May 18, 2010Read: Matthew 10

"I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." --Matthew 10:16

Finish this sentence with the name of your profession: I'm a forgiven, passionate, fully-devoted follower of Jesus Christ, cleverly disguised as a ________________.

In my case, I fill the blank with "fitness expert," but you might write in lawyer, doctor, teacher, student, body shop manager or homemaker.

But no matter what, take courage. We're everywhere.

--J.P.

SUSTAINABILITY The key to long-term health lies in balance

Did you try yesterday's PrayFit Workout of the Week? If so, you know that it's a five-day challenge where your goal each day is to improve on what you did yesterday. Getting after it today, however, may seem a bit difficult if you're sore or fatigued from yesterday's session. But don't walk away from the routine just yet -- this lack of commitment may be habit forming.

Many people have long-term fitness or health goals, yet so many begin diets and fad routines that have short-term lifespans. As a rule of thumb, pick a plan that you can sustain for years, or indefinitely. If it seems unreasonable or impractical, it probably is. But the only way to learn what is sustainable and what is not, is to try proven meal plans and fitness routines -- such as those here at PrayFit -- and challenge yourself to see how you do. What looks difficult on paper, for example, may not be as tough once you start building positive healthy habits. Remember, body, mind and spirit are incredibly adaptable.

That's why I'm so proud of our latest work, EXTRA LEAN: The Fat Burning Plan Which Changes the Way You Eat For Life, which I co-authored with Mario Lopez. While people are losing a lot of weight initially, it's really about the principles they're learning that will make the most difference in the long run. It's about balance -- a comfort zone that lies firmly at the middle of dietary extremes. Success, as it turns out, is immensely dependent on sustainability. PrayFit, not coincidentally, lives at the crossroads of productivity and sustainability.