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THE PRAYFIT DEVOTION

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Down To Her Level

"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us..." --John 1:14

Read: John 1

Yesterday we wrote about a wild bald eagle that shows up in the most unexpected of places: the zoo. According to wildlife experts, this majestic male is likely fond of a female eagle being held in captivity. But what we didn't touch on was the reason she can't be set free: she's injured and too vulnerable to survive in the wild. So, he comes to see her. For reasons he doesn't understand, she can't follow him. So he comes down to her level, because she can't get up to his.

Those eagles sure are making it hard for us to think about anything else. Imagine, God did more than pay a visit, He made our home His own. He opened earth's door, stepped inside and threw away the key. He breathed our air and slept on the dirt. The thought of us trying to survive on our own was enough to kill him. So He stayed.

--Jimmy Peña

Question: Are you injured? Physically? Are you battling health issues unseen? What about emotionally? Spiritually? Isn't it a comfort to know that Jesus never leaves? Say 'Amen' if you're with me.

CARBS: The Truth About Fuel There are scores of books and mounds of literature on the consumption of carbohydrates and how this macronutrient relates to performance and body composition. But the bottom line is that your body needs carbohydrate to fuel any number of basic processes. Carbs are the preferred fuel source of the cell, so going totally without them in hopes of shedding a few pounds can end up working against you. Here's the truth about this misunderstood macro.

>> Click here for the full story!

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HE KNEW

September 14, 2011 Read: John 14

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” --John 14:9

When God the creator put the finishing touches on our unique souls, He knew. He knew we'd scrape our shins, disobey parents and upset friends. He knew our kids would reject us, enemies would haunt us and our memory would fail us; and all before losing life's final war with pain. He knew, but that didn't stop Him.

He proceeded to count hairs on heads then fingers and toes. He added color to eyes, dimples on chins and swivels to hips. Why didn't He stop? He knew that what life rejects, Christ accepts. Someday, you and I will see what became of us the day we believed...what the Maker knew.

--J.P.

CEREAL SOLUTIONS What to look for in your breakfast bowl
We all love a good bowl of cereal, whether it's for breakfast or a late-night comfort snack. But not all cereals are created equal. PrayFit VP Eric Velazquez grew up with what he calls an "undiagnosed addiction to Cap'n Crunch," but is now wise to what makes a good, healthy cereal (hint: it's not a prize at the bottom of the box).
PrayFit contributing nutritionist Christie Menna, MS, RD, offers these following label readings to look for when selecting your next box of cereal to augment your healthy lifestyle.
>> 150-200 calories per serving (usually a serving is 1 cup)
>> Less than 6 grams of sugar per serving
>> At least 5 grams of fiber per serving
>> Look for cereals made with whole grains and that contain less than 1.5g saturated fat
Christie's Top Picks: Kashi Go Lean®, Multi-Grain Cheerios®, Kashi Sunshine®, Shredded Wheat®, Honey Bunches of Oats®, Bran Flakes®, Wheaties®
Christie Menna, MS, RD, is a consumer safety officer with the Food and Drug Administration and personal nutrition coach based in Long Island, New York. For more on Christie, visit her at www.activeeatingnutrition.com.
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NO BETTER PLACE

April 4, 2011 Quote of the Week:

"There's no better place to be on earth than on the road that leads to heaven." --Steven Curtis Chapman

Workout of the Week: Test Yourself

Spring is a great time to test yourself on your strength, power and endurance levels. And the simpler the better, so nothing too fancy. All we're going to do are a few exercises to exhaustion, a bit old school if you will. The jump squat, push-up (modified or standard), double crunch, and the plank (for time).

Do as many jump squats, push-ups and double crunches as you can with good form. Mark that number. When it comes to planks, hold the plank for as long as you can and record the time when you reach failure. You can repeat the four exercises as many times as you want or have time for and record the total number of reps per round. Keep that number handy for next time.

>> EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS

>> EXERCISE VIDEOS

Welcome to Monday. In Jesus' name.

