Boot Camp

I was in a Boot Camp Certification Workshop all day today. It was really good. I was a little worried when I got the material a few months ago. But the certifying instructor was fantastic. She added so much more than what was in the material. This was the first time she has taught the certification course, but she has been teaching Boot Camp for a while and Kick Boxing for years. Really knew what she was doing, talking about, modifications, etc.

Occasionally I will sub a Boot Camp class so I needed the certification. But I really wanted the training to incorporate in the classes that I already teach to increase variety for the participants.

Has anyone tried The Firm Wave or T-Bow? Both look like a lot of fun, but pricey.

I have been terribly busy and have not been able to post as much as I would love to.

I hope that everyone is doing well, staying on track, staying focused to "finish the race." The Greeks and Romans loved sports for entertainment. Paul used many athletic metaphors in his letters. In his letters, he was encouraging the churches to steadfastly finish the race. Stay strong, discipline themselves like an athlete. The race is the task that God has for you, Christian, the task He has for you to do while on this earth. And that task will increase His Kingdom and Glorify Him.

What you do to make yourself healthier, should also be for the Glory of God. Without Him we can do nothing. Our strength and desire comes though Him!

Have a Blessed Lord's Day,
Love,
Melissa

Congratulations Nina!!!

Nina has lost 15 lbs! And she is now working out at a gym.... Y'all have to go read about it on her blog. What an evangelistic opportunity for them! Pray for her and Michael as they serve the Lord in Portugal. God is good and His timing is perfect! Go read Nina's post today and Nina, congratulations!

Congratulations Dani Joy!

I just want to take a moment to congratulate Dani Joy on losing 10 lbs! Yes! 10 lbs! She was faithful and committed. Made a plan, stuck to that plan. Asked God for strength. She follows this blog along with several others. She was "disciplined to finish the race..."

Congratulations Dani Joy! We are proud of you! Go by her blog and say "Hi"!

Love,
Melissa

More on Supplements

There are two great supplements that everyone should keep and use on a regular basis. Both can be found at any health food store.

• Barley Green- No special brand, just the kind with plain green powder made from pure barley grass. No additives. Some brands add kelp, rice, etc. You do not need all that. Just get the plain kind. Now it is not all that tasty. I mix a little with watered down organic or natural apple juice, hold my nose and swollow. A great nutrition supplememt and colon cleanser.
  
• Refrigerated Multidolphilus- (I think I spelled that wrong) I use Solaray brand. This keeps the intestinal floral balanced. Increases your immune system, etc. It is like eating a ton of plain notfat yogurt without the bad taste.

There are different recommendations for these supplements. For the Multidolophilus, one in the morning and one in the evening on and empty stomach for 2-4 weeks. After that, one or two on an empty stomach once or twice a week is all you will need. BTW, you may catch a stomach virus, but will not be symptomatic. Just a tad gasy and a little temp. You are still contagious! According to my Doctor....

Barley Green needs to be taken once a day. Juicers like to mix it with their juice. I am not a juicer. You do have to build up to it. A 1/4 teaspoon for a few days and build up to a full dose. Otherwise it will clean you out very fast. You do not want that either! LOL!

Today's Tip:
Barley Green and Refridgerated Multidolophilus. Two great supplements for your immune system and overall health.


1 Cor 6:
19.Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own ?
20For you have been bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body.

Our bodies are not our own, but God's. We need to take care of it as best as we can for His purpose for the time He has us remaining on earth.

God Bless,
Love,
Melissa

Supplements

I bet everyone has been waiting with anticipation for this post! It seems like everyone wants me to endorse a magic pill that will make all the years of over eating and lack of exercise melt off of their bodies.

I am sorry. I do wish that there was one out there. There are a couple of great holistic supplements out there that work, but only if you are hypothyroid and still have at least part of your thyroid. People with a Hypothyroid condition have other chemical issues going on in their bodies. They can count every calorie, rarely eat sweets, fried foods, etc... Exercise and do everything right and at best maintain or worse gain. I know some who hardly have an appetite they have learned to eat so little. They simply have such a low metabolism. And... they are also on thyroid medications. They have learned to live with it and move on as a part of life.

Now, onto supplements, what this post is all about. :-)

I encourage a Multi Vitamin and Mineral every day. If you have had a Hysterectomy, make sure it is WITHOUT Iron. Also, if you are post menopausal, you may not need iron. Please check with your Dr.

If you are still having monthlies, you will need a Multi with Iron.

Whey Protein- While I am a carnivore, I cannot eat tons and tons of meat. B/c of weight lifting (I lift 12-30 lbs dumbbells in each hand) I need the extra complete protein. If you lift weights, you need the complete protein as well. You will not get the complete protein with a spoon full of peanut butter. I know, it tastes good, but it does not cut it and the calories are not a good trade off. I use Whey powder as a supplement. I can make a fruit smoothie, mix it with coffee, or just mix it with water, hold my nose and turn it up and drink it. I usually have one mid morning with a piece of fruit. The carbs & vitamin C in the fruit helps aid and speed the protein to the muscles. There is a delicious smoothie recipe in the archive sidebar as well.

Soy Protein- Because of thyroid issues, I cannot have soy. However, if you do not have any thyroid issues or family history of thyroid issues it is an excellent source of protein.

These supplements you can get at any health food store, drug store or online. At this time, I am not endorsing any particular brand or kind.

There are a lot of "Magic Pills" out there that will shrink your waist, get rid of cellulite, excess body fat, etc. No, I have not tried any of them. I do not believe in gimmicks. Only in discipline and some work. God did not design our bodies to be sedentary and to take in a lot of calories. He probably did not design them to take in the types of calories that you can purchase in today's supermarkets and restaurants either. He designed them for work and eating good healthy foods prepared as closely to the 'tree' or 'plant' as possible. That means raw to lightly steamed for fruits and veggies. And the Old Testament is full of instruction for preparing grains and meats. For meat, I think grilling is best with minimal seasoning.

