First Place 4 Health

Grace Giver

2011-10-19T09:19:00.001-05:00

I subscribe to Google alerts and received one today that was a blog from a FP4H member. I have no idea where this group meets, but thought her post was worth a discussion in our E-Newsletter. This group is doing the FP4H Bible Study Walking in Grace and this member did a study on the word “grace,” which then initiated her post:

I returned to the First Place 4 Health Bible study and support group after having been absent for over a year. The core group of women was still present, as well as several new enrollees. While listening to several of the core members, I realized one was still discussing the same issue—how to keep from going to Starbucks for mocha lattes. For the three years she had been with us in the group, she was still struggling with mocha lattes. She had lost no weight over the course of the three years. To my horror, the ladies laughed it off and then began talking about other unhealthy snacks they preferred. The answer from the leader, “Well, we’ll just have to pray for you this week.”

Where is grace in that? The member should have been confronted about how she was taking the FP4H commitments and making them a mockery. She should have been given a plan for having success in making better choices that involved her husband and children to help hold her accountable. How was extending more grace influencing the new members to put off the unhealthy habits that created the fat rolls and put on healthy habits instead? It created instead a loophole for those new members. “When I consistently make wrong choices, there will be more grace extended to me,” is what they will begin to believe. In AA circles this is called “enabling the addict.”

Our FP4H group should attend some AA meetings. If an alcoholic were to confess that they struggled with going through the drive-through to purchase wine coolers, the AA leader and the other members would spend a large amount of time confronting that member and coming up with a plan for more accountability. How do I know that? I used to attend 2-3 AA meetings a week and witnessed several times how weak members were confronted about their choices. No grace. They were rebuked, instructed in the rules of AA, and offered help to be victorious one day at a time. Why should we women who make FP4H commitments to eat healthy and follow the “Live It plan” be treated any differently? Come on, FP4H friends—stop using grace as an excuse for bad behavior!

Here is my reply to her post:

I am not writing as the director of the First Place 4 Health program, but as a FP4H leader who has been leading for 30 years. As such, I surely understand the frustration of the blogger. The problem here is that the group feels free to share their rebellion to the class instead of humbly asking for prayer. My class would never feel free to make those comments in class because I, as the leader, would never wink at such comments.

That said, however, I am a grace giver because God has shown so much mercy and grace to me. I also have no power to make someone change anything. I have these women one hour a week, but for the next seven days they have to do the hard work of change

I believe success is a 3-step plan: 1) God will give me the strength to say no if I ask Him. 2) Others will encourage and support me in my efforts. 3) I have to do the hard work. No one has arrived and everyone is susceptible to falling; this is why we need to show love and grace. I have heard grace defined as "unmerited favor" and this is what I desire to show to my class members. I believe that unconditional love, the kind of love that God shows me, is what will win hearts over all the legalism in the world.

I was in Illinois last weekend and I heard a testimony that said it all for me. A lady said that when she came to our FP4H Wellness Week last year, she was walking with a cane. She never did any exercise because she could barely walk. At the end of the week she lost 9 pounds and went home to join a FP4H group. Her cholesterol and blood pressure were so high that she was unable to obtain health insurance because of her high risk. Today, a year later, she has lost 40 pounds. Although not quite at her goal, her cholesterol is 168; her blood pressure 120/80 and she now has health insurance. She shared that she still had not exercised at all, but a family member gave her a bicycle with training wheels and she is riding that bike every day!

Success is in the process, not in a program. I think it would help if your group would watch the emotional mapping DVD. I showed 20 minutes each week for three weeks and for those willing to actually do the mapping, I put their names in a basket and drew one out each week for a prize. I saw tremendous strides, and some ladies started losing weight that had really been struggling.

What I love most about FP4H is that we deal with the total person: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. God created us this way and Jesus said in Mark 12:30-31 that the greatest commandment is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. The second is this, love your neighbor as yourself." It has been hard, but I am learning that obedience is the love language of God. He says all through His Word, “If you love me, you will obey me.”

I believe my job as a FP4H leader is to love my members so much that they realize God loves them even more than I do and they want to obey Him because they love Him. Any other motive is doomed to failure.

What do you think?

Carole Lewis

My New Favorite Power Food!

2011-09-21T12:05:00.002-05:00

While traveling to New England this past week, I discovered a wonderful power food. When I say power food, I am talking about food that really packs a punch for the calories. Foods that have the ability to sustain you over a longer period of time and keep you from getting hungry are power foods! I was in the airport and really needed something to sustain me for my next flight. When you are on a limited amount of calories (and we all should be), you really want to make those calories you chose count for you and not against you. When we consume foods with empty calories, those foods work against us. My new very favorite is Siggi ‘s Icelandic style skyr yogurt. I found it in the cold drink case in an airport deli. For only a 100 calorie serving, you get 14 grams of protein! That is about twice as much as regular yogurt. Now, I must warn you—this is not your common yogurt. If you are used to sweet and fluffy yogurt, this may not be for you. It is strong in flavor and consistency, but I am loving it! I found it at Earth Fare in the dairy after I got home, which makes it even better!

I do not want to waste my calories on foods that are simple carbohydrates and don’t supply much in the way of nutrition or fortification for the body. A good example of empty calories would be a slice of plain white bread. A better choice would be Kashi Go Lean whole grain cereal. That is my choice for breakfast over plain white toast. In a one-cup serving of Kashi Go lean cereal, there are only 140 calories. This is what you get for your calories: 13 g of protein and 9 g of fiber! Both protein and fiber will keep you from getting hungry so quickly. These two (protein and fiber) work better together. How about you? Do you have those favorite foods that work for you and not against you? Do you have some favorite foods that really pack a punch for the calories? Please share … we are on this journey together and we too are better together!

Vicki Heath

Hot enough for ya?

2011-08-29T13:39:00.002-05:00

If one more person says to me, “Hot enough for ya’?” I think I will scream. I don’t know how it is where you live, but here in SC it has been a scorcher of a summer. Our wonderful world-famous peach crop burned up really fast and I hate that! I am burning up too.

I am trying to keep my exercise commitments, but we all recognize that it's harder to motivate yourself when it's hot. It takes so much more effort, your body perceives this as more work. I have a couple of things I do, personally, to help me psychologically get my workout in. I take a walk in the cool of the day. Well, I guess I should say the “less hot” time of the day here in SC. With the added hours of sunlight, it does make it a little easier not to have the sun beating down on me.

You will also notice that the heat will slow you down. Studies show that for every 10-degree increase in air temperature above 55 degrees, there's a 1.5 percent to 3 percent increase in average finishing time for a marathon. (Translation: An extra 3 to 6 minutes for a 3:30 marathon with every 10-degree increase.) This slow-down occurs because heat impacts runners at a physiological level through various means, including dehydration, increased heart rate, and reduced blood to the muscles used for running.

So, what else can we do? My other favorite tip is “frozen washcloths.” I bought about 12 of the inexpensive kind that come in a pack and I wet them thoroughly, and then roll them up and freeze them in a gallon freezer bag. They have saved the day in my boot camp class and in my cardio classes. We exercise in an old gym that does not have much air conditioning, so we are doing whatever it takes to stay cool.

How about you? Can you share your summer workout secrets? I would love to know what the rest of you are doing to keep your exercise commitments. Please share!

VICKI HEATH

Living Life Full Blast

2011-08-19T08:56:00.004-05:00

Living life full blast all the way to the margin is really taking a toll on us. I went for a walk on the beach today and on the way back to my house, I took a shortcut down one of my favorite streets. I have had my eye on a house on that street that I would love to buy someday, so I occasionally walk that way and pray over it. Today, there was a family in the street with their small children just learning to ride bikes. I stopped and struck up a conversation about living on Edisto. I quickly found out that they both have high-powered jobs, live in Ft. Lauderdale and come to their home on Edisto just twice a year. She asked me how it was to live here full time. Of course, I shared how wonderful the slow-paced lifestyle is and how healthy living is really quite easy here. Her eyes immediately teared up. She shared with me that she wished she could quit her job, stay home with her children and slow life down. When her kids were small, she did not even want to be with them all day—she loved traveling with her high-powered job. And now they were over committed financially with several houses around the country and they did not even have time to vacation! What are we doing to ourselves?

My youngest just graduated from high school and left last week for The Citadel. It seems like he grew up in a blink! If you could let go of one burden today, what would it be? A financial obligation? A job you said yes to, but should have said no? I am glad I stopped to make conversation. Life was not intended to be lived at full blast with no margin. We have slowed our lives down here at Edisto and have no regrets. I don’t think I am missing a thing. How about you? First Place 4 Health helps us to pay attention to the boundaries or lack of boundaries in our life. There should be no area of our life that feels like it is running away from us. Balance is hard, but not impossible, if we continue to “seek first His kingdom."

VICKI HEATH

Family Challenge

2011-08-15T09:12:00.003-05:00

When I was in D.C., we had lunch with Jessica Tanihana and her family. There were 12 of us at lunch, including a couple, Cheryl and Jeff Davis, who had driven from Pittsburgh to hear Jessica. Cheryl is a leader at Helen Barrata’s church and helped us have a fabulous Hope 4 You event at their church a few months ago.

We were talking about Wellness Week at Sandy Cove Conference Center in North East, Maryland, next April 29-May 4, and Cheryl asked Jeff if she could go. Jeff said, “If you will run a 10K with me before that time, you can go.” Cheryl had run a 5K with Jeff already and she seems to be up for the challenge.

As I was on the plane last night flying home, I thought about how nice it would be if couples challenged each other with something that would be healthy for both of them. Jeff also rides a bike and he rode 350 miles with his 17 year-old son. Their son told Jeff at the end of the ride, “When you are gone I’ll still be telling my kids about our ride.”

Wouldn’t it be great if this fall each of us made a conscious effort to plan some healthy activities with our family members? We would get healthier, but we would also build memories to last for a lifetime.

Carole Lewis

Once in a Lifetime Experience

2011-08-08T08:15:00.008-05:00

I had a once in a lifetime experience today. I flew to Washington DC yesterday to attend the Body & Soul 30th Anniversary celebration last night and to watch today as Jessica Tanihana, from Roseville, CA, rode into DC on her bike. Jessica started out June 20th and has ridden 3,300 miles in 48 days for the American Lung Association. Jessica’s precious husband, Martin stayed behind to be both Mom and Dad to their three children while Jessica was gone.

The Body & Soul celebration was awesome from beginning to end. So many memories across the years. I especially loved all of the music from the 80’s to present day that Body & Soul has used for their exercise routines. The video congratulations from so many of the musicians that B & S has used were awesome. One of the highlights of the evening was when all of the International Body & Soul leaders were on the stage in the dress of their native countries.

I am staying with Steve & Debbie Reynolds while here and that, in itself, is a huge treat. We left early this morning and drove to the Capitol. At 10 a.m. we were guests at a reception for all the family and friends of the riders. It was a lovely occasion and great to meet up with Jessica’s husband Martin and two of their children, Molly, 15, & Joseph, 10.

At 11 a.m. we walked as a group, the 30 minute walk to the Capitol reflection pool to await the riders. The riders rode in two by two, spaced about 30 seconds apart. As they rode through the crowd everyone was cheering and hollering congratulations. Each one stopped their bike, took off their helmet and received a medal for completing the ride.

Jessica was probably in about the 5th group to ride in but before she came I could already feel the emotion rising up inside of me as riders dismounted and fell into the arms of their wife/husband. One wife/rider held on for dear life to her husband and he was trying to hold back tears and was totally unsuccessful.

I was snapping pictures on my Iphone the entire time but when Jessica came into view I could see her radiant smile clear across the street! She fairly glowed as she removed her helmet and received her medal. When I finally got to hug her neck she whispered “mama” in my ear and I nearly lost it.

I am so proud of Jessica. She has lost 100 lbs. on the First Place 4 Health program and began doing all kinds of exercise; swimming, biking, and running. Looking at her little frame today, no one would have dreamed how far she has come. I think that what affected me so profoundly was that God has big dreams for every one of us but we just might miss them because we are unwilling to do the hard work of change.

Zig Ziglar says, “When you pay the price, the price is mighty nice” and Jessica was a living example of that truth today. I cannot wait to see all that God has planned for this precious woman of God and she gives all the credit to God for being able to make the ride.

I was so impressed that she would even attempt a feat like this that I sat down and wrote her a card for every P.O. Box she had listed where she could receive mail. To my utter astonishment, she sent me a hand written card for every card I sent her along the way! What a woman!!!

She told me that she took a devotional booklet with her by Sarah Young, writer of Jesus Calling. The booklet she took with her was 40 Days With Jesus. Since the ride was 40 days of actual riding with 8 rest days, Jessica decided to read the devotional every day she rode. I can’t wait to read the journaling she did every day along the way. I’m thinking it might even be a great book about persevering.

Tomorrow, Jessica is speaking at Capitol Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia, the church where Steve Reynolds is pastor. They will be bringing her bike and she and Martin will both share about her amazing ride.

I am so pumped, I feel like I can do anything God calls me to do after watching Jessica today. The pictures of Jessica show a face glowing with pure joy; only the look of someone who loves Jesus.

Is God calling you to do something that the world would see as radical? Don’t be afraid; those He calls, He equips!

CAROLE LEWIS

Your Challenge for This Week!

2011-05-04T09:30:00.004-05:00

I must tell you, I have the best First Place 4 Health group in all of the universe! I am motivated and inspired weekly by eight of the most awesome women! Every week, I give them a challenge in one of the areas of wellness--mental, physical, spiritual or emotional. This week, one of my members inspired all of us with an unusual challenge. We have been doing the study Walking in Grace and this week the focus of our study was letting our light shine in a dark world. Margaret challenged us all to see if we could really shine from the inside out for one whole day. Our challenge from Margaret: Go the entire day without saying one critical thing about anything. Nothing critical about a TV show, another person, anything at all. What a challenge! Our lights are dimmed when we have a critical spirit. Criticism can be so damaging to those around us! My class is the best. The bible says “iron sharpens iron” and these ladies are making me sharp! What about your class?

