Fit for Faith is a unique workbook program. In addition to learning about
the three components of fitness – cardiovascular exercise, strength training
and stretching – your relationship with God will be strengthened through daily
prayer, Scripture reading and daily journal writing.
God created you as a whole person, therefore take care of your whole
self, not just the individual parts. A direct relationship exists between
physical, emotional and spiritual health. A healthy body gives you the energy
and enthusiasm to carry out the purposes that God has for your life. Practicing
healthy living glorifies God.
This workbook is an invitation for you to discover for yourself the joys
of treating your body with respect, learning to love yourself and connecting
with God on a deeper level. You are invited to take a fresh physical and
spiritual attitude on a daily basis.
You will learn that God truly cares. He is personal and He is intimate.
God does listen to your prayers and is there for you. When you rely on God
totally, for everything – including such things as losing a few pounds – He
will bless you. God loves you and He wants you to love yourself. He did not
create you to look at your body in disgust, but rather God saw all that He had
made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)
Each day, follow the outline provided and start with a simple prayer.
Read the question in the reflection section and write your own response. At the
end of the day, answer the three questions about your activity and healthy
eating habits. Test your knowledge with the myth. Finally, close each day by
meditating on the scripture verse.
The Fit for Faith Review is a personal record of your week. It is a
self-evaluation tool that reflects your strengths and defines areas that need
improvement.
You need to be faithful about doing something each day in order to
realize the full potential of God’s plan for you. You are invited to develop
physical well-being and grow spiritually to deepen your relationship with God.
Prayer, Bible study and journal writing are to your spirit what exercise,
healthy eating and stretching are to your body.
Blessings on your journey to health!
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Part I: Exercise your body + Exercise your spirit
Cardiovascular exercise & Strength training + Prayer
Think of exercise as either cardiovascular activity or strength training.
Cardiovascular activity helps you to increase energy and keep moving. It is
good for your heart, lungs and circulatory system. Strength training (also
known as weightlifting) helps you keep your bones and muscles strong, reduces
bone loss and improves balance and posture.
Prayer helps you to enter into a spiritual communion with God.
What cardiovascular exercise and strength training do for building a
strong body, prayer does to build spiritual strength. Your body requires
exercise and food, and it needs these things regularly. You cannot just take
care of it at the beginning of the week and forget about it. Your spiritual
life is similar to your physical body in that way. You cannot pray just once
and have a healthy, growing spiritual life.
In strength training, you start by lifting small weights, and as you grow
stronger, you can lift heavier weights. It is the same with prayer. You start
by praying a short amount of time, and then as your desire grows you can spend
time in prayer every day.
Just as exercise strengthens your body, prayer strengthens your spirit.
Similarities between exercise and prayer include:
To be physically and spiritually healthy requires discipline. You need to
practice both daily and use this strength or you will lose it.
The effects can be both immediate and/or long term. You may see the
results right away or the effects can be cumulative.
Both exercise and prayer improve balance in your life, improve your
quality of life and boost your mood.
With a pure motive, both delight God.
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Exercise your body
What it is
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit
lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Exercise rejuvenates your body. Cardiovascular exercise equips you to
sustain an activity for a long period of time. It causes you to breathe more
deeply and work your heart harder. When you are strength training you use
resistance to strengthen your muscles.
What it’s not
Cardiovascular exercise is not only going to the gym and participating in
an aerobics class. It does not make any difference whether you go to a gym or
what equipment you use. Try to figure out where activity fits into your life.
Any physical activity is better than no exercise. You need to do only about 30
minutes of moderate exercise daily and that half-hour can accumulate in shorter
pieces.
Strength training is not only for men or for younger people. Women of any
age can also benefit, particularly those most likely to suffer from
osteoporosis.
Benefits of exercise
- Elevates mood
- Improves balance and mobility
- Maintains a healthy weight
- Increases energy level
- Builds strength and tones muscles
- A pure motive delights God
Discover the many benefits to exercise, including feelings of
accomplishment and well-being, increased energy, reduced stress and improved
sleep patterns.
Research indicates that activity reduces the risk of heart disease, falls
and injuries, obesity, high blood pressure, adult onset diabetes, osteoporosis,
stroke, depression, colon cancer and premature death. The U.S. Surgeon General
has determined that lack of physical activity is as detrimental to your health
as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.
Regular cardiovascular exercise (aerobic exercise) helps you burn
calories faster, even when you are sitting still. It does this by raising your
metabolism (the rate you burn calories) up to 15 hours after exercising.
Strength training (weight lifting) helps you to better deal with everyday
tasks, improves posture, increases firmness of muscles, and helps prevent
osteoporosis. It also helps you build muscle so that even if you do not lose
pounds, you may lose inches.
You need to include both cardiovascular exercise as well as strength
training into your exercise program.
i need to do this thanks so much for posting great ideas to get you started and motivated denise smith
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