Passion, Purpose, Prayer, Power

PASSION-What is it that you are passionate about? Why are you not doing that? I think these are important questions to ask yourself in life. I beleive God has given each person unique passions and desires that He can use to help this world we live in today. Another way of asking this is, "What would you do for the rest of yourlife, even if you did not get payed to do it"? Take some time in your day to meditate on this thought, in your alone time. Your passion will bring life to the mundane activities and inspire others around you to action.

Now to take it a step further. Once you discover your passion, use it to help another person. Do it for the benefit of another. THere is nothing more gratifing than togive unto others. Act20:35 "It is more blessedd to give than to receive". I DARE you to test this out!

PURPOSE-I believe that our purpose in this life is tied into our passions. In Phillipians3:9-10, Paul says " and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,(ESV). My Purpose is to glorify God and fellowship with Him in all and everything that I do. And this is only through faith in Jesus Christ.

PRAYER-Why is it that when days are "good", we forgot to come to Him, but in troubled times we come to Him like never before as a last resort. First off it is a privelage that we can even have access to the Father through Christ Jesus. THerefore I admonish everyone to take great advantage of that which was given to us with a heavy price. Christ took on the curse which was rightly due to us. He took on the full wrath of God and yet was completely innocent and umblemished. In Philippians 4:6 it says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Communicate with God all the time. This is something I am still learning. So that I may stay in His good and perfect will. I do not know everything, but He does, so who better to turn to. Even in business I am tempted from my competative nature to depend on my own physical prowess. As a trainer I pretty much live in the gym, and lifting weights, getting stronger, can have a tendancy to make you feel like you can do everything yourself. I must continue to remind myself that i do not have to be strong enough. in fact i am not even called to be strong enough for what the world throws at me. I am called to be completely dependent on Him, my Rock, my foundation, my Strong tower. There is freedom in this.

POWER-The power belongs to Him alone. It is released as i continue to rely on God the father. faith in His promises, faith in Him. It is the Power of Christ that makes me strong! One of my favorite verses, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."(Phil 4:13 NASB) My challenge to use is dream Big, aim high, challenge yourself mentally and physically. But most importantly seek an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ!

STRENGTH TRAINING 101

Why is strength training so important? It seems that so much is discussed by the general population concerning cardiovascular training, but there is little talk or emphasis on or even a desire to know more about strength training. For years many people have associated strength training only to athletes and bodybuilders. Lets shed some light on the subject!

Sooooo, the big question, "What are the benefits of strength training?".

* It can help you tone your muscles
* Improved physique
* Fight age-related muscle loss
* Decrease the risk of injury
* Increase the general quality of life. As strength increases; the effort required for daily routines(yardwork, carrying groceries, etc..) will be less taxing
* Better manage your weight
* Maintain joint flexibility

WHAT TO DO?
-Work all major muscle groups, because neglecting some groups will result in muscle imbalances and postural issues.
-Technique: Learn proper lifting techniques, and if you do not know, then you may want to consult a certified fitness professional[I hope youtube is not your only source!!)
-Start SLOW: Research has shown that a single set of 8-12 repetitions with proper weight is sufficient enough to build muscle in most people. When you are able to lift 12 reps with proper form, then increase the amount of resistance by 5%-10% to progress
-REST: Allow at least 24hrs of rest between exercising the same specific muscle group

Common Split Programs(Complete rest occurs 48hrs, too much is 96hrs)

2 Day Split
Day 1: Chest, triceps, Shoulders
Day 2: Legs Bicep, Back

3 Day Split
Day1: Legs, Shoulders
Day2: Biceps, Back
Day 3: Chest, Triceps






Muscle/Exercise
Pectoralis major(Chest)/ -Bench Press
-DB Bench Press
-Pec Fly Machine
-Incline Press Machine
-Push-ups
Deltoids(Shoulders)/
-Front & Side Raises
-Shoulder Press(Machine or Barbell or DB)
Latissimus Dorsi(Back)/
-Lat Pulldowns
-DB Rows
Biceps Brachii(Biceps)
-Bicep Curl Machine
-DB Bicep Curls
-Barbell Bicep Curl
-Hammer Curl
Triceps Brachii(Triceps)/
-Skull Crushers
-Tricep Extension Machine
Quadriceps/
-Squats
-Leg Press
-Lunges
-Knee Extensions
Hamstring/
-Leg Curls
-Squats
-Deadlift
Gastrocnemius(Calf Muscles)/
-Calf Raises
Gluteus Maximus/
-Squats(One legged w/ Back foot elevated or split squats, etc.)
-Deadlifts
-Lunges


A combination of cardiovascular training, flexibility training and strength training will give you the benefits of a total fitness regimen!! Start Now!!