VICKI HEATH

How friends help you fly!!

2011-04-19T14:25:00.007-05:00

FP4H travelled to Sandy Cove on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland for a week of wellness. We ate delicious healthy food, were motivated and informed by people like Carole Lewis, Vicki Heath and others, tried out lots of different exercise classes like Pilates and water aerobics and THEN, we did THE BIG SWING. Have you ever seen the big swing at Sandy Cove? Well, it's not just a big seat on a swing that you sit on and look like Edith Ann (if you're under 30, you're probably looking at the computer with a puzzled look on your face wondering who Edith Ann is...). Anyway, the big swing includes a harness that they strap you into (snuggly) and then you climb a ladder and they hook you up. You may be wondering, "Hook you up to what?" Well, they hook you up to a cable and you step off the ladder and kind of dangle there. Then, a group of your friends start to pull the other end of this cable which begins to raise you up in the air. At one point, you start to think, "SURELY I'm at the top by now...", but nope. There's still higher you can go. Somewhere around 30 feet in all. All the while, you're holding this strap that keeps you from falling...I mean swinging... :p. After you get to the top, you tell your friends when you're ready to let go, otherwise they'll all fall over like dominoes when you release. And then you let go and you FLYYYYYYYY! (and scream!) And your friends hoot and holler and celebrate with you as you swing back and forth.

What a great metaphor for our FP4H class. A group of friends that, using their own strengths (and everyone pulling that rope is at a different level of fitness), pull you up so that you can soar. And they celebrate with you when you do. They laugh at you when you do the "big swing walk" (some of you know what I mean...). I bet there are some people that have done the big swing that would never have seen themself doing something like that, but with a group of friends cheering them on and helping them rise up, they did it. How empowering. It's a lot like a FP4H class. We lift each other up and help each other succeed through our own particular strengths and God's grace. There is such love and support in a FP4H class. I feel it every time I walk into my Tuesday noon meeting. Do you?

Carole's Lunch at Chili's

2011-03-23T08:51:00.003-05:00

I went by the office and it was lunch time so Lisa and I went to Chili’s. We are both serious about losing some weight, so we had fun looking at the lunch menu and deciding what to order that would be a good choice. We finally decided on sharing the $7.00 lunch with the two mini burgers and a bowl of tortilla soup. Lisa ate one burger and the few fries that came with it and I ate one burger and maybe ½ cup of the soup. I took the the rest of the soup home for Johnny to eat later. We had fun visiting and didn’t feel stuffed. We both ate for $3.50 each. Eating out is always a challenge, but splitting meals insures you will only get half as much as usual. The funny thing is, I was just as satisfied as when I eat too much and pay too much. We really are “Better Together” if we hang out with others wanting success in the weight loss department.

Carole

Even Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks!

2011-03-14T09:43:00.002-05:00

A week or so ago, I said I nearly killed my dog Thursday night trying to get my 10,000 steps in. By noon Friday, I had to take him to the vet because every time he got up or down he would yelp in pain (Can anyone relate?) I left him all afternoon and when the vet called, she said that her suspicion was that he had a torn ALS in his left hind leg. She prescribed an anti-inflammatory drug and said to walk him as little as possible. Well, when I went to pick Meathead up and get his medicine a lady standing at the desk said that the drug was really hard on a dog’s stomach and that her dog throws up every time she has to give it to him. I took Meathead home and decided to wait till morning to start the meds so he wouldn’t throw up all over the house while we slept.

Miracle of miracles, he never yelped again after a couple of times in the night. He can get up and down with no problem. Meathead is at least 14 years old and I do believe he was just really sore from the long walk we took on Thursday night. So, the long and short of it is, we are $85.00 poorer and possess a bottle of anti-inflammatory meds. If I had given him one the night before I would have believed that the pill worked a miracle cure on Meathead.

I have done a lot of thinking this weekend and have something else to say about my class this session. Last week I said that we had lost 78 pounds this session and I have been thinking about why it is different this session. Reminds me of another dog story. Years ago when we had a miniature schnauzer named Missy. Missy was old and slept most of every day. Our daughter, Shari, brought home a schnauzer puppy and Missy was not happy about it. She would growl when the puppy wanted to play with her. After the puppy had been with us for about a month we were out in the yard one day with the two dogs. All of a sudden Missy started running and playing with the puppy and from then on she was like she was young again.

I think this is what has happened in our class this session. We have three new members who are excited about the program. I think it has energized our alumni, some of whom have been with me for years, and they have started doing the hard work to lose weight and get fit. The moral of this story is even the old dogs can learn new tricks! Have a great week!

We need your help!

2011-03-10T08:19:00.002-06:00

Who saw the FP4H March newsletter that came out a few days ago? You may have noticed that we have two new columns:

FP4H Recipe Makeovers ~ Do you have a favorite recipe that's not so healthy? Lisa Cramer, our resident cooking queen, will take that recipe and make it over so it's healthier, but still delicious. We'll publish a recipe makeover each month.

What can you do? Send us your unhealthy recipes!

Simple Ideas for Leaders ~ In this column we will share creative ideas that leaders have used in their FP4H classes.

What can you do? Send us your ideas! We need fun, creative, motivational or informative ideas that you or your leader have used in your class.

You might have noticed that we also had a prayer request in this issue:

Grant Writer ~ There are lots of grants available for organizations that promote health and wellness. We need someone to search out grants that fit our organization and apply on our behalf. Our prayer is that we would be able to use these grants to provide materials to groups in lower economic areas, fund training for FP4H leaders and train and equip our staff in the areas of wellness, nutrition and exercise. We would also like to use them to scholarship Pastor’s and wives to attend wellness weeks, etc.

What can you do? Pray with us that the Lord will bring someone that has the time and the ability to help us.

So how do you win a prize? Reply to any of these needs with a comment below. If you sent your motivational idea or recipe to me at lisa.lewis@firstplace4health.com just post "Sent!" below. If you're praying with us, post "Praying!". If you don't have anything to send right now, but you love the new columns, post "Love it!". Really, you can post anything at all and I'll love it. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll draw a random winner from all posts to win a copy of our newest Bible study, A New Beginning!

Negative Thinking

2011-03-08T15:11:00.004-06:00

Lord save me from myself! That is my prayer today. It’s been a hard couple of months. If I had been in my old state of mind I tell you I would have pretty much given up on the pursuit of wellness. I hurt my back last week and it sent me into spiritual deja vu. In December, I had surgery. Nothing major, but the recovery was six weeks. Six weeks of very limited exercise. Now understand, I have been exercising five to six times a week for the past 18 years--your workout is my warm up! When my doctor said “nothing but ten-minute walks about every other day”, I started to panic. The toxic thinking started to grip my mind and heart. My first thought, “This is the beginning of the end”--the end of my leading exercise classes for Body & Soul, the end of my FP4H leadership position, the end of my writing career. That’s when I knew I had to get help. I sent out a panic alert text to good friends who hold me accountable for my negative thinking. My first immediate text back response was, “no it is not. That is a lie. U will b fine!” Amen to that! I am fine! I am more than fine. It’s now been 9 weeks and I am back to 100 percent. I knew when I started letting those thoughts camp in my brain that I was in for big trouble if I did not take action. What if I had done nothing? I would have started to believe that it really was the beginning of the end. I would have just given up on my good eating habits too because what is the use? I am surely going to gain all my weight back since I can’t exercise, so I might as well enjoy it! Can you believe it! I am just a phone call away from being in the pit! How about you? Do you find yourself believing the lies? Don’t panic – just do the next right thing – whatever that might be. Call a friend, call on the Lord, do something! Jesus said if you know my word and keep it (obey, obey, obey) you will know the truth – and the truth will make you free! I am free indeed! Free to take time off and get better next time I need to. And free from the worry that this is indeed “the beginning of the end”. Once again He has saved me from myself!

Vicki Heath

We all Love Prizes!

2011-03-04T09:13:00.002-06:00

I love my pedometer! Don’t know why, but it motivates me to move more than anything I have used before. I lost my good one in January at Round Top and finally bought another one about three weeks ago. I put off opening the new one because I so hoped I could find the one I lost. Lo and behold, I was digging around in my computer bag on Monday of this week and there it was in the bottom of one of the compartments. It was like Christmas!

I have worn it every day this week and I nearly killed my dog, Meathead, last night walking and walking to get the steps I needed to finish the day. At my FP4H class on Tuesday we challenged our class to exercise 5 days before our next meeting and for all who do it, we will put the names in a basket and draw one name for a great prize!

Speaking of prizes, we started giving prizes when we started this session for turning in your tracker each week. Every week we drew a name from the basket of those who turned in a tracker and by last week our class had lost the most weight (78.5 lbs.) of any of our classes.

Two things stand out here; we all need something to motivate us and we all love prizes!

Carole Lewis

We do all love prizes, so let's see if we can give one away! Post a comment to Carole's blog and I'll randomly draw a name from all posts and give you your own pedometer!

Shameless Plug - If you're looking for prizes for your class, visit the accessories area of our online store: www.firstplace4health.com/store

How do you count M&M's on your FP4H tracker?

2011-02-23T13:23:00.006-06:00

Here's a tongue-in-cheek way to count M&M's from a leader in Sherwood, AR ~

Recently on Facebook, Angie asked about M&M's. Lea joined in asking how to count them...as a milk and a grain? Angie answered that the correct count should be as a milk and a fat. Lea mentioned that chocolate is made from beans...cocoa beans...and beans are proteins. I, in my genius mode, came up with the following theory: Yes, cocoa IS made from beans and green beans are in the vegetable family, so cocoa beans are also in the vegetable family. Since we get practically unlimited vegetables, we can eat as much chocolate as we want. Then Angie told us that they were actually PEANUT M&Ms she wanted to eat. OK, I responded, nuts are a source of "healthy" oils and we are to eat healthy oils everyday. So, if they are a source of healthy oils, can it not be said that peanuts are HEALTH food? Especially when you couple the good health benefits of eating chocolate from the vegetable family with good oils from the peanuts...VOILA...PEANUT M&Ms ARE ACTUALLY HEALTH FOOD!!! (Especially the GREEN ones because everyone knows that greens are good for you!!) I know...GENIUS!!! I am in awe myself!!! I'm ready for my humanitarian award for this landmark discovery...

Debbie Stutler

Note from FP4H ~ While peanut M&M’s are colorful and tasty, I haven’t yet found a study that would consider them health food :(. For now, studies in two prestigious scientific journals say dark chocolate -- but not white chocolate or milk chocolate -- is good for you. In a study in the The Journal of the American Medical Association, studies show that dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure for those in certain age groups -- eaten in moderation, of course, calories do count. Another study from Italy's National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research found that dark chocolate is full of antioxidants. Just remember to balance the calories. A 100-gram serving of Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Bar has 531 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If you ate that much raw apple you'd only take in 52 calories. But then, you'd miss out on the delicious blood pressure benefit. So, 1) eat it in moderation, 2) don’t replace healthy foods with chocolate and 3) look for chocolate that is 65% or higher cocoa.

High Cost of the Dollar Menu

2011-02-16T09:09:00.006-06:00

These are tough economic times for many of us and we are trying to save a dollar everywhere we can. I was at Micky D’s with my son and I told him to order off the dollar menu -- never mind that he orders 4 items off the menu! Am I really saving money? As I look around, I see entire families ordering for their children on the dollar menu. My thoughts are:

How much is it really costing us to save money?
In the long run are we going to pay for it with our health?

Most of the items on the dollar menu are not the highest quality of foods offered. I have never seen the Caesar salad with grilled chicken on the dollar menu. In fact, the high quality foods are always at a premium price. If I want to substitute fruit for my fries at any fast food restaurant, it will cost me extra. What’s up with this? How are we going to get healthy in tough times? Lower value meals are just that – lower in value. Have you thought about what it might be costing you? These dollar menus are loaded with fat, sodium and sugar. We know these foods lead to obesity, heart disease and diabetes, but later on, not right now. These diseases seem far off when looking at our raging appetites and our propensity for instant gratification for as little money as possible. Right now I need something to eat and I only have two bucks. Right now I need to feed my kids fast and only have five bucks. What is the answer? Already at 35 percent (according to the Centers for Disease Control), obesity rates in the United States are likely to climb even higher. Are we even going to outlive this current recession? Something to think about.

Vicki Heath

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Healthier options at the fast food drive thru:

Burger King~~BK Veggie~~low fat~~Only .90 more than the Whopper Jr.
Taco Bell~~Bean Burrito without cheese~~low fat~~Only 99 cents.

You can also grab some tortillas, a can of pinto beans, rice and salsa at the grocery story and make your own burrito, pack it to go for less than $1.50/per serving. Throw some fresh tomatoes or other veggies in and really go for the nutritional bang for your buck.

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Gift for Jesus on His Birthday

2010-11-30T11:21:00.003-06:00

I have no gift to bring… that’s fit to give our King.

Sound familiar? The Little Drummer Boy is one of my favorite Christmas Carols. I can relate to his lowly estate! What could I possibly offer Jesus for His birthday this Christmas season? How about gold, silver, frankincense, or myrrh? He’s got that already!

I am thinking I would like to give Him something unique this year; something creative, but costly. How about my exercise? It’s very common for us to give up or take a vacation from our exercise commitment during the holidays. This Christmas season why not give to Him as a gift offering an extra measure of my physical exercise commitments to go the extra mile and press a little harder. Rather than complain about the soreness, inconvenience or outside weather temperature, I am going to present my body to Him as a living sacrifice and focus on giving back to Him the strength in my body that He has given me. Is that some sort of spiritual re-gifting? Maybe so!

I am a great fan of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization (FCA) and I am personally going to adopt the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Creed, specifically the part that says:

My body is the temple of Jesus Christ.
I protect it from within and without.
Nothing enters my body that
does not honor the Living God.
My sweat is an offering to my Master.
My soreness is a sacrifice to my Savior.

