Before I explain the Fit For Jesus philosophy on frequency of exercise, I need to be clear about 2 things, really quickly.

1) The first is this: after being in the fitness industry for 15 years now, I am honored to know some great people who truly care about their clients and stand behind their products and programs. In other words, the entire world isn’t bad, shifty, or shady.

I personally know the people I have linked below. With two exceptions (Mike and Tom, both of whom I’ve had email conversations with), I have either met them personally multiple times or talked to them on the phone multiple times. And everyone that I have met have vouched *heavily* for Mike and Tom.

2) The second: Even though I know them personally, I have purchased every single one of their main products. So, when I recommend them below, it is sincere. Trust me: I’ve also purchased a lot more than what I’ve listed below, and there are some things that I will just never recommend…

I will also fully disclose that if you choose to check them out and end up making a purchase, I may make a commission. At the end of the day, however, my reputation is at stake, and they wouldn’t be listed below if I didn’t agree with their overall exercise or nutrition philosophy.

Of course, we are putting together a Fit For Jesus Transformation Program that addresses what 99% of worldly trainers are missing. But in the meantime, I can certainly recommend a small handful of folks who really have either exercise or nutrition dialed in.

If you’re looking for something right away, check out the people below:

1. Need an exercise program to drop some weight and have access to a gym? Then check out either Mike Geary or Tom Venuto.
2. If you’d prefer not to go to the gym, then look at everything from Craig Ballantyne.
3. Prefer to learn about exercise from a female? Look no further than Holly Rigsby.
4. Want to learn more about nutrition? Choose from John Berardi or Joel Marion.
5. Prefer to learn about nutrition from a female? Check out Isabel de los Rios.
6. Would you rather have a “slightly wiser” or “chronologically-advanced” viewpoint? Then be sure to look to Jon Benson, who is going to give me a hard time for that one.
7. Finally, are you interested in putting on muscle with minimal fat? Then Vince DelMonte is your man.

The problem is that this very small group is the exception to the worldly norm when it comes to telling the truth about exercise.

Exercise is one of the major ingredients to the weight loss puzzle that we see twisted so greedily. Headline after headline, commercial after commercial, and website after website all distort reality so far out of whack that there isn’t even a hint of truth left.

Of course, the worst are the ones that say you can lose weight without exercise by taking their magic pills and potions. Here is the truth: anything in pill or powder form that truly causes you to lose weight without exercise is illegal, usually because it has the potential to kill you. Any questions on that?

Next are those guilty parties who say that you can just wear their gadget or use their magical device to shed inches and pounds without any exercise. Nearly every example I can think of relies on infomercials that only show during insomniac hours. Incidentally, they won’t air these infomercials during normal viewing hours because they would lose too much money advertising to people who were mentally alert enough to change the channel.

Some marketers selling diets, and especially the big “name brand”, internationally-recognized diet programs, say you can just walk a few days per week and drop weight. And, technically, I’ll freely admit that is quite true… IF your nutrition is at least 98% perfect.

But my question to you is this: if your nutrition is 98% perfect, don’t you also have the proven dedication to create much faster results and a much healthier body, compared to what you can achieve with just walking?

Every single one of the nine people I listed above are clear that it will take at least 3 days per week of vigorous exercise and a solid nutrition foundation to achieve healthy weight loss. And that is why I respect them and freely recommend them if you are looking for a solution right away.

However… we have seen a problem over and over again, even in clients who paid high dollar amounts to train 3 days per week with us. The problem? 3 days per week gives your brain too many opportunities to come up with excuses for pushing off your workout “until tomorrow”.

And the next thing you know, 3 days have gone by, and then 1 week, and then 3 weeks… and then a year. Not good.

Ouch. Reality hurts, sometimes.

But now it’s time for the full truth about Christian weight loss, the one that the world doesn’t want you to hear. You will get FAR better results working out 5-6 days per week, but it may not be for the reason you are probably thinking.

Of course, you will burn more calories by working out 5-6 days, as opposed to just 3. It’s not rocket science. But there is a far more important factor.

You see, the reality is that exercise needs to be done nearly every day so that it becomes a deeply developed and ingrained habit. If you are going to truly embrace the verse below, then a total transformation must occur from where you are now to what you can become.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then, you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

~ Romans 12:1-2

The good news is that every workout doesn’t have to be hard! Do 3 days per week of intense exercise, and alternate with 2-3 lighter days. Initially, those 3 lighter days may only be a 20-30 minute walk… no problem!

Be sure to set a goal of doing intelligent, healthy exercise 5-6 days per week. As you are transforming your mind and developing the mental habit of exercising each day, you will also receive the benefits of a transformed body much more quickly.

And along the way, your perseverance will develop into character that Christ can use in this world and in eternity to come. Get Fit For Jesus!

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1. Christian Weight Loss Without Exercise

And to be fair, although it is extremely rare, weight loss based on proper nutrition and no exercise can technically happen.  However, there are three problems with this scenario.

1)      Losing the weight would have been accomplished much more quickly by adding exercise to the overall program.  So, in a sense, the person that chooses to refuse to exercise and maintain a strict diet all the time can achieve her goal, but she would have achieved it much more quickly with exercise.

2)      Losing weight without exercise is a guaranteed trip to a slower metabolism and a physically weaker body.  Even under perfect conditions, the body almost never loses bodyfat without also losing some muscle.  And remember this rule:  when you lose muscle, you have created a slower metabolism.

