Higher Ways

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways  higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." --Isaiah 55:9

Read: Isaiah 55

You've more than likely heard the story about the eagle and the chicken where an eagle, equipped with an eagle's heart, body and wingspan lived and ate with chickens. Because he lived with chickens, he believed he was one. The eagle looked up and saw another eagle flying, but didn't realize that's where he belonged. Versions of the story vary, but the message is clear: an eagle can't fly if he lives like a chicken.

I thought of that story when I had a workout session inside an altitude chamber. As you may or not know, training at altitude helps you better perform at sea level. The more time you spend up high, the better you perform down low. As a physiologist, that makes good sense to me, but as a Christian, it points me in the right direction: higher.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

Let that be our faith perspective this week. Train high, live low. Look up and do more than believe.

--Jimmy Peña

Question: When we take time out of our busy days to read God's Word and pray, we are more equipped to handle our busy days. What is your plan to make sure that each day you prioritize quiet moments with the Lord?

PRAYFIT WORKOUT OF THE WEEK: RIGHT TO THE CORE Get abs that are strong to the core with this focused workout

Exercise  | Sets x Reps Reverse Crunch | 4 x To failure Standard Crunch | 3 x 15 Double Crunch | 3 x To failure Plank | 3 x To failure To failure: The point at which you can no longer complete reps safely on your own.

>> EXERCISE DESCRIPTIONS - CLICK HERE

We begin the workout session with a lower abs move. Let me first say that it is impossible to completely isolate any one portion of the abs, but you can emphasize a particular section over another through exercise selection. We begin with reverse crunches because for most of us, the lower abs are our weakest section, and it's a good idea to begin a session with your weak link when you're the freshest.

We then move to standard crunches, double crunches and end with a core-specific move, the plank. The plank helps work not only all the outer muscles, but more importantly works the innermost musculature of the abs (transverse abdominis), while also strengthening your low back. Hold the plank position as long as possible, record your time in the log and repeat after a brief rest.

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Still Time To Dance

I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age." --Isaiah 46:4

Read: Isaiah 46

You remember 8th grade dances, right? I sure do. I was the king of holding up the wall. Turn down the lights on a basketball court, add some streamers, some 80's music, and you had yourself a dance. Just...without the dancing. (No way I was crossing the outer marker.)

I thought of those dances while on a recent television interview. Referring to the senior citizens watching her show, the host asked me if it was ever too late to start an exercise program or to improve your health. Instantly I was transported to those last ten minutes of my 8th grade dance. Knowing my dad would be pulling up any minute to get me, I knew I didn't have another minute to spare. So I took a deep breath, swallowed any last drop of moisture left in my throat (gulp), and I defied 8th grade logic. I walked across the three-point line and asked the first girl I saw to dance. Best 10 minutes of the year for me.

And that's my answer to the host's question. Our life and our health are precious at any age. So if it's been a while since you've exercised or even if you've never crossed the outer marker, consider each sunrise the upbeat He's playing for you. So get crazy. Defy logic and move those arms and legs. Even if Daddy (Abba) says it's almost time to go, it's not too late to ask, "Can I have this dance, for the rest of my life?"

--Jimmy Peña

FAT-BURNING TIP: Train Hungry

Regardless of how long you've been exercising you have probably heard about the concept of "empty-stomach cardio." But it's not just lip service. Training while hungry -- ideally before breakfast -- can help you lose more fat when training. Researchers at Kansas State University found that exercisers who fasted before a low-intensity workout oxidized 94.3 more calories from fat, on average, than groups who had a meal 30, 60 or 90 minutes before exercise.

As you sleep, your body uses stored carbs (glycogen) to run your brain's motor, so in the morning, your body is in a carb-deprived state. This means that fat will be burned for fuel sooner during a workout.

As the study suggests, this approach is best done before low-intensity training because high-intensity training, such as sprinting, requires more carbohydrate for performance. What's "low" intensity? The most universal and leisurely low-intensity exercise is walking. So if losing bodyfat is one of your training goals, try putting your feet to the pavement before you put fork to mouth each morning.

BONUS TIP: The same logic applies to doing cardio after weights. Since weight training uses stored carbs for fuel, doing cardio after will help decrease the time it takes to start burning calories from fat.

DVD: Click here to get started on the PrayFit 33-Day Total Body Challenge.

DVD "PLUS": Looking for a more advanced home routine? Try the PrayFit 33-Day Body Toning System.

Rattle Some Chains

"Then I heard the Lord asking, 'Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?' I said, 'Here I am. Send me.'" --Isaiah 6:8

We often pray for God to send us where He wants us to go. You've probably said, "Here I am Lord...send me."  Well, when Paul was put in prison, he kissed the walls. He figured he had a captive audience, and if this is where God wanted him, he was gonna rattle some chains.

So take a look around you. Survey your surroundings. Do you have a captive audience? Oh, you may not be in prison, but perhaps God has cleverly placed you right where He wants you. Any family members come to mind? What about your next door neighbor, or that handful of people you see each day at the gym. Would Paul consider them captive? Well, whoever it may be, perhaps it's time to kiss the walls and rattle some chains. Besides, you and I keep praying, "Here I am Lord, send me", but maybe He already has.

--Jimmy Peña

PRAYFIT NUTRITION TIP: Fruits & Veggies by Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD

Let’s be honest...most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. The federal government’s new Dietary Guidelines say that we should fill half of our plate with fruits and vegetables. Not only does this add a lot of nutrients and not a lot of calories, but it makes our meals colorful and more appealing. Here are some easy, thoughtful ways to bump up your fruit and veggie intake without simply picking up a cucumber and crunching away.

>> Add vegetables to omelets or scrambled eggs, pasta sauce, macaroni and cheese (try broccoli and tomatoes), soups, and sandwiches

>> Add fruit to smoothies, pancake and muffin mix, cereal and milk, yogurt, oatmeal, and salads

Emily Ann Miller, MPH, RD is a registered dietitian and works at a Washington, DC-based independent, nonprofit science organization, where her work is currently focused on environmental and policy solutions to obesity prevention. She also speaks to groups about health and nutrition and provides nutrition education to patients at a free medical clinic that serves low-income, uninsured adults in the Washington, DC area. You can view more of Emily’s nutrition tips and updates by following her on Twitter, @EmilyAMillerRD.