Lifting My Spirits

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." - Ephesians 2:10 The part of this that resonates with me is "...so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago". I was stuck thinking that time or money spent on my own self-care was selfish. There is always a list of things that need to be done instead. A "better use of time" I use to tell myself. But then I realized that I wasn't much good to anyone if I was not healthy. I couldn't do things I was meant to do if I shortened my life from neglect. All of that gets shortened to "self-care isn't selfish", I guess. Have a good week, my friend!! ❤

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33 All week, the word "overcome" has been on my mind. I think it's normal to get stuck. Everyone has obstacles. I think "overcome" is more about thinking outside the box to find a way AROUND an obstacle rather than finding a way to bust through it. While I was making this video, a quote popped up on my phone... "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great." - A League of Their Own The only person who can decide if you're one of the many who DON'T, or the few who DO, is you. You decide. ❤️

"Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!" - Psalm 103:1-5 Every muscle, bone, tendon, ligament is a miracle of divine engineering. Lungs fill with air. Heart pumps blood...all amazing processes when you think about every little thing that needs to line up and function properly. Exercise releases dopamine in the brain that creates a sense of well being and peace...it's all part of the gift of this life. Self-care is a habit of respect for the gift. It's an acknowledgement of gratitude if you decide to make it so. You, my friend, are a miracle. You're here on purpose. Your self-care habit is an expression of your love for your Creator, family, and friends who pray for you to be happy and healthy. Have a wonderful, healthy week. ❤️

"Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you." ~ Psalm 37:5 There will be days you don't want to do it. You'll be able to come up with a quick list of all the things you "need" to do instead. This life, your body, were given to you to care for each day. Movement. Nourishment. Rest. Most of the time, the other stuff can wait a little bit.

"Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well." ~ 3 John 1:2 This little letter from John to a man named Gaius is a reminder that we are to take care of the physical AND the spiritual. I choose to believe my body is a miracle of divine engineering. Think of something so small we take it for granted - healing. How many little cuts and scrapes have we had that healed exactly as they should? I believe it is my responsibility to do daily self-care for the physical and spiritual components of my life. Exercise and healthy foods are not part of a punishment for letting things go - they are NOURISHMENT for a body that is a blessing. I believe our healthy habits reflect gratitude we have for this blessing.❤ Have a good week friends! #faithinfitness #bibleverse #faith

Random Act of Kindness Day is February 17. But truth be told, a random act of kindness each day will not only brighten the day of others, it will help you cultivate a positive mindset. It's too easy to fall into a funk - especially after the last year. Make a little random act a habit!

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 Strength to endure...we need that many times. Life includes some big, overwhelming events. But it also includes small things each day that distract and tempt us to procrastinate, postpone, or give up. Some people equate "discipline" with "deprivation". I don't believe that's a practical approach. "Discipline" is having the ability to decide to have a treat, but not the entire box. Discipline means a unexpected interruption in routine that cancels today's workout doesn't become a week or a month away from exercise. Each of us has to navigate things as we see fit. I share this scripture to remind you that God provides strength so you can trust yourself because you trust in Him. ❤️

Use this simple calculation to figure out how much you need! **** Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get motivated! You’ll get advice, insights, lifting tips, and recipes! Newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits Follow on MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness

If you're an active woman over 40, you might wonder at times if anyone in the fitness world really understands what it's like to be a busy woman trying to make it all work!? Gain insider’s knowledge from an instructor who knows what it's like start working on a health transformation when life is too busy! This course was created to help busy women take control and use their favorite foods as fuel to make sustainable changes. Learn how to customize a food plan using macros (proteins, carbs, and fats), using your favorite foods to reach your goals! Learn more here…. https://liftingmyspiritscourses.teachable.com/p/blast_fat_build_muscle

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:13 Wishing you a wonderful and productive week! **** Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get motivated! You’ll get advice, insights, lifting tips, recipes, first dibs on promotions, and new products: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness

We know how this works and what doesn't work. How many times have you bought ALL the vegetables only to throw them out in a few days? It will work if you follow advice from people who've done it. Don’t try to establish ALL the healthy habits at the same time. Prioritize and work on one at a time. Attach a new habit to something you already do. For example, attach "go to gym" to "go to store" or "get nails done". I schedule errands to happen AFTER the workout. Get an extra serving of fruit by adding it to your breakfast. When that's a habit, start adding a vegetable to your lunch. Use frozen veggies instead of fresh to cut the waste if you're not sure you'll eat them before they spoil. Just some ideas. The point is to not overthink it. Small changes, done consistently, make a difference in our health. Those bad choices do the same thing. Bad choices, done consistently, hurt health. It's a mindset thing. I chose to adopt a mindset that nothing stays the same. I'd either improve my health or decline it as I got older. * * * * * I'd love to help you get started, so I created a FREE TRAINING based on the 4 most common questions I've been asked by my peers, women over 40 who are sick of starting over and over... ✅How to organize the food? ✅Should I lift? ✅How to stay motivated and stick with it? ✅How to start? It's about an hour long, but you have full video controls, so you can pause, rewind, speed up, and turn on closed captions. You'll have access to the training for 5 days once you start it, so you can take a few days to get through it or to go back and review certain parts. There will be a discount offer at the end for my full course, but this training is NOT an infomercial (because I hate it when people waste my time just to make a pitch). I provide as many specifics as I can that most people will be able to use right away. Learn more here... https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/get-fit-and-stay-fit-after-40-registration-page

"Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food." ~ Isaiah 55:2 This scripture gave me support, but I hesitate to share it. Let me explain... ALL food is a blessing. There is nothing terribly virtuous about what a person eats, but there is meaning to us for those choices. I believe that is important. When I was unhealthy, food choices were a tool I used to address that. For a while, I felt like I was "smarter" than others who chose differently. Then I went through a phase when I was ashamed of how I judged others based on how they ate. Felt like if others did what I was doing, I was “right”. But it's just food - not values. All types of food provide something we need... 💥All foods have macronutritients and calories - our energy source. 🍎Some foods also have micronutrients - our health source. 🍕Some foods have psychological benefits so we don't feel like we're deprived. People ask me frequently what I eat expecting me to name a plan - "plant-based", "keto", "paleo", etc. Nothing like that. I eat foods I enjoy and that help me feel good. Some are highly nutritious, some aren't. All are there for a reason. The “best” plan for you is the one you like to feel healthy and that you can sustain. But when I need to suggest something, I always suggest that 80/20 rule - mostly whole foods with some treats - because deprivation never works in the long run. **** Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get motivated! You’ll get advice, insights, lifting tips, recipes, first dibs on promotions, and new products: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness

"I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." ~ Psalm 139:14 KJV Don't underestimate what progress you can make when you start to take care of yourself. Don't discount the miracle of a body created to heal. **** Sign up for our weekly newsletter! You’ll get advice on dealing with obstacles, lifting tips, recipes, first dibs on promotions, and new products: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness

Struggle to get enough sleep occasionally? Restorative sleep is critical to any fitness program. Check out these tips - maybe one will help you get the zzzzz's! **** Sign up for weekly newsletter to get lifting tips, recipes, motivation: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness

Changed my life & started competing in bodybuilding at age 50. Supporting my over-40 peers with online fitness content that is science-based, not hype. **** Sign up for weekly newsletter to get lifting tips, recipes, motivation: https://www.subscribepage.com/lmsnewsletter Website: https://www.liftingmyspirits.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiftingMySpirits MeWe: https://mewe.com/p/liftingmyspiritsfitness