Keys To Wholeness » Christian Health

God Does Not Lie!

Edwin — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:35:28 +0000

Do you ever feel like God doesn’t care about you? Do you wonder why He seems so distant at times – especially in times of great need or crisis?

If so, then you’re not alone. I too have had these feelings. And anybody who says they’ve never had these feelings is probably lying. The good news is that God NEVER lies.

“God is not man, one given to lies, and not a son of man changing his mind. Does he speak and not do what he says? Does he promise and not come through?” Numbers 23:19 (The Message)

During my morning devotional today, this verse really popped out at me. I immediately stopped reading and began to meditate on how awesome God is. When God makes a promise, He keeps it. For example, when God said in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee“, He meant it. You can be assured, even though God may seem to be a million miles away at times, He is right there with you every moment of your life. He knows the challenges you face and the tears you shed and He does care!

Action step for today …

I encourage you to read Numbers 23:19 over and over again and then stop and meditate on the fact that God NEVER lies and He always keeps His promises. Make a decision today to trust the promises of God even though He may seem distant. When we genuinely trust God, I believe it puts a smile on His face.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions so go ahead and leave your comments –I’d love to hear from you.

It’s important for you to know that this blog was created for you. The goal is to build a community of people helping people. So if you would like to share your knowledge on a health and fitness related topic, just leave your comments.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Edwin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 18:44:47 +0000

Simple Holiday Weight Management Tips

To help keep your waistline down during the holiday season, you can simply increase the number of calories you burn daily, both through exercise and from daily activities. Below is a list of simple things you can do to keep from gaining weight over the holidays. They may seem obvious and simple, but if you make a conscious decision to do them, they can have a huge impact on your weight management goals.

•Ø Walk more – park at the back of the parking lot

•Ø Stand more – wrap presents standing up at a table

•Ø Take the stairs instead of the escalator/elevator

•Ø Wash the dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher

•Ø Play a board game with your family instead of watching TV

Action step for today …

Start today to incorporate these simple tips and avoid gaining weight over the holidays. Let’s face it, most of us overeat during the holidays, but with a little effort, you can maintain your weight and you won’t have any regrets when January 1 roles around.

God Bless and Happy Holidays!

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions so go ahead and leave your comments –I’d love to hear from you. Also, if you’d like for me to cover a topic in more detail or cover a topic that I have not talked about yet, just let me know.

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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You don’t have to spend hours in the gym to lose body fat

Edwin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:36:15 +0000

Spending more than 20 minutes doing cardio can actually cause you to preserve fat.

According the Dr. Al Sears, “burning fat while exercising signals to your body that it needed the fat. This trains your body to make more fat for the next time you exercise. Your body then replenishes your fat each time you eat and becomes efficient at building and preserving fat necessary for long mid-level cardiovascular sessions in preparation for the next endurance workout. In doing so, it sacrifices muscle and other high-energy burning tissues and preserves fat.”

If you want to lose body fat try short duration interval cardio for 20 minutes, instead of long duration cardio, such as running on a treadmill for 45 minutes. I get my best cardio workouts when I increase the intensity of my intervals and keep the duration to 20 minutes. Studies have shown that you lose body fat 9 times faster with this strategy.

Below is an example cardio workout…

•Ø Warm-up for 5 minutes and then stretch

•Ø Using a bike, pedal as fast has you can for 30 seconds to a minute

•Ø Rest for 1 minute (slowly pedal and let your heart rate come down)

•Ø Again, pedal as fast as you can for another 30 seconds to a minute

•Ø Then rest again for 1 minute (slowly pedaling)

Repeat the above cycle for 20 minutes. If you are new to cardio, you can start with 5 minutes and build your way up to 20 minutes. Wear a heart rate monitor and stay within 80% of your maximum heart rate during this exercise.

Once your 20 minutes of cardio is complete, you will need to cool down by slowly pedaling or marching in place until your heart rate comes down below at least 60% of your maximum heart rate. And don’t forget to stretch.

Remember, your body adapts to the demands placed on it, so change your exercise routine about every 4 weeks. For example, instead of using a bike, you can use a jump robe or any other type of cardio equipment you like. You can also change your routine by increasing the intensity between rest periods by going faster or increasing the level on your bike or other equipment.

Important Note: As I mentioned above, when doing intense cardio you need to wear a heart rate monitor and don’t go over 80% of your max heart rate. And as always, I recommend seeing your doctor before starting any new exercise program.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and questions so go ahead and leave your comments –I’d love to hear from you.

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Holiday Weight Control Tips!

Edwin — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 18:24:58 +0000

Do you want to enjoy your holiday meals, but don’t want to gain 5 pounds over the holidays?

If you’re like most people, the answer is yes.

