She Dresses Herself with Strength

How many have read Proverbs 31 and have been inspired by the woman who has become one of the main role models for Christian women?  I have.  Although, I would have to admit, I also become intimidated by all the things she does. I have to remember I can't do anything without the strength of God.  I must remember that I will fail no matter how hard I try, but God gives grace, and I must give myself grace too.

With that in mind, I'm going to focus on the two verses that jumped off the pages this morning as I was reading Proverbs 31.  The other day, while considering moving a full sized deep freezer on my own, I realized that I have the physical strength to do that, and I was reminded of the purpose of strength and how easily swayed we are from that due to vanity.

The first verse that jumped out at me in Proverbs 31 was in the middle of the passage explaining the woman's physical work that she did for her family.  Proverbs 31:17 says,

"She dresses herself with strength

and makes her arms strong."(ESV)

In context, the passage is speaking of this women, this wife, buying fields and planting them.  When it says "dresses herself" it actually is referring to "girding her loins," which is what they had to do to prepare for physical activity.  They wore long robes and had to tie them up.  This supports the view of getting fit for the purpose of functional fitness---being able to have to strength to carry out everyday activity.  And, if you need to move a freezer or a wood pile, you have the strength to do that as well.  This is actually quite inspiring!  The value of a woman's strength is in the Bible!  It is good for a woman to be strong.  It is good for her to have strength to do the things she needs to do in order to take care of her family and household!  

Contrary to this functional fitness, I see a lot of woman who seem to be fit for vanity's sake.   Proverbs 31:30 says, 

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (ESV)

What exactly is vanity?  The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as, "the quality of people who have too much pride in their own appearance, abilities, achievements, etc. : the quality of being vain."How can we take pride in our strength, yet not become vain?  The answer is simply giving the glory to God---truly giving it to him.  Understand that He is where your strength came from.  God created us in His image.  The human body is a beautiful creation. Give Him the Glory.   Praise the creator, not the creation. (Read Romans 1:25)

Beauty can be vain.  It shows in many areas of the fitness world where there is no sign of God truly being praised for His magnificent creation.  It's a challenge to remember to give Glory to God, even on "Flex Friday!"  As humans, we all will naturally be inclined to vanity.  Vanity can deceive you.  It can deter you from keeping your eyes truly on Christ and your purpose as a Christian, to bring glory to God.

So how then, do we as Christians, stay clear of vanity when it comes to fitness and strength?   I'm not going to give you a list of "Do's and Don'ts."  Just examine your heart continually.  When you are posting that photo on Instagram, ask yourself, "Why?"  Is it because we know that certain kind of photo will gain followers?  Is it because we desire to bring glory to the One Who Made Us strong?  When you decide to join a competition, is it to reveal in your own strength, or His?  I"m not going to say it's wrong to post photos of yourself flexing, but there is a difference between posting modestly to encourage others verses posting photos that only your husband should see.  

What encouragement can we get from these passages?  There certainly is a balance.  The purpose of our strength should not be solely for showing off muscles.  It shouldn't be to show off our body.  That kind of beauty can be vain because we are not bring glory to our Creator, but the creation.  But, strength is a good thing!  Go ahead!  Do those deadlifts!  Run that 5k!  Do those handstands!  Gain strength and take the glory to our Mighty Creator who created such potentially strong and functional bodies!  

This way, if your car breaks down, you can push it to the curb!  If your freezer needs to be defrosted, you can roll it outside.  If your four year old needs a nap in the middle of Pike's Place Market, you can hold his dead weight of 40lbs for an hour.  You can go for an early morning run, pack your kids up for a whole day of errands, return home, cook dinner, clean the kitchen, bathe the kids, and still survive.  This is functional fitness.  This is the kind of strength that brings glory to God and honestly shows what we were created for.  This is the kind of strength that helps us live functional and active lives for our families.  It goes so much deeper than flexed muscles.  Go ahead, dress yourself, prepare for action, and make your arms strong!

From Fad Diets to Nutritionist

Sharisse Dalby is a lovely and busy wife and mother of three boys---eight-year-old twins and their four-year-old brother.   As a Holistic Nutritionist specializing in sports nutrition, vegetarian diets, and family nutrition, she is a beautiful picture of health!  But, it wasn't always that way.  She experienced the same struggles of weight loss many experience.  She learned from her struggles and that gave way to a profession in Nutrition!  Read on to be discover her honest retelling of how this transition took place.

How did you come to realize you wanted to change your lifestyle? 

As a teenager I was overweight and it took a toll on my body, lifestyle and self-confidence, which quickly led to clinically diagnosed depression. Through my faith, I found a renewed and deep meaning for my life. I felt a passion brewing to learn how to care for the body God gave me. Admittedly, I started with fad diet after fad diet, but eventually found my way into a healthy lifestyle that I felt was honouring to God.

What is your motivation?  How does your faith come into play?

My motivation is my faith and my family. After having my twins, I was determined to give them the healthiest start I could, and that led to a complete and permanent lifestyle overhaul. My faith is the foundation of why I do what I do! God gave me the desire and resources to become a Holistic Nutritionist and the passion to educate families and children to take care of what God provided them with.

