GAIN JOY!!!!

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  John 10:10

Satan tried to steal my joy this past Sunday night, when he crashed my computer just as I completed my blog for the night at 1045pm!  But I don't give up that easily!!   Last night was busy night with my parents coming to watch Avery's bball game, and the Dynamic Duo perform their PIP routine at the game.  I had been busy all day with doing laundry, unpacking from spending weekend at my parents, and cooking brisket & fixins for the family last night.  I almost skipped my You Version when I crawled in bed, but decided to read my passages.  And the peace I felt when I went to sleep last night after reading the Word was wonderful!

The JOY I want to talk to you about is the JOY OF EXERCISE!!!  I can already see some of you giving me the "yeah, right" look or even chuckling aloud!!  But stay with me here...

If you hate doing something, how long do you think you will stay committed to doing it???  Now, I know laundry is the exception, especially when my kids are asking where their clean undies are!! LOL!!  (BTW, I am all for disposable clothes!!  haha!)   But seriously, if you don't enjoy your current exercise program, odds are it won't take much to get you missing it here and there, which we all know turns into 3-4 times a week, and then it's a month before we "MOVE" any of our body in the form of exercise.   And satan finds ways to make us too busy for exercise!!!!  Do you think he wants you feeling stronger - mentally and physically?  NO!!! Because he knows if he can keep you down on yourself, with low self-esteem, he knows the odds of you being a light to others for the work of the Kingdom of God is very small!!  Satan doesn't care what you weigh or what you eat.  He only cares that if he can use food or lack of exercise of to get you down on yourself, where you don't feel worthy to talk about the love of God, or how Jesus saves you by His grace.  Satan is that little voice in your head that says, "Instead of turning to God, turn to that donut or instead of going for a power walk after work, just go home and lay on the couch.  You deserve it!"   

Let me tell you satan is a liar and deceiver!!!!  And he is so very good at it, that it just seems like it is all ok when he puts a branch in your path to cause you to stumble!!  So next time you feel like grabbing something high in fat, sugar, and calories...stop and say, "Go on devil, I don't need you.   God is on my side!!"   

Back to JOY in exercising (I'm a little ADHD as my close friends will tell you! Haha!):   I use to personal train a gentleman at the LifeStyle Centre at Covenant, and he absolutely hated to do any cardio workout on treadmill, eliptical, or bike.  He really didn't enjoy lifting weights either (or maybe it was because I made him do it correctly, and made him work hard enough to be sore on regular basis! ha).  But one day as I watched him playing racquetball with such passion and zeal (and let's just say it was good thing glass to court was sound proof! haha), I had an idea.  I made a deal with him that he could teach me how to play racquetball 2 times a week and I could personal train him in cardio/weighted workout 2-3 times a week, without him griping the entire workout!!   He said, "Deal!"  I really think he liked the idea of torturing me in the court as much as I tortured him!!   Well, after about 3 weeks had passed, he began enjoying my workouts for him, because he also knew he would get to kick my rear in the racquetball court.   Me, being the competitive person I am, however, did learn a lot about playing the game, and realized I had been too judgemental about the intensity of the game.  But let me say, for someone who played tennis in high school, racquetball was quite comical at first if you were watching me!!  LOL!!

My point to this story is you need to find an exercise program YOU ENJOY!!!    Write it down in your appointment book or in your calendar app on your phone!!!  Don't let anything "cancel" your appointment to exercise.   (Unless you have a child at home with the flu maybe! haha...just kidding!).  If you are fearful to try a group workout class, then make a deal with yourself.   If you enjoy walking, tell yourself you will walk 2 days a week, and do a class 2 days a week.  Most people I have had start taking my workout classes will tell me that had to work up to it (mentally) but once they finally took the plunge, they LOVED IT!!!!  Ok so maybe love/hate it!!!  Especially when it involves names of animals, like froggies, doggies, roasted pigs!!  (Inside humor with my BEGC Divas and Motley Crew!!)  