Below are a few tips that will help you enjoy your holiday meals without the guilt. And more importantly these tips will help you keep that extra 5 pounds off. So before you head to that holiday party, consider the following:

1. Drink a glass of purified water one-half hour before you eat and then two glasses of water two and a half hours later.

Why? You will feel full and eat only when food in needed, so the amount of food you eat will decrease drastically. The type of cravings of food will also change.

With sufficient water intake, we tend to crave proteins more than carbohydrates.

2. If you’re going to cheat, limit the damage by doing it within a one hour time frame.

First, eat a healthy low-carb breakfast and lunch full of healthy proteins, fats, fruits, and vegetables.

Then, after the body has been deprived of insulin releasing foods high in carbohydrates for two consecutive meals (your healthy breakfast and lunch) the body starts making adjustments. It releases less insulin because it’s not expecting the next meal to be heavy in carbohydrates. When that happens, less insulin is released; less fat is stored; and more fat is used up.

But remember, if you’re going to cheat, make sure you do it within 60 minutes. When you eat within a one sixty minute time frame, the body can be triggered to produce only so much insulin. However, if you continue to eat longer, the body will release a second phase of insulin, which will lead to weight gain.

3. Chew your food 25 – 50 times

Chewing slowly and thoroughly can help you maintain a healthy weight as you allow your brain to register the amount of food you are consuming. People who chew more consciously eat less.

The key is to get started right away using these easy to follow tips to help you with your weight management, especially over the holidays. Remember if you limit the damage over the holidays, it will be much easier for you to reach your ideal weight during the next year.

I hope these tips help you enjoy the holiday season a little more without the guilt while still making an important step toward your weight loss goals.

Holiday Weight Management Action Plan…

Before heading to that holiday party, drink plenty of water and eat a healthy low carb breakfast and lunch. And then when you eat your big meal try to finish within one hour including dessert. As mentioned above this will help lesson the impact of the extra carbs.

Also, try to avoid snacking on unhealthy finger foods before and after the big meal. You would be surprised at the amount of calories you can consume simply by snacking on finger foods before and after your meals. And one more tip, limit the amount of starchy foods, such as potatoes. Starchy foods will do more damage to weight management than turkey or even pumpkin pie.

Use these tips throughout the holidays and you will love yourself for it. Not only will you feel better and have more energy for fun with your family, you won’t have to worry about taking off the 5 extra pounds in the new year!

If you want to accelerate your fat loss and experience the benefits of circuit training and you live in the Canton Michigan area, I encourage you to call me now toll free at (866) 385-9685 to find out how you can get one week free of my boot camp or personal training.

You can also send your questions to questions(at)keys2wholeness.com.

Call Now!

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Circuit Training Pushup Demonstration

Edwin — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:10:25 +0000

Check out my video below. You will see a demonstration of the proper way to do pushups. When you do pushups the proper way, you will reduce the risk of injury and it will be a much more effective exercise for you.

This video is part of a series of videos that demonstrate the proper way to do the exercises for an example circuit training program. This method of exercising will burn fat 9 times faster than traditional forms of exercise. You will perform 5 exercises in sequence. In the example of the pushup exercise being demonstrated, you will perform them for 50 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds and then move on to the next exercise.

Come back tomorrow to see a demonstration of the next exercise in the sequence.

You can also send your questions to questions(at)keys2wholeness.com.

Call
Now!

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Circuit Training Squat Demonstration

Edwin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:00:41 +0000

Check out my video below. You will see a demonstration of the proper way to do squats. When you do squats the proper way, you will reduce the risk of injury and it will be a much more effective exercise for you.

This video is part of a series of videos that demonstrate the proper way to do the exercises for an example circuit training program. This method of exercising will burn fat 9 times faster than traditional forms of exercise. You will perform 5 exercises in sequence. In the example of the squat exercise being demostrated, you will perform squats for 50 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds and then move on to the next exercise.

Come back tomorrow to see a demostration of the next exercise in the sequence.

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Do you want to jump start your weight loss without feeling hungry all the time?

Edwin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:30:27 +0000

Here’s some jump start tips that will get you started down the right path …

Listen to your body. It will tell you when you are full. It will take some time to re-train you mind to listen to your body, but when you do you will begin to see the results quickly. In order for this to work, you will need to chew your food thoroughly. Chew each bite 25 – 50 times depending on the type of food, of course.

Don’t eat all the food on your plate. Get used to the idea that it’s okay to “Not clean your plate.” This will also take some practice.

When eating out, only eat ½ of your meal and take the rest home.

Eat 5 – 6 small meals per day

Don’t skip meals and don’t let yourself get hungry.

Get at least 7 hours of sleep – it is difficult to lose weight if you don’t.

Limit caffeine. Try to limit coffee to one cup per day.

Drink lots of green tea. Using raw honey as a sweetener is best.