As I exercise this December, I am going the extra mile and have it to cost me something. I love the Old Testament story of King David when he went to Araunah the Jebusite to purchase from him his threshing floor to build an altar to the Lord. In 2 Samuel 24:18-24 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. … But the king replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord that which cost me nothing’” (Emphasis added). Put your shoes on, zip up those jackets, hats on and let’s go sacrifice. Let every step I take in my exercise commitment be an offering that is pleasing and acceptable to our Lord! Happy Birthday King Jesus.

Vicki Heath

~ Holiday Exercise Tips ~
Plan holiday activities around things other than food:

* Go on an ice-skating party followed by hot spiced apple cider.
* Bundle up and go on a walking sightseeing trip to view the colorful decorations and lights in your neighborhood
* Go on a walking window-shopping expedition at your favorite mall.
* Take a trip to the woods to chop down your own tree.
* Have a tree-trimming party where everyone brings their favorite low-cal treat.
* Have a caroling party and go from house to house (or floor to floor) and sing.

Creating a Thankfulness Journal

2010-11-23T22:59:00.004-06:00

In honor of the holiday, I'm posting an excerpt from Carole's book, A Thankful Heart. This is Week Ten called Creating a Thankfulness Journal:

O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever. Psalm 30:12

One of the easiest ways to foster an attitude of thankfulness is to create a thankfulness journal: a separate place to record those simple, everyday things for which we are grateful. Even though we already make daily entries in a prayer journal or spiritual diary, keeping a thankfulness journal is an essential exercise in developing a heart that gives thanks in all circumstances. Unlike other forms of journal writing, a thankfulness journal is for the explicit purpose of recording the things for which we are thankful. It serves as both an acknowledgement of what God has done for us and a daily challenge to recognize things for which we can be thankful, even on bad days.

Perhaps keeping a written list of “what I am thankful for today” seems too simplistic to be effective. Yet study after study has proven the positive impact of maintaining a thankfulness journal. Researchers have discovered that those who keep thankfulness journals on a daily basis also exercise more regularly, have fewer health problems, make greater progress toward important personal goals, experience less depression, handle stress more effectively, and have more energy and vitality. They even sleep better at night! Spiritual masters throughout the ages have maintained that those with thankful hearts reap God’s choicest blessings. Isn’t it amazing that something as simple as keeping a thankfulness journal can change the quality of life so drastically?

Another plus is that keeping a thankfulness journal is not only beneficial, but it is also fun! I've outlined some basic steps that will help you get started on your thankfulness journal today.

Start it Now
Any kind of notebook will suffice for your thankfulness journal. The important thing is that your pages of gratitude are bound together and kept in a safe place rather than randomly scribbled on loose pieces of paper.

Keep it Simple
Unlike other spiritual journals, a thankfulness journal is not a place to process your feelings, cry out in lament or pour out your heart to God. The whole purpose of a thankfulness journal is to thank God for blessing you in ways too numerous to ever adequately recount. The pages of this journal will consist largely of one- to two-sentence statements beginning with “I am thankful for . . . ” Place a Scripture heading at the top of each day’s page to remind you exactly Who you are thanking. Searching the Scriptures for thankfulness verses each day and committing some of those verses to memory will play a key role in developing a lifestyle of thankfulness.

Keep it Private
This is your journal, with your personal thoughts, recorded for your benefit and God’s glory. Keep it in a safe place. If you write thinking others might read your words, you will tend to write what you want them to hear. You can share thoughts with trusted others, but the pages of this sacred journal are intended for your eyes only.

Keep it Honest
Only you and God are see what is written on these pages, so you have absolutely no reason to exaggerate, minimize or force your feelings. List only those things for which you are genuinely grateful. God knows your thoughts before you even write them on the page (see Psalm 139:4). This is not a place for pious platitudes or lofty idealism. Heartfelt gratitude is always about the truth as it applies to your life in the present moment.

Keep it Specific
Rather than writing generalized statements such as “I am thankful that God is faithful,” write about a specific instance that reminded you of God’s faithfulness. Perhaps you saw or heard something today that brought God’s loving-kindness to memory. For example, rather than being thankful for the sun, write about how the sun touched your skin and brought warmth to your soul.

Keep it God Affirming
We should only be grateful for sources of health and healing, never for anything that erodes our relationship with God, damages His creation or harms our neighbor. Likewise, we can never be truly thankful for anything that harms God’s Holy Spirit, who resides in our hearts, or that destroys our body.

Keep it Consistent
Make adding entries to your thankfulness journal a daily habit. Begin by writing down five simple pleasures for which you are thankful each morning when you first wake up. Before you go to bed that night, record another five things for which you are thankful. Five each morning, five each evening, seven days a week; perhaps you are thinking, I couldn’t possibly find 70 things to be thankful for each week! Remember, we are training our minds to develop a lifestyle of thankfulness. We must fight the scarcity mentality that makes us fear that we will not have enough thankfulness to write 70 “I am thankful” sentences each week. Just write down five in the morning and five in the evening today and trust that there will be five in the morning and five in the evening again tomorrow.

Review it Often
Reread your thankfulness entries often, especially on days when you need to be reminded of God’s faithful love. On a day when life is dark and gloomy, you can begin your thankfulness entries by thanking God that He has given you the grace to keep a thankfulness journal to read!

Carole Lewis on The Good Life

2010-10-03T20:54:00.002-05:00

Carole flew to Florida on Thursday to tape the show The Good Life. She woke up Friday morning not feeling well and wasn't sure whether she could get on the plane or not. There's nothing worse than being sick and not being at home. She decided to go and was able to rest that evening before her morning interview on Friday. As you can see from the interview, it all went well.

The Good Life - Carole Lewis - GLB930 from The Good Life on Vimeo.

Anticipation

2010-09-27T16:06:00.000-05:00

One day as I was talking to my granddaughter, Cara, and her husband, Michael, I had to laugh as Michael told me about a conversation he and Cara had with a friend. Michael and Cara had been married all of six months when this conversation transpired.

The friend’s girlfriend had gone on a cruise with her parents, and he was telling Cara and Michael how much he missed her and how he longed to be married. Michael told him that he and his girlfriend probably see each other more than Michael and Cara do because now that they are married, all they do is work, work, work. Michael told his friend, “When you get into the real world, you’ll know what I mean.”

Working in First Place, I used to always be in a state of anticipation. I was anticipating the time when things would settle down after an event or an especially busy time. This anticipation kept me from enjoying the moment at hand because I was always looking ahead to another time. After a number of years of doing this, I realized that this kind of thinking was futile and unfruitful.

Let's look at the word anticipation and think about some of life’s events that we have eagerly anticipated, only to find out later that the “real world” overshadows all our anticipations. So many women have told me that they believed after they lost all their weight, they wouldn’t have a problem in the world. But they were disappointed to find that reaching their weight goal wasn’t the panacea for all of life’s problems after all.

You see, God is interested in the total person and because of this, we will never reach a point in our lives where everything is perfect. We may reach our weight goal but God is still interested in our emotional, spiritual and mental health. The older I get, the more I have discovered that anticipation of things or events in the future is usually better than the actual thing or event.

One of our First Place memory verses speaks to this quite well. It says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2. True contentment is when what I anticipate most is how God wants to work in and through me. We might be disillusioned when things turn out differently than we thought they would, but we will never be disappointed with anything God wants to accomplish in our life.

Another of our FP4H verses, Titus 2:13-14, says it all regarding our anticipation, “While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”

I am learning that anticipating what Christ will do today, what He will do tomorrow and what He will do every day in my life until He comes to take me home, brings joy unspeakable and never disappoints.

~ Carole Lewis

Letters Written Large

2010-09-09T12:44:00.003-05:00

There is something very impersonal about using emails. I spoke with a co-worker today, who said he always liked to speak eyeball to eyeball in order to get the full meaning of a communication. I realized that sometimes we even use the computer to talk with someone one desk away. It can become very impersonal if we are not careful. However, electronic mail can also keep us in immediate communication with others whom we would seldom contact..

My mother has enjoyed a renewed relationship with her grandchildren who are scattered across the state. Often she gets insights to my grown children that I may miss just by her having an email conversation. Young adults are very comfortable with using a “reply” button when they would never consider writing a letter that requires a postage stamp. Times change but communication is still important. Things written seem to carry a weight that a verbal conversation will never have.

Paul is the author of some of the most important writings in the New Testament, but he is not always the one who did the physical writing of the letters. Many think that is because he had a sight problem [perhaps his thorn in the flesh] that required him to dictate to a scribe; however, on occasion he would take the pen himself. It was his way of showing how important the letter was to him and he hoped it would be to those who would read it. It wasn’t enough that they would hear the words, but he wanted them to also see the distinctive characteristic of his handwriting. It was a struggle for him, but it was of great importance. He knew there was something powerful about it being written down.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!
Galatians 6:9-11 [NIV]

The Live It Tracker is very important. It serves many purposes:
1. Accuracy – The memory seems to fade and the realistic accounting often is lost when we trust our tracking of the week’s commitment to casual memory. This often is evident when we are certain we have been faithful, but have had terrible results. A full super-sized portion is remembered as an appropriate serving, and a walk to the car is overestimated to be a full day’s cardio workout.

2. Accountability – It takes the caring peer pressure of others on the journey to keep us on track. Nothing helps more than a careful record that is reviewed for the purpose of helping us to succeed. Have you ever tried to recall a week’s worth of recording the night before the meeting? Crazy, isn’t it?

3. Priority – To take time to record the process indicates that we are serious about this commitment. Keeping detailed records might not be something many of us do very often so when we do, it shows the importance. It not only shows others like our group members and family, but even more importantly, it sends a message to our deep mind…this is not business as usual!

Good intentions...coupled with accurate records...makes a great combination for success. Don’t hesitate to write it large!

Contributed by Bill Heston. Bill Heston is Executive Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Houston, Texas.

Win-it Wednesday!!!

2010-09-08T08:41:00.002-05:00

Happy Wednesday! I was just reading how research has shown that people who fill their stomachs with soup at the start of a meal eat less overall throughout the whole day. Our question of the day ~ What is your favorite healthy soup? Recipe or off the grocery shelf. A random drawing of all responses will win a selection of each of our magnets including Carole's popular "Do the Next Right Thing".

Back on Track

2010-09-07T08:19:00.001-05:00

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.
Galatians 5:7-8

Are you hearing yourself saying, “I need to get back on track?” It might be that your summer was so much fun that routines and schedules were the last thing on your mind. Or it could be that your summer was so stressful that you got off track. No matter what the last three months have looked like for you and me, we all are aware that the holidays are only three months away and we are feeling the need to get back on track.

This is a wonderful month for getting back on track. School has started back and if you have children in school, you have nine months of routine ahead. Nine months to gain the balance we so desperately need.

How do we get back on track? I think there are three things we all must do. Let’s look at them together.

Accept Where You Are
This sounds simple, but it is a pre-requisite to beginning again. In our First Place office Pat likes to say, “Wherever you go, there you are.” Well, here you are. What needs to get back on track in your life? Have your eating habits gone haywire? Maybe you’ve gained weight. This is not the time to beat up on yourself. This is where you are, but it’s not going to be where you stay. Is the spiritual balance you gain from a daily Bible study, prayer or Scripture memory just not happening? Stop and thank God right now that your First Place is starting again and you can quickly get the spiritual balance back that you might have lost during the summer.

Be Willing To Change
I don’t know about you; I am not only willing, but I long to get back where I was when summer began. So how do we change from where we are to where we want to be?

There are five little words that have the power to revolutionize our lives. DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING. These five words help me more than anything else to get back on track. What is the next right thing for you right now? Is it to get all the junk out of your pantry so you can concentrate on healthy eating again? Is it to straighten up the place where you have your quiet time so you are prepared to meet with God? All change begins when we become willing to DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING.

Call On God
God wants to help us get back on track and His phone number is Jeremiah 33:3, Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. Stop what you are doing and ask God to help you. I promise you that He will do it. How do I know? I have gotten off track more times than I care to mention and every single time I asked for God’s help, He heard me and came through for me in might and power.

Praise God that when we get off track, we don’t have to stay that way. We can get back on track this very minute.

What Are You Hanging on To?

2010-08-30T14:50:00.003-05:00

Dear Ones,

Just wanted to report that I have had the best week that I have had in a long time. I filled out Calorie King every day and printed it off so I can turn it in on Tuesday. I weighed in with our group so I would be accountable about weighing. I exercised 5 days. I finally bought a new pedometer after washing my good one in the washing machine about 6 weeks ago! I had to punish myself a little while for being so dumb but finally decided that it was such a motivator that I needed to spend the $25 to get another one. The last two days I have walked 17,000 and 15,000 steps! The brand is Omron and I bought mine on Amazon. I love it because it is so easy and it resets to 0 at midnight. All I have to do is pick it up and clip it on when I wake up.

Pray you are all having a great week. Remember, we only need to have a great day TODAY! Tomorrow, we get up and do it again. After 3 days, I promise it gets easier. Sugar for me, is the problem. If I give it up, I quit craving it!

The devotional below was written by Joyce Ainsworth, one of our networking leaders in Brandon, MS. Joyce has lost 180+ pounds and is a great testimony of God’s power to help us change.

Love to you all,

Carole

As I was getting ready to go about my day this morning I put on an old pair of tennis shoes. I'm going down to the farm today and didn't want to wear my tennis shoes that I work out in. I grabbed one of my favorite pair of old shoes and slipped them on. It was not long before my feet started to hurt and my toes seemed to be rubbing. I went and put on another pair of socks thinking that would solve my problem but it was only a few minutes before the same pain and discomfort were there again. Three pair of socks later and I finally decide that it could be my shoes! Go figure.

So I took the shoes off and put on another pair. Guess what? My feet no longer hurt. As I evaluated the situation about the old shoes (whether to discard or keep), the Lord so sweetly and gently reminded me of the fact that as He begins to do a new work in our lives that is exactly how we view change. As God begins to change our bodies, our minds and our hearts over the next 12 weeks, there may be some things that we look at longingly. Even though they are not good for us any longer. Like those shoes hurt my feet, our natures are going to be to hang on to them because they are comforting and familiar. We will have to push past those first thoughts and step into the trust factor. We have to know that God, in His great love for us, has a greater plan than we can see. Until we step over into total obedience, we will not experience all He has for us.

