You Can Stay Fit During Christmas!

By Laurette Willis

“I am the bread of life” John 6:48 Those words really put holiday overindulgence into perspective don’t they? Perhaps the overindulgence we could enter into this Christmas is filling up on the “bread of life” instead of the bread of this world—after all, Jesus was placed in a manger (a feeding trough!) as a baby.

When we think of the bread of this world, do you think of physical bread? It can be that, as well as what I call the “soul junk food” of this world. I’m referring to the PG-13, R-rated (and worse) so-called “entertainment” of this world (TV, movies, music, etc.).

Okay, now I’m meddling, right? It’s just that I’ve found that if I’m filling up on the world’s junk food through my eyes and ears, I also seem to want to satisfy my mouth with the world’s processed junk foods for my body.

Read more

Transform Your Workouts Into Worship!

By Laurette Willis

Have you ever said this: “I don’t have TIME to exercise”? Some of us have said that more than once! In reality, it’s not about having time to exercise because we all have the same 24 hours each day; we need to MAKE time to exercise if we want to be healthy.

Think of some of the things you already make time to do each day. Some of these things have been part of your daily routine since childhood and have become second nature, such as brushing your teeth, washing your face, or fixing yourself something to eat. There are other things you do on a regular basis which have become habit, yet require a bit more preparation, such as going to church, remembering to acknowledge friends’ birthdays, and shopping for groceries.

Making fitness a part of your regular routine can become a habit—especially if you combine it with something you are already doing, such as prayer, reading the Bible, or worshiping the Lord.

Read more

Present Your Body

Here’s a sobering question: Do you think we’ll be required to give an accounting to the Lord for the stewardship of our bodies and how well we’ve taken care of them?

While exercise was not a priority in Biblical times, in Romans 12:1 Paul answers that question when he says, “I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your body a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Each of us is advised to take care of our body since it is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  That’s a frightening thought for most of us when we really stop to think about it!  “You are not your own,” Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “For you were bought at a price” (the shed blood of Jesus Christ).

Could that mean your body is not yours, but the Lord’s?  How well are we caring for the Lord’s property?

The good news is that since your body belongs to the Lord, He has a vested interest in helping you care for it.  Your body is not only the temple of His Holy Spirit, it’s what you need to be able to walk around on this earth and spread the good news that Jesus is Lord.

You CAN be a FIT witness for Christ.  The more fit and healthy you are, the greater the probability is that you will be around longer to carry out His will for your life.

The enemy wants you to fail at your task–to fail horribly and leave the earth before your time.  He doesn’t really care that you’re going to heaven; he just doesn’t want you to take anyone else with you!  If your body is out of shape and lacking energy, it’s difficult to do all the Lord is calling you to do.  But you and the Lord–working together–can change that!

“What?!” you ask.  “The Lord needs MY help?  But He’s omnipotent, all-powerful and in control!”  Well, yes–and no.  He is all-powerful, but He will not wrestle the cake fork out of your hand or pick up the strings, like a grand marionette master, and animate your body to take a brisk walk.  We are the ones who have to exercise our will to exercise our body and “choose life.”

You don’t have to wait to do that!  You can start right now by doing something small.  Would you be willing to choose to do at least one new thing for your health and fitness today?  Here are some ideas: take a brisk walk, eat a raw vegetable salad before dinner, have an apple for dessert or snack instead of a sugar-laden treat, pray for God to help you make healthy choices before you eat, write your goals for a healthier lifestyle in a prayer journal.

When you feel tempted to overeat, turn to the Lord in prayer and praise, and yield to the fruit of the Holy Spirit within you.  Galatians 5:23 says that one of those fruit is self-control!

Ask the Lord to help you become the person He has called you to be.  You are not alone.  Remember, He loves you more than you can possibly imagine, and wants you to succeed in every way.  In Philippians 4:13, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, Paul says that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  That includes having a healthier lifestyle!

Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves® Fitness Ministry, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and instructor training for those interested in a Christian ALTERNATIVE to yoga, plus fitness for spirit, soul, and body at http://praisemoves.com.  To follow Laurette on Twitter, please visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ, and Facebook at  http://facebook.com/people/Laurette-Willis/661158603 ©2009

Eating Clean – It’s in the Bible!

Laurette Willis –

“Bless the Lord, O my soul…who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalm 103:1, 5 NKJV).”

God didn’t arbitrarily forbid the Jews from eating certain foods. God doesn’t operate under the law of “whim.” Every meat deemed unclean by God is unfit for human consumption.

In 1953 science caught up with the Bible when Dr. David Macht of Johns Hopkins University published a study on the toxicity of animals listed as clean and unclean in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14. He ran tests to determine their toxic effects on a controlled growth culture in his laboratory (“An Experimental Pharmacological Appreciation of Leviticus XI and Deuteronomy XIV,” Bulletin of Historical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University).

