Health and fitness is not complicated or hard. Really good general fitness and health can be achieved fairly simply and I want to offer a simple plan as well as a few thoughts. But first… why?

A couple years ago I wrote an article with a few thoughts on how to prepare for a wilderness experience. For my regular readers, that will especially interest you as it regards the state of the world and prophecy, but from a more general perspective, it explains that overall quality of life and longevity are dependent on a three legged stool of mental, spiritual and physical health.

For our purposes, I want to offer a simple plan that should demystify basic health and fitness as one of those three legs that support ‘your stool.’ At least in the US, there is a 50+% obesity rate with a significant portion of those being medically termed, ‘morbidly obese.’ General fitness escapes more than 80% of the population by several standards, meaning in difficult times, a very high percentage will succumb to some combination of physical inability to lack of mental willpower due to the excessive shock of moving from sedentary existence to very active or even survival mode.

In light of this, we all need to be on a trajectory that moves us toward a better level of health and fitness. Following is a simple plan with some specific steps and ideas that anyone can take to begin to move toward better health and fitness. These are in descending order of immediate importance.

Eat Clean

• Most Torahkeepers are already here. This is simply insuring that you are following Leviticus 11 with regard to meat consumption.
• No pork, shellfish or other ‘unclean’ animals… (skunks, buzzards, camels or cockroaches… 😉 )

DRINK. Lots of…. water!

• When hungry at odd times, drink water. Often, if we are thirsty, our body signals with hunger to make us salivate.
• Drink water instead of soda, sweet tea or even diet drinks. (False sugar flavors trigger receptors in the brain that then crave the real stuff…) Reduce sugar in coffee, etc.
• Drink a dozen 8 ounce glasses of water a day. Keep a water bottle with you….

Fresh vegetables, fruits and legumes

• Most people will lose a significant amount of weight simply by dumping processed foods and excess starches.
• Eat LOTS. This is NOT a diet or starvation. Rather, this is altering what you eat.
• Vegetables, fruits and beans very much fit the Genesis 1:29 model.
• Avoid boring salads. Get creative and enjoy delicious bountiful salads. Add nuts, fruit, fresh vegetables (squash, avocado, pistachios, walnuts, a little exotic cheese, raisins, dates, etc.) Stay out of a rut. Enjoy a good/tasty salad dressing, but use in small doses as it is often the most unhealthy part of the salad…
• Better yet, simple homemade dressings with orange or lemon juice and a little olive oil with spices… BAM! Save jingle and fat calories.

Eat more often!!

• Yes, you read that correctly. More smaller meals will activate your metabolism and cause your body to burn more fat because food is readily available. (It doesn’t slip into fat storing mode.)
• A protein bar or piece of fruit between meals is excellent! (Fruit preferred.)
• SMART snacks, NOT carb/sugary junk!!

Do SOMETHING active 4-5 times per week

• Everything up to this point will make a difference, but to accelerate change in your body and health/fitness level, get active doing something 4-5 times per week.
• Just 20 minutes of exercise that elevates your heartrate to a moderate rate will boost your metabolism for 8-10 hours.
• Walking, hiking, yoga, weights, aerobics, swimming, rowing, etc. Endless possibilities.
• If you need accountability, bite the bullet and join a gym or workout from home with an online fitness team/coach. One option is my wife, the No Hands Fitness Coach. (I’m super proud of her… As a disabled American veteran, she had allowed her disability to defeat her for more than two decades when she decided to make a change. Today, she may be in better shape than when she was in when on active duty, but more exciting is that she now coaches and encourages others to similar results.) Her Instagram is @no_hands_fitness
• Bonus!! Find an activity you can do with spouse, family, children, etc… Build family relationships while getting the heartrate up!

That’s it… Pretty simple. Don’t overcomplicate it.

Additional thoughts… (in no particular order)

• If you are way out of shape, recognize that you likely didn’t get that way overnight and reversing your condition is a process that may take a while. In other words, take a long term approach.
• Small CONSISTENT steps are far better than sudden large changes that are inconsistent or short termed.
• Healthy and fit does NOT necessary look like the fitness models on magazines and the internet. It is not necessary to have a 4 or 6% body fat ratio with popping abs to be in great shape! However, with some basic discipline, the average person can achieve 12-14% BMI lower heart rate and feel GREAT if they will dedicate themselves for 6-18 months.
• You do NOT need expensive exercise equipment! Even with relatively light weights, I can blow up someone’s body. Men, one 25 or 30lb kettlebell or two 25lb dumbbells are sufficient. Women, a 15 or 20lb kettlebell or a pair of 15-20lb dumbbells are more than enough to get started. Maybe smaller, depending on the exercise.
• Big muscles burn big fat! Body weight squats and push-ups work big muscle groups…
• Allow yourself a limited ‘cheat day’ once in a while. Enjoy the journey to health! You are much more likely to keep going!
• We started very simply, but now have a fairly nice home gym. Most of the weights, Olympic, 1″ and barbells, I picked up in scrap yards for $0.25/lb, considerably cheaper than new or even used. I scored an Olympic bar for $11! Other equipment we picked up over a couple years as we needed it by watching for deals, sales, free stuff, etc.
• Variety! As with food variety, keep some variety in your workout routine… walking, hiking, lifting, kayaking, stretching, dancing, etc. The key is to be moving!!
• Take ownership of your health. YouTube is chock full of fitness, health and food info that will help. Get educated and don’t be afraid to study and find what works for you!
• Daily multivitamin! As you learn a bit, this can be tailored to you for real benefit! (Often, or body craves food because it is looking for a specific mineral or vitamin. Supplements fill this need reducing hunger.)

Blessings. I pray every reader found something here that can help them toward better health. Take an active step, or more, today!!