How would you rate your Divinely Designed Healthy Life*Style Practice? Really -  I want to know.  If you're an 8 or higher, then BRAVO!  If you're under 8, what is standing in the way of your BETTER whole body health? Let's not even say "your best" because your perfection might start talking and shut you down.  The goal is just to be better each day. I know "time" is often the excuse that is used, which is often partnered with "planning." "I don't have time to plan."  The truth is you don't have time to NOT plan.  The english isn't stellar - but you get my point. Benjamin Franklin said it best with the quote -
​​​​​​

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."

 

Why? Because your current multi-tasking lifestyle and the food options that are readily available and convenient don't support a healthy lifestyle.

The Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) doesn't set you up for success.  Yes - you do have to put the extra effort in, but for me, it's absolutely worth it.  Isn't having more energy and boldly living longer and stronger in your service size body worth it? Isn't being in a ready position to be deployed wherever God calls you worth it?  Isn't being in a blessing position to be blessed and bless others worth it?

You may have the best intention to eat healthier and move more, but without SOME planning you are setting yourself up for failure.

Convenience is often the reason or excuse for our food choices.  It's time to make healthy clean eating convenient, which is exactly what planning does!

So, let's get to it! There are 7 Steps to the Fit thru Faith Pleasure Planning Practice:

STEP 1:  Power & Purpose

STEP 2:  Pleasure

STEP 3:  Structured Plan (VP3)

STEP 4:  Partner

STEP 5:  Plot & Play

STEP 6:  Prep

STEP 7:  Plate

This blog we'll tackle the most important step -  ​​​STEP #1 - Power & Purpose!

Step #1 connects back to the foundation of your Divinely Designed Healthy Life*style Practice - building it on Solid Rock!

"Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain." - Psalms 127:1

​​​​​​
God calls you to take responsibility for your temple (1 Cor. 6:19-20) and to glorify him in everything you do, including eating and drinking (1 Cor. 10:31).

You need to tap into that Spiritual Power to push past those things that candidly you just don't "like" to do. In order to honor God with your temple, you need to eat cleaner (and move more) - and in order to eat cleaner (and move more), you need to plan.  It's as simple as that.

And don't forget the power of prayer. Pray for the strength, inspiration and conviction to enjoy the Pleasure Planning journey, because it is essential for your long term success.

If you don't like to cook (like me), speak life. Instead of "I don't like to cook" or "I'm not a good cook" - try saying "I'm growing in my cooking practice to be of greatest service to God and the world."  Better =)?

Now, let's jump into Purpose - which links back to your Big Bold Why (BBW).  Why is it important for you to be in better whole body health?  If you don't have a BBW.  Stop! You won't be successful in planning if you don't have a bigger reason to be healthy.  Take some time to connect to that bigger purpose first. Do you want to be medication or joint pain free? Do you want to be a role model on the job, for your family or for the people you serve? Do you want to have the energy, creativity and confidence that you do today for your unborn grandchildren 20-30 years from now (that would be one of mine) =). 

Once you at least have the building blocks for your BBW, it's time to connect it to a big bold reason to plan. Your planning needs to connect to something big, bold and powerful. In order to attain your goals, in order to get to your final destination, you must plan, which is going to include the need to cook more. Yay!

Trust me, this has been an area of big growth for me. Before I made the mindset shift (Romans 12:2), I would always say, "I don't cook. I don't like to cook. I fix food."  So true - I would put healthy food together on a plate, but I didn't enjoy the process - and cooking just felt like a time drain.

Well, that was before I connected it spiritually (taking care of my temple) and linked it to my BBW.  Now there is purpose in making the choice to cook more.

While I may not enjoy "cooking" necessarily in concept, I get much pleasure out of nourishing my body with food that gives me optimal energy and creativity, playing with new spices and foods, and feeding my family food that sets them up for success.

Other great Purpose reasons to plan are:

- Reduces Stress
- Saves Time in the long run
- Saves Money
- Supports your Divinely Designed Healthy Clean Eating Life*Style (Boosts Nutrition)

Action Step:  Find your Big Bold Why connection to the need to plan and write it down.  You may have several.  The number is less important than your conviction and intention.

​​​​​​Enjoy the journey!  The next blog, we'll tackle Steps 2 and 3.  And as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts and how I can serve you MORE!

BLESSINGS & XO!

Additional Resources:

Meal Planning