A Disciplined Lifestyle

Establishing good eating habits is essential to maintaining a healthy body. Making consistent bad choices, over time can lead to chronic health problems.

Remember that by his stripes we are healed.  

Isaiah: 53:5: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

This is when we need our faith.

Romans: 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

In our carnal mind it is easy to blame others or even past circumstances for our bad choices.

It is here, where most of us fall into that viscous cycle of eating the wrong foods and over eating in general. Taking responsibility for ourselves will help us realizing that in our weakness God does his best work.  

2 Corinthians: 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Our desires are at the center of our emotions. A person’s emotions influence their individual free will. The center of our emotions is referred to as our heart

Proverb: 4:23: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Learning to lean on God instead of our emotions to make the right choices will bring about lifestyle changes. This will help us to become healthy in our mind, body and spirit. 

The more we learn about how much GOD LOVES US; the more we will understand.  

Then we will want to seek God's blessings in all areas of our life

1John: 4:10: In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that HE LOVED US and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

This childhood prayer is a perfect prayer

God is great God is Good! 

Let Us Thank Him For Our Food 

By His Hands We Are Feed

Thank You God For Our Daily Bread

Roasted Garlic

TERRA COTTA GARLIC ROASTER.

 

I use my roaster almost every day

Just break off a few cloves or use the whole head. Add ½ teaspoon of olive oil. Pop into the microwave for 30 seconds. The pods will slip right out of their skins.

Roasting the Garlic gives it a mild wonderful flavor.

Here are some Health Benefits of adding Garlic to your diet.

Ajoene has also been shown to stop the spread of skin cancer cells when applied topically.

Compounds in garlic have been shown to prevent prostate cancer.  

Garlic may protect against colon cancer by protecting colon cells from toxins and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells if they do develop

The selenium and vitamin C found in garlic are also known to protect against colon cancer.

Research suggests garlic may decrease the ability of H. pylori to cause ulcers and stomach cancer

Research has shown that cooking garlic with meat reduces carcinogenic chemicals in cooked meat that are believed to be linked to breast cancer in meat-eating women

The allicin in garlic has been shown in some studies to promote weight loss in rats. 

The allicin in garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure. 

Garlic has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol

It has been shown to reduce the carcinogenic effects of asbestos exposure. 

It fights free radicals

It has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain in the body, making it beneficial for people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Cold and flu prevention: Because of its antiviral and antibacterial properties as well as its vitamin C content, garlic is a powerful agent against the common cold as well as the flu. 

It has been shown to fight the germs that cause tuberculosis. 

A component of garlic called diallyl disulfide has been shown to kill leukemia cells. 

It is a good source of vitamin B6. 

It has been shown to be an effective anti-fungal agent for treating yeast infections, vaginitis, and athlete's foot

Garlic has been shown to protect rats from diabetes complications such as retinopathy, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and neuropathy.

Another wonderful tool I use in my kitchen is my Misto Sprayer 

Made for the health-conscious offering an easy way to add flavor, use less oil and reduce calories and fat 

It is non-aerosol, so it promotes better health not only for you, but also for the environment. Simply add your favorite oil, lemon, lime, orange or even a combination of oil and juice

Holds 3-ounces of oil

Can be refilled again and again

Spray on pasta, pizza, salads, vegetables and more

Perfect for grilling, roasting, sauteing, and your non-stick cooking

How much do you value discipline?

In this year of 2011 our Nation is in trouble because we have not used discipline to live within our means. We can not balance our budget so it was purposed to cut our military pay when their job is to protect and serve our Country. How ungrateful can we be? Are we also ungrateful to God who protects us and provides all our needs even when we are not as disciplined as we should be.

Being Thankful and showing it through our self discipline is REQUIRED of God

Discipline does matter!  It is needed to strengthen our FAITH and our FITNESS

God’s plans for us include discipline in physical exercise. Our bodies are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit. It is our reasonable responsibility to acknowledge and honor God by taking care of ourselves both spiritually and physically.