What are you hanging on to this morning? Fear? What about a friend who you can't keep pulling along any more? Are they pulling you down and you haven't been able to pull them up? It could be they are just holding you back or it could be their negative spirit is hurting your growth. They could be walking in disobedience and the more you hang with them, the greater your desire will be to do the same. Maybe it's an old habit? An unwilling spirit? A comfort food? What about that old comfortable routine? I don't like change. You may be like me and like things to stay the same (worn, comfortable, and familiar).

I don't know what it is or where you are, but God does and He is whispering your name. His desire is for you and me to love Him first and most! Then, as he does the work in us, it can flow through us and through that process not only will we be be changed, but others will also! God's plan always produces good fruit. As God begins to refine us this session, I am praying for each of you, but today and this week maybe you need to do some cleaning out (I am discarding the old shoes they cannot possibly be good for me anymore). Maybe we need to do the same in some other areas of our lives!

Listen the Father is speaking.

Faithfully His
Joyce Ainsworth
FP4H Networking Leader - Mississippi

FP4H Has Left the Building!!

2010-05-14T10:54:00.002-05:00

We are all moved in and open for business at our new location! Our new address is:

First Place 4 Health
7025 West Tidwell, Suite H-101
Houston, Texas 77092

Wow! What a job! Moving just consumes your time for days before and after. There are a million details. If we have been slow to reply to your emails or calls, please forgive us.

My top ten reasons I love our new offices:

10. It's exactly 5.42 miles from my house.
9. We can control the air conditioning. Some of you may have heard that our old offices would sometimes get stuck at 62 degrees all day. Brrrrr!
8. The office park is so quiet and pretty.
7. The office is less than five minutes away from a great Vietnamese restaurant.
6. I have my own shelves for all my event stuff.
5. Our new server is so much faster.
4. It's ten minutes from Houston's First Baptist Church where we have six FP4H groups meeting every week.
3. We have a deli right next door. I hear they have ice cream, but I wouldn't know about that...
2. Our fantastic volunteers have made the transition to the new location. Thank you Diane, Bob, Dee and Martha!!

And the number one reason I love the new offices...

1. Kali, Lisa Cramer's boxer, comes to visit! Love a dog-friendly office!

P.S. - Have you registered for Leadership Summit this year in Houston? Come learn, laugh, play and be inspired with us on July 30-31. We will spend Saturday at Carole Lewis' bay property on Galveston Bay. Hope you can join us!!

Paducah Here We Come!

2010-04-09T10:07:00.002-05:00

I'm shipping books, hats, kits, DVD's and lots more to Paducah today. Me, Carole, Vicki and Becky Turner are heading there next week for the Hope 4 You event. It's going to be great! Becky will talk about When is Enough Enough?, Vicki will talk about How to Run and Not Lose Heart and Carole will finish up with Living with Hope, Health & Happiness. There will be opportunities for you to have lunch with Carole and talk about how to get started with FP4H or lunch with Vicki and talk about fitness or lunch with Networking Leader Martha Norsworthy for a leader Q&A. In the middle of all of this we will have fun fifteen-minute workout blasts. I'm so excited. Hope you can come out and see us!

Other news

*Carole has moved into her new house! She's so happy to have a place she can call home. It looks beautiful.

*Have you seen our new Facebook fan page? Sign up as a fan and get news about events, contests, recipes and more! Click here to see.

Guest Blogger!

2010-03-29T10:58:00.002-05:00

The Burn

They say that during exercise, when it burns is when your body is changing the most. I try to think of that in the midst of my pain and wind sucking and many times I am able to push even harder. Yea me!

But let me tell you about the "burn" that is even harder for me to push through. The burn of temptation.

It's the burn of wanting a piece of fudge so bad I could bite my thumb off. It's the burn of seeing a Taco Bueno and literally feeling the force of gravity pulling my car into the drive thru. It's the burn of wanting to eat the 3 nuggets my kid left on his plate. It's the burn of wanting to eat a piece of enriched flour, chewy white bread (you know the kind that sticks to the roof of your mouth) with a monstrous slather of peanut butter at 11:30 at night.

You want to talk about burn? THAT'S what I call burn.

But it just dawned on me that I could apply the same principle regarding "exercise burn" to "temptation burn." Pushing through the burn of temptation and allowing the the moment to pass by...that is when my MIND changes the most.

When I am able to step outside of myself and see the burn for what it really is--an opportunity for personal growth--then I can push through. By doing this I prove to myself that even though it hurts like heck, I CAN do it.

Each time I do it, it makes the next temptation burn a little less. And a little less. And I suspect that pretty soon I may not even notice the burn.

Just as a trainer encourages the athlete to push through the burn, so shall He encourage me:

1 Corinthians 10:13 (New International Version)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (The Message)
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.

I have yet to resist a food temptation and regret it. TRUST that you will be okay. Next time you are feeling the temptation burn, remember that your mind is being transformed and that is awesome.

Keelie
http://www.wearelosingitblog.blogspot.com/

Tell us what you really think!

2010-03-24T10:33:00.009-05:00

We really want to know!

What do you think of our new studies?
What do you think about Calorie King?
What do you think about our website?
What should we add, change, tweak?
What accessory products would help you on your FP4H journey? Mugs...measuring spoons...more t-shirts...food products...supplements....scales...cookbooks...?
What products would make good awards in your class?
What would make you want to attend a FP4H event?
What training would you like to see at our Leadership Summit event?

We also want to hear about you!

What are you doing in your class?
What creative ideas or information have you used/experienced in your class?
Do you have a success story?

Don't hold back! Let us have it! : )

~ Lisa
lisa.lewis@firstplace4health.com

Update on Carole ~ The big move is this weekend! Pray for Johnny and Carole. Johnny hasn't been feeling well, so pray the move goes smoothly and stress-free (as a move can be). Pictures next week!

News from the FP4H Office!

2010-03-16T15:04:00.004-05:00

There is so much going on here in Houston! Carole Lewis has bought a new home in Houston (many of you know she lost her home in Hurrican Ike). She's doing some renovating and will move in during the next couple of weeks. The First Place 4 Health offices are moving too! Watch for an address change soon. We plan to move in the next couple of months.

We had a staff planning meeting and this is what's coming your way:

Leadership Summit in Houston ~ Full day of fun, leadership training, good food, great speakers, conga line and so much more (Yes, I did say conga line. You'll have to show up to find out for sure!). We will have a musical concert and awesome speaker, Jennie Afman Dimkoff, on Friday night and Saturday we will head to Carole Lewis' bay property after lunch and stay until sundown. Boating, swimming, games, kayaking, card playing and, if you dare, a ride on the famous Triple Dare are planned.
Wellness Retreat in Round Top, Texas ~ A week of delicious healthy food, exercise for every fitness level, motivational speakers, Bible study and lots and lots of porch time. Come sit on the porch with us in Texas!
Wellness Weekend in Round Top, Texas ~ For those that can't get away for a whole week, come join us for the weekend!
Hope 4 You events all over the country ~ Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Virginia & Sacramento!
FP4H Accessories ~ Watch for lots of great new accessories coming soon!

So much excitement as we head into Spring! Come see us!

New Calorie King Tool

2010-03-08T14:32:00.004-06:00

Have you guys tried Calorie King? I'm loving it. I've used the "create a meal" feature to put in the meals I eat most often like my typical breakfast and lunch. It calculates everything for me so I can really see how I'm doing on my calories for the day.

Here's what Carole Lewis had to say:
It is so easy to use and tells me how many remaining calories I have for the day, along with how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates I have consumed. You can save your favorite foods and they are always ready to plug into your meal plan, plus you can input your own recipes into the program. It will also keep your exercise diary each day.

I've created my own group in the Calorie King forums and people have joined from different parts of the country. Here's some of what they had to say about their experience with Calorie King:

I need this group! CK is fantastic. The site works quickly and is a great way to be accountable. Because I am currently working 6 days a week, I am unable to attend a meeting, even if there was one close enough to squeeze in. Sandy

CK has has been a really good idea to use in conjunction with First Place 4 Health. It has opened my eyes to the true calories I thought I have been eating before I joined CK. Sue

Try it free for a week and let me know what you think!

2010-03-05T11:35:00.004-06:00

Last Saturday I was in Charleston, SC for our Hope 4 You event. We started out the morning with an optional boot camp workout and 20 people showed up. We knew immediately that it was going to be a great day! We partnered with Body & Soul Fitness for this event and the fun part of the day is that everyone participated in all of the different exercises that Body & Soul offers. We all had a great time. We left encouraged that we can incorporate exercise into our lifestyle. Learn more about the programs offered by Body & Soul Fitness at www.bodyandsoul.org.

We also partnered with Steve Reynolds, pastor of Central Baptist Church, in Annandale, VA, and author of Bod 4 God. Steve has lost 115 pounds and has a passion to help pastors lead their churches to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. You may have seen him on Fox news as the "Anti-Fat Pastor". Read more about Steve at www.bod4god.org.

I hope you can join us at future Hope 4 You events in one of these locations:

Paducah, KY – April 17, 2010
Covington, LA. – April 24, 2010
Loveland, OH - Sept. 11, 2010
Annandale, VA – Sept. 18, 2010

Blessings,

Carole

Christmas Letter from Carole

2009-12-14T09:06:00.004-06:00

2009 has been a year of transition and also a year of great blessings for Johnny and me. Even though we lost our home and almost everything we owned September 13, 2008, due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike, God has provided everything we needed and then some.

When we were packing to evacuate before Ike, I received a call from Euphanel Goad, a dear friend who owns Round Top Retreat. On the call she said two words, “Come here.” I called her back and said, “Euphie, we have a dog, two cats and a bird and I know you don’t allow pets at the Retreat center.” She said, “Bring them and come.”

We ended up staying at Round Top for five weeks after Hurricane Ike and felt like we were wrapped in a warm cocoon the entire time. Euphanel & Nick kept assuring us that we could stay as long as we wanted, and groups that were there loved on us and fed us the entire time. God provided a haven for us where our family could gather together and we could begin processing what had happened.

The middle of October we moved into Greg & Melissa Jones home at the bay. Greg and Melissa were our next door neighbors and they insisted that we live in their home so that we could meet with all the insurance adjusters and oversee the destruction and removal of the remainder of our home, plus all the other tasks involved in the aftermath of Ike. The Jones’ had moved back to Houston just three weeks before Ike so their home was vacant and available.

On December 15, we moved back to Houston to rent a fully-furnished townhome belonging to our friend, Linda Wadsworth. What a blessing to have everything you need at your fingertips and not own any of it. We are forever indebted to Linda for allowing us this great privilege.

We have been slow in making any major decisions, believing that God knows where we are and has a perfect plan for our lives. We don’t plan to rebuild at the bay, because we just can’t see ourselves undertaking this kind of project at this stage in our lives. We have eleven years of wonderful and lasting memories and we are sure God has new adventures planned for our lives.

Johnny and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on June 26. We took our daughter, Lisa and her husband Kent, and our son, John and his wife Lisa, to Hawaii for a cruise around four of the islands. We had a fabulous time being with them for a week and it worked out great. Johnny and I had been to Hawaii several times when I was there with First Place, so we enjoyed staying on the ship while the kids explored Hawaii.

I celebrated my 25th anniversary of working at Houston’s First Baptist Church this past summer, and our First Place 4 Health program became an independent 501c3 corporation on July 1, of this year. Our office remains at the church until June 2010, so if any of you know of a wonderful, cheap office space we could rent, please let me know.

I wrote a new book this year, Give God A Year, Change Your Life Forever, and it was released December 1. All I can say is, “I did and it did!” I am in the middle of writing another book, Hope 4 You, and the manuscript is due January 1. This one will release July, 2010.

Johnny is doing well. In August his PSA spiked to 36. The doctor gave him a hormone shot and it immediately began to drop. It is now 1.2. We are so full of praise to our God that after twelve years, Johnny is still not hormone resistant. The doctor wants him to take a round of chemo, so in January we will begin a five-month regimen of three treatments a month for a total of 15 treatments.

Our family is all well for which we are grateful. Lisa, Kent and their family are doing well. Lisa is now working at the FP4H office. Carl is 24 and took the photos I’m sharing when we were all together at Thanksgiving. Katherine is 23 and will graduate from Texas A&M in August.

Jeff and Katherine are great, considering they still have two girls in college. Cara is 27, married to Michael Parker and they have a little boy, Luke, who is 3, and a baby girl, Kate, born in October. Christen is 23 and will graduate from Texas A&M in May. Amanda is 21 and a Junior at UT Dallas.

John, Lisa and their family are doing well. Lisa also works with us in the FP4H office. Tal is a senior at UT in Austin and made a perfect score of 180 on his LSAT. Tal plans to take off a year before starting law school. Hunter is a junior in high school and Harper, their daughter, is in the 8th grade.

This has been a year full of blessings and even though we are unsure of what our future holds, we know Who holds it in His hands. Thank you for your friendship to us. We are blessed!

Carole & Johnny

New Site Launches!

2009-09-19T12:04:00.002-05:00

The new site has launched! We are so excited and would love to hear your thoughts about the new site. Please send your comments/suggestions (and your kudos!) to Lisa at lisa.lewis@firstplace4health.com.

Sneak Peak at New Website

2009-08-30T16:16:00.002-05:00

The new FP4H website launches the week of September 7th!! If you would like a sneak peak, go to http://beta.fp4h.com. You can register your group, shop in the store and more. You can even get 25% off your total order PLUS free shipping! Just enter the promo code FP4H25. The promo codes only works on http://beta.fp4h.com and is good until September 8th.

Celebrating 50 years together!

2009-07-10T08:30:00.006-05:00

Carole and Johnny Lewis celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on July 26th. Two people that have shown that "for better or worse, richer or poorer, through sickness and in health" are not just words but lived out for 50 years with grace and character.

