Lesson

Spiritual Health

 

Are You Ready to Take on the ‘Real’ Challenge?

As we take on this challenge to improve our health, I think it’s super important that we understand what the “challenge” is that we are actually taking on. Now this might be getting a bit deep for some of you, but please stay with me. I want to walk you through some verses of the Bible to help you understand the “challenge” and how you can beat it:

 

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” - John 10:10

 

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.” - Ephesians 6:12

 

“But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.” - 1 John 3:8

 

"You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty.” - 1 Samuel 17:45

 

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Zechariah 4:6

 

The first thing you need to be aware of is this: the devil wants to take you down. (John 10:10) I absolutely believe that one way he tries to get us is with our physical health. If he can get us to feel tired, weak, and guilty, he knows it will be tougher for us to go spread God’s love and truth.

 

He is thrilled when you don’t take care of your body. He loves it when you feel guilty about what you eat; his armies are happy, as can be when you look in the mirror and hate what you see. His most powerful tool is “discouragement”. Don’t let him win this battle. Our fight isn’t with food and exercise, it’s with the thoughts and decisions that keep us from making healthy choices.

 

But here’s the Good News - we don’t have to take on the devil, and the negative thoughts he wants us to believe, on our own. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8) “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

 

When we feel defeated, when we start to believe the lies that tell us, “You’ll never do this; you’ve tried before and failed. What makes you think things will be different this time?”, or when we want to turn to food for comfort, we can call on God’s power to help us. When David took on the giant Goliath, he didn’t try and take him out on his own. He was completely aware of the fact that he wasn’t equipped to win against Goliath, but he absolutely believed that because of God’s power working in him, he could conquer this giant. (1 Samuel 17:45)

 

That is the attitude we need to have when we start this journey: “On my own, it probably won’t happen, but with God’s help I can do this.” So often, when we decide we want to lose weight and get fit, we think it is all about us having the power and might to make healthy decisions, but as soon as we realize that it can only happen when we allow God’s Spirit to help us, we will succeed.

 

“The secret to victory is first to admit the futility of unaided human effort and then to trust God to save. His power works best through those who recognize their limitations. It is those who think they can do it on their own that are in the greatest danger.”

 

This quote from the commentary of my Bible regarding 2 Chronicles really grabbed my attention. Although 2 Chronicles isn’t about diet and exercise, this statement is critical in your journey towards better health because it reveals two things:

You can’t do this on your own.

You need God’s help.

Breaking free from the fitness frustration cycle starts with learning to tune into God’s voice and block out the voice of Satan.

 

Recently, I was listening to a sermon by John Leach, and I heard this truth: “The difference between conviction and condemnation - Conviction is the Holy Spirit who is reminding you that’s not who you really are. Condemnation is the devil coming into your life and telling you, ‘I told you that’s who you really are.’ Condemnation can be an inroad where the enemy comes in. The minute you take that bait, seeds of destruction are sown into your soul.”

 

When I first received a call from the National Religious Broadcasting TV station saying they wanted to air Faithful Workouts on their network, I heard this voice: “Oh, they must not know you are a nobody. Really?? You really think you can start an exercise program at the age of 47?” BUT instantly those negative thoughts were countered by these powerful words from God: “Don’t you dare think this. You are my daughter, and I created you. You were made for this.” I had to take captive the condemnation the devil wanted me to believe and choose to be convicted by God’s voice.

 

Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever heard negative thoughts and started to believe them? God’s voice will never condemn you. He loves you, and you are His child. He might lovingly correct you and convict you that you are not acting in a way that goes along with His plan for your life, but He will never ridicule you.

 

Satan, however, will use any tactic he can to get you to doubt yourself. On this journey to better health, you must learn to take captive these negative thoughts and not allow them to affect you.

 

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says: “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

 

The strongholds referred to here are negative thoughts from satan that block us from knowing (growing closer to) God and doing His will. The trick to winning this battle of the mind is to instantly identify the thoughts that aren’t good for you the minute they come to mind. Then, take them captive and make them obedient to Christ - meaning: blow those negative thoughts away by going back to the truth of Christ and the truth of scripture.

 

In Galatians 5:16-17, it says, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires.”

 

When you believed Jesus died on the cross to forgive you for your sins, His Spirit came into your body. God’s Spirit lives inside all believers. He is there so we can discern when satan’s thoughts are slipping into our minds. We need to block out his voice so we can move towards life to the fullest.