Risse and her family

How do you include your family in your food preparation, cooking and shopping for nutritious foods?

My kids have always been included in our healthy lifestyle. And, let’s face it – I have boys and I want them to know basic kitchen skills, at least! They help me go through the flyers each week to find the healthy sale items, plan our meals, write out our grocery list, grocery shop and prepare the food. They all have a passion for food and love being in the kitchen and being able to enjoy the fruits of their labour!

Fresh pressed juice!

What are your some of your favorite go-to foods? 

Some of our favourite go-to foods are larabars, veggies and hummus, fruit, yogurt and berries, apples and almond butter and trailmix – just to name a few!

How has your view of yourself changed since starting your fitness/nutrition journey?  

I have learned where my worth and value lies – not in the size of my clothes, shape of my body, stretch marks from kids, weight on the scale – but in my Saviour who created me for a purpose … to bring Him glory. I don’t live a healthy lifestyle because I hate my body, I do it because I love Jesus!

If you could sum up "clean eating" in three statements, what would they be? 

Clean eating is eating whole foods – the foods that God gave us, an experience of healing, energizing and renewing and a balanced plate for optimum health.

BIO:
Sharisse Dalby is a Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in sports nutrition, vegetarian diets and family nutrition. She is a mom to 8 year old identical twin boys and a 4 year old boy. They love to help out at church, eat food and sign up for family running races, bike races and triathlons. Check out her website for recipes, tips and services at www.holisticnutritionwithrisse.com. 

An Open Letter to Young Women and Teen Girls Regarding Body Image

I'm going to be up front with you here.  This is a series of letters of honest observation of the world around me, whether that be social media, mainstream media, big-stream stores, or the high school across the street from me.  It is not meant to condemn or offend, but perhaps open an honest conversation about the lack of modesty and what influences our view of what a woman should look like.

The other letters in this series:

An Open Letter to Mothers Regarding Body Image
An Open Letter to Men Regarding Women's Body Image

To Teenage Girls or Young Women:

I see a lot of you most days of the year.  We live directly across the street from a high school.  Not only that, it's only been about 12  years since I've been a teenager.  Now, bear with me.  I know that kind of makes me sound old, but I'm still too young to be your mother.  What do I see when I look at most teenage girls?  I see girls who are struggling with body image and modesty as a result of the pressures of the society that surrounds them.

When I was 14, I bought a skirt with my birthday money.  It was an awesome, mid-thigh length black skirt with a slit.  It made me look great, and even I thought so, despite being overly self conscious.  I brought it home to my parents and tried it on for them.  My mom shook her head in disapproval.  My dad agreed.  I [probably] stormed back to my room, upset.  But, they were on to something.  I wasn't an underdeveloped little girl anymore.  I had developed into a woman a couple years before and was still getting used to dressing myself modestly to not overly expose...things.  My grandma let the skirt down an inch, and sewed the slit up a bit, and I was allowed to wear it.

Was it worth the fight?  Was it worth my parents putting their foot down and not letting me wear the skirt without alteration?  Absolutely.  And I learned that very soon.  Everyday I would walk home from school and had to pass by a bunch of bee keepers to get to my neighborhood.  It was at that point, while wearing that altered skirt, that these 25-40-something-year-old men would whistle and yell out sexual comments to me for the first time and then every time I passed thereafter.  I would get nervous and walk fast, but nothing really helped.

It was in the skirt that a boy in my 9th grade health science class told me I looked "so sophisticated and sexy." He was the same boy that attempted to feel-me up in front of my teacher in 12th grade.  He did so successfully, and when I shoved him off me, I got scolded by the teacher who favored him. Oh!  The joys of public school!

Yes.  My parents were onto something.  It may have not been that skirt that sent that teenage boy into a 4-year fantasy about me, but it certainly helped him get there.  I remember my dad telling me that he was once a teenage boy and he knew how they think.  He was protecting me---as best he could.  

So, to those girls wearing those short skirts, cut off shorts, crop tops, low cut shirts, and other clothing items that show your "assets," please know that not only teenage boys but 25-40-something men may be looking at you.  Perhaps undressing you with their eyes.  Please know that you don't have to show your assets for men, or let's be more honest, boys, to be attracted to you.  You don't have to look like that Victoria Secret model or even Ariana Grande to attract anyone.  YOU DON'T HAVE TO!  Anyone who truly is attracted to ALL OF YOU would not require you to dress with your bum hanging out your shorts.

"You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

You are worth so much more than just your bodies.  There is worth in your entire being.  God created you to have a body and soul.  You only have one body and one soul.  He made you unique.  You are the only one just like you.  Preserve that. You can preserve both your body and soul by not giving into immodesty and sexual lusts.

It may be hard, and somewhat impossible to do that perfectly.   We are broken and in need of a Savior to cover our brokenness and shame. When we see our sin, when we see how vulnerable we are to sin, and our need for a Savior from that sin, we see pricelessness in the Grace of God.  That heart of thankfulness then desires to please God and follow Christ.   This is something that we strive to do everyday.  We will fail, but we strive anyway, knowing that Christ is where our strength lies.  This is why it is important to be modest.  Your body is meant for more than just the sexual attraction of men!  It is so much more than that!