JP

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AIM AT HEAVEN

February 22, 2011

Quote of the Week: "Aim at heaven, and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth, and you get neither."- C.S Lewis

WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: Lunge for Better Legs

Walking is a fantastic exercise that can provide a strong base of cardiovascular fitness, particularly when you push yourself to walk faster and farther each time. But those who can do more should in order to achieve higher levels of fitness and to force the body to continue changing. So this week, we're adding a tougher twist to your normally casual stroll through the neighborhood.

Lunge walking is a great activity that puts a huge demand on all the major muscle groups in your legs, especially two areas that women prefer to target -- butt and thighs. To do a walking lunge properly, you simply take a longer-than-normal stride, then lower yourself by bending at both knees until your back knee almost touches the ground. Then, power yourself up and take another long stride and repeat. When you take that forward step, make sure not to allow your front knee to travel over or past your toes – if they do, you are putting your knee under too much stress.  You can prevent that by simply taking longer steps.

Lunge This Way

Take today's workout outdoors, if possible. If you can't simply apply these principles to the traditional lunge.

Traditional Lunge | VIDEO

After about five minutes of walking at a brisk pace, take 25 lunge steps with each leg, then walk at a brisk pace for 1-2 minutes. After that walk, repeat the process and take 25 more lunge steps. Repeat this 2-3 times total on your walk today.

If you have knee or hip problems, don’t worry about taking deep lunges – simply lower your body as far as is comfortable. You’ll still get the benefits of a more advanced workout today.

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A LOVE NOTE

February 15, 2011Read: John 13

"A new command I give you: Love one another." -- John 13:34

If you looked for me yesterday, you needed only to check the Hallmark store. Like many a husband, I waited to the last moment to find the one thing that matters most to my wife: a card.

Sure, I could come home with chocolate, flowers and diamonds, but if I were to forget the card, I might as well have forgotten her name. See, jewelry reaches her hand, but words find her heart. And her reaction says it all.

God gave, and He could have stopped at the world, but didn't. He put His love in writing. And to Him...our reaction says it all.

--J.P.

KNOW SQUAT

This week's workout -- Legs in 10 -- revolves around various versions of the squat. That's because this multi-joint move, which includes action at your hips, knees and ankles, is central to nearly every activity that we perform on a daily basis both in the gym and out. Done properly, the squat uses a tremendous amount of muscle, meaning that strength gains -- and fat loss -- are sure to follow. Familiarize yourself with the basics of the bodyweight squat to start changing your body from the legs up.

Bodyweight Squat | Focus: Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, lower back | (VIDEO)

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, a light bend in your knees and your toes turned out slightly. Keeping your head neutral, abs tight and torso erect, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your body as if you were going to sit down in a chair. Pause when your legs reach a 90-degree angle, then forcefully drive through your heels, extending at your hips and knees until you arrive at the standing position.

>> EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS AND VIDEOS

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CAPTIVE AUDIENCE: PART II

February 3, 2011Read: John 1

"And the word became flesh and dwelt among us..." --John 1:14

Yesterday we wrote about a wild bald eagle that shows up in the most unexpected of places: the zoo. According to wildlife experts, this majestic male is likely fond of a female eagle being held in captivity. But what we didn't touch on was the reason she can't be set free: she's injured and too vulnerable to survive in the wild. So, he comes to see her. For reasons he doesn't understand, she can't follow him. So he comes down to her level, because she can't get up to his.

Those eagles sure are making it hard for us to think about anything else. Imagine, God did more than pay a visit, He made our home His own.  He opened earth's door, stepped inside and threw away the key. He breathed our air and slept on the dirt. The thought of us trying to survive on our own was enough to kill him...so He stayed.

--J.P.

TRUE OR FALSE Time to test your healthy-living acumen

1. You burn more calories warming the body than cooling it. 2. You cause more muscle damage walking downhill than struggling to walk uphill. 3. The longest muscle in the body is the sartorius. 4. Stretching doesn't prevent injury. 5. The safest time of day to have a cheat meal is immediately following a workout.

How did you score? Find out the answers tomorrow.

>> HOT TOPIC: Does God call us to be fit? Chime in with your opinion on this question that is at the heart of PrayFit's mission.

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