Let me rephrase that a different way, because this is important.  With rare exceptions, your body will lose a little muscle when you lose a substantial amount of bodyfat.  About the only way to prevent this from happening is to be a “beginner” to the weight room and not reduce calories too drastically.

But if you’ll notice, the exception depends on exercise!  Exercise is the ONLY option that gives you a fighting chance to keep your muscle while you drop bodyfat.  In other words, you WILL lose muscle if you restrict calories too much and refuse to stimulate the muscles enough to make them stick around and stay for a while.

Weight loss by dieting without exercise equals muscle loss, which equals a slower metabolism and weaker body.  Period.

3)      The third problem with weight loss without exercise has to do with Scripture.  Read this verse:

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

~ 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20

The Bible is clear that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that we are to honor God with our bodies.  The reality is that there is no greater way of honoring God with our bodies than to take care of them to the best of our abilities.  This includes both healthy nutrition and exercise, since both have been proven to provide countless benefits to our health and longevity.

And longevity is important.  Why?  Because the longer we are around in a healthy body, the greater amount of service we can provide to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So, while it is certainly possible to lose weight without exercise, it isn’t the most efficient option.  More importantly, it isn’t the healthy option that honors God with our very best!

Decide today to honor God with your body and get truly Fit For Jesus!  Make sure your health and Fitness is Focused on Eternity!

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Related posts:

1. Where Does Nutrition Fit In With Christian Weight Loss?
2. The Importance of Goal Setting for Christian Weight Loss
3. How Many Days Per Week Should You Exercise?

I’m already chuckling. Seriously, I am. This is one of my favorite, most comical (but effective) tools that I give to my clients. Every time I tell my clients about it, they get a surprised expression on their face and nervously laugh. I can only imagine the images going through their head when I tell them about it.

I’m sure more than one has thought, “Great. I have a crazy health and fitness coach!” But I always get the last laugh (in a good way!) on this one, because it is a nice trick to help you lose weight and get more fit!

Are you ready for it? Here it is: I want you to work out in the bathroom.

Don’t worry. We’re not talking about a full-blown, 30 minute, sweat-pouring, leg-quivering, arms out of control kind of workout. You won’t get funny stares from your co-workers as you walk out of the bathroom stall red-faced, huffing and puffing (because you won’t be). And there won’t be any funny noises coming from your stall, because you won’t need to grunt, scream, or holler from a monstrously heavy burden. There will be no SWAT team, police, security, or even your boss waiting outside the bathroom door, armed and ready for whatever strange events are happening inside.

So, relax. We’re talking about a selection of movements (you get to pick) that take just 45 seconds, at the max!

The overall premise is very simple: we don’t move enough each day, so we’re going to take advantage of our small, built-in, mandatory-for-life “bathroom breaks” to squeeze in a little more exercise every day. EVERY time we increase our activity, we get a brief increase in our metabolism, which means we are burning more calories.

Of course, more calories burned means more fat burned. More fat burned means a healthier body (assuming we’re talking about someone who needs to lose body fat). And a healthier body means a healthier, longer-lasting temple of the Holy Spirit!

Incidentally, because of the “strangeness” of the idea, I first tried this out on my mom.  She literally called me less than 2 weeks later and said that her legs felt stronger, she could go up the stairs easier, and that getting into and out of dad’s farm truck was no longer a problem!  (My mom is one of my greatest success stories)

Oh, yeah… we haven’t talked about it in depth, yet, but we recommend that you drink 1 gallon of water per day. Not only does it help your body run optimally, but it will also increase the frequency of your bathroom activity breaks!

So, once you’ve used the lavatory, just get your clothes situated and have at it!  Here are 10 exercises that you can do to burn more calories throughout your day!

1. 10-20 deep squats
2. 10-20 pushups against the bathroom wall/stall.  (Please don’t do them on the bathroom floor.  I have to draw the line, somewhere.)
3. 20 standing calf raises
4. 20 seated calf raises.  Perfect for when you have to…  well, have a seat.
5. 10 “air pushups”:  Squeeze your muscles HARD as you do an imaginary pushup in the air.
6. 10 “air pullups”:  Squeeze your muscles HARD as you do an imaginary pullup in the air.
7. 10 “air shoulder press”:  Squeeze your muscles HARD as you push your arms and hands straight up in the air.
8. 10 “air hamstring curls”:  1 leg at a time, squeeze your hamstrings hard and lift your heel to your glutes.
9. 10 knee lifts:  Do 10 knee lifts for each leg.  Bring your knee up as high as you can and pull it into your chest.
10. 10 glute squeezes:  Stand up and lift one leg BACK behind you as far as you can, keeping it straight.  Works the glutes very well!

Good news… there is one more awesome activity we can do in the bathroom:  pray!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Let’s face it:  we have natural, built-in “breaks” throughout the day.  Take advantage of this great opportunity to improve and increase your metabolism, strength, and flexibility.  Take advantage of this opportunity to spend time quietly in prayer with our Almighty Lord and Savior.

Who knew the bathroom was a perfect place to get Fit For Jesus!

God bless you today.  Be sure to leave a comment below and let me know your questions, how you will implement this information, and the results you achieve from it (both spiritual and physical)!

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