Another benefit of participating in a group class is accountability.   But that is tomorrow's blog!!  Tonight is a challenge to you to find something YOU ENJOY DOING ON A REGULAR BASIS.  (3-4 times a week).  Sometimes your area may limit you somewhat if you don't have access to group classes or a gym with cardio/weight equipment.  But there are endless options out there!!   One of my favorite workouts I do is Turbo Fire with Chalene Johnson.   I am a Beach Body coach, which gives me 25% off any products, and I ordered this video set last year, and love it  when I don't have a class or on the weekend.   Honestly, I have several dvds but this is the only one I will do by myself.   I actually enjoy it more when I make the MC do it with me so they feel my pain too!!  Just kidding!  

Time for some Word now...but be thinking and researching what you can do to exercise.  AND DON'T WAIT TIL NEXT WEEK TO START!!!!!  Tell yourself in the morning, "Today I will start __________."

Set an alarm on your phone if you need reminding.  Start with 20minutes, and JUST DO IT!!  

What is holding you back??  Time? Money? Access to gym?    Later this week I will give you suggestions for a great home workout that doesn't cost a dime!!!!!!  Until then, throw on your tennis shoes and go walking.   Gorgeous weather we have been having here.  Do a video with your kids.  JUST MOVE AND ENJOY how much better you feel when you get your heart pumping a little!!  

"Lord, I just thank you right now for my health...for giving my dr wisdom to put me on medication that would free me from rheumatoid arthritis pain that I have felt for 13 years!!! I praise YOU Father, for giving me strength and talent to teach my classes.   And more than that, I praise you that I find JOY in exercising with my Motley Crew (and the BEGC Divas before).  I thank you Jesus that you have put so many people in my life through the last 20 years that have blessed me in ways I never imagined.   What a privilege I have had to share my JOY and Passion with them through my love of exercise.   Lord, keep me from letting exercise become an idol, and may I always glorify You in what I do.   I lift up each person reading this, that YOU will allow them to find JOY to help take care of that body that was fearfully and wonderfully made!!  Thank you Jesus, for this time I have to write, and for how it blesses me!  In Jesus' name, Amen

Shakeology Link

beachbodycoach.com/coachkeitha

in case you couldn't access through the Break the Fast blog!!

BREAK THE FAST!!!

www.beachbodycoach.com/coachkeitha"After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  Satan came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."  Jesus answered, "It is written:  'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"  Matthew 4:2-4

Do you ever wake up in the morning, and feel like YOU had been fasting 40 days??  or maybe just 40 hours?  or maybe just 4 hours?? LOL!!  Many of you know why breakfast is called just that...it breaks the fasting you did while you were sleeping.    Many people I talk to (my teenage daughter included!) say they are not hungry when they first get up.  I, personally, have never had that problem!!  haha!

But everything I have read and researched states that BREAKFAST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY!!  Like you have not heard that a gazillion times from your grandmother, mother, teachers, etc!!

But do you really know WHY??  Your body has been fasting on night, and your metabolism slows down while you sleep.  It does require some energy to pump blood from your heart to supply all your organs with the oxygen they need while you snooze.  (Sometimes I wonder if my brain was O2 deprived during the night!! LOL).  But seriously, your metabolism slows down.  So how do you kick-start it back up to burn more calories in the day??  BY EATING BREAKFAST!!!!  

I tell Avery almost daily, that skipping breakfast is like not putting gas in your car...how ya gonna get anywhere??  (and I ran out of gas literally this last fall, and not a good feeling when your are stranded on side of road! ha).  

Now do I need to put the most expensive gas in my car to get from point A to point B??  NO!

Just needs some gas.  So do you need to eat bacon, eggs, pancakes, biscuits & gravy for breakfast to boost your metabolism??  NO!!!!!!  You simply need about 300 calories consisting of whole grain carbohydrates, some protein, and some fruit.   

So now your asking, "well what do I eat?"  Here are some of MY favorite breakfast meals:

* whole grain Sara Lee delightful slice of toast with 1 tbsp peanut butter with sliced strawberries

*1 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup all bran cereal buds, 10 almonds or walnuts, and 1/4 cup dried fruit

*KB's Breakfast Burrito:  Scramble 3 egg whites, saute 1/2 bell pepper (red and yellow my favorite).  Place in whole wheat tortilla and sprinkle 1/2 cup mozeralla shredded cheese.  Add salsa of your choice.  Wrap up and ENJOY!!!  Packed with protein and you get a 1/2 serving of veggie in there too!!