Showing off your chest, your stomach, your legs, or your butt is like advertisement to the wrong kind of men.  If you believe that your body is for a bigger purpose than sexually attracting boys or men, do you really want the first thing a boy to see is your butt hanging out of that bikini?  If you are ok with that, do you really think he can pay attention to any meaningful conversation you are having with him while wearing that bikini?  Let's be honest.  Probably not.

Source: fightthenewdrug.org

Let's also consider where a lot of boys and men unfortunately get their influence of what women should look like.  Porn.  And if not porn, soft porn.  Or perhaps those Victoria Secret catalogs that come in the mail for their moms.  Or the way J. Lo looks on stage.  Or all those photos of women with the breast enhancements on Instagram.  They are hard to miss!  It is so easy to access.  It could get into boys' hands at a very young age.

I know boys who became men, tried to hold down a marriage, and couldn't because of their early exposure to Pornography.  Yes, girls, it's THAT BAD.  It shapes the illegal Sex Trafficking industry in not only foreign countries but our own country.  Girls are held captive, bought, sold, and abused because these men view woman as objects, not people with souls.

Now, I'm not saying all men are like this, but I will go to say most men have struggled with a few too many clicks of the mouse in the direction of porn.  Believe me, you would much rather have a man who perhaps has struggled with porn, hates it for what it is, and fights against it, than one who is shaped by it and has completely given into it (Source: Wiley Online Library).  You are more likely to attract the later if you are dressed in a way that exposes too much.

With all that said.  Please, check yourself.  Why are you wearing the shirt with the arm holes so large that it shows your entire lace bra?  Why are you wearing shorts so short that your cheeks show? Is it because you respect your body?  Or is it because that is what you feel is normal...what is expected of you?

 Society's view of how you should look can start to shape your view of yourself and your body. If that is what you feel is normal, break the mold.  It may be hard to walk into a  store and find longer shorts, but let me tell you, it's possible.  I do it.  There are plenty of other women who do it.  And, perhaps if more young women stop buying the short, booty-exposing shorts, companies may get the hint and stop making as many.

Don't expect boys to respect your body if you don't.  Respect your body and you may just attract those who respect you for who you really are.

Sincerely,

A Girl Who Became A Woman

Check back on Monday for the last letter in this series, a letter to Men regarding the body image of women!

An Open Letter to Mothers Regarding Body Image

I'm going to be up front with you here.  This is a series of letters of honest observation of the world around me, whether that be social media, mainstream media, big-stream stores, or the high school across the street from me.  It is not meant to condemn or offend, but perhaps open an honest conversation about the lack of modesty and what influences our view of what a woman should look like.

Other Letters in this Series:

An Open Letter to Young Women and Teen Girls Regarding Body Image
An Open Letter to Men Regarding Women's Body Image

To The Mother Who Struggles With Her After Baby Body:

(and those into fitness, trying to get your body back...or better...)

I know the struggle.  I know the insecurities, the shock, the disbelief.  WHAT in the world has happened to your body?  And how come Brooke Burke can look so amazing after 4 kids???  We all know the answers to those questions.  Nine (actually 10 for most) months of hormones going haywire to support the growth, birth, and breastfeeding of a little, precious person.  It may look like your chest has dropped into your stomach.  If you've lost your baby weight, your chest may have disappeared and gone into your biceps.  Or perhaps you are back to your pre-baby weight, but, due to one or multiple c-sections, you have that extra skin and fat that have taken residence on your lower abdomen. Things may look bleak in regards to your after-baby-body.  But, there is good news!  You don't have to identify yourself with how society all around you thinks you should look.

Pregnancy wreaked havoc on my body, inside and out, all the way to my liver not being able to handle my last two pregnancies well.  I am thankful to be alive!  I am also thankful for my health after pregnancies and the fact that even though my body isn't the same as before babies, I AM HEALTHY!  I'm stronger than before, in every way.  I am truly thankful.

Please know this:  You do NOT have to be the same as before kids.   An article on the Baby Center website states that men who were shown sketches of women and asked which ones were ideal, often pick the bigger body sizes than what women think is ideal for themselves.  Your husband or [insert label here] should love you just the way you are.  They should love you for making an effort to take care of yourself and your child(ren).  They can encourage you to get fit, but shouldn't encourage to change your body in anyway.  Stretch marks are ok, in fact they are common and normal.

Model Chrissy Teigen set off a viral hashtag after she posted an honest picture of stretch marks on her thighs.  Thousands of women followed suit in posting their honest, mostly unedited photos of their stretch marks.   Just like stretch marks, that extra skin above your c-section scar, you can accept as normal.  You don't need to replace the chest you lost in breastfeeding your babies with a DD piece of silicon.  You don't need that to feel good about yourself!