 

If you want to beat the odds and live out your life with a body that is full of energy and strength, it starts by knowing you can’t take on this challenge on your own. You need to allow God to walk alongside you and guide you on your journey to better health.

 

I finish with this quote from Kate Matott: “If you know the love of the Father, it is much easier to know the lies of the enemy.”

   

Physical Health

 

Nutrition 101

Eating healthy can be overwhelming. What should I eat? Which brand is best? What’s the difference between simple and complex carbs, and which is better for me? Is fat making me fat, or is sugar the real problem? What portion size is right for me? The list of questions goes on and on. The reason so many throw in the towel when it comes to eating healthy is because it’s too overwhelming. So much of what we read contradicts what we read in a different article. HELP!!

 

I’m sorry this is so confusing, and I hope to simplify it so you can confidently make decisions as to what you should or shouldn’t eat. Let’s call this “Nutrition 101.”

 

#1: Eat What God Created

Genesis 1:29

“Then God said, ‘Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.’ ”

Genesis 9:3

 

“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

 

Healthy eating in its simplest form is this:

God Created You - God Created Food

Eat What God Created In Its Most Natural State

 

When God created the world, He had a plan. His plan was perfect. When He created us, He created food to fuel our bodies. If we want to give our bodies the nutrition they need to function optimally, we need to turn to His natural food source.

 

Really, this is where it all begins. The majority of the food we eat should be the simple, great-tasting foods God created, without any additives. Fruit, vegetables, nuts, eggs, beans, meat, chicken, fish…your body can best process the foods that your Creator made for you. These foods will offer the best fuel for your body.

 

When trying to decide if something that’s packaged or prepared is healthy, look at the ingredient list. As you read through the list, can you picture what those foods are? Are they natural foods that God created? Unhealthy ingredients cannot produce healthy food. Did you hear that? When looking at the packaging of food, look at the ingredients and forget about the rest of the information on the package.

 

I used to work for Nestle Foods, and I know the purpose of packaging is to get us to buy the food. “Healthy, Light, Low-Calorie, Low-Fat…” These words are placed on the package to encourage you to buy the item. Sometimes the item actually is healthy, but chances are it still isn’t the best choice. Better choices don’t have ingredient lists. You don’t see an ingredient list attached to a fresh apple or to a bunch of carrots, because they don’t need an ingredient list - they are whole, natural foods.

 

OK - did I get my first point across? Eat the foods God created!!

 

#2: Cut Back On Sugar

 

"Sugar can act like poison in high doses - and the amount in our diets has gone beyond toxic," says Robert Lustig, M.D., a neuroendocrinologist at the University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine. Refined sugar causes inflammation in our bodies, and studies show that inflammation is the root cause of most of our life-threatening health issues. If you want to decrease your risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and many other diseases, you need to reduce your sugar intake.

 

Before we go deeper into our discussion on sugar, I want to clarify something. I’m not talking about the sugar that is found naturally in fruits, vegetables, or dairy, but about the refined sugar that is added to foods. Our bodies know how to process natural sugars, but they struggle when we put refined sugar into them, especially in large quantities.

 

Our sugar consumption is out of control, and most of us don’t even know it. You might think to yourself, “I don’t eat a lot of sweets; I’m OK when it comes to sugar,” but I bet the amount of sugar you are actually eating would shock you.

 

Over two-thirds of the refined sugar used in this country is added to processed foods. For instance, did you know that a tablespoon of ketchup contains a full teaspoon of sugar? Think about that: 1/3 of Ketchup is sugar. Foods like breads, soups, cereals, cured meats, hot dogs, lunch meat, salad dressings, spaghetti sauce, crackers, mayonnaise, peanut butter, pickles, frozen pizza, canned fruits and vegetables, tomato juice, and lots of other products all contain sugar. This doesn't even take into account the obvious sugary products, like candies, cakes, ice cream, cookies, doughnuts, and soda.

 

"Sugar consumption is now an epidemic," says Mark Hyman, M.D. We are eating ourselves sick.

 

We were told from childhood that sugar causes cavities, but that’s just the start of the problems. When we take in large quantities of sugar, like most of us do, it wreaks havoc on all parts of our health. Diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, heart disease, liver failure…the list goes on and on.

