Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Your Top Three
"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:18
Do you like lists? I love lists. My wife and I can be on our daily walk, and all I have to say to her is, "Give me your top three" and she knows I'm asking her to name me the three people she would love to have over for dinner. Without hesitation, Dr. Charles Stanley, Jimmy Fallon and Savannah Guthrie are scooting their chairs under our table. We've done things like that for years. And don't get me started about New Year's resolutions. We've saved every list of resolutions for 18 years. Not only that, we witness, sign and ratify them. (I wish I were kidding). What can I say? I love lists. Especially thankful ones.
Do you have one? A list of things so far this year of which you're the most thankful? Could be your relationship with the Lord, or a new job, or maybe your health has improved. Take a minute to think of, or better yet, jot some things down. Use our comment section if you'd be so bold. What are you the most thankful for as we start a new week? Give me your top three.
--Jimmy Peña
P.S. In case you were wondering about my top three for dinner: Max Lucado, Brian Williams, and of course, Derek Jeter. Let's eat.
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Dumbbell Complex
Dumbbells are some of the best fitness equipment ever invented. Simple and effective, dumbbells can help you to recruit additional muscle by forcing your body to activate stabilizers to balance your body during exercise. They can also be used to develop tremendous strength and to burn tons of fat. Dumbbells are just plain good for ya. One way to put them to work for you is via complex training, which calls for you to use the same set of dumbbells for multiple exercises. Click below for more detail on complex training and a head-to-toe workout to get you started.
Saved. Alone.
"In all things give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:18
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
Over 100 years ago, a very successful lawyer and real estate mogul, Horatio Spafford, lost a lot in the great Chicago fire of 1870, but years later he lost much, much more. The fire left thousands homeless, and Horatio and his family spent years helping those less fortunate. Exhausted, Horatio and his wife, along with their four daughters planned a cruise to Europe. But just prior to pushing off, Horatio was called upon to stay for business. Still, he sent his family on their much-needed vacation.
Their ship however, the Ville du Havre, didn’t make it to England. Horatio learned of the tragedy through the now famous and urgent telegram from his wife. It read simply, "Saved. Alone."
I'm probably not the first person to do a poor job of summarizing the story of Horatio Spafford, but I was reminded of it yesterday while on a walk with my dog, Josey. As I turned a corner, talking to the Lord about my needs and concerns of our new website, I came across a homeless woman; mid-thirties, sunburned, sitting next to what looked like years of life in a shopping cart. I smiled, and she called Josey "perty." As I continued to walk, I thought to myself, "I'm worried about web traffic. She lives in traffic."
This week is a good reminder to hug those close to us, and to help those less fortunate. And 130 years later, Horatio can help us do just that. You may not recognize his name, but you know his famous hymn. As he boarded a ship to find his wife, he wrote these words:
"It is well with my soul. When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul!”
Good words for us to remember and repeat as we give thanks, if for no other reason than being saved alone. So from our families to yours, have a blessed Thanksgiving weekend.
--Team PrayFit
>> The PrayFit Daily will continue on Monday, November 26. Until then, you can continue to interact with the PrayFit Nation via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, or visit our forums.
God's Most Common Command
"Never stop praying." --1 Thessalonians 5:17
Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
Of all the things God calls us to do, what does he require more than any other? No doubt it's to give to the poor. No wait, I know -- it's to love one another, for sure. What could be more important than that? Well, believe it or not, the most common command found in scripture is to pray.
Without question, God wants to hear from us -- from the times we need Him, to when He deserves our praise. And since we've never lived one second when either reason wasn't true, I suppose we have our answer.
You know, it dawns on me. We spend so much time on either the phone, on Twitter or updating Facebook. And all the while, God, our best friend who loves us more than anyone, is hanging on our every thought. Like a proud, new dad when he hears his daughter's first words, God is at the edge of His seat, ready to hear our status update. Brings a lump to my throat when I picture Him asking, "What's happening now?"
--Jimmy Peña
Question: How much time do you spend on social media? Are you willing to commit 5-10 of those minutes a day talking to God? Truly, we are never more powerful than when we are on our knees in prayer.
RACING FUEL Why going completely empty may not be the best option to burn the most fat
Many people think that getting out for an early run on an empty stomach is a great way to burn bodyfat. Those people aren't wrong -- but they're not entirely right, either.
Since your brain runs on glucose (blood sugar), when you wake up in the morning, your body is in a carb-depleted state. So going for a run before eating means that your body is likely to tap into fat stores for fuel sooner. But it can also put you at risk of losing muscle.
"You don't want to go on a completely empty stomach," says Jim Stoppani, PhD, nutritional authority and co-author of "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days." "A better approach is to take 5-10 grams of branched chain amino acids (BCAA), which provide the body with fuel while sparing muscle tissue."
So for your next early run, don't go completely empty. Top off the tank with 5-10 grams of BCAA to supplement your stride and to help you retain your muscle mass.
I AM, YOUR SOLUTION
August 22, 2011Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
"In all things, give thanks." --1 Thessalonians 5:18 Some leaders say, 'Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions.' God says, 'Bring me your problems, I AM your solution.
Let that be our first thought as we begin the week. In our pursuit of abundant health, there's not a weight problem, epidemic or fitness goal He can't help us cure or conquer. He's our solution. It's not about the body, it's not about me, it's not about you, and it's definitely, not about now.
--J.P.
Workout of the Week: Build & Burn
This start-of-the-week workout will have you building strength and burning fat in only a few intense minutes per session. Grab some open space and some dumbbells or heavy soup cans if you have them. After a 5-minute warm-up, you'll get to work with this total-body blast, starting with legs. You then move to back, shoulders and arms and finish the circuit on the floor with push-ups and planks to failure. If you have time or the energy, take a couple minutes to rest and repeat the cycle. The jump squats will be brutal but you should expect to achieve around 15-20 reps each round. Rest only as long as necessary before beginning the next exercise.
