Before I came to a growing personal relationship with Christ, I learned and practiced many good habits from in and out of school. Gym class back in the elementary school in St. Paul taught me to keep myself physically in shape. I remember participating in the U.S.A. Physical Fitness (eg. President's Challenge) challenge, where we tested in several physical exercies (eg. # of push-ups timed, pull-ups, jump-ropping, etc..) which we would get prizes to motivate us do well.
I learned and continue to learn many physical-nutritional habits, which becomes more important as you get older. I love sweets as a kid, which didn't really helped me get rid of my baby fat quick growing up. I started actually working out in the junior high level (12-14 years old) to deal with the "bullies" in school. Then I continued to do so more in high school to be physically fit in order to compete in my level in the sports I participated in: soccer, baseball, and track & field.
In college, I didn't play any sports, but I wanted to keep physically healthy as I was spending a lot of time not moving as much when I studied academically aggressively during my time at UMM. The food on campus was so new and different from growing up in a Filipino home, that I gained 10 pounds (almost the "Freshem 15") my first year! What helped me stay fit and not gain any more was getting disciplined. I would workout weekly with the same roommate for the first 2 years. Then I would and still do-swim weekly as much as possible to just have time alone and it was a stress reliever-especially when I was an RA. I remember I would avoid the tempted sweets throughout the week they made at food service by just eating it on the weekends to award myself for a hard week. Fasting became a regular practice, which taught me to learn not to feed myself physically, but spiritually. I do this still today-I would try to fast on a just only fruits-vegetables-water diet once a week for a whole day. During this fast, I would read the Bible and spend more time talking to God to substitute the time I would eat.
One day I went to the dentists with one of the consumers from the group-home I work at in town-Morris, and I was reading this chart on the worst pop/soda drink that causes tooth decay. From then on, I've avoided as much possible-completely if I can! I'm always looking at the Nutrition Facts/Labels in the back of food products now...
"What you eat is what you are"
The company I work for does a physical health/fitness program for it's employees to keep them healthy to give their 100% at work, plus it saves them money by preventing us from getting hurt and calling-in sick! One inservice-training meeting, a health expert had us to relax and take 5 easy deep breaths (eg. let your chest rise as you take a deep breath and hold it for awhile before slowly realeasing air as your chest comes down) each day before you start the day, during lunch/break....
...., or at the end of the day. Before this meeting, I was doing this at times (only 1x) when I go swimming each week. When I started doing this 5x everytime I go swimming, I realize that I was able to hold my breath underwater longer (went from 10-15 to 20-25 minutes within a month!)-cool huh!
When I work out, this verse helps me...
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."-Psalm 28:7
X=1 pt.
Ex=1-30 min. exercise or 2-15 min. exercise
X=1 pt.
HE=Health Eating
All Sundays-Eat 3 servings of vegetables
All Mondays-Don't eat "sweets or desserts"
All Tuesdays-Read Food labels before eating
All Wednesdays-Drink at least 6 cups of water
All Thursdays-Keep a Journal of the food you eat
All Fridays-Eat 3 servings of fruit
All Saturdays-consume 3 dairy servings or other calcium supplements
We would turn this in each month and compete with other individual employees and group homes within our compamuy. The winner(s) gets a prize or some benefit, like several free paid-time hours to motivate us all.
Diet
A friend told me about this protein shake (2 raw eggs, scoop of icecream, a bananna, and milk blended together), which I've been drinkng the last month or so. I decided to re"search" on the health effects...
Drinking Raw Eggs
"You are taking some risk of Salmonella poisoning. Not a huge risk - maybe 1 in 30,000 eggs, from what I read on the internet.
Eggs also contain Avidin, which can cause a vitamin B6 deficiency. Cooking takes care of the Avidin thing."
Fitness Facilities
Fitness Facilities
Program
Fitness Shows
Fitness Facilities
-Chicago
Chicago Gyms and Spas, from Metromix.com
Local
Articles
Resources
State
Nation
Articles
Anita Renfroe "Memory"
"Christian comic Anita Refroe talks about the downsides of a middle-aged mind! From her DVD "Purse Onality" www.crownvideo.com"
Local
Bible Search, soul food!
The Christian Diet, 9/21/03 sermon notes from Pat Franey, pastor of Morris Community Church
Nation
Music
-Worship
The Story Behind the Song: It is Well With My Soul - Bluefish TV
"In 1873, Horatio Spafford wrote the words to the hymn \"It is Well with My Soul\" after the tragic death of his four daughters. A very moving sermon illustration. Video download available at http://www.bluefishtv.com/videos"
Nation
Books
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