I know how it feels to go through all those body changes listed above.  I've been there.  I've gained 60 pounds twice in my life and lost more than that twice.  I gave birth to three kids in three and a half years.  I breastfed all of them, struggled with one, and had to give that up for formula feeding after he didn't gain weight because I stopped producing milk.  I know the struggle of balance of "Who am I as a mother?  Who am I as a wife....as a woman?"

It's been over three years since I stopped breastfeeding my youngest.  I can tell you my body is still changing.  For the better.  It's taken a while, but I have accepted what I have left.  It took prayer.  It took knowing that this body was not my own in the first place, but God's who gave it to me.  It took that no matter how anyone else saw me in this world, no matter how far I was from what a woman "should be,"  God saw me as a precious daughter.  HIS precious daughter.  And because His Son died for all my imperfections, God sees me perfectly.  Without blemishes, spots, or lines.

Thankfully, I have a supportive husband, who has gone with me through all these body changes and has supported me, no matter what my bra size is.  That sounds harsh, but I know there are some husbands who "prefer" their wives to be a certain size.  I have a whole message for them, so just wait!    Your chest size, no matter what it is after baby, is just fine.  Unless it is causing medical issues (back problems), is their really a good reason to change it?  If you identify yourself by your chest size, please ask yourself where that image comes from.  Does it come from where you used to be, or perhaps from what other women in mainstream media or social look like?

Source: fightthenewdrug.org

As a fitness blogger, I see SO many women in the fitness industry who get work done on their bodies.  Most of this work is breast enhancements.  I came across a photo yesterday of a women who "liked" a photo of mine.  I clicked on her account only to have my iPhone screen fill with photos of her in tight, low cut tank tops and sports bras to show off her perfect round and plump breast enhancement.  THAT is not what REAL women look like!  And the response to these photos?  On average, 2,600 likes and 85 comments of men who were enthralled with her chest in a creepy, not-so-romantic way.

WOMEN!  Don't settle for changing your body to be accepted by men!  Accept your after-baby body knowing that their is always room for fitness and improvement, but if that means having muscles covered in a little fat here and there, loose skin, stretch marks, and a chest that isn't the same as before, THAT IS OK!  You have done amazing things with that body!  You have grown a person in that body, gave birth, and have kept that person alive!  That is incredible.

Strive for health, not for being that fit women on Instagram with the boob job.  She's paid more than just money to look that way.  I'm not saying every addition, subtraction or change to your body through surgery is wrong, but please consider why you desire for the change.  Strive to be an example to your children of what a real woman is.  Don't feel the pressure to be like Brooke Burke or J. Lo.  Most celebrities are paid to look good, but most women I know don't have that luxury.

Mothers, you are fine just the way you are.  In fact, you are beautiful.  You are unique creation of God.  There is no one else just like you.  We find our beauty because we are created in the image of God, but because of sin, we are broken.  That brokenness can skew our view of our own bodies.  But, for those who surrender their lives to Christ, who paid the price of death for our imperfections and sin, we can know that our bodies are made for more than just man.  They are made for God.  They are His own.  They are made to bring Him glory.  What an awesome purpose for our body!  So, no matter your pant size, your stretch marks, or your insecurities of what your weight should be, if you are a daughter of God, He sees you as perfect.

" You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. 

So glorify God in your body."

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV

Sincerely,

A Woman who Became a Mother

P.S.  Please don't take your children, male or female, into Victoria Secret with you.  Have them sit with their dad or someone else you know somewhere outside of the store.  Research shows the photos in the windows and displayed all over the store can start to shape in their minds what a woman should look like.  And it is just lies.  Blatant lies.  Protect your children.  Don't pretend it can't effect them at an early age.  I know.  My 5 year old daughter just asked me why her stomach isn't flat.  They look.  They observe.  They see.  Please be mindful of that.  Don't let your children sit on the floor of Victoria Secret while you shop for underwear.  I observed this situation last week and it broke my heart.

Trasformation Tuesday: Ten Years Later...

This photo says almost everything I was to say in this post.  I am so very thankful for the perseverance God has given me to lose all I did, and continue to keep it off with a healthy lifestyle.  I have to say that Christ's love for me---regardless of how much I weigh, my dress size, the size of my muscles, how much I can lift, or how healthy I eat from day to day---stays the same and for that I am most grateful.  "Most grateful" seems to be an understatement for Christ's continuous grace on this far-from-perfect sinner, but really, there are no words to describe how grateful I am!  I am so thankful that my identity lies in my Savior and not my physical fitness.  That takes the pressure off and makes this journey all the more enjoyable!

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

1 Corinthians 10:31

For your convenience, here are some posts to jog your memory on how I got where I am today:

How I Did It!

Supreme 90 Day Wrap Up

How I'm Still Doing It

Peas and Carrots, Faith and Fitness

How to Stay Fit in a Marriage

Fabulously Fit Mom: How she lost 40lbs, kept it off, and is keeping her family healthy!

Meet Tara Bialek.  She is a gorgeous wife and a inspirational mother of three beautiful kids.  She has her own business and on top of that, she takes time each day for God and for fitness.   We first met through Instagram.  I loved how her love for God glowed through her posts and I enjoyed her HIIT workouts!  Recently, I had the privilege of asking how Tara got to where she is now in her fitness journey.  Read on and be inspired! 

