have completely changed your lifestyle without feeling overwhelmed. without giving up. without turning your life upside down. And all the while, your body is getting stronger. leaner. healthier. and your results are getting better. And better. You are making changes that will last. Changes you can maintain. And when you change and then maintain your HABITS, you will change and then maintain your BODY.
There are no shortcuts. There are no quick fixes. The only equation that always results in success is work + time. But small changes can get huge results if you take your time, work at it and don't give up!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
CustomFit Links
Be sure to check out the sidebar for some awesome exercise ideas and links to some great fitness articles and workout videos!
CustomFit Parenting
Parenting is by far the most difficult challenge that I have ever (and likely, will ever) face. And as we have more children, it just keeps getting more challenging. Don't get me wrong, it is totally worth it. I love my children dearly and I wouldn't trade them, or the experience of being their mother, for anything. But it is hard. One of the hardest parts for Danny and I thus far has been learning how to properly parent each child. With each child we have, we have to learn how to parent all over again. We have to custom fit our parenting methods to each specific child. And it is hard work.
If you have children, you too know how incredibly different each one of them is. It is amazing how children raised in the same home, by the same parents, products of the same gene pool, can be so drastically different from one another. But they most certainly are. Owen, our 4-year-old, is very intelligent, very rational, VERY strong-willed and quite the perfectionist. But he is a wonderful leader, extremely thoughtful and insightful, very responsible and almost always an excellent helper. Ellie, our two-year-old, is a silly, cheerful little goofball who is very laid back, affectionate and creative, singing and dancing her way through life. She however, has a virtually non-existent attention span and is a tiny walking tornado, leaving messes wherever she goes. Annabelle, while only 8 months old, is already staking her claim as our "easiest" child. She is always happy. She is the quietest, sweetest, happiest baby I have EVER seen. Thank you Jesus! I am sure her personality will continue to unfold as she grows, but I am also certain that she will be her own unique little person, one that is entirely different from her siblings.
Because each of our children is so different from the others, we have to parent each one differently. At first, we struggled with feelings of fairness and equality, feeling we should treat them exactly the same. But then we realized, it isn't fair to treat them exactly the same because they are so very different. The best thing is to love them the same, but parent them differently. Now, for the most part, our children have the same rules, but when it comes to responsibilities and consequences, they differ greatly. Just as we have differing expectations for our children based on their age, we should have differing expectations based on their personalities, their talents, their strengths. God created each of us uniquely, with special, specific gifts and we need to nurture those God-given gifts in each of our children.
That is one of prayers for my children. That I, as their mother, would recognize the gifts, talents, strengths and other intricate details that God so carefully crafted in them, and that I would I encourage them to be exactly who God created them to be. Not comparing them to one another, not holding them to the same standards as their siblings, not trying to break their spirit or create new passions that never existed in them. They need to be played with differently, spoken to differently, encouraged differently, punished differently, given affection differently. Figure out how each one needs to be parented. corrected. loved. and then do it!
Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made, having each of their days ordained before even one of them came to be! It is God's job to make my children into who He wants them to be, crafting them with talents that He can use for His purposes. It is my job to help them realize who, and whose, they truly are. And with each child, my job changes. It evolves. It gets harder. But it gets better. I get to discover all over again who this little person is that God entrusted to me. As and I figure out who they are, I begin learning what they need, and I parent them accordingly. A custom fit for each child.
If you have children, you too know how incredibly different each one of them is. It is amazing how children raised in the same home, by the same parents, products of the same gene pool, can be so drastically different from one another. But they most certainly are. Owen, our 4-year-old, is very intelligent, very rational, VERY strong-willed and quite the perfectionist. But he is a wonderful leader, extremely thoughtful and insightful, very responsible and almost always an excellent helper. Ellie, our two-year-old, is a silly, cheerful little goofball who is very laid back, affectionate and creative, singing and dancing her way through life. She however, has a virtually non-existent attention span and is a tiny walking tornado, leaving messes wherever she goes. Annabelle, while only 8 months old, is already staking her claim as our "easiest" child. She is always happy. She is the quietest, sweetest, happiest baby I have EVER seen. Thank you Jesus! I am sure her personality will continue to unfold as she grows, but I am also certain that she will be her own unique little person, one that is entirely different from her siblings.
