Health & Beauty - 10. Burn It

How are you all feeling? Are you ready for the New Year? I hope after all the reading (and exercising and good eating) you’ve been doing that you are healthier than you were last year. And I pray that your relationship with God is healthier too. Have you put any of the tips into practice?

I have one last tip to share with you and some good news to leave you with. (You’re welcome :).

10. The Burn:

Did you know that exercise goes on burning fat, even when you sleep? That’s right! So put your feet up and let your hard work pay off. Now if you haven’t been working overly hard, let me give you some encouragement.

Even when you don’t feel like getting up for a walk, you’ll always be glad you did. You get to start the day with energy and purpose. You enjoy creation and cool morning air and get home with plenty of time and patience for the morning routine.

And when you don’t feel like getting up to read the bible, go to church, or go to bible study, you’ll always be glad you did. You’ll have extra energy, more purpose, learn and enjoy more about God’s Word and His character, and have more time and patience to get through your day!

And the best part of putting that effort in? The effects keep multiplying even when you aren’t aware of it.

Your body, mind and spirit are off to the best start. They are in gear, ready to keep you healthy, happy and honed for your daily tasks. You are training your body to continue in the way you want it to go, and starting your mind down the path you want it to follow for the rest of the day.

Keep it up! You’ll love the ‘new you’! Put your alarm on for the morning and start the day right. And 2011 is upon us, get in training now so you can start the new year with a new resolve, new passion, and maybe even a new dress size ;)

I hope that throughout the year you have received some inspiration and some tips to living well. I hope your clothes are a better fit after you put some of that into practice and you find that life is a better fit too.

Here’s what we covered in 2010…

1. Get A Diary
2. Weigh In
3. Get Ready
4. Metabolise
5. Resist
6. Watch Out!
7. Don’t Skip
8. Happy Meals
9. Get Out
10. Burn It

Let me know if it worked!

Donna

Health & Beauty - 9. Get Out

Lets have a little re-cap of what we have covered this year so far in our quest for a healthier body and soul. If you’ve missed any, or you want a refresher, you can find them all by scrolling down.

1. Get A Diary
2. Weigh In
3. Get Ready
4. Metabolise
5. Resist
6. Watch Out!
7. Don’t Skip
8. Happy Meals
And this month’s tip –
9. Get Out.

If you’ve been following along this year I trust you have already noticed that you will not notice any difference unless you put what you have learnt into practice. Maybe you are waiting to find out exactly what is required before making the decision to embarking on a lifestyle which promotes physical and spiritual health – good! Jesus encouraged his listeners in Luke 14 to count the cost, just as someone would when they were building a tower or going to war.

If you aren’t prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to see change, then accept that is where you are at the moment. Don’t keep talking about it if you are unprepared to count the cost, saying things like “Oh I try but it doesn’t work for me”. Be honest. I don’t mind hearing “I’m not doing to well with that at the moment” because that is the perfect place to start when you do decide to change.

Physical and spiritual health requires discipline. It is extremely rewarding, has great results, and isn’t really that hard if you get organized, get honest and get out, but you’ve got to be committed. So are you ready? Are you already on track? Well Get Out.

By far the most important factor in losing weight is going for a walk almost every morning or doing an equal amount of regular exercise. And the spiritual discipline I have found most helpful in keeping me healthy is getting up a little earlier each morning to pray and read the Bible. And once you are out of bed, it isn’t a trial at all!

I enjoy the fresh air and warm sunshine (alright – I am having a bit of trouble with that at the moment, cooler mornings under the doonah won over getting up for a walk), and I enjoy the freshness of starting the day with my Saviour. The rewards are well worth the cost!

So tomorrow morning, or even right now: get out, it only takes one step to be back on track!

See you out there!

Health & Beauty - 8. Happy Meals

This was the 8th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

How did your skipping ban go last month? Well, I hope! For those of you following along, we are now up to our 8th tip on the way to a healthy body and soul – Happy Meals.

At first glance you might think I am advocating a weekly trip to MacDonalds (which my kids would love!) but I hope you know me well enough by now to simply raise an eyebrow and continue reading.

If I let my kids order at Maccas their request would include large sized frozen drinks, burgers, nuggets, fries and dessert, but I know they only need a small meal to fill them. The point of a ‘happy meal’ is to have a small portion size – or in other words: Don’t have too much on your plate.

So often we put too much on our plate either because we lack something else in our diet or what we are considering looks too good to pass up. Learn to listen to your body and know what it feels like to have had enough. Take some time between serves, don’t say yes to a second helping straight away.

Start with a smaller plate – decide beforehand how much you need or can handle, and stick to it. I find, if I am honest with myself, a kid sized plate really is enough for me. Especially if I have been filling myself with good food the rest of the day. And actually, I have found myself saying, “No thanks, I don’t need that right now”, because I know I am full and not craving the sweet stuff which only makes me feel good temporarily.