Not surprisingly, every animal God calls toxic, science finds toxic, too. Unclean animals include: swine, horse, rabbit, squirrel, dog, cat, bear, opossum, groundhog and rat. The clean animals (cloven-hoofed and chew the cud) include cattle, goats, sheep, oxen and deer. Interestingly, the blood of all animals is more toxic than the flesh.

Many of the animals God calls unclean eat flesh or have parasites that would sicken or kill humans. Pigs, bears and vultures eat decaying flesh. Wolves, lions and other predators often prey on the weakest, sickliest animals in a herd.

Jesus, being a devout Jew, did not eat pork. In fact He used pigs as receptacles for the demons within the Gadarene demoniac (Luke 8:22-39)! The man was set free when Jesus evicted the demons from him and sent them into a herd of swine. The pigs were destroyed when they plunged off a cliff into the lake and drowned.

Clean birds include poultry (chicken, turkey, geese), ducks, pigeons and quail. Many supermarkets now carry organic chicken products raised without antibiotics or hormones. We certainly don’t need to be ingesting synthetic estrogen (a hormone typically given to chickens). Pre-menopausal, peri-menopausal and menopausal women need to be especially aware that hormonal imbalances may be linked to synthetic estrogen and estrogen-producing foods.

Instead of pork, how about turkey franks or kosher beef hot dogs once in a while? A stir fry with fresh vegetables, crumbled organic or GreenFed™ burger, slivered almonds and water chestnuts is a quick and easy dinner your family will love. If you’re concerned about estrogen-producing foods, try fermented soy products such as tempeh instead of regular soy.

Archeological Evidence of Benefits of Eating Clean

Moses, who received the dietary and hygiene system from God, had been trained as a prince of Egypt in the most advanced medical system of his day. Yet Moses did not advocate the Egyptian way of avoiding disease. Forensic examinations of mummified Egyptians show that the wealthiest Egyptians didn’t seem to benefit from the best that their physicians had to offer. They suffered from many of the same diseases of our day. Many researchers believe this is due to their taste for unhealthful foods and disregard for hygiene, contrary to God’s directive to the Hebrews through Moses.

In short: Detox, eat clean, eat lean and always eat green (lots of veggies!).

The Best Time to Exercise?

By Laurette Willis –

“My times are in Your hand” (Psalm 31:15 NKJV).

I’m often asked what time of day I consider the best time to exercise. The short answer is, “Any time you will exercise is the best time!” Additionally, once you have a routine established, stick with it.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), those who exercise in the morning are most successful in making exercise a habit. ACE also recommends that if you prefer an early morning workout, “emphasize stretching and a good warm-up to insure that your body is ready for action.”

In recent years, scientists have been exploring the area of “circadian rhythms,” the internal clocks God put in place within our physical bodies.

You’ve GOT RHYTHM…

Circadian rhythms, the daily cycles that govern certain physical processes, originate in the hypothalamus just above the brain stem. They regulate everything from body temperature and blood pressure to metabolism.

The influence of circadian rhythms on body temperature seems to have the greatest effect on the quality of the workout we have. When your body temperature is at its highest, your workouts appear to be more productive. They are likely to be less productive when your body temperature is low.

Your body temperature is lowest one to three hours before you wake up in the morning, and at its highest late in the afternoon. Later in the day your muscles are warmer and more flexible, reaction time is quicker, blood pressure and resting heart rate are lower, and strength is at its peak.

Since studies have shown that exercise during these late afternoon/early evening hours produces better results, this may be a good choice for you. However, if you are a procrastinator (as I have been!), it may be wiser to stick to early morning workouts so you don’t melt into the couch after a hard day at the office.

Finding Your Peak Body Temperature

This will take a bit of work, but it will be worth it if you really want to know your circadian peak body temperature.

1. Record your temperature every couple of hours for 5 or 6 days in a row. Body temps usually fluctuate by 1.5 degrees plus or minus throughout the day.

2. Try exercising during the period 3 hours after your highest body temperature.

For most people, this will fall in the range between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. If you are an early bird or night owl, the times may fluctuate 2-3 hours on either side of that, so adjust accordingly.

The ABSOLUTE BEST Time to Exercise

If stress relief is your goal, exercise always works, all of the time. And if you’re wondering when it’s best to train for an upcoming event, it all depends on what time you’ll actually be competing. If an upcoming marathon begins at 7:00 a.m., try training at that time of day.

In addition, combining exercise with the Word and prayer  can help make a good habit even better–transforming your workouts into worship!

« Previous Page — Next Page »