MythBusters:Spot Reduction

There are many myths out there. From Aliens to bigfoot, or Nessy The Loch Ness Monster. Take your pic! But I am not here to talk about them, its just humerous to correlate this blog these popular myths. Anyways, lets "BUST" the myth of spot reduction.

In the world we live in today, the media is saturated with devices or contraptions that claim to the be the one for all answer to losing fat in a certain area of the body. One in particular spot, the "abdominal region" seems to be the popular "spot" of concern. My question to you is, "if the "vibrating belt" claims to like magcally tighten up and tone the troublesome spots, then why did the next contraption claim to do the same thing, and then another contrpation claims to do the same thing"? its because the prior didnt work! By the time you figure out that none of the inventions worked, you ave already spent hundreds of dollars.

Science class anyone?Adipocytes are special cells our bodies use to store fat. And they are located all over the body. They grow and shrink like a ballon as they store or release fat. If your caloric intake is greater than your caloric expenditure, you will store the excess of calories as fat. Our bodies burn fat and carbohydrates for energy.

YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE because, you have no control over adipocytes release of fat. You tend to gain and lose weight in the same pattern.

Exercises such as crunches, leg raise or but lifts improve the tone and endurance of the muscles being worked, but DO NOT burn the fat. it is when we do exercises that elevate the heart rate (i.e. running, circuits, cycling, swimming, dancing, walking) the body will draw upon its fat stores.

What Should We Do?

The key to changing the shape of your body is to eat a low-fat diet and follow an exercise regimen that combines aerobic activity and strength training. This does not mean that you have to run 5miles everyday, in fact any activity that elevates your heart rate can help you burn fat. The American Council on Exercise recommends at least 20minute sessions for 3x's a week. But if your looking for long term weight maintenance, you should do 45minute sessions for at least 4x's a week.

To sum it up: The best way to go about transforming your body is to combine strength, toning, aerobic exercises with a well-balanced nutrition plan!

Fit 4 life Tips

Fitness should be a lifestyle not just a trend. Ask yourself this question, " After I do this diet, what next", after I finish P90X or Insanity, what next? I am not saying that these workout programs are bad, by any means, but I am saying that we must learn to make fitness apart of life and not just for a season to reach a goal and then have nothing else to strive for. Do you do P90X 2 or 3 more times until you get sick of it. We must begin to change our perspective on fitness if we are ever going to make health gains that last a lifetime rather than a season. Here are some tips I use with clients and in my own personal life to make Fitness last a lifetime.

Set a Goal: Before you even start to workout, make sure you know why you are working out. Whether it is to do cardio, lift for strength, endurance, maintenance, etc, lose weight, gain muscle. Know why you are in there, so that you do not just go in there twiddling your thumbs. Workout with a purpose. Even better write down your workouts for the week, so that you know what you have to accomplish each day. This allows you to not waist time and get straight to work. I would also advise making goal specific to how much time you alot to the workout.

Plan: I was always told growing up that if you do not write it down then nothing will happen. Try and schedule in your workout sessions in your calendar. Try to make it a consistant time set aside too workout. Put the cell phone away, and focus on working on you. Besides just planning your workouts, try also planning out your meals. I love this quote from Sun Tzu the Great Chinese Military Strategist, "Strategy without tactics is a slow road to success". In other words we must learn to be tactiful in everything we do especially when your "Life" and "Well-being" is on the line. If I told you that I can give you advice to help you live a longer, healthier life, would you take it? How important would it be to you?

Accountability: There will be times when you do not feel like doing what you set out to accomplish. Whether we like it or not, stuff happens in life, there are alot of things we can and can't control. But no matter how strong a person you are you are going to have an off day, feeling lazy, unmotivated. You must have a support system in play to counter those emotions when you do not feel like doing anything. Two is always better then one. One can pick up the slack for the other. Think about even including a workout partner. So that you can push and motivate each other.

Challenge yourself: Set challenges at the end of each workout session, when you are already tired, muscles are fatigued. I like to call these "finishers". Finishers can be any exercise you do for time or extra to top off your workouts. For example 100 total sit-ups, 30 box jumps, 50 jumping jacks, 45 med ball slams etc. It will teach you to always finish strong, and once you finish the "Finishers" you will feel a greater sense of accomplishment that day. I believe that the way you train in the gym is the same way you approach different areas of life. Train hard, train smart, but most importantly train for the long run.


Creative: Make fitness fun, and include activities that you like to do; whether in doors or outdoors. Try something new. Get creative in your workouts. Make it an event where you include other people. Take a Hike, Run around a lake, play a pick-up game of basketball, enter a 5k or marathon, ride a bike, grab a canoe, jump rope. The whole world is your gym, get creative, but most importantly learn to enjoy what you do.

Christmas @ Shoreline East Sermon