The same occurs in life, I need to decide how much energy or time I am going to give and stick to it! There are so many ‘good’ things to do but only a few things will be truly what I need. And if I fill myself daily and am nourished by the Word, I won’t be trying to overdo it with things that make me feel good only for a moment.

It might be time to have a look at your weekly menu and see if you need to include some more nourishing items or cut back on the excess. If you put too much on your plate you will be overloaded by calories or stress, which may very well have been your problem in the first place. It requires a lot of self control not heaping up an extra serving of roast lamb and gravy, and extra big piece of cheesecake or saying yes to that newly offered position, but if you say no at first and sit back, almost every time you will find that it was necessary anyway. And if you change your mind, it is even more satisfying!

Health & Beauty - 7. Don't Skip

This was the 7th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

While there are many and varied ways to stay fit and healthy, there is one I would advise against and is the 7th in our series of Health and Beauty tips – Don’t Skip.

To the embarrassment of my children, I do occasionally skip along when walking with them (though they have asked me not to do that at school anymore), and I would like to have my childhood ability to skip with a rope but have somehow lost the coordination to do so effectively. The caution in this tip is not about skipping, but about not skipping things that build you up.

While cutting down is the first logical thing to do when you have been overloading, cutting out meals isn’t the right way to go about it. Your metabolism needs a kick start in the morning to wake it up and breakfast is the perfect and natural way of doing that. Even if you don’t feel like eating, make a healthy smoothie or try some other cereals or fruit. Skipping other meals in the day may also be detrimental to your health if you are not careful.

Work out what you need (use a dietary calculator if you like) and do it well. Depending on your age, height, and activity level, you will require different amounts of calories to thrive. Too little and you may suffer from a weakened immune system or lack of energy. Too much and obviously your health and fitness suffers.

Don’t skip things that build you up. If you’re stressed out or overloaded, pray and think about cutting out things which have little value or aren’t beneficial to you or others. If you are starving for good activities, pray and consider volunteering at your church or in your community. Make sure what you fill your days with is promoting healthy growth.

If you do need to cut down, make sure you keep a good amount of things that build you up and are nutritious for your soul. Sometimes when people are stressed out they cut out church, bible study and women’s groups. Be careful, cutting out healthy things that build you up and keep you going isn’t usually the best option!

Plan your days to include food for your body and your soul that is the right type and the right amount for you at the moment. This may change as you increase in your physical and spiritual health, but do some research to find out what will be best for you and enjoy the feeling of being healthy!

Health & Beauty - 6. Watch Out!

This was the 6th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“Physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

How are you? Is it cold where you are? Are you enjoying the selection of winter dishes and fruits? My kids are enjoying strawberries but missing mangoes. Are you still getting up early for that walk or is it a bit chilly? We have covered a lot this year so far: Get a diary, weigh in, stock up, metabolise, resist and now 6. Watch Out!

And this article is inspired by a tiny phrase I guarantee you will all hear this week if you listen out – “Just one”. You might hear it at morning tea, in the supermarket, at coffee, at home, or in your head.

Are you the type of person who can not stop at just one?

Just one biscuit. Just one cup. Just one slice. Just one minute. Just one day.

‘Just one’ is never enough! If I buy into the lie of ‘just one’ I end up compromising everything I have worked for that day, that week or that month!

If I am working towards my physical health, I have to realize what certain foods do to my body and my hunger. If I eat sugary or highly processed carbohydrates, I crave more of the same. A packet of fruit Mentos or some McDonalds fries and a Coke make me feel good temporarily, but not for very long, and I end up eating more of that kind of stuff.

And if I compromise on spiritual values such as loyalty, honesty and integrity, it gets easier and easier to do worse and worse. So, for me, it is way healthier and easier for me if I don’t.

Allowing just one untruth can lead to lying. Sharing just one story can lead to gossip. Taking just one look can lead to lust. Saying just one word can lead to slander. ‘Just one’ is a temptation I cannot afford to entertain. The consequences far outweigh the immediate gratification.

In terms of your indulgence in unhealthy food, the consequences vary between individuals but if you indulge in unhealthy behaviour, the consequences will slowly but surely lead down the same path. If we are physically unhealthy we are unable to function efficiently and if we are indulging in sin – going our own way instead of God’s way – our relationships with God and with others suffer.

It is possible to stop at just one, or not start at all – “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

So next time you are tempted to have ‘just one’ or ‘just one more’ stop and think about the consequences, look for that way out and ask our awesome God for a helping hand.

Health & Beauty - 5. Resist!

This was the 5th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

Well, we are almost half way through the year, and half way through our 10 tips for living healthier, both physically and spiritually.

How’s your health? Do you have more energy and enthusiasm than before? Are you finding it easy to live a healthier life? Have you had any rough patches? Have you quit already?
Tip number 5: RESIST! It is a short word but it takes a lot of practice ;)

If you are like me, you would have expected there to be hiccups and obstacles in the path to healthier living. I refrained from buying a new pair of runners because I wasn’t even sure I’d last out the week let alone a year! Some of you, however, would have been surprised about how easily you were tempted to stray from your path of right living.