Remember, God loves you and wants you strong and healthy to do the work He has for you to do. Let Him use you for His glory! and His honor!

Todays Tip:
Take a daily Multi Vitamin and Mineral Supplement.

* Ephesians 1:12-17 NAS
* In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
* who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.
* For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,
* do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers ;
* that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.

Rainbow of Colors

Are you eating your "Rainbow of Colors"? I have posted about this before. But it is well worth posting about again.

The very easiest way to manage the way you eat is to manage your "colors".

An active female needs 5-7 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. Dark green veggies, orange veggies, fresh fruits. Limit your juices. I call them 'wasted calories'.

3-5 servings of whole grain foods. That is one slice of bread. 1/2 cup of cheerios, etc. Today's cereal bowls are huge, just a little at the bottom in all you need.

Dairy... you need 3 or so servings a day. Stick with fat free and lowfat milk, cottage cheese yogurt, etc.

Protein - meat, 3 servings a day, if you lift weights, more. Sometimes it is tough to get that much in. I suggest a whey protein powder that can be made into a shake as needed. I do not recommend a certain brand. I prefer one b/c I have become accustomed to the flavor.

Fats... olive oil, nuts (also a protein, but not a complete protein) fish these are your best sources for fats. Vegetable Oils, OK in very small quantities. Remember, calories from fats are still calories...

Drink water...H2O. In the Winter I will drink a minimum of 2 quarts a day. Plus any hot liquids. In the Spring and Summer I will drink 3-4 quarts a day. It is hot! Also, if you lift weights to help maintain your weight and you are eating a lot of protein, you need to drink a lot of water to process that protein. You do not want the protein to settle in the kidneys.

Today's Tip:
Use My Pyramid (link in the side bar) to help plan your menus, track your food intake, etc. This is a great tool and you tax $$$ at work!

Pilates

Photographs of Joseph H. Pilates

A Younger Joseph Pilates. Photo taken sometime after he moved to the States.

Photo of Joseph H. Pilates taken sometime in the 50's. I think the color has been added. I have seen this same photo in B&W.
These photos were taken from various places on the internet. I do not believe anyone 'owns' them. Not sure.

I love Pilates. I am a Pilates Practitioner. (Take and pass my Diet and Nutrition test and I will be 'Master Practitioner'.) I do not teach it as much as I used to. In this area, it does not seem to be as popular as in other areas. Though, there is always a demand for the classes! People are always asking me to start the classes, etc. Beg for the classes, but 'life' seems to get in the way of regular attendance.

My solution is I incorporated Pilates in many of my regular classes. Most of the time participants do not know the difference. But the ones who want Pilates seem to be satisfied.

Joseph Pilates was not a healthy child. He had respiratory problems and rickets. I imagine him as a child who was the type if told, "you could never do that..." he would prove you wrong every time. He became an expert swimmer which increased his lung capacity. Joined the circus as a youth, learning gymnastics and acrobatics. By the time he was 14-16 years old, his legs were straight and body developed enough to model for medical drawings.

He was in the UK during WWI. Being German, he was sent to the Isle of Man to work. He became the head Physical Therapist in one of the wards at the Military Hospital. This is where he began to develop "Contrology" what we now call "Basic Pilates". He required everyone in the ward he was in charge of to do Contrology everyday. Employees and even patients, with help and as part of their physical therapy. Many had just been shot up on the war front.

By now, Pilates had studied yoga, swimming, gymnastics, some ballet, perhaps other forms of exercise as well, and he was incorporating what he believed to be the best of all of these disciplines in his physical therapy and exercise programs. And you know what? It was working! He had the fastest patient recuperation. Those who worked in his dept were also in fine health.

During WWI the Hospital was hit by the flu. Pilates ward was the only ward that did not lose a life to the influenza. Not even the patients who caught the flu. (They healed quickly like they only had a cold.) They say it was due to the 'Contrology' exercise they were required to do daily.

After the war, Pilates and his wife Sara, took a ship to the states and settled in New York where he opened a studio. He moved on to develop what we now call Pilates. He died in 1962 in his 80s. His studio had caught on fire. He had left a proto type of a new exercise invention and ran back inside the studio to get the prototype. The smoke overcame him.

In Pilates lifetime, he saw the industrial age take off. He saw poverty disappear. Jobs become more and more sedintary. I have two of his books and he states several times in those books, God did not make our bodies to sit all day at a desk, come home sit and read the newspaper or a book and then go to bed. And somewhere during that time, eat 3 large meals. What we now call Basic Pilates was designed for every individual to do everyday at home in the floor for about 20 minutes or more. So whether 20 or 70, you can get up and down off the floor to play games with your children and grand children.

Jennifer Kries (there is a link to her site in the sidebar) is one of the best instructors in the country. If you have not tried Pilates before I recommend her basic DVD. It is wonderful. She perfectly shows you how to execute the exercises. She takes you in babys steps and moves you up. She also shows modifications and encourages you along the way just as you should be encouraged in a class. Keep in mind, Jennifer has a wide range of motion. She was a Ballarina, and she is a yoga master. She will instruct you to only use your range of motion.

Todays Tip:
Libraries carry exercise tapes and DVD's. It is always a good idea to check one out to try out. If you do like the tape/dvd, then you can invest the money in it. If you do not like the tape/DVD, you can take it back, check out another you might like better. Either way, you have not invested money needlessly.

Have a blessed day
Love,
Melissa