We feed ourselves spiritually on “God’s Word”

We feed ourselves physically on the wonderful foods God has provided for us.

Everything that passes through our lips to our stomach should first be acknowledged as a gift from God. It is the first step toward that valued discipline required of us.

Being thankful and acknowledging that all good gifts come from God,  will bring his blessings.

Psalms 92 verse 1-2

1) It is good to say “Thank You” to the Lord, to sing praises to the God who is above all gods.

2) Every morning tell him “Thank You for your kindness,” and every evening rejoice in all his faithfulness.

It is spring and my garden already has plenty of fresh lettuce, radishes, asparagus, garlic chives with their beautiful purple eatable flowers.

I also have many other wonderful herbs. Theses herbs include oregano, sage, and lots of mint. We have been really enjoying mint tea with natural stevia as a sweetener. I usually grow stevia during the season, but buy it  already processed at the health food store and it is now available in most groceries stores

A healthy salad recipe can be a beautiful work of art and taste delicious at the same time. Begin with an attractive salad bowl and plenty of fresh greens. When using salad as the main course of a meal you might want to include grains, beans, artichoke, avocados, carrots, celery, broccoli and cauliflower, eggs and meat. Grilling your meat and vegetables can really make for that special salad. When used sparingly, parmesan, feta and blue cheese can really add a lot of flavor. Nuts (used sparingly also) such as walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin  add that extra little something.

Use a low fat dressing or even omit any dressing, so as to enjoy the true flavor of all your fresh ingredients.

Basic Dressing: 2 garlic cloves, peeled 6 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Variation of  Basic Dressing

2 T. Dijon mustard 1/2 C. olive oil 1/2 C. white wine vinegar 2 - 3 cloves garlic minced

Blend, all until combined.

Garlic-Sesame dressing

1 Tsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 Tsp. sesame seeds for garnish

Warm oil in large skillet over medium-high heat,

Add garlic and stir until lightly browned, about 45 seconds.

Add greens toss until just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all and May he bless you beyond measure in all things.  Amen

Healthy Priorities

Our Guidebook, the BIBLE can help us establish our priorities as we travel on this path to a healthier, happier lifestyle of faith and fitness.
 We need to organize our life according to God's Plans. He will show us his plans through reading his word and in prayer.
Our personal discipline for our mind, body and emotions will increase as we walk closer to God. Then we will be able to make wise choices of what, when and how much food we need to keep us healthy.

3rd John chp 1v 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be healthy, even as thy soul prospereth

Calvin and I were pleasantly surprised as to how delicious this meal was.

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Today; is the 7th day of my life changing experience

I have ask God to help me on this journey and he is ever so faithful.  I am learning how valuable it is to take ownership and responsibility for my choices of the foods that I acquire, prepare and eat.  Changing my eating habits and exercising my spiritual faith in my decisions are bringing me closer to the path that God has for my future.

Rom 5:11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God  all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us FRIENDS of GOD

This is a delightful recipe that I have been using for some time.   

Hummus

Garbanzo beans or Chickpeas called by its Spanish name are the basis of a dip or spread called Hummus. Most of the time garlic, and sesame seeds, sesame paste (tahini) or sesame oil is added with variations of roasted red peppers, pine nuts and olive oil.

This delicious dip is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amounts of foliate with vitamin B6. The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber.

The sesame seeds are an excellent source of the amino acid complementing the proteins in the chickpeas and are a complete protein when eaten with bread.

One cup of chickpeas contains 286 calories and 5 grams of fat. This is relatively low considering when made into hummus, the calories and fat become much lower per serving. Chickpeas have no saturated fat, and no cholesterol. They aid in improving blood sugar levels and help fight cholesterol.