Because each of our children is so different from the others, we have to parent each one differently. At first, we struggled with feelings of fairness and equality, feeling we should treat them exactly the same. But then we realized, it isn't fair to treat them exactly the same because they are so very different. The best thing is to love them the same, but parent them differently. Now, for the most part, our children have the same rules, but when it comes to responsibilities and consequences, they differ greatly. Just as we have differing expectations for our children based on their age, we should have differing expectations based on their personalities, their talents, their strengths. God created each of us uniquely, with special, specific gifts and we need to nurture those God-given gifts in each of our children.
That is one of prayers for my children. That I, as their mother, would recognize the gifts, talents, strengths and other intricate details that God so carefully crafted in them, and that I would I encourage them to be exactly who God created them to be. Not comparing them to one another, not holding them to the same standards as their siblings, not trying to break their spirit or create new passions that never existed in them. They need to be played with differently, spoken to differently, encouraged differently, punished differently, given affection differently. Figure out how each one needs to be parented. corrected. loved. and then do it!
Every child is fearfully and wonderfully made, having each of their days ordained before even one of them came to be! It is God's job to make my children into who He wants them to be, crafting them with talents that He can use for His purposes. It is my job to help them realize who, and whose, they truly are. And with each child, my job changes. It evolves. It gets harder. But it gets better. I get to discover all over again who this little person is that God entrusted to me. As and I figure out who they are, I begin learning what they need, and I parent them accordingly. A custom fit for each child.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Fitness Q&A: Is Weight Training Really Necessary? Won't It Make Me Bulky and Masculine-looking?
Q: Is weight training really necessary? Won't it make me bulky and masculine-looking?
A: Yes. No. Adding some weights into your regular fitness regimen is essential to achieving your healthiest, fittest, and BEST-LOOKING you! Weight training not only increases muscular strength and definition, but it also increases your body's ability to burn fat. Now, it doesn't mean that adding weights to your ab routine will burn fat off of your mid-section, but adding any type of weight-training exercises will help reduce overall body fat (coming off wherever your body burns fat first, which varies from person to person). Weight-training is a vital component of fitness and unless you are trying to add bulk and get "man muscles", you won't. Now, some women are genetically inclined to build muscle mass more easily than others, and depending on your body, you may be more inclined to build muscles in one specific area of your body (like your legs or your shoulders). Fortunately, you can alter your weight-training routine to fit your body and your needs. So, if you used to play soccer in high-school, and as a result, now easily add bulk to your legs, avoid adding weights to your lower body moves and instead opt for weighted exercises that focus on your core or upper body. You don't have to add weights everywhere in order to reap the benefits. However, MOST women will be able to add light to moderate weights to most any exercise and see increased tone and definition, as well as added strength, without ever looking bulky.
A: Yes. No. Adding some weights into your regular fitness regimen is essential to achieving your healthiest, fittest, and BEST-LOOKING you! Weight training not only increases muscular strength and definition, but it also increases your body's ability to burn fat. Now, it doesn't mean that adding weights to your ab routine will burn fat off of your mid-section, but adding any type of weight-training exercises will help reduce overall body fat (coming off wherever your body burns fat first, which varies from person to person). Weight-training is a vital component of fitness and unless you are trying to add bulk and get "man muscles", you won't. Now, some women are genetically inclined to build muscle mass more easily than others, and depending on your body, you may be more inclined to build muscles in one specific area of your body (like your legs or your shoulders). Fortunately, you can alter your weight-training routine to fit your body and your needs. So, if you used to play soccer in high-school, and as a result, now easily add bulk to your legs, avoid adding weights to your lower body moves and instead opt for weighted exercises that focus on your core or upper body. You don't have to add weights everywhere in order to reap the benefits. However, MOST women will be able to add light to moderate weights to most any exercise and see increased tone and definition, as well as added strength, without ever looking bulky.
Fitness Q&A: Will Working my Obliques Widen my Waistline??
Q: I heard that working my obliques will widen my waistline, is this true?
A: Not necessarily. Your mid-section is made up of several groups of muscles; your rectis abdominus, which runs down the center (the 6-pack), the internal and external obliques, which run down the sides of the waist, and the transverse abdominus, which are the deepest muscles, encircling the waist around to the spine. When you exercise these muscles, as with any muscle, the muscle fibers shorten and thus can get thicker. Because the obliques run down the sides of your waist, if these muscle fibers shorten and thicken too much, it could widen the waistline to a degree. However, there are 2 key things that you can do to ensure that this doesn't happen. #1- stretch. Stretching your muscles, especially those surrounding your waist can help eliminate any thickness that an increase in muscle mass might contribute. #2- working your transverse abdominus. The transverse abdominus are the deepest abdominal muscles and they run in a circle around your waist. Working these muscles will help to tighten and pull in the muscles, like a corset, creating a narrower waistline. Any abdominal exercise that involves a twisting movement from the core will help to tap into these muscles.
