A Dangerous Prayer

"Why did we ever leave Egypt?" -Numbers 11:20

Read: Numbers 11

Did you catch it? They actually missed prison. Not long after the Israelites met freedom, they actually longed for captivity. Behind bars they had no choices. As inmates, they had no responsibility. Even though they were trapped, they were warm, cozy, and full. Their prayer for freedom was a dangerous one. Nothing a generation in the desert couldn't answer.

What about us? When was the last time you and I prayed dangerously? About finances, a relationship...our health? See, once they were set free, the Israelites faced the need for obedience and responsibility; so do we. Folks, our bodies are merely tools, not finished products. Better fitness simply means better equipped. It's tough to visit the poor from the couch, and it's impossible to see the hurting in our own mirror. But we're warm, cozy, and full (even if of ourselves). (Note: this should speak to both the fit and the not-so-fit.)

If God allows us the opportunity for better health, what will we do with it? Will we sit? Focus on ourselves? Will we allow a generation to wander before we see health as a means of praise? If so, why did we ever leave Egypt?

Jimmy Peña

STUDY: HIGHER PROTEIN DIETS BETTER FOR BODY COMPOSITION

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who consistently consume more calories than they burn each day will lose lean muscle and accumulate body fat more easily if their diets contain too little protein and too much fat and carbohydrates.

The results of the study suggest that the minimum protein intake federal health officials currently recommend -- 46 grams per day for women and 56 grams per day for men -- may not be enough to maintain muscle mass in some people. The study participants needed to consume at least 78 grams of protein per day to avoid losing muscle.

>> For the full story from CNN, click here.

GEAR UP: Looking for PrayFit books, DVDs or apparel? You're just one click away. Visit the newly-designed PrayFit store by clicking here.

FREE TO GO

August 16, 2011Read: John 8

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." --John 8:32

This last weekend, a Sacramento man was arrested for breaking into prison. (Yes, I had to read it twice as well). But indeed, a man for reasons yet to be revealed, was found trying to sneak back into a prison from which he had already been paroled.

Oh we scoff, but if you're like me, you've broken back into your share. Old habits, old routines, old worries. And though they don't have locks and iron bars, they do hold us captive.

Well, when it comes to your health, you're free. Free from guilt of the past, and free from any fear of tomorrow. Our prisons are no match for the one whose cross stamped pardoned on our hearts. So today, let freedom echo down the halls of your day in how you eat, train and live. After all, we're prisoners of hope -- bound only by grace -- and we're free to go.

--J.P.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chicken or Tuna Salad Pockets

Selecting the proper protein to build a dinner around can be fun -- unless you're crunched for time. If you need a speedy solution that's healthy and palate-pleasing, try this recipe from PrayFit contributing nutritionist Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD.

"It’s also easy to vary the ingredients based on personal preference," she says. "The yogurt is a healthier, lower-calorie filler than mayonnaise and provides a creamy consistency, although a small amount of mayonnaise is used. Add a piece of fruit to round out the meal."

Ingredients:

One (6-ounce) can tuna or chicken, packed in water, without salt

3 ribs celery, diced

½ cup cut-up fruit, such as sliced grapes, diced apples, or mandarin oranges

2 tablespoons reduced-fat canola-oil based mayonnaise

½ cup nonfat plain yogurt (may use more or less in order to get the desired consistency)

Optional add-ins: 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds, or ½ teaspoon curry powder

2 whole-grain pita pockets, cut in half

Directions:

Drain the tuna/chicken and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Add optional ingredients, if desired. Spoon into pita pocket halves. Serves 2.

NUTRITION FACTS (per serving): 367 calories, 9g fat (2g saturated fat), 555mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 29g protein.

Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian and works at a Washington, D.C.-based independent, nonprofit science organization, where her work is currently focused on environmental and policy solutions to obesity prevention. She also speaks to groups about health and nutrition and provides nutrition education to patients at a free medical clinic that serves low-income, uninsured adults in the D.C. area. You can view more of Emily’s nutrition tips and updates by following her on Twitter, @EmilyAMillerRD.

THE NEW YEAR IS IN ME

January 3, 2011Read: 2 Corinthians 5

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old is gone, the new is here." --2 Corinthians 5: 17

The confetti is all but cleaned up, the streamers are in the trash, and the calendar is brand new. Deep breath...ah, so this is 2011! But it doesn't take long for things to feel normal again does it? For some reason, the commute this morning is still bumper to bumper, co-workers are still grumpy, and junk food made its way to your lunch box. Seems last year's ho-hums and habits still cast their shadows.

Truth is, a new year is only new if we make it that way. For you and me, a change in year only matters when it changes in here (this is me pointing to my heart). So starting today, no matter what seems old, let's find a way to make it new. That commute? Try seeing it as an extended quiet time with the Lord. Those co-workers? Be the only one in the office unwilling to gossip. And at lunch, be the first to push away from the table as a way to praise the Lord for health. Slowly but surely, we'll realize the difference is in us. Seems those weren't shadows after all.

It was shade.

--J.P.

START THE NEW YEAR WITH PRAYFIT

January 6 marks the "official" nationwide release of PrayFit: Your Guide to a Healthy Body and a Stronger Faith in 28 Days. It's only days away, but it's been circled on our calendars for months. Now that it's here -- just in time for our season of renewal -- we hope (and pray) that you'll welcome this date with similar enthusiasm.

"We can't tell you how excited we are," says Jimmy Pena, founder of PrayFit. "It might not be the last fitness book you'll ever buy, but with today's steep decline of faith, we feel it's the one book this country needs more than ever."

This book is great for beginners, someone coming off of a long layoff, or even the seasoned athlete wanting to maintain his or her stamina. It's a bodyweight-only, at-home workout and devotional replete with nutrition tips and meal plans.

"You've got to pick one up for yourself and for a friend or loved one!" says Pena.

But PrayFit is much more than what fills those pages. Find out below how you can use PrayFit to make 2011 one for...the books!

>> LEARN: To learn more about PrayFit: Your Guide to A Healthy Body and A Stronger Faith in 28 Days, click here.

>> START: For a message from the founder and some tips on how to use PrayFit.com as an ongoing resource for your faith and fitness goals in 2011, click here.

>> SHARE: Build accountability into your program for the new year by starting your own fitness journal and engaging with other PrayFit users at our forums.

>> NETWORK: We're a faith and fitness community...and we're digital. "Like" us at the Official PrayFit Facebook page or "Follow us" on Twitter.