Since 2009
THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION
Seeds Worth Sowing
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this will he also reap." --Galatians 6:7
Read: Galatians 6
My abuelo was an avid gardener. He could grow just about anything in the rich black soil he had cultivated for years. In the spring, I decided that this was going to be the year that I stopped wishing for a garden – it was time to make it happen. I wanted to learn how to grow my own food for my family just like he did. I was excited to research what types of fruits and vegetables would work in my climate and one day, while I was dropping seeds into the ground, a familiar biblical principle jumped out at me: Whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.
Can I plant jalapeño seeds and get watermelons? Or plant cucumber seeds and get tomatoes? Of course not. If you grew up in the church like I did, this principle was likely applied to obedience and our conduct as Christ followers. But the principle applies to so many areas of life, including business and relationships, so it should come as no surprise that it also carries over into our health and fitness. Can we reap a strong body by being a couch potato? Can we expect to feel well and live abundantly by eating junk food? No. We will reap good health and increased energy if we sow clean eating and strength training.
Wishing and hoping do nothing for a garden or our bodies. If I do nothing, I can expect nothing. The basic law of reaping and sowing will bring us the harvest we have planted. So it’s time to take a look at our own lives. What will we reap in six months? A year? All you have to do is look at the seed you’re sowing today.
--Catrina Vargas-Cormell
An entrepreneur, Catrina Vargas-Cormell was one of the first members of the PrayFit community. Catrina is now a PrayFit executive committee member and PrayFit Group leader in El Paso, Texas. For more from Catrina, join her group, “Hungry!,” on Facebook or visit her PrayFit workout journal.
NETWORK, SHOP, CHAT, SOW Take advantage of the many outlets and resources available to the PrayFit Nation
>> SOCIAL NETWORKS: Now you can "like," "join," "tweet" and "watch" faith and fitness at your leisure. Click the links below to get plugged in with the rest of the PrayFit community. Facebook HeavenUp Twitter YouTube
>> CHAT: Are you already a member of our forums? Get back in on the discussion by clicking here. Not yet signed up? All it takes is 20 seconds to get started. Click here.
>> SOWING: Plant the seeds of health and fitness in your church by arranging a visit from PrayFit founder Jimmy Peña. Learn more about his message by clicking here, or write us at [email protected] to start planning dates!
Rate of Failure
"I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" — Galatians 2:21
Read: Galatians 2
Much is made of the failure rate in baseball. A successful hitter, it is said, fails to get a hit seven out of every 10 trips to the plate. Despite this otherwise abysmal statistic, those who perform up to such a strict standard are held in high regard. The familiar sound of bat meeting ball is met by a chorus of applause, the hitter greeted by high fives and offered hands of affirmation by teammates upon his return to the dugout. The spoils of a job well done.
In our walks with God, the only measure of success -- the perfection of Christ -- makes failure a certainty. More often than not, despite our best efforts, we will swing and miss at opportunities to glorify God in how we live, work and play. Still, despite no quantifiable measure of achievement and no earthly rewards to be won, we test ourselves, training for a contest in which the outcome has already been determined. Because we know that someday, no matter our rate of failure, we too will be greeted -- not by the roar of the crowd but by choirs of angels. The spoils of a life redeemed by grace.
--Eric Velazquez
WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: 10-MINUTE ABS Get your midsection stronger and leaner in 10 minutes...flat
No, a flat midsection is not a prerequisite for membership in the PrayFit Nation. But there's no denying the importance of having a strong, well-conditioned core. It can bolster your lower back against injury, improve balance and strength and performance on every other exercise. But you don't need to take forever training them. The circuit-style workout below will help you hit every area of your abdomen, including the deep-lying transverse abdominis, which can have a drastic impact on how flat your belly appears. Find out more by clicking here:
Nice To Meet You: Part 1
Driving home today, I decided to take a familiar route. This is a picture of the old Muscle & Fitness Magazine Headquarters. With it's palatial interior and athletes carved out of the walls along the rooftop facade, this building holds special memories for us. First of all, it's the reason my wife and I moved to Los Angeles when I took over the magazine's Fitness Director position in 2005; or so we thought it was the reason.
Days into my tenure, I happened to notice there was just something about one of my co-workers, far beyond his unbelievable writing skills and sense of humor. I knew he was smart -- smarter than me for sure. But something more. I remember the conversation. "You're a Christian," I said. And indeed he was. The weeks, months, and years serving readers together was an experience I'll cherish for a lifetime.
One late evening as we were both writing and editing fitness and nutrition content for our readers, I approached him and said, "Hey man, you got a second? I have an idea," And as he left my office, I think the last thing I said to him was, "I think I want to call it 'PrayFit.'" And the blessing of a best-selling book and DVD, a thriving website and an amazing future are byproducts of what we now know is the reason we moved to L.A. -- to meet Eric. And I'm glad you have, too.
--Jimmy Peña
P.S. As we continue to serve, I know I speak for Eric when I say how thankful we are for the book's co-authors, Dr. Jim Stoppani and Jimmy Page, as well as our contributing nutritionist Dana White and our online contributing writers (and selfless crusaders) Allison Earnst, Catrina Vargas-Cormell, and Emily Ann Miller MPH, RD. And mostly, we want to thank you, the faithful reader. Nice to meet you.
