Stay Fit During Thanksgiving

by Laurette Willis, Director of PraiseMoves, LLC

“I am the bread of life” John 6:48

Those words really put Thanksgiving overindulgence into perspective don’t they? Perhaps the overindulgence we could enter into this Thanksgiving is filling up on the “bread of life” instead of the bread of this world.

When we think of the bread of this world, do you think of physical bread? It can be that as well as what I call the “soul junk food” of this world. I’m referring to the PG-13, R-rated (and worse) so-called “entertainment” of this world (TV, movies, music, etc.).

Okay, now I’m meddling, right? It’s just that I’ve found that if I’m filling up on the world’s junk food through my eyes and ears (mentally and emotionally); I also have more of a tendency to want to satisfy my mouth with the world’s processed junk foods for my body.

When I’m taking in less life through the Word into my spirit, my discernment and choices in other areas of my life aren’t as clear or focused.

Psalm 103 exhorts us to bless the Lord (love, glorify, thank and praise Him) – not because He needs it, but because we do. Verse five says about God, “Who satisfies you mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

This can be viewed as clean, natural, unprocessed foods (still in their fresh-from-God package!) which give us energy and renew our youth from the cellular level. God also satisfies our mouths with the goodness of His Word (“the bread of life”) which we speak out over our lives, our families, our day, our future, our nation…

If we speak the doom and gloom of the world’s predictions, our future looks bleak; we feel and look older, less fit physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The good news is, as Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Pick a Scripture Snack” Each Day

You don’t have to be one of those persons who customarily gains five to eight pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. Just because many choose to eat 2,000 to 5,000 calories during one Thanksgiving meal (zowie!) doesn’t mean YOU have to do that! Make the decision TODAY that you are not going to follow along with the world and become a statistic.

Pick one “Scripture snack” to chew on each day. Today my “snack” from the Word was the verse at the beginning of this article where Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” Throughout the day when I was working, writing, driving, shopping – eating! – I went back to that Word and asked the Lord to give me new revelation on it. I noticed my focus became clearer, I made better choices in a number of areas and I feel fuller on the inside as a result (not “stuffed” and numb from overindulging my flesh as I had so many times before).

You can say, “Since Jesus has overcome the world, and Jesus is living big in me today, I will be fit and healthy over the holidays! Thanksgiving will be a time I will fill up on God’s Word, the bread of life. I will pick a ‘Scripture snack’ – one verse or a portion of the Word every day – and chew, chew, chew on it until I’m full! When tempted to overindulge my flesh, I will indulge my spirit and ‘chew on’ that healthy portion of Word for the day. I can go over it in my mind and heart, say it quietly to myself when I’m with others and praise the Lord for it! I always feel fuller on the inside when I praise the Lord and feed my heart with God’s Word. In addition to that, I choose to allow only those things which are pure and wholesome into my ‘ear gates’ and my ‘eye gates.’ I refuse to watch, listen to or eat garbage. I will not allow anything to dull my spiritual senses or God’s anointing on my life. I am a light in this world, not a dim bulb!”

More Practical Tips

In addition to ensuring your heart and mind are full of the Word, here are 5 tips to help you spearhead the movement in your family to a healthier Thanksgiving holiday:

1. Make a difference in someone’s life. Focus on one or two people you are going to get to know better over the Thanksgiving weekend. This can be a member of your own family, a friend, a neighbor, perhaps even someone at church who needs to be with a family at Thanksgiving (why not yours?).

2. If you don’t move, you lose. Much of the weight gain during the holidays is due to a lack of physical exercise. Purpose to get some exercise in early in the day before the hubbub of activity starts. Even if you take 15 minutes to walk and pray, you’ve just combined faith and fitness that will have a positive impact on your entire day (and the day of those around you – you know you’re a much nicer person when you invest time with your Father!).

3. Make it a family affair. After the turkey and fixin’s, be the instigator behind a “Let’s all go outside and walk off some of that delicious dinner before dessert!” I think you’d be surprised how many will think that’s not such a crazy idea! It’s just that not everyone wants to be the first one to suggest something different – but remember, you are spearheading the movement to a healthier family tradition (they’ll thank you for it later!).

4. Don’t skip meals. Even if you think you may be eating more over the holidays, don’t make the mistake of skipping meals so you can “stock up” later. That’s a sure-fire way to overindulge on the wrong foods because you haven’t been eating a healthful breakfast, lunch, dinner and two whole food snacks during the day. Choose your indulgences carefully. Want Aunt Anna’s pumpkin pie or Uncle Joe’s wombat surprise? Eat sane portions, don’t skip meals and you can still have a piece of that family favorite. Don’t try to “diet” during the holidays – you know how cranky you can get (and that’s not a very good witness to your unsaved loved ones!).

5. Drink plenty of water. Stay well-hydrated. It will also ensure you eat less when you drink more water. We often reach for a high-calorie snack when our body is really crying out for water.

Above all, stay focused on making sure your spirit is well-fed. Armed with a battle plan worthy of those who are “more than conquerors”1 through Christ, I believe we will find more reasons than ever to be truly thankful to the One who has given us all things to enjoy. We enter Thanksgiving and sail into the holidays and 2010 with our hearts full, our minds clear and our bodies full of energy as fit witnesses for Christ. He is able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”2

Let’s believe Him for it – and share our victory with others this holiday season.

And now I’d like to invite you to get my free “Fit Favorites Devotional” and PraiseMoves FitNews. To get yours, go to http://praisemoves.com.

© Laurette Willis 2009

Christian Fitness Expert and author Laurette Willis is the Director of PraiseMoves, offering fitness programs, DVDs, books and training for those interested in a Christian alternative to yoga, and fitness for spirit, soul and body at http://praisemoves.com . To follow Laurette on Twitter visit http://twitter.com/Fit4Christ and on FaceBook: http://facebook.com/praisemoves