*SHAKEOLOGY:  Mix 1 cup almond milk, 1 scoop chocolate shakeology, 1 Tbsp of peanut butter or PB2 powder (*see note below), add 1 cup crushed ice...blend and you have $40 dollars of fruits/veggies in a shake with 18 grams of protein.  And it tastes like a Wendy's frosty!!  YUM!!

Now I must confess something to ya'll...I love, love, love bacon!!!!! Ever since I was pregnant with Harbor, I could eat bacon every meal!!  Don't ya love how hormones do crazy things to us, Ladies??    And I know bacon high in fat; however, I eat very low fat 90% of time, so I allow myself bacon once a week.  I will eat 3 slices bacon that I cook on bacon cooker that drains off fat in microwave, and add a bowl of oatmeal and piece of fruit, and I am a HAPPY CAMPER!!  

Let's go back to skipping breakfast...(please don't feel like I am lecturing you like I do my 13-yr old who just doesn't care for breakfast),  but if you are trying to lose weight, and you think only eating one meal a day is the key.... WRONG!!!!!    Any scientific research (that is legit), will tell you it is the worst thing to do on your body.   When you skip breakfast, your metabolism just speeds up enough to get dressed, drive to work, etc.  Then  when you finally eat lunch or maybe even dinner, you know what your body does???  STORES MOST OF IT AS FAT!!!!!!    You may lose weight on scale initially, but your body is storing up fat, (fat is lighter than muscle in weight), and you are gonna have a very hard time getting weight off and keeping it off. 

If you get nothing else from my blog today, please get something in your kitchen you will eat for breakfast, even if it's on the way out the door!!   Some other alternatives I use for myself and Avery are P90X protein bars (which don't taste like nasty chalk cardboard like many I have tried in my day!).  There are several flavors to choose from.  (See note below).    Also, Luna bars are one of Avery's favorites, and they have 9 grams protein, 10 grams sugar in 180 calories.   Avery and I are "nuts" over the "Nutz over Chocolate" bar!!  You can buy these at walmart and target.   

The key to being healthy is eating fruits/veggies, whole grain breads, lean protein 90% of the time, and keeping your body fueled throughout the day!!!!  If you skip a meal, you are way more likely to overeat at the next meal!!!  Plus, let's face it...our bodies are smart (have to be since they were designed by God), and the body knows if you are gonna consistently skip meals, the body slows down its metabolism to conserve more of your fat stores.    Basically, the body thinks your are going to "starve" it, so when you do finally eat, most of it is going to be stored...AS FAT!!!  

Head to the grocery store this weekend, and find some healthy foods to stock up on that will keep your body running!!!  Especially if you are exercising on daily basis!!   You will be stronger and be able to work harder if you keep your "tank filled" with the "good stuff" your body needs!

"Lord, I lift up every person out there who is reading this, and I pray that You will just use these words YOU given me to encourage and lift them up.    Satan tries to tear us down, but God we praise you that YOU are bigger and stronger than he, and that YOU created us to be like YOU.  May we take care of our "temple" today in a way that is pleasing to You, and also makes us feel better inside and out.    In Jesus' precious and Holy name, Amen!"

Keitha Beth

*Shakeology Note:   If you like to drink your shake for breakfast but don't have time to make it in the morning with getting kids ready and yourself ready, make it the night before and freeze!!  You can set it out while you are getting ready, then drink on way to work.  

*PB2 Powder:   Have just discovered this awesome new product this last fall!!!  You can get it at health food stores, and if you live in West Texas, I get it at United Market Street or Drug Emporium.  Only 45 calories per serving, & no sugar!!!  I add 1 tbsp to my shake to get that "Reeses" flavor!! YUM!!

I have had several inquiries about Shakeology through this blog.  Go to my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/coachkeitha.    Check out the info there about Shakeology and P90X bars.  I would love to send you a sample of Shakeology if you would like to try it!!  

And PLEASE comment to me with questions, comments, or success stories you want to share!!  

How do I live without Sugar???

Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me” (Matthew 11:28-29)

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Well my devotionals I receive via email have been about REST the last 3 days...do you think God is telling me something?  After our busy weekend with stock show, and getting the privilege to go back to Seminole to train some of my Brown-Eyed Girls on teaching step workout, I was dragging yesterday.  However, let me say, I was full of energy with teaching to the Divas our Step Extreme Class Sunday afternoon...God is soooo good to let me do something I so enjoy!  I give Him the glory...for my energy and talent, and for our sore calves, arms, legs too!! Lol!!

 But as I read this devotional just now, and I was planning on talking about importance of breakfast tonight...the Holy Spirit redirected me.  I almost stayed with MY plan on breakfast but I knew if I wanted this to speak to anyone it couldn't be about me!! Ha!!  So, if the Lord wills it tomorrow, be sure to check out why YOU DON'T SKIP BREAKFAST!

I want to share my devotional I read then tell ya what that said to me:

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012

LEARN OF ME
by David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 - April 27, 2011]

Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me” (Matthew 11:28-29,
KJV). Christ tells us very plainly: "Do not attempt to take on a walk with Me
until you are at rest in your soul!"

If you do not have this wonderful confidence in what the Word of God says Jesus
did for you, His yoke will not be easy or light. On the contrary, you will spend
your time striving in the flesh to please God. You will go from hot to cold,
living with unnecessary guilt and shame.

I believe the key to this verse lies in the words “learn of me.” Jesus is
speaking here of the discipline of learning who He is and what He accomplished
on the cross. He is saying, "You must have a knowledge of what I have done for
you. Then, once your soul is at rest, you can take on My yoke. So, learn of
Me!"

We do not want this kind of discipline. We want to take the easy way! We are
like schoolchildren on the playground at recess who do not want to go back into
the classroom.

Perhaps today you say, "I'm reading my Bible now and praying a little each day.
I'm trying hard to do better!" This is all good, but I assure you that these
things will not keep you through the coming storm. It is not enough to try
hard, to make promises to God, to strive to be better. Nor is it enough to say,
"I'm more diligent than before." No, it is all about going after a revelation of
what Jesus did for you at the cross!

Something should cry out in all of us: "Jesus, Your Word says I can live in
total rest, peace and security. I don't have to strive in my flesh or be tossed
about by guilt or fear. You have set before me the promise of a life at rest,
but I don't have that rest. Oh, Lord, I want Your rest with everything that's
in me. Teach me by Your Spirit—I want to learn of You."

I can so put my name in this devotional...I am definitely more into the Word and praying more Spirit-filled prayers.  But God says, "Keitha, you can't do anything to impress me.  Quit trying.  But the more time you spend in My Word, and praying with a sincere heart, the more you will hear My voice telling you what my purpose is for you."

And tonight, as I was sitting here thinking of how Jesus says, "Don't try to ask me to help you through this 7 day fasting until you fall on your knees, and surrender all of your life to Me, especially giving up all your desires when it comes to food."  We so many times only think God is there to strengthen us about "major issues" like cancer, our kids' safety, finances, etc.  And in this Word from Him, He says we must lay it all down before Him, learn who He is...the Sovereign God over every single thing in this universe.  Then, we can come before Him, and say, "Lord, I plead in the name of Jesus, you will take this burden of sugar addiction, caffeine addiction, overeating, whatever it is you struggle with (that maybe even no one else knows), and that You, my Heavenly Father, will give me a lighter load."  How can I live without all of the processed sugar in our diet these days???  Not for me to ask...He just wants me to have FAITH that HE CAN AND HE WILL!!!

"Precious Lord, we thank you for Your Word, and the Power we can stand on through it.  But we know we have to surrender everything to you, Jesus, and that is so hard for us as humans.  I pray for each person who reads this to feel Your Love like never before, and to finally let go of any burdens they have been carrying, especially when it comes to their health and nutrition, any food addictions (like sugar)!  I thank you, Father in advance for the healing that will come when we learn who You really are, and what you did for us.   Most of us have the head knowledge, but we pray in the name of Jesus, it will become HEART KNOWLEDGE!   Then, we can earnestly say, Lord, take this burden from me...and HE WILL!!  In Jesus' Holy Name I pray this.."

Sugar Detox 101

"Food gained by fraud taste sweet, but one ends up with a mouth full of gravel."  Proverbs 20:17

If you ever want to know what God thinks of any topic, you can probably find it in Proverbs!!  How fitting this verse was to me, when we are talking about sugar detox the next 7 days!!!