A: Not necessarily. Your mid-section is made up of several groups of muscles; your rectis abdominus, which runs down the center (the 6-pack), the internal and external obliques, which run down the sides of the waist, and the transverse abdominus, which are the deepest muscles, encircling the waist around to the spine. When you exercise these muscles, as with any muscle, the muscle fibers shorten and thus can get thicker. Because the obliques run down the sides of your waist, if these muscle fibers shorten and thicken too much, it could widen the waistline to a degree. However, there are 2 key things that you can do to ensure that this doesn't happen. #1- stretch. Stretching your muscles, especially those surrounding your waist can help eliminate any thickness that an increase in muscle mass might contribute. #2- working your transverse abdominus. The transverse abdominus are the deepest abdominal muscles and they run in a circle around your waist. Working these muscles will help to tighten and pull in the muscles, like a corset, creating a narrower waistline. Any abdominal exercise that involves a twisting movement from the core will help to tap into these muscles.
Fitness Q&A: How Do I Get a Tighter Waistline?
Q: How Do I Get a Tighter Waistline?
A: There are 2 equally important factors involved in shrinking your mid-section... #1 reducing fat and #2 increasing muscle tone. Unfortunately, getting a slim, sexy waistline is not as easy as doing a few crunches everyday. In fact, crunches alone can actually increase the overall size of your waist. You see, crunches and abdominal exercises are designed to strengthen and tighten the muscles of the core (the muscles that circle your waist), but if you are increasing your muscle mass by performing these exercises without also decreasing your fat store, you are simply adding bulk to your waistline. While crunches and other core exercises are great for strengthening and adding overall muscle tone, you must be doing regular cardio and weight training exercises to decrease overall body fat as well (Yes, lifting weights will actually help you burn MORE fat and lose MORE weight). While there is no such thing as "spot reduction", the idea that performing area-specific exercises will decrease body fat in that certain area, regular cardiovascular exercise and weight-training WILL burn fat on your entire body, thus decreasing the fat stored in your mid-section. When you add cardio and weight-training to your core-strengthening regimen, your waist-line will reap the benefits.
A: There are 2 equally important factors involved in shrinking your mid-section... #1 reducing fat and #2 increasing muscle tone. Unfortunately, getting a slim, sexy waistline is not as easy as doing a few crunches everyday. In fact, crunches alone can actually increase the overall size of your waist. You see, crunches and abdominal exercises are designed to strengthen and tighten the muscles of the core (the muscles that circle your waist), but if you are increasing your muscle mass by performing these exercises without also decreasing your fat store, you are simply adding bulk to your waistline. While crunches and other core exercises are great for strengthening and adding overall muscle tone, you must be doing regular cardio and weight training exercises to decrease overall body fat as well (Yes, lifting weights will actually help you burn MORE fat and lose MORE weight). While there is no such thing as "spot reduction", the idea that performing area-specific exercises will decrease body fat in that certain area, regular cardiovascular exercise and weight-training WILL burn fat on your entire body, thus decreasing the fat stored in your mid-section. When you add cardio and weight-training to your core-strengthening regimen, your waist-line will reap the benefits.
Fitness Q&A: What is the Best Exercise for Weight Loss?
Q: What is the best type of exercise for weight loss?
A: Interval Training. You pick the type of cardio; jogging, dance aerobics, cycling, kickboxing, whatever. The TYPE of cardiovascular exercise is not as important as HOW you should perform the exercise.... in intervals. Interval training is when you perform a cardiovascular exercise at varying levels of intensity, alternating higher intensity bursts with periods of rest or lower intensity. Research shows that high-intensity interval training is more effective than moderate intensity workouts at increasing your body's ability to use oxygen for energy. The more oxygen your body can convert to energy, the stronger, faster, and more fit you become. And with the continued cardiovascular stress and intensity of interval training, your body burns more calories and sheds excess pounds at a much faster rate than with moderate intensity cardio exercise. So next time, bypass your 30-minute steady jog on the treadmill for a 15-minute, high-intensity, interval style routine and burn more calories in half the time! Win-Win!