To celebrate this wonderful occasion, Carole & Johnny along with their son John and his wife Lisa (me!) and daughter Lisa and her husband Kent went on an Hawaiian cruise. We had a wonderful time. We exercised on the deck while looking at a beautiful island, snorkeled with Nemo, explored a lava tube and hiked a mountain (John & Kent saved a woman's life that had slipped off the side of the mountain!). We enjoyed some great shows onboard ship, ate great food (although when we came back we vowed never to step foot in front of another buffet!), relaxed by the pool, played basketball on the top deck and even spent some time in the fitness center. We drove the road to Hana (if you've been on this road, you probably felt a little queasy when you read that), ate lunch at a wonderful health food restaurant in Henepapa (home of Lilo & Stitch!) and walked around an active volcano (surprisingly breezy and cool). A cruise is a wonderful way to see the islands. You never have to unpack!

We had such a great time together. We laughed so much. I am so blessed to be a part of this family. Carole calls me her daughter-in-love and I feel the same way about her and the rest of the family.

Congratulations Carole and Johnny. You inspire me by your commitment and love for each other. Wishing you many more years together.

Pictured: Kent, Lisa, Johnny, Carole, John, Lisa

The Vows

2009-06-10T08:25:00.001-05:00

Dear Ones,

On June 26th, Johnny and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. As I look back over fifty years together, I can see such a correlation between our earthly marriage and the marriage with Jesus Christ when we become believers.

The Vows

Taking our marriage vows was just the beginning of our marriage and when we accept Jesus, it is just the starting point of a lifetime together. The early years of most marriages are difficult, because two very different people with different backgrounds and personalities are now living together under one roof. I am so glad we both believed that our marriage vows were binding and permanent and I can honestly say that divorce was never an option for either of us--murder maybe, but never divorce! In the same way, when we become the bride of Christ, it is a permanent relationship that can never be severed. As in earthly marriages, we all make mistakes and sin grievously, but Jesus will never divorce us or even consider a trial separation.

Walking Together

Johnny and I thought we were deeply in love when we married. Fifty years later we both know that we were deeply in “like” and didn’t have a clue about having a love that lasts forever. It takes time for a deep, abiding love to develop and in the same way, it takes time to truly fall in love with Jesus Christ. Our love has grown more as we have gone through the hard periods of our marriage because we went through those times together. In these fifty years we experienced the joy of parenthood and the sorrow of losing our precious daughter Shari at the young age of 39. We have walked together through hard financial times, Johnny’s stage 4 cancer, a real fire and a flood. Losing our home and all our earthly possessions in Hurricane Ike was a great loss, but we have weathered that storm because our love is deep and lasting. In the same way, I have found that I have gone deeper in my relationship with Jesus through the tough times of life. He has proven Himself to me over and over again that He is able to keep me safe from the storms of life if I will only love and trust Him.

Things I Love

There are so many things I love about Johnny. He has a great sense of humor that keeps our life from ever being dull. After fifty years I still laugh at his funny stories even though I’ve heard some of them many times. Johnny never takes anything seriously and this has been a great asset as he has fought stage 4 prostate cancer over the last eleven years. Another thing I love about Johnny is that he is still full of surprises. I know him so well that I know how he thinks on any given subject. Most of the time I know how he will react, but he is still full of surprises. Just last weekend our grandson Tal was getting ready to go on a month-long trip to Europe. Tal has spent the last semester in a program at the University of Texas studying World War II. This program culminates with a trip to visit all the sites of that war. I was in Eastland, TX, with some of the family for my grandson-in-law Michael’s college graduation and Johnny was at home. On Monday, when I was back at work, Lisa casually mentioned how nice it was that Johnny came over to see Tal before he left for Europe. She went on to say that Johnny brought Tal four books and eight index cards with handwritten jokes and funny advice for the trip. Lisa could see my surprise and astonishment so she said, “I guess you didn’t know that he also gave Tal some spending money for the trip.”

When I got home that day, I looked at Johnny and said, “You know what I love most about you? It’s the way you still surprise me after all these years. You obviously had to plan that little trip and you spent time doing it because you love our family.”

The Lord Jesus still surprises me after all these years. I think I know everything there is to know about Him but there are so many things I will never know. He surprises me in the way He chooses to solve problems. Even though I offer suggestions constantly, He always has a solution that I would never think of in my own mind. He must have a great sense of humor because He keeps on loving me in spite of my self. He never stops blessing me with His presence or His power. Jesus and I have now been married for 55 years and the time together has been anything but boring.

Our earthly marriage will come to an end one day. One of us will die and our marriage on this earth will be over. Praise God, our marriage to Jesus will never come to an end. When we accepted Christ, he promised to stick closer than a brother and to be a husband to the widows so we need have no fear of the future. With Christ, our future is secure and eternal because we are His bride.

Let me close with a verse I love, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4

2009-06-08T08:57:00.003-05:00

Dear Ones,

Johnny and I leave for Hawaii on June 27th. Our 50th Wedding Anniversary is June 26 and we are taking our two kids, John & Lisa and their spouses, Lisa & Kent to Hawaii with us. We can hardly wait. We chose a cruise so in case Johnny has a day where he’s not feeling well, I can stay on ship with him and the kids can go see the sights. We love the water so much that this will be the perfect celebration for us.

We drove to our property at the bay on Saturday and it was so wonderful. We had a peach double Hibiscus right by our gate and when we drove up there it was in full bloom! I thought it was dead like all the other plants but it came back in all its glory! The fig tree which was uprooted and laying on its side after the storm is in full bloom with figs on it (still laying on its side, I might add). We’re going to have to reward it by tying it upright again. We were so encouraged that we might consider building a garage apartment for now over our garage and see what happens from there. That would give us a place to stay when we want to go down there and a place for Johnny when I am out of town.

Yesterday, I was sitting having my second cup of coffee at 7:45 when the phone rang. It was Nancy Taylor, who used to work with us in First Place and who now teaches a ladies Sunday School class here at First Baptist. She woke up with a severe bladder infection and wanted to know if I could teach her class at 9:10 a.m.? Mind you, I was sitting there mulling over whether I would even go to the morning service, thinking I might just rest and go at 6:30 p.m. I flew into high gear and made it just fine. I just love it when God surprises me with opportunities to bring Him glory. You know, learning that it’s not about me at all has been so freeing.

How are all of you doing in the area of your weight? Summer is a great time to eat healthy since there are so many wonderful fruits and vegetables available. I’m already planning to eat lots of pineapple on our cruise and to work out with the Lisa’s every day. I’m praying for all of you and can’t wait to see you at one of our FP4H events. The Leadership Summit is July 24-25 so hope many of will come.

Lots of love,

Carole

Conga Line at the Summit?!

2009-06-02T08:17:00.001-05:00

Hey gang! This is my first time to write on the FP4H blog. I’m Lisa, the FP4H Events and Special Projects Manager. We are full-speed ahead preparing for the First Place 4 Health Leadership Summit in July. I’m so excited about all we have planned, I wanted to write and tell you guys about it. We had a planning meeting last Saturday with leaders from around the Houston area and boy is it going to be great! Conga line and all! Okay maybe we won’t have a conga line -- although that was suggested and I was all for it… :). We will have seminars like Leading on a Shoestring, The Ten Things Every Leader Should Know, Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Live It Food Plan and so much more. We added lots of Q&A time with the staff during our coffee and dessert bar on Saturday afternoon, too! You’ll have plenty of time to get all your questions answered and wait until you try some of these desserts. They are yummy. We’ll give you the recipes to take home with you.

Our theme this year is Leading Out Loud. The theme is based around the idea that as FP4H leaders we should lead with confidence and kick it up a notch! We have a message all the world needs to hear in the area of health and wellness so we should “Lead Loud!" It won’t just be an idea, we’ll have practical Lead Loud tips in our seminars and throughout the summit.

We’re also making some big changes to our website and they will debut during the summit. We’ll have one of the designers here to tell you all about it. There is just so much going on, I know you will want to be a part of it. Grab a couple of your class members and y’all head this way. We would love to see you!

For more information about the summit, click here.

~ Lisa Lewis

Erin & Matt DuBroc have a baby boy

2009-05-21T13:23:00.002-05:00

Everett Stewart DuBroc was born Tuesday, May 19th and weighed 7 lbs. 14 ozs. He is beautiful and they are all doing well. If you want to send congratulations you may send them to our office and we will forward them to Erin. Our address is 7401 Katy Freeway, Suite 337, Houston, Texas 77024.

Day 5 Media Tour

2009-04-30T16:41:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day. Me and my luggage are together again and all is well. I had a fun experience today with my taxi driver. The driver that came this morning at 6:30 to take me to the studio was a believer who has been driving a cab for 41 years. He is really hurting financially because he doesn't get a lot of calls in Gwinnet county where I was staying. I just contracted to keep him all day and he was wonderful. We shared about the Lord and his good ness and he blessed me and I pray that I blessed him too. He ended up taking me to the airport so today was a good one for him. I really believe God sent him to me so he could make some money today.!

My first interview was at the In Touch Ministry headquarters and I was on Family Net. The interview went really well and instead of 12 minutes they gave me an additional 5 minutes. We had a couple of call ins so that was fun. After the interview, the taxi took me back to the hotel where I had breakfast and waited for the 2 p.m. interview.

The second interview was taped and will be shown at a later date so it was over in 20 minutes and I set off for the airport where I am right now waiting to board the plane for Tampa. I have one more show in the morning at 10 a.m. and then catch a plane back to Houston at 2:25. I can hardly wait! I miss Johnny, my office and my bed.

I'm still glad I did it this way but it has been a hard trip. I counted up and I have been on 9 planes this trip. If I don't get swine flu it will be a miracle! People in the airport here in Atlanta are wearing masks; don't know if they already have it or if they are afraid they'll get it.

Johnny used to wear a mask on the plane to California because it scared people and they would give us the entire row! Wish I had a mask today; I could lay down and take a nap on the plane.

Thank you all for praying. I wouldn't have made it without your prayers.

Day 4 Media Tour

2009-04-29T23:25:00.002-05:00

It's 12:20 a.m. and I'm so full of joy and thanksgiving to God that I can't sleep! I was sound asleep and got a call on my hotel room phone. When I answered the phone a lady said "We have your suitcase and I'm sending it up to you right now". I jumped up and put on my dirty jeans I've been wearing since Monday and when I opened the door it was as though an angel was standing there with my suitcase. Nothing has ever looked so beautiful. I immediately opened it and put on my gown. I've never thought to be thankful for my gown till I went two nights without it! I arrived at the hotel today feeling like I was getting a cold; nose running and stuffy feeling. Well, now I have my suitcase and it has airborne in it so I'm drinking some right now. God and I have been walking together since Monday but it has felt so weird not having anything at all that I brought with me. Kind of reminds me of last September after Hurricane Ike hit. Do you think God wants me to travel light or what???? I've proven that I can do it the last three days but It's still not fun!!

Today was great. I got up early and made the two hour drive to South Bend, Indiana to appear on the Harvest Show. After my 10 minute interview, I left immediately to make the two hour drive back to Chicago to catch a 1 p.m. plane to Atlanta. I thought about renting a car for Atlanta and even reserved one but when I arrived in Atlanta I was too exhausted to drive so I took a taxi to the hotel.

When I saw that I was staying in a Holiday Inn I was a little anxious because I've stayed in some really bad Holiday Inns. What a nice surprise when I walked in my room and saw that it was spotless. I went down to the dining room and outside the dining room was a table set up with appetizers of cheese & crackers and a beautiful plate of cut up fruit; pineapple, oranges, apples, pears. etc. I had the most delicious hamburger for dinner and the hotel staff has been so helpful. What a delightful gift from the Lord; a Holiday Inn that looks and feels like a Westin! My bed is so comfortable and my room is lovely. God loves His kids and I'm trusting Him for my total healing of this cold bug by morning.

I better try to go back to sleep as I need to be at the first interview at 6:55 a.m. this morning. Thanks you so much for your prayers for me. I love you all and thank God for your friendship, love and prayers. I have two interviews on Thursday and then fly to Tampa for the last day on the road. After a 10 a.m. interview on Friday in Tampa I fly back to Houston. I can hardly wait!

Good night, sweet First Place 4 Health family!!!

Day 3 Media Tour

2009-04-28T21:09:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, when I left Marion, Illinois, I was the only person on the 19 passenger plane. Two pilots and me! I sat in the very back that had 3 seats across the back and knew how people must feel that have their own private plane. What fun, but alas, my fun was short lived. I flew from Marion, Illinois to Cincinnati, Ohio. I went directly to my plane in Cincinnati and when I walked up to the gate the lady said, "Are you Carole Lewis"? I was the last person to get on the plane going to Toronto and my suitcase didn't make the short connection.

The last 24 hours have been wild! When I landed in Toronto last night at 9:30 my suitcase was not on the plane. After filling out all the forms and going through customs I arrived at the hotel and got in bed at midnite. I set the alarm on my phone for 5 a.m. This morning I kept waking up and when I finally realized that the alarm had not gone off I looked at the clock and it was 6:45 a.m. My cell phone was dead and the charger is in my lost suitcase so it was weird going an entire day with no cell connection to the outside world. I was to be picked up at 7:15 so I went into high gear. Actually all I had to do was shower, wash my hair and dry it, brush my teeth and go. Since I had no fresh clothes or make up I just put on my yesterday clothes that I flew in and went to the studio. Everyone was so gracious and kind and it went well. The make up lady was wonderful so that helped a lot. After the program, 100 Huntley Street was over, I got to visit with ladies from 3 FP4H groups in the Toronto area. One of the ladies, Carol Dorr, found Christ through First Place in 1981. What a blessing visiting with these ladies today. When I got to the Toronto Airport to fly to Chicago there was still no bag. In fact the bag has not yet been found so I don't know when we'll meet again.

When I got to Chicago I rented a car and found a mall where I could buy a cell phone charger and an outfit to wear tomorrow in South Bend, Indiana on the Harvest Show. The Mall door I walked in had a cell phone store at the entrance and the first store I saw when I walked into the mall was a Coldwater Creek, which I love. Within 20 minutes I had an outfit and was off to Target to buy toiletries and a curling iron. If I can keep the one outfit clean I'll wear it the rest of the week if my suitcase doesn't show up.