How did you come to realize you wanted to change your lifestyle?

When I was in college at the age of 20, I was caught in the college life of staying up too late, partying and being super lazy. I was also lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up and felt depressed about the weight gain that I experienced in my first few years there. I remember walking into my favorite store and not being able to fit into the largest size there. I was at a low. I felt like I was in a hole and couldn't get out. I went from being an active athlete in high school to 30lbs overweight and lonely a few years later. After that store incident and a bad breakup I knew it was time to do something. I started walking around campus and eating better. I researched about nutrition and started incorporating what I was learning into my life. I also started doing home workouts like TaeBo and the "OLD SCHOOL" Firm videos. I was too embarrassed to go to the gym, so I did what worked for me. AND it worked. About 6 months later, I lost the weight and was looking into nutrition programs because I was so interested in learning all that I could and helping people live a healthy lifestyle. I transferred schools and got my Bachelors in Nutrition and Dietetics and then went on for my Masters in Education so I could teach!

What is your motivation? How does your faith come into play?

​My motivation now is my family. I want wellness to be a part of their lives...part of their foundation. I want to live a LONG, healthy life with them and experience every part of life with my family. Before, when I was originally going through my weight loss journey, I was doing it because i wanted to look good. Yes...that's the added bonus of feeling GREAT, but now I do it because it's my time to push myself and get my endorphins going. I feel amazing after and have a totally different mindset for the day. 

My fitness and the WORD are those things that are a non negotiable for me. They need to be part of my day somehow. God has changed the way I look at health and fitness. It was first all about ME and now its about taking care of the body God has given me, showing others that wellness is important and loving people right where they are. God has given me a platform now to use what I have learned and what He is guiding me to do, to help share His love with the world. My mission, my purpose is to share His love---and what better way to do it then to help others learn to love their bodies and feel good in their skin? Love them right where they are and every step of their journey.  

How do you include your family in your fitness journey?

​Fitness and nutrition is a part of ​me now. My husband actually now LOVES working out from home with p90x3 and Bodybeast. He's totally changed his tune about home workouts and has lost 40lbs! My kids are always joining in and we make "moving" part of our lifestyle. We swim, walk, play outside all of the time, ride bikes together and hike. It's just what we do. I want to make it fun for them!  

What are your three favorite go-to exercise moves?

​My favorite go-to workouts would be HIIT workouts! I love the high intensity intervals of high knee jogging or skipping (jump rope) for 45 sec and then doing squats for the next 45 seconds, alternating between a strength move and cardio move. The workouts are 30 min and I feel awesome after. I burn a lot more than hitting up the treadmill and lifting after. That's boring to me. I wouldn't be able to sustain that. I actually tried the gym and went for years before I was married and see much better results now from home workouts!

How has your view of yourself changed since starting your fitness journey?

​I honestly think the reason why my view of myself has changed is because I am growing everyday in my faith and I see how much God loves me.  I find my identity in Him and He thinks I am beautiful.  I definitely struggle with this and have so much in the past but everyday I ​ask God to show my how He sees me.  I don't ever want to find my true identity in what others think of me. If that were the case, I wouldn't be able to share my journey on social media like I do.  If I didn't put myself out there and be vulnerable, how would I help people?  How would I be doing what God has called me to do?  God is stretching me and showing me how GREAT His plan is for my life so everyday I renew my mind with His promises and how much He loves me.  That change of focus and mindset  is what drives me to be healthy and share it!  

If you could give one fitness tip, what would it be?

I tell my clients that it's so important to CHANGE your mindset in order to create LONG TERM change in your health.  They need to see how much they are valued and how amazing they are as they go through their wellness journeys.  I always recommend a book like the Compound Effect or Crash the Chatterbox (depending on their faith)  to help them on their wellness journey.  Changing your MINDSET is the most important tip that most people leave out of the fitness equation but if you don't....chances are you will never believe you are worth it and you won't give your health priority over most things in your life.   

If you'd like to see what Tara is sharing to inspire others on social media, you can follow her on Facebook here, or you can follow her on Instagram here. 

Welcome to My Garden!

I've had this blog for 7 1/2 years now and I've never shared my love of gardening.  That is just a shame!  I've been gardening in my backyard for about 3 years.  Last fall, we took a huge step and turned our not-so-nice front lawn into a front yard garden.  It was a huge amount of time and effort, but it was absolutely worth every bit of it!  Everything in my front yard garden is now on a drip system that is saving us money, but we get a beautiful garden that produces food and beauty for us instead of a lawn that never looks good.  I'd say that is a pretty good deal!

The fruits of our labor!

Frugal Gardening

Our family chooses to buy organically what is called "The Dirty Dozen."  Most other things we buy from our local farms, which we are very blessed to be surrounded by.  These farms are cheap and, although they are not officially labeled organic, they are organically grown and pesticide free.  Cheaper than buying any of this produce, though, is growing it!  