A: Interval Training. You pick the type of cardio; jogging, dance aerobics, cycling, kickboxing, whatever. The TYPE of cardiovascular exercise is not as important as HOW you should perform the exercise.... in intervals. Interval training is when you perform a cardiovascular exercise at varying levels of intensity, alternating higher intensity bursts with periods of rest or lower intensity. Research shows that high-intensity interval training is more effective than moderate intensity workouts at increasing your body's ability to use oxygen for energy. The more oxygen your body can convert to energy, the stronger, faster, and more fit you become. And with the continued cardiovascular stress and intensity of interval training, your body burns more calories and sheds excess pounds at a much faster rate than with moderate intensity cardio exercise. So next time, bypass your 30-minute steady jog on the treadmill for a 15-minute, high-intensity, interval style routine and burn more calories in half the time! Win-Win!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Custom FITness
There's nothing like a custom fit. Something designed specifically to fit your body. Because everyBODY is different, a custom fit is the only way to ensure that something fits you perfectly. If you want the perfect pair of jeans, they need to be designed just for your hips, your thighs, your leg length. Well, the same thing can be said for fitness.
Just like we all have different curves, we also have different fitness needs. different goals, different levels, different strengths, different schedules. We need to find a fitness plan that fits us. When we try to replicate someone else's fitness plan, we almost never replicate their results. And then we get frustrated. (Kind of like when that bikini doesn't seem to fit me the same as it does the model in the catalog. bummer.) Why not? Simple. You are NOT them. What works for one person, may or may not work for you. You need to figure out what works for you, as an individual. Your genetics. Your body type. Your schedule. Your interests. Your desired results.
Take me for example... I am happy to workout all day long. I will teach classes, go for a run, and then do a bodyrock workout with Danny. I love exercising. BUT, if I try to diet, I mean really diet, I fail. always. I hate counting calories, cutting carbs, and quitting all of my favorite yummy foods. I was a miserable human being when I was "dieting". So I had to find what worked for me. I started drinking water all day. no soda, no juice. I would rather EAT my calories, thank you very much. I eat small portions of healthy foods all throughout the day and then at night, I snack. It is my rest time. Danny and I watch TV and we snack. And I eat late at night. I mean LATE. I can't do the "no food after 7pm" rule. I don't even eat dinner until 7:30! Some days I eat 2000 calories, some days I eat closer to 1200. I eat when I'm hungry. I may not lose weight as quickly as I would if I were eating 1200 calories of cabbage and chicken breasts everyday (that isn't bad, it just isn't for me). But I am still losing weight. And I am making choices that I can maintain so that I will keep the weight off! (until I get pregnant again and gain it all back for the fourth time. boo.) But that is me. What works for YOU?
So, in my opinion, what is the best type of cardio workout? The one that you will actually do. If you love the outdoors, take up trail running. If you're a beach bum, try surfing or swimming. If you enjoy dancing, take a Zumba class. Stay-at-home mom? Try online workouts or DVDs you can do during nap time. The best diet plan? One you can stick with. If you love chocolate, eat it! (in moderation, of course) Cut soda or fast food instead. If you like the structure of a set amount calories perday AND you can maintain that way of eating, GO FOR IT! Make choices that FIT your life, your likes, your goals, your strengths. Choices that you can maintain for a lifetime. You should not be seeking a fitness plan that promises you'll drop 10 lbs and 2 dress sizes in a week. Even if you do, it will come back. The only way to true, lasting results is by making healthy choices that you can maintain for a lifetime. That's right, For-ev-er. There is no quick fix. only hard work. But hard work doesn't have to make you miserable. You can work hard and be so happy. so satisfied. so motivated. You just need to find what type of hard work YOU can do. And as you change; your life, your schedule, your body, your fitness regime should change too. Make it fit your life, not the other way around. A custom FIT. Just for YOU!
Just like we all have different curves, we also have different fitness needs. different goals, different levels, different strengths, different schedules. We need to find a fitness plan that fits us. When we try to replicate someone else's fitness plan, we almost never replicate their results. And then we get frustrated. (Kind of like when that bikini doesn't seem to fit me the same as it does the model in the catalog. bummer.) Why not? Simple. You are NOT them. What works for one person, may or may not work for you. You need to figure out what works for you, as an individual. Your genetics. Your body type. Your schedule. Your interests. Your desired results.