I could not get this info to copy and paste, so please go to the link below to get the scoop on Sugar.  Great information that we all need reminding of time to time.   Remember, I am not doing some crazy diet these 7 days but just detoxifying from sugar.  Sure won't kill me...even tho passing up a warm brownie I see is difficult!  lol!!   

I am not saying you can't ever have sugar again...just give your body a break from it, and let your body tell you if it feels better!!

Check out this link for Sugar Addiction Detox 101 from Team BeachBody

www.beachbody.com/product/newsletters/nl_493.do#

Precious Father, I thank you for this information I received just last week, and that I may share it with others.  I pray Lord as your Word says, that sugar will taste like gravel in our mouths at the end of this 7 days!!  We know you did not put brownies or ice cream on this earth to make us feel guilty, but rather as a "treat" occasionally.  Forgive me, Jesus, when I let sugar, or any other obsession with food, become an idol.  
We know you have commanded us to have no other gods before YOU.   Let food not become our god.  Fill us up with your Word, and let the Holy Spirit quench our hunger and thirst.   In the glorious name of Jesus!!

Sugar Detox 101

http://www.beachbody.com/product/newsletters/nl_493.do#

GAIN BY FASTING!

Gain thru FASTING! How many of you have ever done a fast?  There are many kinds you can do:  1) spiritual fast- you give up something that hinders your prayer time for specific length of time.  Example:  fastin from tv for 30 days to spend that time reading Gods word and in prayer. 2). Physical fast- you give up food or drink for set amount time.  Example:   Liquid fast (I recommend most for active people) is giving up all solid foods, strictly drinking fluids  such as green tea, water, broth for a day.  This helps naturally detoxify the body.   SHALEOLOGY also has a 3 day cleansing fast that is a fast way to detoxify your body to feel healthy inside and out and  to get a jump start to weight loss program.  (*see tomorrow blog for more info) There is also a sugar fast or sugar detox?? Starting tomorrow join me for just that. It's not a crazy diet or Won't cost ya any money. Simply cutting out refined sugars from your normal diet. Hopefully, this doesn't mean You have nothing left in your house to eat!! But this includes the obvious like brownies, candy, cokes but also ketchup BBQ sauce, and anything that first ingredient listed is high fructose syrup. Tomorrow I will post more infor about sugar fasting or detox. Simply put, the more sugar you ingest, the more your body craves it!!!    My challenge for each of you this week (and myself included) is a 7 day Sugar Fast.   Why 7 days?  In the Bible, the number 7 represents completeness.   ( God created earth in 6 days and rested 7th;   1)Write the following verse down on sticky note and tape on your bathroom mirror or in your car where you will see it first thing in morning: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.  Phil 4:13 2) Look at your refrigerator and pantry today.  Read labels on the foods you eat on daily basis.   If you see the words high fructose corn syrup eliminate this food from your diet for 7 days.   Sauces like ketchup and BBQ sauce are high in sugar.   3) Every time you start to reach for something sweet, write down on paper or in note on your phone, why do I want something sweet right now? 4).  Instead, drop down and do 10 push ups, crunches, run or walk in place 1 minute.  If you are at work, walk to end of hallway briskly and back.   5) After you have resisted the urge to eat that brownie or snickers, close your eyes and thank the Lord Almighty for giving you strength to resist.   I want to hear from you all about your challenges/successes these next 7 days.  I have changed settings on blog so hopefully you can all comment.   If you have trouble, message me your comment.    Do you think if God created the world in 6 days, flooded the entire earth (not to mention he had 2 of every kind of animal/bird show up in Noah's backyard!), and raised Jesus from the dead in 3 days...He will have NO TROUBLE AT ALL GIVING YOU STRENGTH TO GIVE UP SUGAR FOR 7 DAYS!! But YOU have to ask Him!   "ask and it shall be given to you". Matthew 7:7 I have to close with a note that I had the privilege of teaching step class to my former Divas at Seminole, what a thrill it was for me!! I so enjoyed sweatin' for more than an hour with those girls!! They were all and still confine to be a blessing in my life!!