I'm staying at the airport Sheraton and will leave at 6 a.m. in the morning to drive to South Bend. I sure love the GPS in the car. It's like having my own personal guide. Actually, we all do have our own personal guide, the Lord Jesus. He has kept me calm and sane this entire day and it was really sweet of Him to help me get what I needed with so little stress.

Well off to bed. We'll see what tomorrow brings. Devil, you didn't win today and you sure gave it your best shot!!!

Media Tour - Day 2

2009-04-27T14:04:00.003-05:00

What a blessing I had today being interviewed on the Rejoice program on Total Christian Television. You can watch the show on their website, www.tct.tv. It also airs four times today. This morning's show at 10:30 was live, then it will re-air at 4 p.m., 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. tomorrow on the TCT channel. This show has the potential to reach 125 million households all over the world so pray that the people needing it will be tuned in.

The Rejoice program is filmed five days a week and the personalities on Rejoice are 3 couples, Myles & Valerie Holmes, Cathy (who interviewed me) and Eddie Williams and Judge and Lorie Brown. They have a great chemistry and I was amazed at how well the show moves from one segment to the next.

Cathy took me to lunch after the show and it was great getting to know her better. Cathy and her husband are from Detroit and have two daughters still in Detroit. They have a granddaughter who only weighed 1 lb. 3 oz. when she came into the world. She is perfectly fine today; what a miracle of God.

I am at the Marion, Illinois airport waiting for my flight at 3:45 p.m. I fly from Marion to St. Louis, then to Cincinnati, then to Toronto, arriving in Toronto at 9:45 p.m. tonight. I'm sure I'll have some great naps on all those planes.

Pray with me that God uses these programs for His glory and that He adds those to our FP4H family that He hand picks for us. After all, we have the most wonderful family in the world. There are no greater folks that our FP4H folks.

Media Tour Day 1

2009-04-26T19:06:00.004-05:00

Well I'm on the first day of my media tour and it has been a doozey! I left Houston at 10:30 this morning and flew to St. Louis. Since I had a 3 hour layover I did a good bit of walking before I caught my flight to Marion, Illinois at 3 p.m. Now I have flown a lot but this is the first time that one of the pilots doubled as the gate person and flight attendant! The plane was small with only four passengers on board and it was so noisy that I conked out for the entire 30 minute flight to Marion. Cathy, the lady who will be interviewing me tomorrow picked me up at the airport and deposited me at the hotel. It is a beautiful. sunny, windy day here in Marion so I quickly changed clothes to go for a walk to see the sights.

I found a Sally's Beauty Supply where I stopped in a bought a new brush and a Dollar Tree where I bought some cards. Actually, I bought 6 thank you cards I was going to send to the TV shows, 2 Administrative Assistant cards (which I missed acknowledging last week) and a College graduation card for my Grandson-in-law Michael.

I left the Dollar Tree and was heading over to walk around in Wal Mart when I had the bright idea to combine my two sacks. The wind was blowing so hard that when I opened one of the sacks the other one fell out of my hand and every one of my greeting cards and envelopes went flying all over the street and parking lot. I hadn't brought my purse so my hotel card key, two credit cards, a twenty dollar bill and 14 dollars in bills from the Dollar Tree flew out of the sack and into the street. I didn't know what to pick up first so I left my credit cards and room key in the street while I ran and retrieved what I thought were all the cards and money.
After I got back to my hotel room I found that I was minus 2 cards, 4 envelopes and the cards I saved looked like they had been through a hurricane! A couple of the cards had tire tracks from being run over by passing cars. My $20 bill was missing as was the quarter I had found on the street while walking. This was an expensive little walk.

After retrieving my stuff I sat on the curb putting everything into one sack and now my arms and legs are itching. Sure hope there weren't chiggers in the field I walked across. It's only 7 p.m. but I think I'll shower and turn in. Day 2 will have a hard time topping day 1.

Prayer & Praise from Carole

2009-04-22T13:14:00.002-05:00

Prayer: I leave Sunday, April 26, for 6 TV interviews in five cities in 6 days! I must have been crazy but it seemed like a good idea at the time instead of stretching it out for 3 weeks or more. I am traveling alone so please pray for no flight delays, traveling mercies from Chicago to Indiana and then back to Chicago in a rent car (for the Harvest show). I will be in Indiana, Toronto, Indiana again, Atlanta for 2 shows and Tampa on Friday. Friday afternoon I finally fly home.

Huge Praise: Last night I was talking to Becky and she reminded me to take my passport for Canada. I panicked because I hadn't even given a thought to my passport since Ike and didn't remember seeing it. We hung up and I went downstairs to look through the small amount of valuables that I took from the house before Ike (our 2 wills, 3 love letters from Johnny when I was 16 and our insurance policies) and alas, the passport was not there. This morning at 6 a.m, I was at my office on the internet seeing if it might be possible to get a passport before I leave on Sunday. Yes it is Tuesday!!! I filled out the application online and was at the drug store by 8:30 to have my picture taken and at the post office by 9 a.m. when they opened. I had signed up online for an expediting service so the lady called me and I didn't have half of what I needed so back to the office to complete everything. I was back at the post office at 10:30 and found out that my original birth certificate from 1942 wasn't going to cut it; they need a certified copy and of course I was born in Oklahoma City so that was going to be a stretch. They suggested that I go to the Federal bldg. downtown and see if they could help me. I told Pat it was going to take a miracle for me to pull this one off but a miracle is exactly what I got. I had two wonderful workers help me. The first told me that I could either fly to Ok. City to get the certified copy or pay $60 to research it on line. Of course you know what I chose. $220 later I found out that I could return at 2:30 today and pick up my actual new passport! I got it and the real miracle of all this is that if I had found my old passport I would not have even opened it because I was absolutely sure I had gotten a new on in 2006 when we went to Israel. NOT!!! My passport expired in 2007 and I would have had that old passport and not been able to travel into Canada next week. God is so good to me and I'll owe Becky for years to come on this one!!

update: turning resolutions into realities

2009-04-01T14:49:00.002-05:00

hello there! i've been so encouraged by your sweet comments about my decision to become a fitness trainer/instructor. and i'm so glad that my sharing this decision has encouraged some of you to do the same - that's awesome! to give you an update, i'm a little more than half way through the curriculum. i'm reading the textbook cover to cover, as i've been encouraged to do by others who've taken this exam, highlighting and taking notes as i go. the first half was much tougher to get through as it was full of detailed anatomy and physiology information. luckily, most of it is coming back clearly as i took those classes in high school and college, but it's still working mental muscles, if you will, that have been dormant for a while! the latter half is proving to be much easier to get through, so i'm hoping i can finish up pretty soon. from there, i'll go over key points again, study flashcards, take a practice test online, and then (drum roll....) sign up for the exam. my goal is still to have it behind me before baby comes, but i'm trying to be flexible, too. there is no sense in paying for an exam when i don't feel as prepared as i want to just because it's the date i set months ago. so, we'll see...but i'm on track to potentially make it happen.

here are some of the sustainable motivations for this resolution of mine.

- i'd get to check something off my "i've always wanted to do this" list which would be deeply gratifying
- it's mutually beneficial as i get to help others and stay fit myself!
- i really enjoy motivating people to reach new heights
- it could provide additional income for my family that is flexible and at my discretion
- it would be an enjoyable challenge that would stretch and refine me

what are your sustainable motivations for goals you've taken on recently?

Calling all FP4H Health Professionals!

2009-02-16T10:48:00.004-06:00

If you are a registered dietitian, nurse, physician or other allied health professional and lead a FP4H class, would you please contact me and let me know? Or if you know someone who is, would you pass this message along to them? We are trying to get a network of FP4H health professionals, and we'd hate to miss anyone! Email me at erin.dubroc@firstplace4health.com

Thanks!

Last Weekend in Brandon Mississippi!

2009-01-13T10:22:00.003-06:00

We had the most wonderful time in Brandon, MS last weekend at the Change Your Life Event. There were over 200 men and women from Alabama, South Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Georgia. Joyce Ainsworth and her awesome team thought of every detail to make the weekend a weekend of excellence. We were able to tape Becky Turner and hope to have her two talks on our website soon so you can listen. If you haven’t attended one of the CYLE's, make your plans now to attend the one in Shreveport, January 31st. I would love to see you. Dr. Couey, Erin DuBroc and I will be in Shreveport. There is also a CYLE in Kernersville, N.C. on February 21st and Vicki Heath and I will be at that one. Every time I am with First Place 4 Health people I know a little more of what heaven will be like; eternity to hear the rest of your stories! We had five women in Mississippi who had lost over 100 lbs. and many who had lost over 50 lbs. You will be inspired to hear the wonderful stories of God’s faithfulness if you come to a CYLE. The pictures were taken by Lisa Lewis of Becky Turner and me at the airport after the event. Look for more pictures from the event at http://www.firstplacephotos.phanfare.com/. We hope to have them up soon. I was blessed to be able to talk with two ladies who had lost children recently. One’s son died Oct. 31st and the other one’s daughter died December 11th. Please pray for these precious moms and for all the extended family grieving these deaths. What a privilege to be able to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

Too tired to even hold the phone to her ear!

turning resolutions into realities

2009-01-08T15:40:00.001-06:00

i recently gave a talk at a MOPS group about turning New Year's resolutions into realities. last year i came and talked about toddler nutrition and how to "sneak" fruits and veggies into meals, and though i bet they expected me to lecture on what to eat, what not to eat - i much prefer this topic, especially at the start of a new year. behavior change theory fascinates me (what i did my master's in, essentially) and this was chock full of that.

anyways...i asked the group to name some resolutions and give me the reasons WHY they even wanted to achieve them. the point was to get them to name some sustainable motivations...reasons that wouldn't fade in 2 weeks and ones that truly get them excited at the possibility of achieving the goal. all of these written down are what a popular cognitive behavioral therapist (Dr. Judith Beck) calls an advantages list. again, it's a motivator...when you keep it with you it is a tool to remind you why you want what you want and why you don't want the alternative (i.e. losing weight vs. the cheesecake at lunch). then we moved onto some problem solving with regards to how to best prepare their home, calendar, pantry, office, etc. to contribute to, not detract from, their success. lastly, i gave some basic tips on how to get the ball rolling and stay accountable.

accountability, now that's a fun topic, isn't it?! one of the ways we can set up ourselves up for success is to make our goals public by sharing them with a friend, spouse, group of people, etc. it's a lot harder to abandon a goal when you know people know about it.with all this talk about goals, sustainable motivations, advantages lists, and accountability I got to feeling like I should make one of my New Years resolutions public. truly, it's a decision that makes you think twice - once it's out, it's out! after thinking about it the last couple days, i've decided it's worth it and something i want accountability for!

my resolution (among others, of course) is to get certified as a personal trainer/fitness instructor. it's something i've wanted to do since college, but have always been chicken to go after. you see, when i was in jr. high/high school i was a band kid. yup...band. i tried out for volleyball and basketball, but seriously...who was i kidding. i had never taken any kind of clinic for either and all i knew was what i watched on tv. i wasn't terrible, but i wasn't very good either. swimming, on the other hand, a non-team (so to speak) sport, was just my thing. i didn't have tons of pressure to perform for others, i just tried to do my "personal best" each time. i loved it. no one to let down. this, for me, translated into me thinking that i was just cut out for individual exercise and things that were somewhat behind the scenes. and of course, artistic stuff like music.

then i got to college and started working out a lot more. i took kickboxing and step aerobics 2-3 times per week and loved it. anything with fun music was better than running a track, so i took advantage of all the free classes at the rec (oh, how i miss it!). my sophomore year, i think, i heard the rec was hosting trainings for those who wanted to get certified to teach fitness classes. i mulled it over for days, but in the end i totally chickened out. i had totally pigeon-holed myself as a "non-fitness" person...even though i was good at the classes, had rhthym, good form, loved it, etc. and of course, there was the stupid thought of "i'm not skinny enough to teach aerobics" despite the fact that my instructor in college was totally normal looking - nothing extreme at all. oh how the dumb the lies we tell ourselves, ladies!

so, i blew it off and considered it "not for me". years later, it's still something i want to do, and i've been blessed to have two sweet friends (with whom I work) tell me that i should go for it. they've watched me take their classes and they both were sweet enough to encourage me with the statement "why are you not an instructor?!" so...with 5 months before baby arrives, i'm going after it.

i've decided to get certified through ACSM because they are very credible AND i can get a beaucoup of continuing education hours for my RD if I get certified through them. i'm ordering the study materials tonight, and I plan to study for 3 months before I take the exam. sometimes i wonder if i'm insane - as if i'm not busy enough - but i'll have even more opporuntunities for excuses if i wait until after i have the baby.i'm working on my advantages list...i'll post at another time. this blog is already too long!

2008-12-15T08:30:00.002-06:00

Dear Friends,

Our Christmas picture this year might look a little odd, but it has great significance for Johnny and me. The picture was taken on the day the demolition company began tearing down our home on Galveston Bay. We thought a picture of us on the equipment might be better than a picture of the debris stacked roof high on the street. Most of you know that our home was destroyed by Hurricane Ike on September 13, of this year. God has been faithful, as He always is, every step of the way in this new chapter of our lives.

The morning we evacuated I received a voice mail from our good friends, Euphanel & Nick Goad, inviting us to come to Round Top Retreat. Johnny thought this was a good idea so we packed up the dog, bird, and one cat (the other one got away) and drove to Round Top for what we thought would be a few days stay. After the storm was over and we found out that we had lost everything, the Goad’s were gracious and insisted that we stay until we were ready to leave. We probably would never have felt ready to leave, but after five weeks it seemed best to make some decisions for the immediate future. Johnny and I both had such peace at Round Top, like being wrapped up in a cocoon of love.

Our next door neighbors, Greg & Melissa Jones, offered their home when we came back to the bay. Amazingly, they had just moved back to Houston three weeks before the storm. We moved into their completely furnished home October 17, and have been there since then. I can truly say that I have not looked for one thing that was not there. Isn’t our God good?