Take me for example... I am happy to workout all day long. I will teach classes, go for a run, and then do a bodyrock workout with Danny. I love exercising. BUT, if I try to diet, I mean really diet, I fail. always. I hate counting calories, cutting carbs, and quitting all of my favorite yummy foods. I was a miserable human being when I was "dieting". So I had to find what worked for me. I started drinking water all day. no soda, no juice. I would rather EAT my calories, thank you very much. I eat small portions of healthy foods all throughout the day and then at night, I snack. It is my rest time. Danny and I watch TV and we snack. And I eat late at night. I mean LATE. I can't do the "no food after 7pm" rule. I don't even eat dinner until 7:30! Some days I eat 2000 calories, some days I eat closer to 1200. I eat when I'm hungry. I may not lose weight as quickly as I would if I were eating 1200 calories of cabbage and chicken breasts everyday (that isn't bad, it just isn't for me). But I am still losing weight. And I am making choices that I can maintain so that I will keep the weight off! (until I get pregnant again and gain it all back for the fourth time. boo.) But that is me. What works for YOU?
So, in my opinion, what is the best type of cardio workout? The one that you will actually do. If you love the outdoors, take up trail running. If you're a beach bum, try surfing or swimming. If you enjoy dancing, take a Zumba class. Stay-at-home mom? Try online workouts or DVDs you can do during nap time. The best diet plan? One you can stick with. If you love chocolate, eat it! (in moderation, of course) Cut soda or fast food instead. If you like the structure of a set amount calories perday AND you can maintain that way of eating, GO FOR IT! Make choices that FIT your life, your likes, your goals, your strengths. Choices that you can maintain for a lifetime. You should not be seeking a fitness plan that promises you'll drop 10 lbs and 2 dress sizes in a week. Even if you do, it will come back. The only way to true, lasting results is by making healthy choices that you can maintain for a lifetime. That's right, For-ev-er. There is no quick fix. only hard work. But hard work doesn't have to make you miserable. You can work hard and be so happy. so satisfied. so motivated. You just need to find what type of hard work YOU can do. And as you change; your life, your schedule, your body, your fitness regime should change too. Make it fit your life, not the other way around. A custom FIT. Just for YOU!
Thursday, January 3, 2013
VIDEOS COMING SOON!
So get excited! (But not too excited. It's just me. And Danny. Working out in our family room. So be appropriately excited.)
7 Day Tabata Challenge
So last night I did a 25 minute Tabata workout with Danny (my super hot husband) ... and lets just say, it kicked our butts. Thus, I want to do it again! So I have created 5 more workouts in the same format so that I can do a full week of them. If you're thinking, you did 1 and made 5 more, that is 6, not 7, then you are correct. You get one rest day, whenever you want it. Are you in? Good. Let's do it.
Step one: Get schooled. Let me explain what a Tabata workout is. It is a 4 minute, maximum intensity interval workout. A guy named Tabata did a study that concluded we can work at our maximum effort for no longer than 20 seconds at a time, so this workout had people work at 100% effort for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and then do it again. 7 more times. It is killer. And it works. The study showed that people who did this style of workout continued to burn more calories over the next 36-48 hours then those who did longer in duration, but moderate in intensity, workouts. This is because Tabata not only improves our level of cardiovascular fitness, but our muscular strength and endurance as well. Point being, it works. (To find out more go to tabatatraining.org)
Step 2: Get ready. Here is what you will need: proper workout attire, including good supportive shoes. Weights. Or soup cans. Or something you can lift. Water. Not Gatorade. Water. An exercise mat or large towel. And finally, a stop watch or Tabata timer. There are about 1000 free Tabata apps that you can download. I use the Tabata timer by gymboss.
Step 3: Get sweaty. Here are the workouts... pick one a day for 6 days, using your one rest day wherever you need to. Each workout is 25 minutes long. You will do 8 20-second intervals of each of the 5 moves. Rest 10 secs between intervals and rest one minute between exercises. So if the first move is squats, you will do 8 sets of squats, 20 secs on, 10 secs rest and then rest one minute before moving onto the second exercise.
If you don't know what one of the exercises is, don't panic. And don't quit. Either sub in another exercise from a different workout or make up your own move. You can use ANY exercise in these workouts. Keep it simple. You can custom fit this workout just for you! I will post videos of the workouts as soon as I figure out how to do it :)
Just for kicks, you can keep score IF YOU WANT. If you would like to track your progress, push yourself harder or compete with your workout buddy (which is super fun and motivating, especially when it is your spouse), here is what you do... Count your reps and record only your worst set for each exercise. So if you did your 8 sets of squats and did 30,31,30,30,32,30,29,28, you would write down 28. Do this for each exercise and then add them up for your total score.