 

Most of us know that sugar is bad for us, but why is it that many of us still consume so much of it? It could be because we are addicted to the white stuff. Studies show that sugar is every bit as addictive as cocaine. We struggle to take it out of our diets because our bodies crave it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be addicted to anything that’s not good for me!

 

Please, cut back on sugar!

 

The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization agree that we should consume no more than 24 grams (6 teaspoons) of sugar each day. (Less is absolutely OK, but no more than this amount.)

 

The only way to know how much you are consuming is to keep track. It’s important to know that 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. So if something lists 12 grams of sugar, it’s the same as 3 teaspoons. Starting today, begin looking at how much sugar is in the food you are eating, write it down, and challenge yourself to keep it under 24 grams.

 

If you are craving something sweet, grab a piece of fresh fruit or some carrot sticks. It’s probably not going to be easy to cut back on sugar. You may experience fatigue and maybe even mental fuzziness. You will literally experience withdrawal symptoms, just like a drug addict does. Battle through it! Call on God to help you. Over time, your cravings will diminish and the natural energy in whole foods will surprise you with their ability to keep you focused and feeling great. I promise you, your body and mind will be thankful you did it!

 

#3: Never Say “Diet” Again

How does it make you feel when you are about to start a diet? For most people, when they hear the word “diet” it stirs up feelings of deprivation and sadness. “Diet” also makes us think of a short-term, temporary eating plan that leads to weight loss.

 

What if, instead of going on another diet, you decided, “I am going to start eating healthier. I am going to start eating more of the foods God created. I am going to give my body the fuel it needs.” Doesn’t that sound much more exciting?

 

Your eating plan should be one that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life. It’s not a temporary fix; it’s a lifestyle.

 

Not only does “dieting” create negative feelings, but it’s also not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. One of the biggest mistakes people make when they want to lose weight is going on a diet that has them cut their calorie intake way back. Starving your body can trigger a self-defense mechanism that has your body store fat to keep it functioning while it is not getting enough food. Also, when you drop your calorie intake way down it can slow down your metabolism, making it harder to maintain your weight over the long term.

 

Diets typically focus on weight loss, and weight loss doesn’t necessarily mean better health. If I only put diet soda into my body, I may lose weight, but I will be moving away from better health. Healthy weight loss will take time. Forget about going on another diet, and just be thankful you can start eating healthier!!

 

#4: Eat Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The word “breakfast” comes from the words “break” and “fast”. Most of us don’t eat all night, so when we wake up, we have been fasting for about 10 hours. If we want to be ready to take on the new day, we need to break the fast and fuel our bodies so we have energy, better concentration, and problem-solving abilities throughout the day.

 

Forty years of studies focusing on the effects of breakfast show that starting the day with breakfast benefits everyone - children, teens, and adults. “Eating breakfast is very important for the brain and the body first thing in the morning,” said Los Angeles registered dietitian Gail Frank, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “Breakfast skippers often feel tired, restless, or irritable in the morning.”

 

Not only does breakfast give you the energy you need, but it also helps you to maintain a healthy weight. “Breakfast is also very important for weight loss and weight management,” Frank said. “It helps curb your hunger and prevent binge eating later in the day.” I love it when I’m told that if I eat, it will help me to maintain my weight!!

 

Many people say “lack of time” is the reason they don’t eat breakfast. Here are some quick and healthy breakfast suggestions that take less than 4 minutes to prepare. Come on, I know you can spare 5 minutes in the morning.

 

Suggestions:

Apple or banana with almond butter

Plain yogurt (Take a look at how much sugar is in your fruit yogurt - it will shock you. I encourage you to buy plain yogurt and add your own fresh fruit.)

Breakfast smoothie (plain yogurt, frozen peaches, frozen 1/2 banana, coconut water, and spinach - that’s one of my favorites, but we have several recipes in our online cookbook.)

Eggs and black beans scrambled together. Top with salsa

Sautéed spinach with a poached egg

Lettuce wrap: Put a piece of leftover meat from the previous night’s dinner into the center of a romaine lettuce leaf and roll it up.

 

Don’t limit your breakfast choices to typical “breakfast foods.” Most American breakfast foods are full of sugar and white flour, which don’t provide our bodies with the fuel they need. When you eat healthy first thing in the morning, you have set the tone for the rest of your day.