Why is it that when we attempt to cut down on something that we find it immediately irresistible? There have been times in my life when I haven’t even lasted half a day on a diet! I think the reason is that we don’t find a good enough replacement.

If we don’t have some yummy salad ingredients in the fridge it will be even more tempting to snack on biscuits or have that leftover pizza. And if we don’t have a supply of Bible verses committed to memory it will be more tempting to continue in unhealthy thinking.

If worry is your midnight snack then memorise Philippians 4:6-7
If you have a secret stash of impure thoughts use Philippians 4:8
If you occasionally down a cup of cursing learn James 3:9-10
If you order a slice of gossip with friends remember Ephesians 4:29
If you find yourself with a mouthful of bitterness chew on Ephesians 4:31-32

Have a stroll through the grocery department and note down ingredients which will be good and filling substitutes for your previous diet and have a read through the Bible, especially the Letters, noting down helpful verses which will be good substitutes for your unhealthy thoughts.

As you develop a healthier body you will crave those sweet things less and as you draw closer to Jesus you will love Him more and spend more time in His word which will decrease your desire for those things which are harmful to your health.

It is then that you will “do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life”. Phil 2:14-16

Resist, and shine on!

Health & Beauty - 4. Metabolise!

This was the 4th of 10 articles published in ConXion magazine's Health and Beauty Section in 2010.

“for physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” (1 Tim 4:8).

In the past 3 months of ConXion I have encouraged you to live healthier both in your physical and spiritual life. The first three articles were about getting organised - get a diary, weigh in and stock up. The next few will be about getting honest. If you are brave enough, read on.
This months topic is Number 4 – Metabolise.

Metabolism is basically how you process what goes in to your body. A ‘fast metabolism’ is very good at using and reallocating the good things in the food that you eat. A ‘slow metabolism’ is less efficient and often a lot of possibly good stuff goes to waste because it is not used.

I tried the ‘slow metabolism’ excuse for my extra weight until I read a little and realised a little something. Metabolism is directly related to how much muscle and fat you currently have. This was bad news as I had lost one more excuse, but good news, as I could do something about it.

In order to teach my body to use the nutrients and energy in food in the best way, I have to daily remind it of our goal. Aerobic and resistance exercises help to reduce fat and increase muscle which in turn increases metabolism.

In the same way, in order to make the best use of the material and circumstances I come in contact with each day, I have to train my mind so that it keeps more of the good stuff and less of the bad. I need Aerobic exercises – time with my Heavenly Father and in His word and Resistance exercises – time with others both in fellowship and service.

I’ve realized that skinny people don’t just have good metabolism, most of them actually do exercise and generally eat well. And ‘good’ people don’t just have a good conscience, most of them spend time reading the Bible and seek to honour God in what they do.

Now that you have all that you need (structure, accountability and resources from our first 3 topics), its time to give up the excuses and take some action to improve your health both physically and spiritually.

Train your body and you will get more out of life. And how much you get out of the Bible and get out of church has more to do with how you have trained your mind than how it makes you feel. It wont happen overnight, but if you keep it up, you will notice the change, and so will those looking on!

Health & Beauty - 2. Weigh In

This is the second article published in ConXion Magazine's 2010 Health and Beauty Section.

So, do you have your diary? Last month you read about the need to get organised to begin to be healthy in both body and soul. The first necessity on the list was to get a diary so you can set aside time, both to exercise and to spend time with God.

The second thing I challenge you to do is to weigh in.

1. Get a Diary
2. Weigh In

I was given a Wii Fit for mothers day and so every day, even when I know I have done the wrong thing (eaten badly or missed exercise), I weigh in and it keeps track of my progress. It gives me good tips on exercise and healthy eating. If I haven’t weighed in for some time, it comments on my tardiness and encourages me to get back into it. If my weight has gone up more than a certain amount, I have to explain! And what’s worse, that explanation is recorded! But if I have been exercising and eating right, the result is encouraging and it’s nice having ‘someone’ to share it with.

Now that’s stretching the analogy a bit far, my little talking wii balance board is hardly a friend (and doesn’t scold me for turning him off just before the explanation part so I don’t have to ‘fess up!)

You need to be accountable to aid in being disciplined, so that you can recognize the consequences of making wrong choices, and so you can be encouraged in the good that is being done. And, even though it might require time and transparency, you need some other ladies to do that with.

Just like a good Bible Study group, the accountability and encouragement keeps me coming back. There is great teaching on good Biblical truths, accountability as to how I am really travelling with God and with others, and encouragement to make the right choices throughout the coming week. Knowing a friend will ask me if I’ve been spending time with God is an excellent motivation for those times when it would be easy to drift out of the habit.

You need to weigh in regularly, and adjust your behaviour and habits if you want to be healthy. Join a group; they will give you training, companionship, accountability and encouragement. Join a church or ladies Bible study; we’re here for the same thing!

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:25

p.s. I wanted to get into shape for a special occasion, and worked harder as the day approached. How much more should we be getting into shape for the imminent return of our Lord!