In our entire yard, we are currently growing (most of which are producing or will produce soon) crookneck squash, zucchini, five varieties of tomatoes, seven varieties of bell peppers, two varieties of blueberries, several varieties of cucumbers, two varieties of strawberries, Bartlett pears, Fuji apples, Pink Lady apples, red grapes, Hass avocados, tangerines, two varieties of peaches, Mandarin oranges, navel oranges, lemons, limes, Santa Rosa plums, apricots, watermelon, cantaloupe, sage, rosemary, dill, cat mint (cat nip), lavender, artichoke, onions, garlic, lemon mint, and spearmint. Most of those plants and trees are actually in our front yard.  

The cheapest way to organically garden is to grow from seed.  However, this year both Costco and The Home Depot had organic plants for very cheap.  I did find than some of these plants carried blight, a disease that is very contagious among tomato plants and must be disposed of.  I threw away three plants because of this, but our fruit coming from the other plants has still outweighed our cost.

The price of seeds and plants, and even the minimal water used from the drip system to water these food-bearing plants doesn't come close to the fruit we see come from it.  It truly is a frugal way to get food. 

This is just a part of the process of converting our yard from not-so-green grass to a beautiful, water-wise garden.  In the lower right photo, I am laying rock with the help of my 78-year-old neighbor.  Whenever I was outside working, he was faithful to come and help, despite me verbally worrying about his physical condition.  He taught me all about laying and repairing pipe!  He was such a blessing in this process!  Now, back to the subject of rock.  I laid about 7 tons of rock by myself.  My hubby got to help with some, but, during the workdays, I plodded on, determined to get our yard done! That, by far, was the hardest I ever physically worked!  Core workout, anyone?

Fitness in Gardening

How does all this gardening fit into fitness?  Well, aside from the nutrition we get from all we grow, it is physical work!  Some may not enjoy this kind of work, but I actually enjoy trimming my plants, deadheading the roses, pulling the "occasional" weed, and, of course, picking our harvest.  Then there is the heavy occasional labor like hauling plants, digging holes, trimming trees, and moving soil!  A garden is living, and therefore you have to actively attend to it.  It is work, but it is work that helps keep me fit and feeds me good food, so it's a win-win! 

Family in Gardening

In addition to the physical fitness I get from tending to my garden, I enjoy the benefits of having an opportunity to teach my kids how to grow their own food.  That is priceless.  My oldest son told me the other day, 

"Mom, when I grow up, I'm going to teach my kids how to garden because you taught me to."

This garden-loving mom just about had her heart melt to the floor!  As a homeschool teacher, I can teach about nutrition, gardening, science, and nature all through my front yard.  Since putting in the nearly 200 plants that make up our front yard garden, nature comes to us.  We released lady bugs in our yard several months ago.  They've made themselves quite comfortable eating aphids and are still in our yard.  We get lizards and birds (although our cat keeps close watch on them!), beetles of all kinds, butterflies and dragonflies, moths, and praying mantises.  My children love to see all of this right outside our front door.  

Meet "Zippy,"  a hummingbird who watches over our yard!

One bird in particular has found his way into our yard and our hearts.  He (we think!) is a very territorial hummingbird.  He chases any other birds out of our yard, and perches himself in a tree or on our tomato cages and just sits and watches.  He comes close to us without flying away.  We can watch him dart and dash through our yard, protecting all "his" sweet nectar-bearing plants.  Because he made himself at home and claimed our yard as his own, we decided we would name him!  One of my sons wanted to name him,"Dusty" while my other son wanted to name him "Zip."  I just combined the names and so we call him "Zippy!"

I am so pleased that my kids get to experience nature on a whole new level compared to a lawn.  They get to observe how things grow, if they bear seeds, change color, or smell a certain way.  The education from our yard seems limitless!  What a way to enjoy God's creation!  

Left: "Zippy" the hummingbird enjoy nectar from our Mexican Sage.  Right: A Swallowtail butterfly enjoying our geraniums! 

Faithfully Gardening

Gardening and running are two activities that for some reason open my mind up to be in awe of God and prayerfully thank Him.  When I walk out my front door, I walk immediately into this beautiful garden with flowers blooming, birds chirping, butterflies fluttering, bees buzzing, and the warm smell of sunshine on herbs, and I am overwhelmed with what God has blessed us with.  I can see tangibly how He is providing for us in the Summertime (a time when money is tight in our household).  I am reminded often of this verse as I see the birds in my garden, 

"Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!" 

Luke 12:24

The Bible so often uses nature to describe the glory and works of God.  What a blessing to be reminded of that in our own front yard!

I love our front yard and I love to share it with people, whether that means bringing extra basil to church, sharing Zoodles from my garden with friends, gifting friends with flower arrangements, or letting friends and family walk through our garden and pick blueberries.  So, without further ado, here is our front yard garden...

This is the bottom and main part of our front yard.  The stairs lead to an embankment of land that we also transformed with pathways, fruit trees, and water-wise plants like lavender, a butterfly bush, and lantana.

