New endeavors...

I have spent the last year studying and adding to my certifications and credentials, and now I am expanding my offerings!

God has called me to be a faith-based fitness instructor and personal trainer, and I am taking my business online...

Check it out!

www.faithintegratedtraining.com

YOU'RE a Personal Trainer?

YOU'RE a Personal Trainer?

You have to imagine the incredulous look on their faces when they say that. And not everyone says it with words, but this is definitely the message I have received from many people since I began my journey as a personal trainer. Even at job interviews for a personal trainer position. One trainer told me that I'd better have some special skills and certifications to offer, since I don't have that certain "look."

You will never see me post a picture of myself on Facebook or Twitter, scantily clad in a workout bra, showing off my body. For one thing, it's true that I don't have a body like Jillian Michaels.  And even with exercising every day and eating healthier than I ever have in my entire life, I have gained back a few of the pounds I had worked so hard to lose a couple of years ago. But more than that (and even if I did have a perfectly toned body with no visible fat), who says that a body like Jillian Michaels' is what we women should all be striving for? (No offense to Jillian, I'm just using her as an example because she's well-known). Everybody and every body is different. Although most trainers who share pictures like that are aiming to motivate and inspire people, I feel that many of us onlookers end up looking more negatively at our own bodies as a result. 

For me, as a Christ following trainer, I am much more concerned with the spiritual fitness of myself and my clients, than I am about our physical fitness. The Bible tells us that beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30). Of course, I firmly believe that we are charged to be good stewards of the bodies that the Lord has given us, and we should strive for optimum physical health. However, there are two different kinds of heart health, and they are both equally important. In fact, I would dare say that our spiritual heart health is more important than our physical heart health. Because you can train and discipline your body to melt away as much fat as possible ... but what happens when you stumble or fail? When you binge on sweets and have a bad day? Or when you get sick or injured? Will your identity and confidence be crushed? If it is, then I would beg you to pause and ponder -- what are you truly worshiping? The God of the universe who loves you fiercely no matter what your body looks like? Or are you idolizing that perfect body and the affirmation of others?

Remember those pounds I mentioned gaining recently? When I started to feel down about it, the Lord challenged me to take a long, hard look at the truth about my life. Sure, I gained a little bit of fat back. But what else had I gained recently? I have grown closer to the Lord, I have matured in my faith, I have memorized some scriptures and written them on my heart. These spiritual growths are infinitely more valuable than the unwanted physical growths are disappointing. And with my achievement of becoming a certified personal trainer, I have now gained the skills to help others make healthier choices, achieve their fitness goals, and live healthier lives. And I am certain that my own "imperfections" will actually realistically inspire my clients and students.

So just a little note to all the judges and critics out there ... Here's what I know to be true ... I am in the best health of my life. I am in great shape. God is working in my life, He is growing me, and He has called me to inspire others to live healthier lives. And He loves me unconditionally, and will use me no matter what this old jar of clay looks like. Glory to God!

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things–and the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:27-31

Building Your Own Fitness Library

Whether you’re a runner, a swimmer, a stretching class attendee, or a gym-regular, most of us know the types of activities we enjoy doing the most.  We find that one thing that combines fitness with fun for us, and we build our routine around it. 

But what about those days when the weather is bad and we don’t want to get out?  Or what do you do when you just need to do something DIFFERENT for once?  I suggest building your own library of fitness DVDs.  It may seem like an investment of sorts, but in the long run it will be much cheaper than any class or gym membership.  Of course, if you’re really strapped for cash (or if you just want to sample different types of DVDs first), your local library probably has a fitness section with many options to choose from.  You can also find some great workouts that go with the latest video game consoles, like Just Dance, Jillian Michaels, etc.  There are so many choices!

Some home fitness programs don’t require any kind of equipment, while others have their own special accessories.  For example, there are workouts that require aerobic steps, jump ropes, hand weights, or balls.  So before you check out a DVD, make sure you look to see what equipment is required for the workout.  Sometimes you can make homemade substitutions, but other times you really need the specific accessory that was designed for the workout.

Once you’ve got the materials you need, move your couch out of the way and set up a good space for your workout.  I’ve found that as long as I have a rectangular-shaped area where I can move side-to-side easily in at least one direction, it is usually sufficient.  Just make sure there are no objects in the floor or around you that might trip you up or injure you if you were to bump into them.

Then, go for it!  You never know, you may find that working out to DVDs at home is something you enjoy doing all the time.  Or at the very least, it’s something you can add to your workout routine occasionally to keep things varied.  Whatever you do, have fun!