Johnny and I feel that we need to move into Houston for the winter so that I don’t have to make the long drive each day. During this time of year, it is dark when I leave and dark when I return home, so this seems like the best plan for now. Our good friend, Linda Wadsworth is moving from her townhome and has agreed to leave it furnished while she has it for sale. We will be moving in around the middle of December and stay while we seek the Lord on the next step to take.

We so appreciate your prayers for us during the months ahead as we see what God is going to write in this new chapter of our lives. We will celebrate, the Lord willing, our 50th Wedding Anniversary June 26, 2009, and we have so much to be thankful for today. We’re learning a lot, which I will probably share in a book along the way, but one thing we know: God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good!

Blessings to you and yours this Christmas,

Carole & Johnny

sweet and sour chicken to the rescue!

2008-12-10T14:06:00.001-06:00

my husband and i took a meal over to a couple who just had a baby last night. it was quite interesting because i was planning on making chicken enchilada casserole - sans onions and tomatoes as the family is either allergic or the baby is intolerant of them. but then, when calling to set the time for when we'd come by yesterday afternoon, the mom let me know that she now thought that the baby may be lactose intolerant, so she was excluding all things dairy.

woops...that's a problem for chicken enchilada casserole - can't imagine it would be that good minus the cheese, cream of chicken, and sour cream. so, back to the drawing board. what is kid-friendly (they have a 7 year old, too), easy to reheat, easy to make (i only had 2 hours after work to do it), and made without tomatoes, onions or dairy products.after a quick search at CL, i decided on sweet and sour chicken. rice? easy. chicken? already had it thawed. sweet and sour sauce? no biggie. healthy? i added lots of veggies and modified the original recipe to be a bit more exciting.

my take on it:

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Serve with 1/2 cup of white jasmin rice or short-grain brown rice - whichever you like

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast or tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 small bag of prewashed snowpeas
1/2 can baby corn
1 small can of water chesnuts
1/2 cup matchstick carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, undrained
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons marsala wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 cup dry-roasted chopped cashews

Preparation

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger, red pepper, and chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken mixture from pan; set aside.Add vegetables and sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Add 1 cup pineapple chunks to pan; cook 30 seconds. Reserve remaining pineapple for another use. Combine the reserved 1/2 cup juice, soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, and sugar in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Return chicken mixture to pan. Stir in juice mixture; bring to boil. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with cashews.

is stevia a go?

2008-12-04T11:56:00.002-06:00

Announced this week, the word on the street is that the FDA is nearing approval of Stevia, the natural sweetener derived from the chysanthemum plant which has recently garnered much support from the organic/naturalist community. Stevia has become a mighty trendy alternative to artificial sweeteners because of one word: natural. Yes, stevia is natural, but that does not seal it's safety. It has been used for hundreds of years in Paraguay and Japan, and yes, it does not seem as though it has been linked to any negative health outcomes in those communities. However, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are poised to begin mass producing beverages made with Stevia. This concerns me for several reasons.

1. I'm pretty sure the amount of Stevia consumed in tribal groups and East Asia was miniscule compared to what would be consumed here given the number of sodas the typical American consumes in a day. Furthermore, there have not been enough studies conducted to investigate a tolerable upper limit for Stevia - how much is potentially too much and what would this mean?

2. The Center for Science in the Public Interest is still concerned. This is the group that helped to nail trans fats/hydrogenated oils back in the 90's. They are a consumer-watchdog group that has no ties to the food industry whatsoever. The fact that they still feel more studies should be conducted speaks volumes to me, especially since some animal studies have yieled disconcerting results.

http://www.cspinet.org/new/200808281.html

3. Compared to the hundreds of studies conducted "unnatural" sweeteners, Stevia doesn't pass muster. Being a scientist of sorts, I just can't trust that because it came from a plant and some people (with completely different lifestyles than ours) consume it without issue that it should be GRAS (generally recognized as safe) - especially not for mass production!

thoughts?

end-of-session celebrations

2008-11-25T10:39:00.004-06:00

to our 5.5 readers (a number i hope will increase soon :),

I wanted to share something with you that I recently did in my class that worked very well. I think it could be a great "end-of-session" activity, as well. My class meets in the evening, so instead of having a regular meeting one night because of the church being booked for another event, we met off-site at a nearby Mexican restaurant. Yes, that's right - a Mexican restaurant. We just covered the "Eating Healthy When Eating Out" section of the Member's Guide, so I felt it was only fitting to test out not only their knowledge but ability to put that knowledge into practice. And for Texans, giving up Mexican food is, well, it just "ain't gonna happen." So, they need to know how to maneuver that menu - it's practically an essential life skill for weight-conscious southerners.

Now listen, I didn't just throw them out to the proverbial wolves. I prepared them for what they'd be faced with and talked them through some scenarios.

- instead of chips, we could ask for corn tortillas instead. delicious, filling, not fried, and a perfect substitute for dipping.

- OR we could just put a few chips on our little plates and enjoy them slowly - focusing more on the conversation than the food.

- we could split items as the portions are always too large

- we could subsitute heavier sides (refried beans) for lighter ones (charro beans), and ask for things on the side (i.e. sour cream, guacamole, cheese, sauces, dressings, etc.)

Then I went online to the restaurant's website and printed off the menu. I went through each page, circled items that were "dietitan approved" and made notes by those that were okay, but with a few simple substitutions could be great. I made copies of the edited menu and handed them out to my group the week before we went.

I had only five come to dinner that next week. It was very rainy here, so I wasn't too surprised some chose to stay home. But we had a great time and found our meal to be very delicious and guilt-free. Here is what we ordered:

- 1 cup of chicken tortilla soup (broth based) with extras on the side (cheese, sour cream), a side salad
- 1 cup of chicken tortilla soup " ", and a soft chicken taco
- chicken and grilled vegetable fajitas for one split two-ways, with the extras on the side
- 1 chicken tomatillo enchilada with sauce on the side, charro beans, and a bean tostada (of which only half was eaten)

Two of my ladies were completely shocked that (1) their "light" food tasted so good, (2) that they were completely satified at the end of the meal, and (3) that it was so easy to choose well and still feel like they got to enjoy authentic mexican food. It was so neat to see the look of surprise come over their faces as they both agreed that truly, this was not that difficult to do (eat well at a place they normally wouldn't and still enjoy themselves). It was a great teaching moment!

Also, since you will be covering "Modifying Recipes" towards the end of your session, it would be great to have your celebration be a pot-luck dinner with "modified" (read: 'healthified') foods made by your group. I will be doing this with my group tonight, and I think it will be delicious!

What are some of your ideas?

Cold Weather Recipes

2008-11-10T15:37:00.005-06:00

It's beginning to get chilly down here in Texas - of course we think 60 degrees is cold, so that says it all. It's been very dreary out today, so I have a hankering for chili and cornbread. That's what I'm going to cook tonight. In one of my recent Cooking Light issues, there was a two bean and beef chili recipe that looked really yummy. I think I'm going to leave the jalepeno out, though - it's not that cold outside! :)

Another one of my favorites is "taco soup" - it's essentially a bunch of cans of vegetables (corn, two kinds of beans, tomatoes), onions, some very lean ground beef or ground turkey, and seasonings. I grew up with my mom making this, and I couldn't resist tasting samples from the big pot as it simmered. It's delicious with a bit of cheese, a few tortilla chips crumbled over top, and a dollop of low-fat sour cream. My husbands can literally eat it for days.

For any vegetarians out there, I've also made a Moroccan Chickpea Chili from Cooking Light that was delcious. For any ethnic-food lovers it's a must-try!

What cold-weather recipes do you enjoy? Do you have any that you've modified to be healthier over the years? We'd love for you to share your favorites!

Update on Carole & Johnny

2008-10-29T13:36:00.003-05:00

I'm happy to report that Carole & Johnny have moved back to Galveston Bay. As you may know, Carole and Johnny sold a piece of their property to a couple who built a new home on pilings according to Galveston County code. The upper part of that home was not damaged and the lower part was easily repaired. The couple moved back to Houston shortly before the hurricane and put their house on the market for sale. Since it has not sold, they rented it to Carole and Johnny so they can live right on their property while they rebuild. The house is fully furnished so they do not have to purchase contents. They moved in October 17 and are getting settled in. This is a great answer to prayer. Isn't God good!

The County Corps of Engineers did establish that their home was a Category 3 which means they cannot rebuild using any of the remaining structure. Carole returned to work on Monday, October 20, and it is great to have her back. I know she welcomes the return to routine.

Carole appreciates so much the cards, prayers and outpouring of love to them. Thank you so much. As you continue to pray for Carole and Johnny, Carole asked that you pray for wisdom as they take the next step. Do they actively begin rebuilding or wait for a while? They don't want to run ahead of God for a minute and are inclined to wait.

Hurricane Ike News

2008-09-23T15:00:00.007-05:00

Dear friends,

Many of you have asked about Carole & Johnny's home on Galveston Bay. As you may know, their house was totally devasted by the hurricane. The storm surge stripped just about everything out of their house including furniture, clothes, dishes, even carpeting and tile. To the left is a picture from the FP4H Leadership Summit. More pictures are below and I've included before pictures if I had them.

Kitchen:

Den:

Pier:

Please pray for Johnny & Carole and the many others affected by this storm.

ike aftermath

2008-09-17T15:21:00.003-05:00

All,

Please pray for us here in Houston and Galveston - especially Carole. Hurricane Ike made a direct hit on the gulf coast, and Carole and Johnny's home was destroyed by the storm. However, they are both safe and sound, and are staying a few hours west of here with friends.

We have not been in the office since last Friday, so please be patient as many here in the area are still without power, thus the church and ministries like ours are closed. We hope to be back on Monday of next week.

We hope you are well and are enjoying your Fall session. Please pray for our leaders as some of them have had to cancel their class two weeks in a row.

Thank you for praying!

from our groups to yours

2008-09-03T14:29:00.003-05:00

Hi Everyone,

We are having our first leader's meeting tonight for our Fall session! Our classes begin this Thursday and we have classes on beginning this Thursday, and next Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I will be prepping our leadership tonight on how to run their first meeting, Week One of the program. Everything you need is in your Leader's Guide (specifically on pages 49 and 53), but in order to help them feel more at ease, I created this handout that helps to remind them what to cover. I hope this is helpful to those of you who are preparing to start your Fall groups, too!

Leaders Meeting #1
What you Need to Know for Leading WEEK ONE

1. Your at-a-glance lesson plan outline is on page 49 of your Leader’s Guide (LG). This is a great place to start to bed a bird's eye view of what you're covering in Week One.

2. Your detailed lesson plan outline is on page 53 and gives you all the details you need for leading your first class. It covers what to do before the meeting, during the meeting, and after the meeting. Just read through the outline and take it step by step. The majority of this week’s class is devoted to viewing three DVD segments – it will go by quickly and greatly reduces the amount you have to teach!

3. Do your best to weigh and measure all of your members this first meeting. If you have a very large class, split the measuring between this week and next OR offer to stay a bit late or come a bit early next time to finish this up.

4. Your class is consuming a lot of information this first meeting, so encourage them to soak it up, reflect over it the next few days, and begin reading through the physical section of their Member’s Guide to get better oriented with the new Live It. Ask them to save some of their questions for the next two weeks, as you’ll be covering bits and pieces of the Live It each week. If they want to know “what to eat”, encourage them to eat the most quality foods they can find, in appropriate quantities as best they know, most of the week AND make sure to encourage that they write down their choices on their Live It Tracker.

5. For homework, ask your members to complete the 6 items listed on page 49. An explanation of the Live It Tracker Challenge can be found in your detailed outline on LG pg 55, 4. A.

6. Ask them to fill out Prayer Request Form #2 and save #1 for the final week of class. This is because Week #1 was accidentally printed without the memory verse so we have to shift around a bit.

7. Share how to get a week-long, 8.5x11” week-long Live It Tracker online. They may want to use this format since the ones in the Bible studies are a bit small. All they have to do is go to www.firstplace4health.com, click the link at the top right-hand corner that says "Member Login" and either create or provide a previously created username and password. You can also access this by logging in as a leader and once your "Group Information" page comes up, click the link on the right that says "download Leader Guide forms".

"I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." - tom hanks

2008-08-29T13:40:00.008-05:00

if any of you have seen "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, you'll appreciate that quote. it's when Tom's character talks about how much he loves New York in the fall and how it makes him want to shop for school supplies! :)

i don't know about you, but we've definitely been getting ready for "school" around here! we have been super busy with our Fall orientation sessions this week. we had one on Sunday and one last night, and I'm excited to say we've had a bunch of new members join! it's such an exciting time with our new materials finally being out and ready for use! i hope that all of you reading have had a successful summer (if you started then) and/or are successfully gearing up for the Fall!

if you have questions about our program or about getting started, our website is the best place to visit. we'd send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if we could, but i think you'd prefer us answer you questions about the new food plan, orientation program, or any of the other new improvements we've made to First Place. on our website you can send us an email or post a question on our message boards. we want to help you have the best session possible, so please let us know if we can help!

key stories

2008-08-08T14:50:00.003-05:00

I don't know about you, but I have a problem with keys and cell phones. Yesterday, I walked down 3 flights of stairs then out into the heat to my car. When I got into my car, I reached for my cell phone to call home and guess what? My cell phone was still on my desk. This has happened a number of times before, so I got out of the car and reversed the above procedure to retrieve my phone. Funny thing, as I was sitting in the car, I thought about calling Pat and asking her to bring my cell phone down to me!

Keys are even more of a problem. Here's my latest key story.

It was late June, 2008 and Houston was hot and humid. I left work a few minutes early to try to get a jump on the afternoon traffic. As I walked toward my car, I hit the automatic door opener and didn’t see the lights on my car flash. I kept clicking as I walked toward the car realizing that something was wrong.

A few months before, I had left my interior light on at the airport parking garage and when I returned a few days later, my battery was dead. Believing this had happened again, I sat down on the hot curb and called Triple AAA for assistance. They told me that help would arrive in an hour.