Almost everything in our garden that is not a plant, mulch, or rock, has been so kindly donated by neighbors and family who cheered us on as we worked months in our yard transforming it into a garden.  This child-sized garden bench and stones were donated by a neighbor who's grandkids had grown too big for the bench.  The figures of the children on the swing was my grandma's, and the fountain bird bath was given to us by my mother-in-law!  Now that is what I call frugal!

This is our outdoor/indoor kitty named Olive.  Since we've converted our yard, she's been busy keeping birds, lizards, and gophers away from our plants.  When she isn't busy doing that, she is soaking up the sun!

The steps in our garden were actually a diseased Liquid Amber tree and another tree that we had to cut down.  We repurposed them as steps by cutting them into the sizes we needed for each step.  We cut a flat end and left that at top, while we dug into the ground so the rounded end would stay put.  We made sure each log step stayed in place by metal pipes cut to size.   I originally wanted railroad ties for our steps, but in doing a little research and having Home Depot tell us that they can't be cut or handled by their employees with out long sleeves and chemical gloves, I decided that wouldn't be the best fit for our organic garden!

Although this purple pepper looks great, it was bitter.  Any tips for sweet peppers?

Thank you for letting me walk through my garden with you!  Do you like gardening or does the thought intimidate you?  I hear so many people tell me, "I don't have a green thumb!"  And to that I must say that my thumb isn't naturally green!  It took practice and trial and error to grow anything!  I'm still learning and will always be learning!  That is most of the fun!

How to Stay Fit in a Marriage

It has been three years since we were able to take our first "after" photos.  In those three years, my husband and I have continued to face the challenge of staying fit as a marriage couple.  I'm sure this could apply to any couple, but because marriage is where I am coming from, that is what I am going with!

For the most part, my weight stayed the same until a year ago when I had surgery and had to recover from that, restricting me from any exercise.  I then was busy with projects, and due to the physical toll that took on my body, I got sick and stayed sick for three months. This is also when my husband's weight went up.  What does this tell me?  When I am fit, he is fit.  We keep each other healthy.  This could put a lot of pressure on one spouse or the other.  You could look at it as an advantage of having a live-in accountability partner who you love so much you would love to see them succeed as much or more than yourself.  That is huge!  Having a spouse who supports your goals and has his/her own is a must in becoming fit.

Now, I have to say (sorry Hubby!) that my husband is not into fitness and nutrtion like I am.  The numbers of his macro nutrients don't make him giddy like mine do.  However, he has come to realize how good it feels to be healthy and what advantages it plays in our marriage and daily lives.  First of all, we have more energy.  That could mean that we can get up earlier to pray together, read together, or exercise together.  It also means we could have more energy for our kids.  We can be a better example of good health to our kids.  We can show them what it means to take care of the body God gave us.  It causes us to be more responsible and creative with our time.  That could mean being creative in how we fit a workout in or being more active as a family.  And, it's always nice  on our budget to NOT have to buy new clothes because we are growing out of ours!

With all those advantages (and many more) to living as a healthy couple said, it still is a challenge.  So, how do you do it?  Here are just a few things I have learned over these several years of loosing the weight together and keeping it *mostly* off...

How to Stay Fit in a Marriage

• Don't expect you won't gain some weight back.  When that happens, stop.  Look at how you're eating and how much you are being active.  Be honest with yourselves.  Are you spending the evenings on the couch with too many bowls of ice cream or *ahem* Schwan's Silvermint Ice Cream Bars?   Just because you may have gained 10, 15, or even 20 lbs back does not mean you've fallen off the wagon! It just means your wagon went down a rabbit trail and needs to be steered back in the right direction! And, because you lost the weight before, the chances are, you have an idea of what the right direction is!

• Make nutrition and exercise doable.  Let's face it, most people are pretty busy.  Add a spouse in the mix, then kids, or grandkids and you've got yourself many schedules and eating habits to include in your daily challenge to stay healthy.  Don't restrict yourself from too many things, unless absolutely medically necessary.  (Carb cycling is wonderful for not restricting yourself and still loosing weight, while gaining muscle and health! Read my post about it here!)  Don't commit to an hour at the gym if you can't.  Don't feel the pressure of having to go to the gym to workout!  Workout at home.  Invest in a few weights or research a HIIT program that requires no equipment so you have absolutely no excuse to get out of exercise.  Make your nutrition and fitness goals to be an everyday lifestyle change.  Something you can do EVERY SINGLE DAY without burden.  

• Hold each other accountable in a loving way, free of nagging.  If you seem to be sailing smooth when it comes to your eating habits or exercise and your spouse isn't, don't find reason to criticize.  Find opportunity to help.  Ask your spouse, "How can I help you be better?"  When the opportunity comes to just go out and get a burger vs. cooking a meal at home because everyone is tired and hungry, cook the meal together so it goes quicker.  Remind each other of the way you feel after eating a healthy meal at home compared to grabbing a burger in a drive-thru.  

• Always find ways to build each other up and encourage each other, not tear each other down.  Tearing down could even mean giving into a temptation together.  Be united in your goals to succeed.  Find ways to encourage with words while working out or complementing each other when you notice clothes fitting looser.  