For people in the Middle East, Hummus is a common part of everyday meals. Dating back to the 13 century this dish may have been eaten by our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Basic Hummus Recipe from a can

“I do not buy can foods if I can help it. So I buy Dried Chickpeas by the 1 pound bag. I usually cook up to 3 or 4 pounds @ a time with no salt or seasoning. Then I freeze them in pint size bags until I need them.”

1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans

1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas

3-5 tablespoons lemon juice    “I do not prefer the lemon”

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

“Can be omitted or use in small amounts”  Tahini is high in calorie and fat, but is a great  source of protein, and calcium. The fat contained in tahini is mainly unsaturated fat, rather than the unhealthier saturated fat.

2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed   “I roast my garlic and it is not as strong in flavor"

2 tablespoons olive oil   “I do not always use the oil” Olive oil helps the body’s heart remain healthy and also aids in regulating cholesterol levels.

Variations:

Roasted Red Peppers   1 small or ½ of a large pepper
Roasted pine Nuts

Add a sliced red Chile, a dash of cayenne pepper, or Cajun seasoning
Try Lemon Pepper seasoning instead of Salt
1/2 cup fresh spinach
3 oz, crumbled feta (goat) cheese

I have found out that kosher salt has less sodium then sea salt

Directions:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. “I use my Magic Bullet”
Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional)

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate

This only takes about 10 minutes to make from the can.

If you do not have time to make this recipe Hummus is available in most grocery stores but not as good as home made but you can always fix it up the way you like it, with peppers, ect.

Calvin and I both really enjoy this. I serve it hot and cold. We even use it as a salad dressing.

1 Cor 6: 19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

1 Cor 6: 20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all and May he bless you beyond measure in all things.  Amen

Lynn’s Faith and Fitness

This is the journey of a Christian woman, who is a Wife, Mother and Grandmother, that is determined to improve my physical, emotional and spiritual health. I have been saved since I was 9 yrs old and can say with some confidence that I am a mature Christian with a lot yet to learn. Most of the time I am a very happy outgoing person who loves life. My goal through all of this is to build my faith and trust in Christ Jesus

Ph'p:4:13: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I am in really good health with no bad cholesterol and no high blood pressure. There is just one little hitch, I am over weight and have been for years. At this level of maturity in my life it is time for me to honor God by presenting my self to others at a more desirable weight. I want to be an example for others to see Christ in me.
I WILL NOT BE DIETING but eating the freshest foods I can find and prepared in the most desirable ways. I WILL BE EXERCISING on a regular basis. My aim is set at becoming in a size 8 within 6 to 9 months. I will not be weighing or measuring inches but I will post when I go down in sizes. I will be trusting God to give me all the help I need.

When my oldest two children were two and four I moved as a military wife to Sicily, Italy. We lived in a village that was about 50 miles from the base and we were the only Americans living in the area. I needed something to do with my time and since there were so many fresh fruits and vegetables available I decided to learn how to prepare and cook many new dishes. There was no internet in those days so I borrowed every cookbook I could find from friends and the library and jumped right into learning about purple cauliflower, artichokes, blood oranges and such delicasies as truffles and squid. This did polish my skills and I became a very good cook.

These days my children are all grown and it is just me and my husband at the dinner table. We have been together 15 years and my husband says he has yet to eat the same thing cooked the same way in all these years. I still enjoy learning new ways of preparing our meals.

I will be sharing my adventure with you and it includes how I purchase or grow our food. I will be posting recipes and giving my reviews of how we enjoyed our meals and even when it is not so good, I will let you know. From time to time I will tell you of my progress in my weight loss.

Romans:12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

I bought a little book and gave away several to friends called
Food, Fitness and Faith for Woman and there is also one for Men.
It is available @ Christian Bookstores and I found mine @ Sam’s Club
This book is set up for a 21 day journey and I encourage you to find it to help you if you too want to build your faith, loose weight and improve your health.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with with you all and May he bless you beyond measure in all things. Amen