Pass the Fried Okra, Uncle Sam!

By Laurette Willis –

Think kids hate their veggies? Seems grown-ups aren’t much better. Based on a report by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention), that’s how things look. It doesn’t seem as though any of us are even close to eating the recommended daily allowance of fruits and vegetables.

Do you live in one of the four “problem” states?

Oh, no! I live in Oklahoma! Yes, I’m a transplanted Okie from NYC (“Lovin’ It!” says Ronald McD). Less than 10% of folks in OK, MS, AL and SC supposedly eat the recommended 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

For the majority of Americans, our favorite “fruit” is orange juice and the humble potato is our favorite vegetable. Fries and OJ. Starch and sugar, and not a lot of nutrients. Hey, don’t forget the tomato! Oh yeah, ketchup (in a handy squeezable mini-tube).

Do YOU Count Your Servings of F&V per Day? Me Neither…

Okay, someone must be counting, because the CDC says that only about a third of American adults eat two or more servings of fruit per day, and just over a quarter of us eat three or more servings of vegetables. So for most of us, an apple and some lettuce is about all we can manage (if that) every day— not even close to the recommended daily amounts.

How can we get the nutrition our bodies need?

Here is the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables: 2 1/2 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit–total per day (1 1/2 cups of fruit if over age 30). The USDA counts 1/2 cup as a full serving—and that’s about how many fruits and vegetables most Americans eat per day (not good).

HOW do we make up the difference?

Here’s a few things I do:

1. Pray and ask the Lord to help you change your eating habits.

2. Take good whole food supplements.

3. Eat concentrated greens.

Making incremental changes every day can ensure that you and your family become GOOD statistics and beat the odds so you can be a “Fit Witness” for Christ!

Your Body – A Fat Burning Machine

By Don Otis –

I was having dinner with some friends when their 24-year-old daughter asked me if I would help her get in shape. That is a pretty innocuous question. I asked her what she wanted to accomplish, how much time she could devote to fitness, and what she’s done before. She held up her arm and said, “I want my arms to be more toned.” Then, she added, “I can’t ride or run more than a mile before I am too tired.” Poor stamina is always the smoking gun of poor fitness.

Just as God has made us for relationship, He has also made us physical beings for activity. Living a sedentary lifestyle is relatively new to humanity and is not part of our Creator’s original design. This means we have to be intentional about activity. There are many culprits that invite us to an inactive lifestyle–television, dishwashers, lawn mowers, or even our vehicles. The bottom line is that we are now forced to be intentional about fitness.

You have heard the old adage “Use it or lose it.” This applies to your physical body too. My advice to anyone, whether they are a 24-year-old female who wears a size 4, or a 60-year-old man who wears a size 44: Get active! God has made you to move. The term aerobic means “with oxygen.” When you hear the term, aerobic exercise, this refers to how your body processes and uses oxygen. Elite distance runners or cyclists can run or pedal efficiently because they train their bodies to use oxygen sparingly.

Aerobic exercise is simply any exercise that gets your heart rate up beyond its normal resting rate for an extended period of time. Cardiorespiratory fitness is what defines the status of your heart muscle, lungs, and circulatory system. The first advice I give anyone who wants to “get in shape” is to get started on a fat-burning routine–aerobic exercise. Here are some of the health benefits of aerobic fitness.

• Reduces blood pressure
• Increases good cholesterol (HDL)
• Decreases total cholesterol
• Decreases body fat stores
• Increases aerobic work capacity
• Decreases anxiety, tension, and depression
• Increases heart function
• Helps prevent type 2 diabetes

There are a host of physiologic benefits and responses as well, which range from decreased workload on the heart, increased blood volume, lung diffusion capacity and many others.

Our bodies adapt to workload. This means that if you start an aerobic exercise program, it will be more difficult in the beginning, but gradually it will become easier as the weeks progress. Be patient with yourself. Choose activities that increase your heart rate and keep it there for 20-30 minutes at a time. These exercises are diverse. They can include walking/running, cycling, court sports, hiking, swimming, or climbing stairs.

The Bible enjoins us to love the Lord with our heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5). How can we love the Lord with our strength if we have none?

Determine this summer to increase your metabolism, increase your strength, and decrease your weight!

Knowing Who to Trust

By Cami Checketts –

We are all bombarded by blogs, magazine articles, books and infomercials about the most effective way to become fit and healthy. If you look hard enough you can find a research study or article by a respected expert to back up just about any theory or trend that comes along.

How do you know who to trust?

1. Start with the basics. Is this new exercise or diet revolution grounded in basic health principles? If you don’t know the basics of healthy eating or exercise check out American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org), basic guidelines for health (www.health.gov), or USDA’s website (www.mypyramid.gov).

2. Look at the claims. Anything that’s fast and easy is usually not going to be healthy and effective for the long-term. Extra pounds lost quickly usually come back on just as quickly. Make sure you are making choices that are going to help you be healthy for life–not just be five pounds lighter for vacation.