• Pray for each other.  Praying for fitness of your spouse may seem like a small issue.  But, Christ says to bring everything to him in prayer.  EVERYTHING.  Pray together for each other.  God hears all His people's prayers.  He takes care of the sparrows (Luke 12:24), so why then would we find things in our lives too insignificant to bring to our mighty God in prayer?  

"...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God."  Philippians 4:6

• And finally, just KEEP GOING.  There will be periods of time with one or both of you will feel the weight of your jobs, your kids, stress in your life----the weight of the world.  There will be days when you can't work out.  There will be days when you are sick and a fast food run seems like the only way to get dinner on the table.  That is okay.  As long as you, as a couple, keep the your goals in mind and know that, even if you are in the place in life where working out or eating healthy doesn't come easy, you can still strive to be the healthiest you can be. Together.  

Peas and Carrots, Faith and Fitness.

The look of thankfulness after getting through my workout.

Peas and carrots.  Peanut Butter and Jelly.  Cottage Cheese and Pineapple.  Chocolate and peanut butter.  Burger and fries.  

Faith and Fitness.

I recently read an excerpt from C. John (Jack) Miller's sermons turned devotions, "Saving Grace."  Miller says, "Faith is simply opening up your eyes to see what God has done, what God is doing and what God is wanting to do in your life."

I realized very early on in my fitness journey that looking to Jesus regularly concerning fitness was absolutely  necessary.  In going to God in prayer and giving him my struggles and weaknesses, He graciously, faithfully kept me.  He gave me faith to persevere.  That faith certainly did not come from within myself.  More than 13 years after starting this journey, I am still learning this.   

Jack Miller also put it so honestly:

"If you want to be really depressed, take an hour and look inside yourself for faith. Now, don't look for faith.  Look for Jesus.  When you look for Jesus, you have faith."

I naturally tend to look at myself and see plenty of failure.  Failure to lose as many pounds or inches as I wanted in any given period of time.  Failure to not take a bite of that pizza.  Or cake.  Or donut.  Failure to get a workout in.  Failure to care too much about what others think of me.  

BUT...

If I look to Jesus, giving him the burden of my so-called failures, he lifts those from me and I start to see what God is doing in me.

God is giving me perseverance.  He is slowly but surely bringing me to my goals...in HIS timing.  He is using me to influence my husband, my family and my friends, and help them gain fitness.  He is changing my bad habits into good.  He is continuously growing me, molding my spirit into what He desires for me.

I am so thankful for this man, this partner in marriage, parenthood, fitness, and life that God has blessed me with!  To encourage me in faith in the times of abundance and the times of need.

All this may mean that I at times take one step forward and two steps back.  This entire past year seemed like that was happening over and over again.  Last May, I got to my goal weight.  I was stronger than I ever had been.  That was right before I had surgery to remove a cyst.  That put me out for 6 weeks.  I then got a large hematoma on the inside of my incision in my abdomen.  Ouch.  That put me out for several more weeks. By the end of the Summer, I was heading towards my goals again, but was side tracked by re-doing our front yard and getting that done by November.  That took a huge amount of physical work on my part--- quite possibly the most physical work I have ever done.  By the time we finished our yard, I was spent.  God was still gracious and I pressed on.  The end of the holiday season rolled around.  As the busyness started to dwindle, my energy dwindled even more.  From the end of December until the beginning of April, I was sick with infection after infection.  I was brought to tears many times in pain that just wouldn't go away.  Faith does not come as easily in these situations.  My fitness goals were far from my thoughts.  At this point, my goal was to not be in pain everyday and be able to function to serve and take care of my family.  The passage in Phillipians 4:11-13 came to mind often in these hard times...

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me."  

That last verse is used too often without the verses preceding it.  Paul is writing to the church in Philippi from a jail cell.  Yet, he is saying he has learned how to be content in every circumstance... when he is low and when he abounds.  I love how he says he has "learned the secret" to face the times of hunger and abundance in life.  That "secret" is Christ.  Now this doesn't mean if I want to do something, Christ will give me the strength no matter what.  It may mean that I am brought low.  It may mean my spirit may be broken and he builds it back up again.  It means Christ will get us through life, even when it isn't going as we planned it, as we want it to.  It ultimately isn't about our plans and goals for our life.  It's about God's.  And learning to be content in that is a life-long process.  Look to Jesus in that.  That is faith.  Even when you are brought so low that your goals are completely out of sight, look to Jesus.  When you reach your goals, look to Jesus.  In both situations, God is still gracious. 

In regards to my fitness goals, after gaining ten pounds for the first time in two years, I am back on track.  I workout most days of the week and I have started a carb-cycling plan that has put my hypoglycemia in check and has started to result in weight loss and muscle gain.  When I think back to those dark days of pain and sickness I was in during the first three months of the year, I am so very thankful for God's graciousness in giving me the physical strength to get back to where I am now, but mostly I am thankful for Him faithfully keeping me, giving me faith and perseverance when I needed it most.

That, my friends, is why faith and fitness go together, well, like peas and carrots!  May God Bless you with faith and perseverance when you are brought low and when you abound in life.