Workout 1: mountain climbers (on the ground), upright rows*, high knees, super lunges (jumping lunges, touch both hands to the floor with each rep), in-out abs
Workout 2: switch kicks, low knee pulls (alternate legs every other set), heisman hops, chest press*, 1/2 teasers
Workout 3: football jumps, dead lifts*, cross country skiers, tricep dips, double crunch
Workout 4: booty kicks, rainbow bicep curls, side hopping squats, transverse plank run, alligator crunch
Workout 5: basketball jumps, overhead shoulder press*, toe taps, plie squats, hip dip plank
Workout 6: jumping jacks, squats, burpees, push ups, diamond sit ups (not crunches!)
* indicates an exercise that requires weights
Step 4: Feel AWESOME! (and exhausted... but mostly awesome)
Step one: Get schooled. Let me explain what a Tabata workout is. It is a 4 minute, maximum intensity interval workout. A guy named Tabata did a study that concluded we can work at our maximum effort for no longer than 20 seconds at a time, so this workout had people work at 100% effort for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and then do it again. 7 more times. It is killer. And it works. The study showed that people who did this style of workout continued to burn more calories over the next 36-48 hours then those who did longer in duration, but moderate in intensity, workouts. This is because Tabata not only improves our level of cardiovascular fitness, but our muscular strength and endurance as well. Point being, it works. (To find out more go to tabatatraining.org)
Step 2: Get ready. Here is what you will need: proper workout attire, including good supportive shoes. Weights. Or soup cans. Or something you can lift. Water. Not Gatorade. Water. An exercise mat or large towel. And finally, a stop watch or Tabata timer. There are about 1000 free Tabata apps that you can download. I use the Tabata timer by gymboss.
Step 3: Get sweaty. Here are the workouts... pick one a day for 6 days, using your one rest day wherever you need to. Each workout is 25 minutes long. You will do 8 20-second intervals of each of the 5 moves. Rest 10 secs between intervals and rest one minute between exercises. So if the first move is squats, you will do 8 sets of squats, 20 secs on, 10 secs rest and then rest one minute before moving onto the second exercise.
If you don't know what one of the exercises is, don't panic. And don't quit. Either sub in another exercise from a different workout or make up your own move. You can use ANY exercise in these workouts. Keep it simple. You can custom fit this workout just for you! I will post videos of the workouts as soon as I figure out how to do it :)
Just for kicks, you can keep score IF YOU WANT. If you would like to track your progress, push yourself harder or compete with your workout buddy (which is super fun and motivating, especially when it is your spouse), here is what you do... Count your reps and record only your worst set for each exercise. So if you did your 8 sets of squats and did 30,31,30,30,32,30,29,28, you would write down 28. Do this for each exercise and then add them up for your total score.
Workout 1: mountain climbers (on the ground), upright rows*, high knees, super lunges (jumping lunges, touch both hands to the floor with each rep), in-out abs
Workout 2: switch kicks, low knee pulls (alternate legs every other set), heisman hops, chest press*, 1/2 teasers
Workout 3: football jumps, dead lifts*, cross country skiers, tricep dips, double crunch
Workout 4: booty kicks, rainbow bicep curls, side hopping squats, transverse plank run, alligator crunch
Workout 5: basketball jumps, overhead shoulder press*, toe taps, plie squats, hip dip plank
Workout 6: jumping jacks, squats, burpees, push ups, diamond sit ups (not crunches!)
* indicates an exercise that requires weights
Step 4: Feel AWESOME! (and exhausted... but mostly awesome)
The Dreaded First Post...
I don't know why, but I feel a tremendous amount of pressure with this first post... like I have to prove myself to everyone. I want to start this blog to share workouts, fitness ideas and tips and a little bit of my life as a wife and mother. But for whatever reason, I feel as if I need to be an exceptional writer, a fitness guru and a perfectly godly parent with all of the answers to feel worthy to start this blog. So let me go ahead and get this out of the way... I am none of those things. I like to write, but proper spelling, capitalization and punctuation often escape me, and I don't care. I love to workout. In fact, I do it for a living. I am group fitness instructor. But I also love to eat. Carbs. Chocolate. Steak. I am no guru. And while I am a youth pastor's wife and stay at home mom to three beautiful children (and counting), I am the first to admit that when it comes to parenting, more often than not, I have no clue what I'm doing. This blog is my imperfect attempt to share my experiences of faith, family and fitness... three things that are very important to me, but also three things at which I often fail. Well, now that I have cleared the air, I feel the freedom to post freely. Let's work out.
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