As soon as you get up in the morning try to drink 8 ounces of water.

Eat one apple a day. Granny Smith is best.

Eat at least one large green leafy salad per day.

Drink lots of water throughout the day. At least 64 ounces and more if you can.

Don’t be afraid of good fat (olive oil, nuts, etc). Fat does not make you gain weight anymore than protein or carbohydrates do. It’s the excess calories that cause weight gain. The simple truth is that if you burn more calories than you take in, you will lose weight. On the other hand, if you take in more than you burn off, you will gain weight. This is simple, but true.

Action step …

I do not advocate calorie counting; however, if you don’t know approximately how many calories you are taking in per day it will be very difficult to know whether or not you are over eating or under eating.

Here’s my recommendation …

Track your daily calories for 2 weeks. For now, don’t modify your normal diet; just eat what you normally eat, so you can get a true reflection of your daily calories. This will give you your starting point.

Now once you know your daily calorie in-take, weigh yourself on a scale that also has a body composition reading which measures your body fat percentage. Then write down your weight and fat percentage. NOTE: weigh yourself at the same time of day each time. That way the measurement will be consistent. Also, weight yourself in the evening on an empty stomach around 5:00 or 6:00 if you can.

The next step is to begin to experiment to determine the calories needed for you to lose weight at a safe speed while preventing lean muscle loss.

Try this …

Decrease your calories by 200 calories per day. That may be just enough for you to begin to lose weight while maintaining your lean muscle.

Now add exercise to the mix and begin to monitor your fat to lean muscle ratio using your body composition scale. Make sure as you lose weight you are not losing lean muscle. If you are still not losing weight, lower your daily calorie count another 200 calories per day.

This method may take some time and a little work, but if you take the time to experiment, you will lose weight without also losing a lot of lean muscle. And the best part is that you should never feel hungry.

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Be aware of “perfectionism.” It’s not good for Your Health!

Edwin — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:55:42 +0000

Do you struggle with perfectionism, especially when it comes to your diet and exercise routine?

Do you feel guilty when you enjoy your favorite dessert or skip a day or two of exercise?

Do you often start a new healthy eating plan and exercise program but get discouraged and quit when you slip up?

Perfectionism can be deadly when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. In other words, if you feel like you have to be perfect and never enjoy a little dessert or one or two days off from your exercise routine, then you will have a difficult time sticking to a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle should be enjoyed and not dreaded.

For years I confused excellence with perfectionism, which caused me a great deal of stress. I believe that perfectionism is bondage. Believe me, I know because I was in bondage to it for many years of my life. I am wired to be a perfectionist – but thank God I am changing daily.

So if you happen to slip up on your healthy eating plan every now and then, just enjoy that piece of your favorite dessert and don’t feel guilty. Go ahead and eat it and then get right back on track. The key here is “getting right back on track.” The problem is not that one piece of dessert; it’s when that one piece of dessert turns into an entire weekend of unhealthy eating.

Action step for today …

Its decision time again!

Make a quality decision right now that you are going to live a healthy lifestyle no matter how many times you may slip up. Decide ahead of time that you will not feel guilty when you don’t follow your new healthy lifestyle perfectly. Remember living a healthy lifestyle is not a race. Take small steps everyday toward your health and fitness goals and you will be amazed at how much progress you will make in a short period of time. And eventually your cravings for unhealthy foods will diminish and be replaced with cravings for healthy foods that God intended for you to enjoy.

Enjoy the journey and never give up!

Although the information in this blog will benefit people of all ages, this blog is dedicated to over 40 fitness, so I’d especially love to hear from those who are over 40.

Be Organic God’s Way!
Edwin

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Improve Core Stabilization and Strength

Edwin — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:20:58 +0000

What is my core?

Your core is basically the center or the trunk of your body. It’s the center of gravity for your body and where all movement begins.

Why is it so important for me to improve my core?

Everything you do from reaching for your car keys to putting on your shoes involves your core. It’s important as you age to maintain your core strength for enjoying everyday life.

It is also important for athletes who want to improve their performance in their chosen sport whether it’s golf, tennis, or bike riding. Imagine swinging a golf club with strong arms but with a weak core – the power of the swing is limited by the weak core.

In upcoming posts, I will focus more on how to strengthen your core for everyday life and sports activities. In the meantime, please post your comments letting me know what activities you are involved in and any questions you may have.

Be Organic God’s Way!

Edwin

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Improve Brain Function and Reduce Risk of Alzheimer’s

Edwin — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 17:44:51 +0000

Can I really make my brain better?

The brain is involved in everything we do. Mental stimulation and intense exercise makes the brain better and protects it against deterioration including Alzheimer’s. You must continually challenge your brain and stimulate it to think by learning new tasks. This blog series will address ways to make your brain and memory better.

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