PraiseMoves

Last year I became a Certified PraiseMoves Instructor (www.praisemoves.com).  PraiseMoves was created by Laurette Willis in 2001 as a Christian alternative to yoga.  In light of the exploding popularity of yoga in the United States (even within our Christian churches), I thought it might be a good idea to talk about this on my blog.

What is Yoga?

Most Americans think of yoga as merely exercise.  But did you know that yoga is actually an integral part of the Hindu religion?  The word “yoga” comes from an Indian Sanskrit word meaning “union with god,” or “to yoke.”  But do the Hindus believe in the same God as Christians?  A Hindu would say yes.  But the key difference is that a born-again believer trusts in Jesus Christ as the Son of God for his/her salvation, believing that He died for our sins and was raised back to life.  If you were to travel to India today, you would undoubtedly see Hindus performing yoga poses as an act of worship before statues of any of their 330 million “divine beings.”  I recently visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir (temple) in Chicago, and was told by the tour guide that Hindus believe in reincarnation.  Yoga and meditation are some of the tools they use in order to achieve purity so that they can move on to “swarga” (heaven)… but if you don’t get it right, then you will be reincarnated and have to try again.  In other words, like many other world religions, Hindus are attempting to achieve salvation through their own good works.  But Christianity at its core shows us that “there is no one righteous, not even one” (Psalm 14:3, Romans 3:10); and, “no one will be declared righteous in His [God’s] sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin….  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:20, 23) 

When yoga was first introduced to the United States (most notably at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago), Swami Vivekananda expanded on the Hindus’ belief regarding improving one’s karma through reincarnation, to espouse “an ‘evolution of the soul’ whereby the individual continues in an evolutionary process to ‘manifest the god within.’”  (http://praisemoves.com/about-us/why-a-christian-alternative-to-yoga/)  In many yoga classes the instructor may bow and say to the class, “Namaste,” which in essence means “the divine in me bows to the divine in you.”  Poses are named the Corpse or the Cobra.  A meditation session in a yoga class may guide you to “empty your mind,” while God’s Word implores us to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  (Romans 12:2)  Even the breathing exercises in a yoga class (called Pranayama) are intended to control one’s “life-force energy.”  And to top it all off, the “god of yoga” is called Shiva – who is also referred to as “the Destroyer.”

 

 

Christian Yoga?

Despite the unsettling anti-Christian spiritual aspects and origins of yoga, you cannot deny its physical benefits.  Stretching your muscles, tendons, and ligaments is extremely good for your health.  Deep breathing is also excellent for your body, as it helps deliver more oxygen to vital organs.  In addition, holding your body in certain weight-bearing positions can not only improve your strength, but even your bone density.  But if yoga is not a good idea for Christians to participate in, how do we also find a way to benefit from these things?  After all, the body can only twist, bend, and move in so many ways.  These facts have spurred many Christians to adapt yoga into a “safe” format – they’ve Christianized it by keeping the poses but changing the name to Christian Yoga or Holy Yoga, and adding Scripture verses and praise music to their classes.  But is this enough to fully separate it from “real” yoga?  Perhaps for some. 

I have heard many Christians talk about how they are easily able to ignore any overtly Hindu or anti-Christian segments of a yoga class.  They say, “I just think about God instead.”  However, I have also heard and read testimonies of countless people who were too easily drawn away from the Lord and His Truth because of their attendance in a yoga class.  And isn’t it true for most of us that just when we think we are strong, we find out how weak we really are?  I think it’s also wise to consider who might be watching you.  “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.  For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols?  So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge.”  (1 Corinthians 8:9-11)  When others see you attending a yoga class, they may conclude that it’s okay for them too, when in fact it may draw them away from Christ and confuse them.  I have also heard from many Christians that they had a strange, unsettled feeling (or a “check” in their spirit) when attending a yoga class.  I believe that uneasiness is actually the Holy Spirit pricking our hearts and our consciences, letting us know when something just isn’t right.

 

 

PraiseMoves

While “Christian yoga” is a valiant attempt to make yoga a safe practice for Christians, I believe the name in itself is actually a blending of two incompatible belief systems/religions.  It is truly an oxymoron, just like “Christian Buddhist” or “Hindu Christian” would be.  On the other hand, PraiseMoves actually strives to redeem certain stretches and bodily postures and make them worshipful to Christ.  So even though some of the PraiseMoves postures may look like yoga poses, the movements have been completely re-named (and new postures have been created), and given a scripture verse or passage to go with them.  Hence, just as yoga is not “just exercise” to a Hindu, PraiseMoves is not “just exercise” to a Christian.  It is a tool to equip believers to know the Word of God more fully, because we meditate on and even speak aloud scriptures from the Bible while we do each posture.  PraiseMoves goes beyond the physical stress relief of yoga/stretching by pointing its participants toward the only source of true peace – a relationship with Jesus Christ.  In fact, the foundation scripture for PraiseMoves comes from 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 

