Fitness for HIS Witness™ Nuggets
Godly fitness
for Spirit, Soul and Body
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Nutrition (from BASIC Steps to Godly Fitness, by
Laurette Willis – Harvest House Publishers
And The
Busy Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness, by Laurette Willis – Harvest House
Publishers)
1.
The Importance of Water
If
you’re looking for a “miracle elixir,”
water may be the closest thing you’ll find in this world. The word “water”
occurs 396 times in the Bible. It represents all that is clean, refreshing,
wholesome, and life-giving. Remember Jesus didn’t say He’d give believers the iced tea or soda pop of life!
Water
is the God-made drink. It’s part of every body function including: breathing,
eating, movement, brain function. Every 24 hours your amazing God-made body
recycles the equivalent of 40 thousand
glasses of water! In that process 6 to 10 glasses a day are lost – so to keep
from being dehydrated, drink at least
that much – and if you’d like to lose weight or detoxify the body, drink more.
That’s
right, water may be the single most important catalyst in weight loss and
maintaining a healthy weight. Increasing water intake can reduce fat deposits.
And if you think you’re hungry – you may actually be thirsty – so go for a big
glass of purified water before having that snack.
2.
Making Good Foods Convenient
Which
is the healthier choice – pre-packaged convenience foods or making fresh food
more convenient? If you make healthier choices convenient, you and your family
will be less likely to opt for poor quality, highly processed foods when blood
sugar is low and you’re not thinking as clearly.
I
learned a long time ago the wisdom of four little letters H-A-L-T which form
one big word HALT! “HALT” means we’re not to allow ourselves to become too
Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired.
If
we become too hungry or stressed,
we’re apt to eat too much of the wrong foods, so having fresh fruit, unbuttered
popcorn, fresh veggies, almonds and other good foods handy will help you eat
for fitness, not fullness.
Another
idea when stressed is to HALT and take a 1 Peter 5:7 break: Cast all your care
on the Lord because He cares for you. Caring for you is God’s job – so cast the
whole of your care on Him.
3.
Food supplements
If
we’re eating less processed foods and more foods as God made them, why should we
take vitamins? Well, as important as a healthy diet is, the vast majority of
nutritionists, dieticians and doctors now recommend we take food supplements.
But
remember, vitamins, minerals and herbs are called supplements for a reason. They’re meant to supplement, or
complement, a healthy diet. It would be silly to live on cokes and fries, pop
some vitamin pills and expect to be healthy.
Go
to your local health food store and ask them to help you find a good, balanced
multivitamin. Don’t look for the cheapest one you can find either – your health
is worth the extra money. And since most of us don’t eat 5 to 9 servings of
fresh fruits and vegetables a day, a couple of scoops of powdered concentrated
greens can make up the difference – just sprinkle over salad or add to a shake.
And
don’t forget Vitamin R – Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice!
4.
Good Fast Food
Is
there such a thing as good fast food?
Well, let’s hope so – we can’t always eat at home or take food with us,
especially when traveling.
More
fast food places are offering options for the health-conscious – and that’s good for them and good for you, too!
Look for fresh salad choices, roasted or baked meats, non-fried foods and steer
clear of heavy sauces.
Here
are some smart choices at your local Drive-thru café: Roast turkey, chicken or
veggie wraps, salads made with fresh vegetables and meats (hold the croutons
and heavy dressings). How about some chili, scrambled eggs or vegetable soups?
Pita pockets or wraps made from whole wheat are a good-for-you alternative to
white bread buns and rolls. And who says you have to have a 64-ounce soda pop
with that? Water is always the healthier choice.
1
Corinthians 6:19 says your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – so let’s
keep our temple tuned with food that’s delicious and nutritious.
5.
What’s for Breakfast?
Breakfast
– I see it as a command – Break fast! We’re to break the fast we’ve been on
since the night before.
How
can we put together something delicious and nutritious for the whole family on
a tight schedule, tight budget – or both? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:
One
- Start with a simple carbohydrate
for fast-start energy (such as juice, or fresh fruit); Two - Pick a complex carbohydrate for sustained
energy (such as cereal, bread, or whole grains); and Three - protein for muscle-building
energy (eggs, meat, dairy, nuts, or soy).
For
example: ½ banana + one cup of whole grain cereal + ½ cup skim milk. Here’s
another: Orange juice + one slice of whole grain toast + 2 scrambled eggs.
Get
the idea? Now you try it: A simple carb (fruit) plus a complex carb (grain)
plus protein equals a quick and easy breakfast to help you be a fit witness
on-the-go.
6.
Artificial Sweeteners, Stevia and
Honey