3. Look at the research study. I read a fitness article claiming to have the “best way for women over 40 to lose fat.” They had done a research study with twelve women over a period of six weeks. Wow! I could conduct that study with my lunch pals and probably get different results. If you’re considering investing time or money in a product or program, make sure the studies are valid. They should be done for an extended period of time with a large group of participants. Also, I like to see several different studies coming to the same conclusion before I really trust the results or share the idea with others.

4. Listen to your gut. You know instinctively what is true and what isn’t. If something doesn’t sound right for you (even if it works for every friend, neighbor and family member), it probably isn’t.

5. Listen to the Lord. He cares for us in every aspect of our lives. Go to Him for inspiration and help. He will never lead you astray.

Staying Strong

By Cami Checketts –

I love mornings! I start my day with a great workout and a positive attitude. I plan how I’m going to be healthy and happy all day. By mid-afternoon I start running out of steam, ready to scream at my boys and eat a pound of chocolate just to help me keep moving. I usually resist both temptations, but by the time the boys are in bed I’m sick of being in control of myself. I tell myself that I did pretty good today and I deserve that bowl of ice cream.

It’s so easy to lose sight of our goals when we’re exhausted and discouraged. I find this is true for me in healthy eating as well as other areas of my life.

Sundays are a day that bolsters me for a busy week. A speaker at church a few weeks ago compared this to a leaky bucket. It gets filled to the brim on Sunday with wonderful spiritual experiences, insights and a rest from our labors. But throughout the week the water slowly leaks out when we make choices that aren’t quite up to snuff. Maybe on Monday our teenager is obstinate (this happens sometimes at my house) and we lose our temper. Maybe on Tuesday a neighbor or co-worker does something that annoys us and instead of focusing on the positive, we belittle him or gossip about him.

It’s just small things but they add up and our spiritual reserves slowly leak out.

The challenge for me is to remain strong throughout my day and week. To stay firmly on the Lord’s side of the line, keep his light burning bright inside of me, and keep my eye on my goals and the happiness that living right brings. The only way I know to do this is through constant reminders: always reading my scriptures and other uplifting materials, praying, associating with enlightening people, and rejoicing in the Lord as I go through each day.

Maybe if I consistently stay strong I’ll be able to resist not only that bowl of ice cream, but that desire to be judgmental. If I ever get there I’ll let you know!

Cami Checketts is a wife, mother to four boys, exercise scientist, and author. Please refer to her blog for more information – http://camicheckettsbooks.blogspot.com.

Who Encourages You?

By Don Otis –

One of the primary reasons people aren’t consistent with their fitness regimen is lack of encouragement. Of course encouragement and motivation go hand in hand. What do you need to stay focused and consistent?

As Christians, we have our heroes of the faith. These are men and women who stood tough in the face of impossible odds, grave risk, or uncertainty. The walk of faith is characterized by the unknown. When you think of people who are fit, who comes to mind? If you are like most, you admire people who look good, are active or in shape. Some of us are blessed with good genes or the ability to eat almost anything we want without putting on the pounds. But the rest of us have to work at it, remain diligent, disciplined, committed.

If you have read this column in the past you know I preach the importance of consistency, intensity, duration, and mode–choosing activities that you like that are going to help you improve. Most of us also benefit from having encouragement from a spouse, friend, or fitness coach. These people keep us accountable, give focus, and offer a pat on the back when we need it most. Who plays this role in your life?

Unfortunately, some spouses discourage their mates from spending too much time exercising. Others complain that their spouse is lazy or overweight. These disparaging or discouraging comments do not motivate us to improve our lives. People change their lives when they decide to do so, but the effort to stay changed is pivotal to reaching our goals.

There is a saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” The same is true for fitness; you need to know where you are going. When you know what you want to be and where you are heading, you eventually find ongoing success. Once you have determined your goals, find someone to hold you accountable for achieving these goals. While most of us have little trouble achieving short-term success, our real problem is sustainability.

Today, before you forget, write down your goals. Then write down how much time you are willing to commit to achieving these goals. Nothing worthwhile happens by accident; it takes intention. Next, be sure to tell someone about your plan and then paste it on your refrigerator or next to your nightstand. Be sure the person you tell is someone who will be supportive.

What I have discovered about encouragement is that it happens in the beginning and it happens once people see the results. It’s the in-between part that is tough!

Here are some things to do to encourage yourself and stay focused:

1. Write it down (what are your goals?).
2. Track your progress (keep a journal).
3. Tell someone and ask them to check in with you occasionally.
4. Keep a mental diary of how you feel about yourself.
5. Be patient with yourself and others.
6. Ask God to help you to successfully reach your goals.

Remind yourself of this: God wants you to be healthy and whole. And He wants you to encourage others to be healthy. It is His will for you. If being healthy is part of God’s plan for you, don’t you think He wants you to be a success? Of course He does! And He will give you strength to succeed… if you do your part.

Don S. Otis (don@veritasincorporated.com) is a certified personal trainer, runner, climber, and author of five books. He runs Veritas Communications, a publicity agency based in Canon City, Colorado.

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