I walked back into the church and called home to tell Johnny I would be late coming home. As we were talking I said that I might need a new battery because even the key wouldn’t open the door. I made myself comfortable and called a friend to tell her of my predicament. While we were talking, someone rang in on my cell phone and seeing that the call was coming from inside the building I took the call.

It was my Assistant, Pat. By now it was 5 p.m. and Pat should have been on her way home. Pat said, “I’ve lost my keys.” I shared with Pat that my battery was dead and that I was still in the building too. Pat said that she had made 3-4 trips up and down the stairs and had looked in every place she had been all day. Giving up, she had called her son Terry to drive to her house and pick up her other set of keys
As Pat was telling me that this would probably take another two hours, my mind went back to my dead battery. Remembering the last time my battery was dead and I was still able to open the car with the keys, I began looking inside my purse. Sure enough, I had two sets of keys and shared the news with Pat.

She quickly hung up saying, “I’ve got to call Terry so he doesn’t drive to my house.” I called Triple AAA and cancelled my service call and walked to the stairs I knew Pat would be coming down to give her her car keys. I heard her heels clacking down the stairs, but I was not prepared for what I saw when the door opened.

Here was Pat carrying a huge crystal bowl full of other items. She had both arms wrapped around it like she was carrying a beach ball. She said, “This has nearly killed me carrying this bowl up and down the stairs." We started laughing and laughed all the way home talking about our adventure on our cell phones.

What have I learned from this adventure?

Things Are Not Always As They Seem

Even though this was a set of Toyota keys that looked a lot like mine, they were not able to open my door. Leading a FP4H class is much like this. There is a key that will unlock the heart of each member in your class but it takes time to learn what that key is. A problem with weight is hardly ever the only problem we, or our members, have. Only by getting to know our members will we find the key to help them succeed.

The right key is the only one that will unlock the door.

Pat’s key was never going to unlock the door of my car. Only the right key unlocks the door. We must never forget that Jesus is the key that will unlock all the doors of our heart. We and our members have doors of unforgiveness, self-hatred and rebellion that only Jesus can unlock to make us whole.

Do any of you have any good cell phone or key stories to share?

"a success" doesn't even begin to cover it!

2008-07-31T15:49:00.003-05:00

Wow. Let me say it again, WOW. We at FP4H are just in awe of what God did last weekend at our Leadership Summit. Over 300 people - from 32 states and Canada - new and returning - husbands, wives, daughters, friends. It was a wonderful time. We are beginning to emerge and get our energy back this week as we were pretty wiped out on Sunday - but it was a sweet kind of exhaustion. It's funny how the week after conference can be just as tiring as the week leading up to it! We've been busy since Monday morning answering emails and phone calls that simply had to hold off until the event was over. If you're waiting to hear back from us - we're working on getting to you very soon!

The Summit was more than a success - I heard one attendee say it was "revolutionary"! Wow! The keynote talks about time management, determining our values, operating out of our values, and more were wonderful - Becky Turner from LifeHouse did a fantastic job. I taught my own seminars, so unfortunately I could not attend everyone else's, but I heard they were wonderful - from LPC Cindy Schirle, Pastor Steve Reynolds, our leadership and fitness guru Vicki Heath, National Director Carole Lewis, and real life success story Tamara Fisher. Well done! We had beautiful testimonies of what God has done in some FP4H members' lives, and truth be told I think we can agree that sometimes those are the best part of the entire event. Tamara Fisher, Steve Reynolds, Jan Norris and Joyce Ainsworth - you are inspirations to us all!

Thank you to our "behind the scenes" servant team and other staff members especially Pat Lewis, Lisa Lewis, Debbie Barrett, and the "Matthews Mob". And special thanks to our summer intern, Lynette Moorehead, who was sweet enough to run my powerpoint slides FOUR times - you are a dear and were such a big help!

For those of you who attended the Summit, we'd love to know your FAVORITE part! Leave us some love! :)

We'll post pictures soon!

where in the world?

2008-07-21T11:49:00.004-05:00

i'm excited to say that since we began the blog, we've had visitors from:

- The US (several states, mostly in the south and on the east side)
- Canada
- Australia
- The Phillipines
- Israel

Just last week we had an average of 31 unique visitors per day, and the most we had in one day was 65!

Talk to us! Where are you from? How did you hear about us? Are you new to FP4H or have you been a part of the program for a long time?

276 and counting!

2008-07-16T10:57:00.005-05:00

Time for an update! We now have 276 registered for the Leadership Summit from 31 states and Canada! God is so good! We are so excited around here - and very busy! If you are coming, know that we are praying for you and so anxious to have you here in only 9 days!

If you are unable to come, we have some exciting news! We will be recording the keynote speeches as well as our seminars and plan to make them available for download in the Tools for Leaders section of our website within 10-14 days of the Summit. We have heard the call from many of you who can't always make it down for this event and wish to still be informed and receive training. We hope this will be the answer!

Keep the comments coming...we love hearing from you!

First Place 4 Health Leadership Summit July 25-26, 2008

2008-07-04T12:24:00.004-05:00

We are excited beyond words about our sixth annual First Place Leadership Summit. All of the new First Place 4 Health resources will be available at this event and we will give extensive training on how to use and teach the new materials. We have worked for over two years writing the new program and can’t wait for you to see it. I promise you are going to love what you see.

Becky Turner, who has been our MC for the last two years, will be our keynote speaker at the Summit this year. Becky has been meeting with me for an hour each week for the last six months, and the things she has taught me on how to plan my work and work my plan have impacted my life in a gigantic way.

As a result, I have asked Becky to teach a six-week course (in two days) covering all I have learned. Becky graciously accepted my invitation to teach our First Place leaders what she has taught me. Trust me; you will be forever grateful you came.

Steve Reynolds, pastor of Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, Virginia, will be with us to give his testimony of how he lost 110 pounds. Steve will also do a seminar on how to make First Place 4 Health a church-wide program. Steve’s church lost 2100 pounds in a four-month period.

We will have delicious, healthy meals, wonderful testimonies, great seminars, and spend Saturday afternoon and evening at our home on Galveston Bay. There is nothing as relaxing or beautiful as being with friends when the sun sets over the water. There will be boating and a ride on the “Triple Dare” if you are brave. We also have lots of chaise lounges if you are inclined to lounge, and an air-conditioned house if you want to stay inside and play games.

We are praying you can come be with us at this year’s Summit. Lasting friendships are made as we share together all that God has done and is doing in our lives.

We have almost 200 registered from 27 states!

See you there!

Getting Started with FP4H

2008-07-03T09:00:00.006-05:00

We've been receiving a lot of calls from members and leaders about the new materials - specifically they are asking us where to start! When you open your kits, you'll find a navigation sheet that gives you steps for getting aquainted with your new materials. We know it's tempting to just find the new food plan and start there, but please take our advice and follow these steps:

FOR LEADERS

1. Please start with the First Place 4 Health hardcover book. This will give you a great orientation to our program (which is new to everyone) and provide inspirational testimonies and personal anecdotes that will give you a great boost before you begin your class. We know you're excited to get started with the details of your class, but this is an easy read so please start here.

2. Like the navigation sheet says, review the Leader's Guide. We've streamlined this book to include simple but thorough instructions on how to start a group, how to promote it, how to organize it, and how to teach - step by step, week by week, session by session - the new FP4H curriculum. Understand that your Leader's Guide is a teaching manual with a set of lesson plans. It does not go into detail about the food plan, exercise program, or emotional and spiritual aspects of the plan. You'll need to refer to the Member's Guide and DVDs to get the details. That brings us to the next step...

3. Watch the Orientation and Food Plan DVD. This DVD is broken up into two parts: the Orientation and the Food Plan. Start with the Orientation. Then, we've included five times the segments on the new Live It food plan, and they will really help you to understand the new direction we're going including the decision to discontinue the exchange plan, focusing more on the big picture which is eating quality foods in appropriate quantities most of the time, ensuring members complete Steps 1 & 2 before jumping ahead to the food plan (see pages 102-107 in the Member's Guide), and more.

4. Watch the How to Lead with Excellence DVD. This first session of the new FP4H is likely going to be a challenge especially if you have returning members who are used to the old way of doing things. Fill yourself up with encouragement and wisdom from Carole and Vicki.

5. Review what your members will be receiving - a Bible study (either Begin with Christ or Moving Forward Together) and the Member's Kit. Inside the Member's Guide you'll find all of the details about the four sides of the program - spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. Many of the topics you cover in class will come from the material in the Member's Guide.

6. Flip through Simple Ideas for Healthy Living. You'll find a wealth of wellness worksheets for you to use for several sessions of the program in this book. Instead of wellness worksheets being scattered in several books, we've included them all here.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, take your time. Take each step one at a time and don't allow yourself you get overwhelmed. Once you read the materials and view the DVDs, we're confident that you'll feel equipped to lead your group. Remember that the Leader's Guide is a step-by-step manual that you should use each week of your class. It tells you exactly what to teach and how to do so. Take a deep breath - you're going to do great!

FOR MEMBERS

NOTE: Your Member's Kit does not include all of the components of the Group Starter Kit because we assume you will be attending a group and receive instruction on the parts not included in your materials (i.e. the Orientation and Food Plan DVD, weigh-in and measurement guidelines, and instructions about what to cover each week of your session). If you are not in a group, we strongly urge you to join one or plan to start one (for which you would need a Group Starter's Kit). Trying to do the FP4H program without all of the necessary materials will prove very frustrating for you, and we want so much for this process to be a joy!

With that said, if you do plan on being in a group understand that many of your questions will be answered when you attend your orientation and first class. We encourage you to flip through your materials and becoming aquainted with them, but you will likely have questions that you will not be able to answer with the Member's Guide alone.

1. A great place to start would be to read the First Place 4 Health hardcover book. Even if you are a First Place veteran, we encourage you to get aquainted with the new First Place 4 Health. This book is an easy and inspirational read, so prop up your feet, grab a cup of coffee, and enjoy!

2. Next, move to the Member's Guide and please start at the beginning (not at the Physical section). You are about to begin a journey or perhaps you are continuing your journey. Either way, starting fresh and at the beginning will serve you well, so please don't skip ahead! We know it's tempting, but things will make so much more sense if you start from the top!

3. Once you finish pages 1-18, you hit the Spiritual section. For the rest of the Guide, it will be divided into four sections: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. You are more than welcome to read this through, but we feel it would be less confusing and time-consuming to wait until your class, if possible. If you are making this journey alone for now, take a few pages from each section each week - but again, please consider joining a group! It will make this journey much sweeter! All of the sections are essential and one is not more important than the others, so please give them equal attention.

It is a common misconception that the most significant aspect of First Place 4 Health is weight loss or the Live It. On the contrary, the program is four-sided and all of the sides are important for achieving sincere strides in our quest for healthy living.

4. Here's the skinny on the rest of your materials. If you'd like to get started with your prayer journal, please do so! You'll talk more about it in class, but there is no reason for you not to begin journaling your prayers! Next, your Food on the Go Pocket Guide provides a listing of common fast food restaurant items along with their nutritional information. Please begin using this to make healthier choices (lower calorie, lower fat) when you eat on the go. Simple Ideas for Healthy Living is a book that includes all of our "wellness worksheets" that you'll cover in several sessions of FP4H. Feel free to get a head start if you like! The two DVDs provided in your plan will be assigned as homework during your first session, but again - don't hesitate to get started if you like!

We hope this helps! Please leave comments with any additional questions you may have - we're excited to hear from you!

And Happy 4th!

Happy Day!

2008-06-26T09:28:00.002-05:00

Today is a happy one for me! Forty nine years ago today I married my precious husband, Johnny. When I look back on all these years, it seems like such a short time since we were teenagers in love. As I reflect on all the memories we share and all the monumental events we have gone through together, I realize that we have crammed a whole lot of livin’ into these 49 years. We had our three children in less than four years so we were changing diapers for a full six years without a break. Lisa was born in 1960, Shari in 1962, and John in 1963. Three toddlers, three grade schoolers, three teenagers, and all three left the nest in a little more than a one year period.We have shared joyous times, such as the weddings of our children and the births of our grandchildren. We have also shared sad times, like the passing of our parents, Johnny's diagnosis of stage 4 prostate cancer in 1997, and the death of our daughter, Shari, in 2001. We have lived to tell about a fire and flood in our home. Bankruptcy and the loss of everything except our home was a devastating time, but we went through it together. All in all, this is a journey I wouldn't have wanted to make with anyone else but Johnny. He is truly the best friend I have in all the world and the love of my life.Of course, you know that I relate absolutely everything to the First Place 4 Health experience so indulge me as I compare marriage with our program.

Nothing Worthwhile Happens Quickly.
Just as a great marriage takes years, so does a true lifestyle change. Since FP4H is a total lifestyle program, it will probably take years (at least it has for me) to experience changes in all four areas.

Quitting Is Not An Option.
I only had one sibling and she divorced with two little boys to raise. My sister was seven years older than me and I saw how hard it was for her. She told me one day, "If I had known how hard it was going to be, I would have tried much harder to make my marriage work." Because of seeing how my sister struggled, I went into marriage knowing that divorce was not an option for me. Murder, maybe; divorce, never!

In FP4H, success is found in the process, not in a program. God may work in the emotional or spiritual area first, but rest assured, weight loss will not be forgotten by our God. In marriage, if we are determined to stick it out and not quit, God honors our determination and heals our marriages as we learn to give Him first place in those hard areas.

Everything Is Easier When Shared.
The absolute best part of being married is having someone to share your life with. In FP4H we make the best friends in the world…lifetime friends who cheer us on when we succeed and who cheer us on when we struggle. As I've always said, FP4H people are the absolute best in the world!

Welcome!

2008-06-25T16:55:00.003-05:00

Welcome fellow bloggers! Our vision for this blog is for it to be a source of encouragement and information for FP4H members all over the world! We're excited to share testimonies of what God is doing through First Place 4 Health, and we can't wait to hear from you through the comment function. Please don't be shy - we'd love to hear from you!