Look Great, Feel Great: Key 3

Key 3: Exercise

My favorite part of this chapter is when Joyce talks about how exercise makes you happy. When I read that I immediatly thought of this quote: "Exercise creates endorphins, endorphins make you happy! Happy people just don't kill their husbands!" Haha, oh dear, I am a dork, yes this quote is from Legally Blonde (love it!).

But it is true! Exercise does make you happy! When you are stressed to the max, your body goes crazy. You pace, you fidget, you don't know what to do! Thats because your body wants you to exercise! That way you will release endorphins and lower your stress level. I never thought of it this way, but God, in his infinite wisdom, made us perfectly! We have a tool to counteract stress, and that is exercise!

Joyce says that studies have shown that exercise can even help some forms of depression and those who do not react to anti-depressants.

God created us to be movers & shakers. Not drivers & sitters. We are created to move, that's why we have joints, muscles, endorphins... The world continues to create so many 'convienances' for us, that cause us to be less active. Sure we get things done faster but our stress levels and weight pay for it!

I like this chapter because Joyce doesn't just say.. exercise is good, will make you thin, ok moving on..... she actually talks about the health benefits, in detail. Apparantly regular exercise could prevent diabetes, heart diseases and other health problems.

Here is an example: when you exercise, your blood is pumped harder. When your blood is pumping more, not only are you getting a good workout, but so are you veins, aretries, blood cells, etc. Its internal, not just external. If you have a strong running 'motor system' you are less likely to develop diseases.

Another example: Your body uses glucose (sugar) for energy, when there is too much glucose your body stores it. Your blood cells actually absorb the sugar as well. What happens when you keep adding sugar to something? It gets sticky! Your blood gets sticky and will stick to things, causing blockages... which causes strokes, heart failures.. etc... So if you are consuming too much energy, and not burning enough... you're in trouble!

Oh and one more that I thought was interesting: Osteoporisis can also be avoided! If you exercise regularily, you can prevent brittle bones! As you get older you might tend to exercise less and this causes your bones to slowly break down. However if you keep them active, they will be in great shape a lot longer!

This doesn't mean you should start training to be the next olympian... but if you can fit a 30minute walk into your day, every day, you will greatly increase your life span, and quality of life! Is there somewhere you could walk to instead of taking the car? How about riding a bike? What can you do today to improve your quality of life?

Series: Look Great, Feel Great: Key Two

Key Two: Love Yourself, Love Your Body

This key seems obvious, and yet it is something that not many people put into practice. Love Yourself! In order to treat your body right, give it the things it needs, you need to actually care about it.

In today's world healthy is not necessarily the goal. Many people that we 'look up to' are super skinny, but do you think they are healthy?

It is unfortunate that it is so hard to feel good about ourselves. We have such a scewed view of beauty. We are constantly bombarded with images though all types of media. Beauty sells, and that is why all these companies only put the skinniest, prettiest girls in the ads. Not to mention all the editing and airbrushing that goes into the picture. I am sure most of us remember the Dove Evolution Commercial (If not you can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U)

Even though these women that we see in the ads are artist's renditions, we still feel the need to look like them.

It is sad that we look to the world's artists for beauty. What about the greatest artist of all? The one who created the ultimate masterpiece: YOU!

(1 Corinthians 3:16) Do YOU not know that YOU people are God’s temple, and that the spirit of God dwells in YOU?

(1 Corinthians 6:19) What! Do YOU not know that the body of YOU people is [the] temple of the holy spirit within YOU, which YOU have from God? Also, YOU do not belong to yourselves

(1 Corinthians 6:16) And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are a temple of a living God; just as God said: “I shall reside among them and walk among [them], and I shall be their God, and they will be my people

In the book it mentions this fact:

It was found that people who are underweight and unhealthy have the same risk of disease and life expectancy as those who are overweight and unhealthy. Futhermore those who were 10 pounds overweight (slightly overweight) but active & healthy had the same life expectancy as those who were average size and active.

So the key is activity! Which she promises to talk about later on in the book.

Joyce also told a story of a friend, she said her friend had been struggling for years and years with her weight. Then one day she came to Joyce and told her "I am going to focus on being healthy and giving my body what it needs, then I know that I will eventually be the weight that I am supposed to be". (Not exactly word for word)

If we could all realise and know what our bodies need. Good foods and exercise. If we could make those our goal, instead of weighing x amount of pounds... I think we'd be a lot happier.

Your body is a temple, treat it right. If we do, we'll be at our full potential and ready for God's Will.

Series: Look great, Feel Great: Key One

So I have begun to read the book and so far it is very good. The author suggests that you read the entire book before starting to implement her 12 keys. This is because you should do each key in order, and spend as much time as you need on each key. Once you feel you are successful then you go on to the next key.

I will briefly describe each key as I read them. Then when the book is done I will continue to post my progress, however the posts will only come as I complete each key.

Key One: Let God do the heavy lifting.

For this key Joyce recommends taking one step to building your relationship with God. The basis of a happy, healthy life all depends on Jesus.

Joyce wrote about how willpower is made to be such an important part of life (by the world). Also everyone believes the lie that you can be succesfull as long as you have a strong willpower. However, how many of us have been on a diet, at first your willpower is strong because you are determined. Then slowly the willpower starts to fade, until its gone.

Only God's power is strong enough. There is no way we can do anything on our own. If you try, you will fail. God will not fail, His power will not fade. Cast your burdens onto God. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Let Him show us the way. Never believe the lie that your willpower alone is strong enough, because you will always be disappointed.

Look Great, Feel Great Series: Day One - My Journey to a Healthy Life

I was at the library today and found the book "Look Great, Feel Great: 12 Keys to Enjoying a Healthy Life Now". I thought it would be interesting if I documented my journey while reading the book. I will write a blog for each of the 12 Keys and then let you know what is helping. I will try to be brutaliy honest! To start, here is the exerpt from the back cover of the book:

Do you have any idea how valuable you are?

If you suffer from self-doubt or self-hatred, if you abuse your body with bad food or bad habits, even if you simply put yourself at the very bottom of the list of people you do things for, under the kids and spouse and parents and boss and friends, then you do not understand your own value. If you did, you wouldn't treat yourself that way.

You were put on this earth to spread God's love, and nothing could be more valuable than that. Maybe you never learned your own importance. It took me many years of studying God's Word and fellowshipping with Him before I got even an inkling of my own worth.

Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received (as a gift) from God? You are not on your own.

1 Corinthians 6:19

God has a great future planned for you and you need to be ready for it! You need to be looking great and feeling great, ready to do whatever God asks you to do.

- Joyce Meyer, from the Introduction

I hope this book will help me to break some of my bad habits! I will let you know what I find inspirational. I welcome you to join me on this journey!