>> ABOUT US: Click here to learn more about the genesis of PrayFit. >> TEAM PRAYFIT: Get to know the faces (and stories) behind the daily entries here.
THE "OTHER" PROTEIN Why you should have casein in your cabinet in addition to whey
So much is made over the post-workout whey protein shake and its impact on muscle recovery. But there are other times of the day when protein consumption can payoff in a big way. New research published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that a casein shake consumed 30 minutes before bed immediately elevated (then sustained) circulating amino acid levels, increased whole-body protein synthesis and improved net protein balance. In other words, this “second tier” protein kept up muscle repair all night long. Since it clumps in the stomach, casein is absorbed by the digestive system at a much slower rate than whey, providing a steady trickle of muscle building blocks while you sleep.
About half hour before you snooze, try drinking 20-40 grams of casein mixed in water. Since it is thicker than whey, figure on adding a bit more water to achieve your desired consistency.
High Gear
"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." --Ephesians 2:10
Read: Ephesians 2
On a recent Saturday afternoon, my husband came home beaming with excitement. He had the rare opportunity to view a friend’s personal collection of 50 vintage cars. Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Model T’s, some first editions and even one-of-a-kind vehicles -- it was a car lover's dream. He went on and on about this car and that car and the rarity and value of some in the collection and I finally had to ask, “How in the world does he have time to drive them all?” I mean, 50? Really?!
“Oh, he never drives them,” my husband said, “They’re in storage, he doesn’t use them anymore.”
He doesn’t use them anymore?
My mind immediately went to the Faithful; countless believers, each one a unique, priceless, first edition that is now sidelined, unable to be used by God due to health issues. Like these cars, we were designed for high performance; our bodies are complex vehicles that carry our souls, minds...and potential. As the verse above states, each of us has good works that God prepared in advance for us to accomplish. It’s our purpose and why we were born. With our different upbringings, gifts, talents and personalities, there are things that only we can do. But we can’t do the things we are designed to do, nor be used by God to our fullest potential if we are sidelined by fatigue, addiction, and disease.
As PrayFit founder, Jimmy Pena says, “The goal is not a better pair of biceps, but a pursuit of the healthiest possible version of the body He gave us so that we can better fulfill our purpose, whatever the calling might be.” Friends, we have work to do, and we "live" in a showroom of divine craftsmanship. Let’s never again be content to sit idle.
--Catrina Vargas-Cormell
An entrepreneur, Catrina Vargas-Cormell, was one of the first five members of the PrayFit community. Catrina is now a PrayFit contributing writer and Prayfit group leader in El Paso, Texas. You can visit her at www.catrinaishungry.com, join the hundreds of others that are following her on her Facebook page HUNGRY! and check out her PrayFit workout journal by clicking here. You can also check her out on Pinterest and Twitter.
TRAINING SESSION: REP MAX
Many of the weight-based programs you read here at PrayFit are based upon your ability to estimate your one-rep max, or 1RM, the amount of weight you can lift on an exercise one time.
The reason is because certain muscle fibers respond to a certain rep range. Fast-twitch muscle fibers, the ones most responsible for tone and speed respond to a certain weight or percentage of rep max (RM), while the fibers most responsible for endurance (slow-twitch) respond to another percentage of one’s RM. It’s important for people to know what weight causes failure from 1-20 reps so that they can gauge what weight to choose for a particular exercise as they pursue a specific goal.
Someone who is wanting to gain strength wouldn’t necessarily reach for weight that would allow them to do 20 reps when they should be concentrating on sticking with weight that causes them to reach failure -- the point at which you can no longer complete reps with good form -- around six reps, since the strength fibers respond to weight that causes failure from 1-6. Here's the quick guide:
Strength: 1-6 reps Size: 6-12 reps Endurance: 12-20 reps
But research shows that if you don’t know your 1RM, you can still estimate it with accuracy as long as you can determine at least your 5RM. So we’ve provided an equation of determining your 1RM through your 5RM. Since many of you might train alone, and the ability to test your 1RM might prove difficult, this could be your best way to go. To test yourself, choose a weight with which you can do five reps to failure. Then plug that 5RM weight (in pounds) into the following equations.
Upper body: (5RM x 1.1307) 0.6998 = 1RM
Lower body: (5RM x 1.0970) 14.2546 = 1RM
"BUT MOM...IT'S JESUS"
"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." — Matthew 1:23
Out walking with their parents on a recent winter evening, Prayfit VP Eric Velazquez's little Mya and Ella came upon a scene that they could not resist. It’s not often that you run into a nearly-life-size donkey and cow begging for you to hop on their backs, right? Passing on propriety, they sped by their parents, the wise men, jumped right into the large nativity, and made themselves at home. Faces full of delight...click! A moment is captured forever and in the next, cautiously put on Facebook for friends near and far to enjoy.
Their parents questioned the appropriateness -- Mya and Ella questioned their caution.
“But Mom, it’s Jesus!”