To give an example of a redeemed posture, let’s look at the Cobra pose from yoga.  The Sanskrit word for this pose (“naga”) means “snake/serpent.”  However, PraiseMoves has taken this posture and re-named it the Vine posture (pictured above).  And the verse ascribed to the Vine posture comes from Jesus’ words in John 15:5 – “I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; without Me you can do nothing.”  In addition, you will notice that there are certain movements or postures that are purposefully NOT done in PraiseMoves.  For example, PraiseMoves does have a Tree posture (pictured below) that is very similar to the Tree pose in yoga.  However, we do not press our palms together as they do in yoga (this is also seen in the “Namaste” greeting), because of the Hindu’s spiritual significance placed on this act.  For the Hindus, the meeting of the palms acknowledges the sameness of the “Self or god” in each person.  So in PraiseMoves we lift our hands toward Heaven, acknowledging that the only true God is our Father in Heaven.

“PraiseMoves strives to balance flexibility, strength, endurance and relaxation, while spiritually ‘focusing on things above.’”  (http://praisemoves.com/about-us/physical-benefits/)  If you'd like to find out more about PraiseMoves, please check out their website.  They offer classes in many local areas, as well as DVDs and many other resources.

 

 

In Conclusion…

Please, draw your own conclusions.  My aim is not to argue with anyone, but rather to share my own stance, opinions, and findings.  And while PraiseMoves isn’t for everyone, stretching and strengthening exercises are!  In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that everyone perform some type of stretching program 2-3 days per week.  Of course, some people may feel that a basic, purely physical stretching class is best for them.  But if you are feeling conflicted, please talk to the Lord about it and search the scriptures for yourself.  God promises to generously give wisdom to all who ask for it without finding fault (James 1:5). 

May the Lord bless you in your pursuit of better health – physically AND spiritually!

Beware over-training

Have you ever been working out, and for some reason you don't have the energy that you usually have?  There is such a thing as over-training, and it's not good for your body or your weight-loss goals.  Check out this info from Rich Weil of WebMD:

"Yes, there's such a thing as too much. . . . Symptoms of overtraining are loss of strength, speed, endurance, or other elements of performance, loss of appetite, inability to sleep well, chronic aches and pains or soreness, chronic colds or respiratory infections, overuse injuries like tendinitis, unusual fatigue, occasional increase in resting heart rate, irritability, or you just don't feel like exercising anymore.

You almost certainly need a break, at least 4 days, and maybe more. People get concerned about losing fitness during a break. Not true. In fact, you'll come back stronger. Muscles grow during downtime, not when you train. You're not permanently damaging your muscles, but what is happening is that you're never giving them time for recovery; you're breaking them down, but they can't repair and get stronger.

You should wait until you've got your strength back before getting started again, and . . . at the first sign of overtraining, if it does happen, then you should cut back. If you find your symptoms don't resolve after a break then you should speak with your doctor. If all it is is overtraining, then after a break you'll be back to normal."

So let's take it easy when we need to, and listen to our bodies!  It might just be asking for a break.

Chocolate milk IS good for you

I've been drinking chocolate milk practically every day of my entire life. It was a passion that started in my childhood, back in the days when I owned a Nestle Quik bunny cup that had ears for handles. I still drink at least one cup of chocolate milk each day, usually with my breakfast. I've even been laughed at by friends who've seen me drinking it -- I suppose they see it as solely a kids' beverage.

Of course, my obsession stems purely from a love of the taste. I'm a chocoholic anyway, so it makes sense. But recently I discovered that chocolate milk has more benefits than I had ever dreamed of . . . it can even be a worthy addition to your diet plan. Check out the following article on the "Eat This Not That" website to learn more:

http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/node/184686

Ramp Up Your Fitness Routine

Do your workouts need a little boost? Maybe your cardio sessions are becoming a little too easy. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a good thing to not have that "I think I'm gonna die" feeling after a workout! But in order to keep moving toward your fitness goals, you need to progressively challenge yourself as you get stronger.

So here's a little tip: try adding weights to your wrists. By adding weight to your arms during a cardio workout, you'll raise your heart rate faster because you're using more muscles. If your workout doesn't already include arm movements, you can customize and add some bicep curls, tricep extensions, etc.

Wrist weights come in many different brands, sizes, and weights. You can find them online (even at amazon.com) or in any sporting goods store. So get moving!