Proverbs 24:16 says "For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again."  Who can forget the Rocky movies?  As cheesy as they are, they are forever etched in the  American culture.  It seems like every Rocky movie featured a big fight in the end where Rocky was getting beat up but is able to muster up enough strength to come back and win.
 

Sometimes I feel like the "fitness priest."  Very often, clients and future clients alike confess their "fitness sins" to me.  And just as often, right after confession they tend to follow up with excuses.  We all tend to find excuses or reasons not to be successful.  But what if we were to find an excuse to win?
 

Hi Tracy,

I love Proverbs 22:13: "The slacker says, "There is a lion outside! I will be slain in the streets!"

It nails one of the biggest pieces of head trash....Excuses, excuses, excuses.

People always find fake "lions" i.e. excuses as to why they can't be successful. We live in a world at the moment where 'cancel culture' is abundant. Folks are being 'cancelled' left and right because of things they say or actions they take.

One of my all time favorite things to do is watch my nephew play basketball!  He's been playing ever since he could stand - thanks to his dad's love for the game and the Little Tykes hoop that was a permanent fixture in their house.  Every chance he could get, he was throwing the ball into the net!

This past week I had the incredible opportunity to watch him live out a dream by playing in the MN State High School Basketball Tournament at Target Center! Nothing compares!  

What do you think about yourself?

Philippians 4:8 says: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Are you a positive thinker? 

Proverbs 23:7 says "As a man thinketh so is he."

Truly what we think becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Henry Ford, the founder of Ford motors said  "Whether you believe you can do a thing or
not, you are right."

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."  Proverbs 12:15.  When I was younger, I could jump right into a workout and crush it with very little or no real warm up.  As I have grown older and wiser I have learned how important a good warm up is.  I follow the military rule of the "7 Ps."
 

Today, while we have accepted different body types, being fit is fashionable, and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. We all want to look our best at the beach, fit into that beautiful dress and moreover be healthy so we can enjoy all that life has to offer, to the fullest. However, when it comes to fitness, you may have many questions but often find genuine answers challenging to come by. Puravida Fitness wants to arm you with the most accurate information to help you make informed decisions. To do this, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about losing weight and getting in shape.

"Do ALL things without complaining and arguing." Philippians 2:14

Here is a great story I like to read when I find myself complaining.
 

I love Colossians 3:23 which says "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,"

Just the other day I heard a great podcast with former Hall of Fame NFL quarterback Kurt Warner.

He was talking about the movie "Underdog."  Underdog is the true story about his life and struggles as he worked to fulfill his dream of playing in the NFL.

"The Spirit of the Lord God is on me. The Lord has chosen me to tell good news to the poor and to comfort those who are sad. He sent me to tell the captives and prisoners that they have been set free."  Isaiah 61:1  My personal training business is more than business. It's my ministry.  It's not just here to serve me financially.  It's here to make an impact by being a POSITIVE force in the lives of other people.
 

I grew up living on an acreage lot surrounded by woods. It was a lot of work to keep it up.  Every weekend my dad had my brother and I out doing chores in the yard.

Our "favorite" was moving railroad ties.  These were long and heavy blocks of wood covered with nasty creosote oil that would cause a rash if it came in contact with your skin.

At the time I didn't understand how moving railroad ties would affect the rest of my life... but it did.  You see, my dad taught us the value of HARD WORK.  We would work hard first and then we got to go have fun with our friends. Many times he paid us extra after completing the work.
 

Galatians 6:9 says "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." This passage tells us if we keep doing the right things we will reap the rewards.  The reward for sticking with a solid nutrition and exercise plan is a healthy and lean body that functions well no matter what your age.
 

Proverbs 26:11 addresses a BIG reason many people never seem to have the success they want.  It says..."as a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly."  Too often we stay attached to things and methods that aren't helping us move forward. We find ourselves repeating the same mistakes over and over hoping for a different result.  
 

So much information is coming to us from so many different sources. What we forget is the most important place to clean up - our mind.  I've known too many people that watch too many things and experience information overload or maybe a better word is information overwhelm.  Knowledge is good. However, knowledge isn't much use to us until we apply it.
 

Ephesians 5:15 says "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time."

If there were a top ten for excuses for not exercising and eating right, number one would be "I'm too busy " or "I don't have time."

I'll never give this excuse any credibility because you make time for what is important to you.

Regular physical activity comes with a lot of benefits, from promoting strong muscles and bones and improving respiratory, cardiovascular health, and overall health. Staying active and fit means keeping your body functioning at a high level.

Does this sound familiar?  You start working out and going to the gym daily but after awhile you see little or no movement on the scale.  Yes, you feel stronger, have more energy and endurance but your clothes aren't fitting differently and you don't see the changes in muscle tone you wanted to despite the fact you are killing yourself at the gym.

James 1:2-3 says "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness."

There I was, the beginning of 2021. I had set some aggressive fitness goals and was motivated to pursue them throughout the year.

But then, my faith got tested. 

Romans 8:18 says "I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us."   When I read this passage I think of DELAYED GRATIFICATION.