Where are we in this picture? In Matthew 8, Jesus says that unless we become like children we will never enter the kingdom of Heaven; a child’s faith -- so pure and trusting -- is necessary for a relationship with Him. As adults, bogged down with day-to-day issues, it’s easy to lose the child-like ease that intimacy with the Father brings. Knowing God's character, I believe it was not only okay for Mya and Ella to make themselves at home with Jesus, He’s waiting for us to join them.
--Catrina Vargas-Cormell
An entrepreneur, Catrina Vargas-Cormell was one of the first members of the PrayFit community. Catrina is now a PrayFit executive committee member and PrayFit Group leader in El Paso, Texas. For more from Catrina, join her group, “Hungry!,” on Facebook or visit her PrayFit workout journal.
SHOP & STAY LEAN Don’t let holiday shopping derail your healthy-living goals
“It’s the heart of the holiday shopping season: Malls are flooded, parking lots are jam-packed, and your inbox is overflowing with e-coupons,” says Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, PrayFit’s resident healthy-eating expert. “Whether you’re hitting up the food court or doing your shopping online, keep these tips in mind.”
Don’t…
…munch on free samples. The calories can add up fast.
…shop hungry. Eat a sensible meal before you head out to the store or sit at the computer.
…swig liquid calories. Large sodas and full-fat peppermint lattes can have as many calories as a meal.
…go overboard on holiday goodies. Just because you can buy a 10-pound bar of chocolate shaped like a Christmas tree doesn’t mean that you should.
Do…
…resist the wafting smells from the pretzel and cookie stands. Save those calories for holiday parties.
…pack power snacks. Granola bars, fresh fruit, peanut butter crackers, and trail mix are good options.
…keep your mouth occupied. If you find yourself mindlessly snacking, chew sugarless gum or sip on a calorie-free drink.
…wash your hands before you eat, especially after a day of shopping.
>> For more healthy holiday tips, visit Dana’s Healthy Eats blog on the Food Network.
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition.
A PROVERBS WOMAN
October 14, 2011Read Proverbs 31
“She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.” --Proverbs 31:17
For many women in the church today, reading about the woman in Proverbs 31 can be a little intimidating. If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking one of two things. One, Wow, now that is an amazing woman and two, I hope my husband never sees this chapter! I mean, goodnight, is she human? This is quite a list: she’s a credit to her husband, she’s wise, she cooks, she sews, she shops, she’s a business woman, she’s charitable, she stays very busy, she works out, she—wait, she works out? Really?
Verse 17 says: “She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.” To “gird” means to surround, equip or to prepare oneself for action.
In all my years of being in church and hearing about the ‘virtuous woman,’ I can’t remember this verse ever being highlighted. We hear about her honor, her selflessness and her business savvy, and these are all great qualities but why have we skipped over what is clearly a key to how and why she can accomplish so much?
I don’t know about you, but when I work out consistently I have more energy to tackle everything that’s on my plate. I’m less stressed, I’m even tempered (read: less cranky) and I’m better prepared for life’s challenges. I don’t have time to be lethargic, moody or ‘out of it.’ Does anyone? So, I’m thinking, if this woman had time to work out, surely we can fit it in. Now, I’m not suggesting she was doing push-ups on the side of a well and doing walking lunges to and from, but she was doing something, right?
One of the great benefits of working out (along with a sensible diet) is being healthy, strong and available for service when God calls us onto the field. Being sidelined by health-related issues was never part of God’s plan of an abundant life for us. So, we need not be intimidated by our Proverbs 31 woman. After all, we’ve found her secret. Now it’s time to see her as a whole, understand that she was indeed human and in the midst of her busy life, still found time to “gird herself with strength.”
--Catrina Vargas-Cormell
An entrepreneur, Catrina Vargas-Cormell was one of the first members of the PrayFit community. Catrina is now a PrayFit executive committee member and PrayFit Group leader in El Paso, Texas. For more from Catrina, join her group, “Hungry!,” on Facebook or visit her PrayFit workout journal.
P-31: THE BOOK If today's entry piqued your interest on the Proverbs woman, read "P-31: Proverbs Women in Rush Hour Traffic, Navigating Serenity in a World of Chaos," by one of our best friends and most faithful PrayFit supporters, Sandie Powell. For more information on her book and its must-know concepts, e-mail Sandie at [email protected]. All of the proceeds will be invested in the support and training of national pastors, bible and Christian literature distribution, church planting, and other support ministries in Southeast Asia.
PRAYFIT TO RELEASE FIRST DVD New 33-day program available through Lionsgate Entertainment Dec. 6
On December 6, Lionsgate Entertainment will release PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge to a global audience. The DVD will feature a 33-minute, bodyweight-only program that boosts strength, stamina and flexibility. The program’s 33-day length is a nod to proven habit-forming behavior as well as the length of Jesus’s life. “He gave us 33 years,” says PrayFit founder Jimmy Pena, MS, CSCS. “Let’s give him 33 minutes for 33 days, honoring the one who made us.”
>> For the full story on the PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge, click here. Or, to preorder immediately, visit Amazon.