Welcome to Monday!
Bodyweight Squats for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Dumbbell Deadlifts for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Dumbbell Bent-Over Row for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Dumbbell Overhead Press for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Biceps Curl for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Triceps Kickbacks for 1 min. Jump Squats to failure Bodyweight Push-Up to failure Jump Squats to failure Plank to failure Repeat the cycle
--Between exercises, rest only as long as necessary.
>> For demonstrations and descriptions of many of the exercises included here, click here.
RUNNING TO WATER
May 2, 2011Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Today was baptism day at church. If you've never been to one of these services, you should know -- it's not just the baptized that need towels. Fully immersed believers up front and tear-soaked pews throughout mean that everyone is leaving wet.
But for one family, there wouldn't be any dunking. They explained to us that their daughter was being baptized differently -- with a few sprinkles of water instead of the complete immersion -- because she had a rare and dangerous skin disorder that makes her particularly vulnerable to injury. A pat on the back, an unexpected stumble or an overzealous hug from someone who doesn't know any better could literally pull the delicate skin from her 10-year-old body.
Yet there she stood, proud and determined, ready to publicly declare her love for the Lord.
With my two, healthy, rambunctious daughters causing mayhem just a few doors away in Sunday school, I quietly reflected on what this family must have endured to come to this day. Hospital visits, constant anxiety, sleepless nights and enough tears to fill the baptismal they now stood beside. In a desert of hopelessness, when most would surrender to the sand, this family ran to the water that gives life.
--E.V.
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: 100 LUNGES
The lunge is a fantastic exercise for just about any part of the fitness demographic. Those looking to boost athleticism can enhance balance and improve overall leg strength. Those concerned with aesthetics can burn a ton of calories while shaping their entire lower-body musculature. Even seniors and those coming back from injury can use the lunge to improve stability and coordination. The message is clear: this all-purpose movement should be a staple of your exercise routine.
First, let us revisit the basics of the lunge:
Lunge | Focus: Quads, glutes, hamstrings | (VIDEO)
Stand with your feet together, abs tight and eyes focused forward. Step forward with one foot. Bend both knees to lower yourself, making sure your front knee doesn’t pass your toes on your front foot. Stop just short of your rear knee touching the floor and reverse directions, driving through the heel of your forward foot to return to the start. Alternate legs for reps.
This week, your goal is to complete 100 lunges. Yes, that's 50 per foot. Advanced trainees won't get off easy, though. Here are our week's guidelines. Choose a workout challenge, based on your experience level.
Beginner: Perform 100 lunges before Friday. If it's 10 lunges at a time, twice a day, each day this week, then that's fine. Just make sure that you reach 100 by Friday.
Intermediate: Perform 100 lunges for time today. Mark your time. Thursday, perform 100 lunges again and strive to beat Monday's time. Use Thursday's time as your benchmark for next week's workouts.
Advanced: Perform 100 lunges each day this week for time. If you beat your time by more than 10 seconds in any workout, use 10-pound dumbbells (or heavier) for the next. Your goal is still to beat Monday's time each workout. Carry this process into next week's workouts.
>> GEAR UP: If you're faithful and into fitness, it's time to start dressing the part. Head over to our online store to pick up some of our newly-redesigned PrayFit gear. If you're looking for a structured fitness and nutrition plan, pick up a copy of "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days."
>> EXERCISE CENTRAL: If you need more guidance on PrayFit's core exercises, click here.
THANKFUL...NO MATTER WHAT
November 24, 2010Read: 1 Thessalonians 5
"In all things, give thanks." --1 Thessalonians 5:18
The bible is pretty clear when it comes to being thankful: we should be, no matter what. But if you're like me, it's easy to be thankful when times are good. But what about during the storms of life? What then?
Well, thankfully, God is as worthy of our thanks in rough water as He is when our seas are calm. Our circumstances might change, but He doesn't; no matter what. So, even though we might not be praying, "Thank you God for this storm", we can pray, "Lord, if not for this storm, I wouldn't be looking to you for shelter."
So tomorrow, before we eat with friends and family or watch a good game and doze on the couch, we simply want to say, "Thanks for being God, no matter what."
--J.P.
PRAYFIT 101: REST TO PROGRESS
A great many of you that we hear from on PrayFit are hardcore trainers -- people who workout hard four or more times per week. That is fantastic but if you've started to notice that you're a little slower, a little weaker and a little more fatigued than usual, or that your once-meteoric progress has come to a screeching halt, you may be a victim of overtraining.
Overtraining is a very real syndrome that comes as a result of training too often or too intensely -- or both -- and it can wreak havoc on your fitness goals. When you start to notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, take a look at your training regimen. Have you been pushing yourself a bit too hard? Well, as difficult a pill as this may be to swallow, the only prescription for overtraining -- the only thing that will get you back on track -- is rest. Take a few days off from workouts completely or scale your workouts back in frequency and intensity for several days or up to a few weeks. At the end of this "cooling off" period, you should be able to dive right back in with renewed energy, strength and enthusiasm. Training hard is great -- but as with all things, moderation is the key.
>> HELP PRAYFIT BECOME A BESTSELLER! As many of you know, "PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days" from Regal Books, is due to start shipping to mailboxes December 6. And in the month of January, you can find us on display tables at Barnes & Noble. With your help, we believe that "PrayFit" has the muscle to be a bestseller. So pick up a copy or order a few for gifts -- help us spread the gospel of faith and fitness as we approach 2011! A portion of each book sold will go to support mission trips abroad.