Hello friend! I am SO glad you are joining us this month for our very FIRST fit club! Each month the amount and variety of content will grow. With this being the first month I would ask that you extend me a little grace as I figure out what works best in delivering the content to you and all that goes with it. In the months to come I will be adding more informational videos on form and alignment as well as a nutrition plan to follow if you wish.
The theme God gave me for July is “BRAVE & FREE”. I think that is fitting since we celebrate July 4th and our countries independence this month. I believe that God wants to take us to new places in our health and fitness so we can be free to pursue all the dreams He has put within our heart. My heart is that these workouts will encourage you to be BRAVE in all areas of your life and allow God into this area of fitness so you can find FREEDOM!
Here is your printable workout calendar for July:
Here are the PRIVATE links to the workouts(please do not share these links with anyone who has not purchased a membership to the First Fruit Fit Club):
STRENGTH HIIT (time: 31:04) Grab some weights and join me for a strength workout at a cardio pace! Power Verse: 2 Cor.12:7-11
STRICTLY STRENGTH (time: 29:51) Grab your dumbbells and join me for a total body strength workout! Don’t be afraid to use heavy weights for this workout. Power Verse: 2 Tim. 1:7
PLATE FUSION (time: 26:24) Grab your paper plates and a sharpie and join me for this total body plate fusion workout! Power Verse: Psalm 55:22
CARDIO HIIT (time: 23:03) Join me for 17 minutes of HIIT cardio! The only equipment you need for this workout is 1 light dumbbell. Power Verse: Galations 5:1
WHAT TO EAT?
As I mentioned above, I am working on a more structured meal plan for the months to come. But as we are just getting started I want to start with some simple tips that if you adhere to will see noticeable changes in your body within the month:
- Pray FIRST. This may sound simple but it has been a game changer for me in my eating. Before you put anything into your mouth pray and ask God for self control. Also ask Him to check your motives. Often we are eating to fill a hole in our soul that only God can fill. He will reveal these things to you and set you free from emotional eating. Pray that God will replace your unhealthy cravings for food with cravings for Him and His word.
- Fresh Fiber First. This a principle we live by in our home. It simply means that before you eat anything you must eat fresh fiber first(vegetable or fruit sparingly). Often our cravings come from vitamin deficiencies and staying fueled on good foods will reduce those cravings.
- Drink water only. I know we have all heard that you need to drink more water but it’s true. Our body is primarily water and it needs a lot of it for your joints and organs to function correctly. If you want to be healthy and whole any other source of liquids should be limited if not completely avoided. Soda not only has a bunch of sugar but it eats away at our bones causing them to be brittle and lead to osteoporosis. Yes, this includes diet soda. If you must have something with flavor go for water infused with fresh fruit and herbs. Green tea is okay in moderation but keep in mind it dehydrates you so you will need to drink more water to balance that out.
- Limit the carbohydrates. Don’t worry, I’m not putting you on a low carb diet plan but I am going to ask you to monitor them if your goal is weight loss. Yes, we need some good carbs(fresh fruit mainly) but we eat way too many of them. I recommend no more than 1 to 2 pieces of fruit a day. If weight loss is your goal then no carbohydrates should be eaten after 5pm since your body will not get a chance to utilize them thus causing them to be stored as fat.
- Close the kitchen 3 hours before bedtime. If we eat too close to bed our body doesn’t get to properly shut down while we sleep. Instead of using adipose tissue(fat) to fuel our body as we sleep it will use whatever you just ate. Studies have shown we get better rest if our digestion system isn’t in full gear as well. If you are not used to this, try reducing your eating time before bed an hour each night until you get to that 3 hour mark.
- GRACE! Now that I’ve told you some things to work on please remember to extend yourself grace if you mess up! Too many diet plans are so strict that when we fail we just want to jump off the wagon and eat it too. God does not want us to be in bondage in the area of eating but we do need to honor our body(God’s temple) by taking care of it to the best of our ability. I promise He will meet you right where you are and help you every step of the way.
Please join the First Fruit Fit Club Facebook page for more weekly encouragement and fellowship with other believers! I’m praying for you!
Love,
Rachael
