To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
Stewardship
is more than just managing money—even in the ancient world, this word
had to do with handling the affairs of an entire household. Look at the
Old Testament story of Joseph, for example. (See Genesis 39:1-6; Genesis 41:38-49.) He became the steward for Potiphar’s household, and his job was to responsibly manage everything the family owned.
The
idea of stewardship goes back even further—in fact, all the way to the
very beginning of Genesis. Upon fashioning humans to bear His divine
image, God charged them to imitate Him; He called them to be productive
and have dominion—that is, exercise humble authority—over the earth. As
stewards of God’s creation, they were to reflect who He is. That
involved doing the hard work to maintain, preserve, and beautify the
earth.
Think about it
• What in your life
has God invited you to cultivate and oversee? Is it an opportunity
through your workplace or a volunteer activity? Is He asking you to
learn how to become more involved in your community? Perhaps it’s as
simple as keeping your home orderly and well maintained.
The ketogenic diet or as some people prefer to call it; the Keto diet
or low-carb diet is about consuming a lot of protein and fats but fewer
carbs. This diet makes the body send the fats that we consume to the
liver, which later transforms it into energy to keep the body strong and
active for a long time without feeling tired quickly.
The word ketogenic is derived from the word “ketosis” which means the
state of the body when it doesn’t have enough glucose in it to turn it
into energy, so it generates ketones that work as an amazing source of
energy for both the body and the brain which makes it a great option for
losing weight in a short term.
The keto diet prevents you from consuming a lot of carbs which are
the main reason for gaining weight because the sugar makes you hungry
most of the time. When you consume carbs in small portions and focus
more on protein and fat; your body doesn’t push you most of the time to
eat; instead, it uses those fats to satisfy your hunger and keep you
active.
If you are looking for a diet that will help you lose weight in a
very short term, the ketogenic diet is the perfect diet for you
because it not only helps you achieve a great lean body; but also provides immense health benefits.
The Benefits of The Ketogenic Diet
So far, there are a lot of great benefits of the keto diet, but no
negative effects have appeared yet at all; which makes it the delicious
diet that fits everybody. Here are other health benefits of the keto
diet:
Increases the level of HDL: One of the best aspects of the ketogenic
diet is that it increases the level of HDL in the body, which is the
good cholesterol that helps in lowering the risk of heart diseases
Helps in Alleviating Diabetes Type 2: By removing carbs from your
daily meals, you say goodbye to sugar and insulin because your body
already has what it needs, and you won’t have to be worried about what
you eat.
Lowers Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is a catastrophe because
it might lead to kidney failure, heart disease, and strokes...
With this diet, you can say goodbye to all those worries and live a
healthy life away from all those malignant diseases that threaten your
life.
Gum Disease:
Gum disease is one of the worst and most painful diseases which is
commonly caused by the consumption of too much sugar. When you eliminate
sugar from your daily meals, you can avoid gum diseases and toothaches.
While on the keto diet, most of your diet will consist of foods high
in fats coupled with a measured intake of proteins and low carbohydrate
intake. Some of the food categories allowed in this diet include:
Fish and Seafood: Cod, tuna, scrod, anchovies, mackerel, flounder,
catfish, trout, mahi-mahi, halibut, sole, sardines, salmon, halibut,
snapper, and calamari. Always opt for wild-caught fish to avoid toxins
present in commercially reared fish.
Grass-fed Meat: These include beef, venison, goat, and lamb. Meat
from wild animals is also acceptable; however, avoid sausages and meats
that come with sugary sauces and those covered in breadcrumbs. Choose
the chunks of meat with more fat since they contain less protein and
more fat.
Pork: Boston butt, pork chops, ham pork, and loin. When choosing ham, be on the lookout for added sugar.
Bacon and Sausages: Preferably, you should buy these at specialty
health food stores. If this is not possible, always read the labels to
avoid those which contain fillers such as soy or sugars.
Canned Tuna and Salmon: Canned tuna and salmon are okay to consume
while you are on the keto diet. However, avoid seafood rich in fillers,
breaded seafood, and fried seafood.
Vegetable Protein Powders: Protein supplements such as whey protein, hemp protein, peas, and rice are acceptable.
Whole Eggs: This includes chicken eggs, and quail eggs which you can
prepare through any means desired; fried, soft or hard-boiled, deviled,
scrambled, or omelet style.
Shellfish: Oyster, mussels, lobster, shrimp, crab (not imitation crab that contains additives), clams, scallops, and squid.
Fats and Oils
Because these are your main sources of energy while you are on this
diet, go for the types of fats and oils you enjoy. These may include:
Omega 3 fatty acids from fish such as tuna, shellfish, and salmon
Fish supplements or krill
Monounsaturated fats such as egg yolks, avocado, and butter
Vegetable oils such as olive oil, coconut oil
Non-hydrogenated beef tallow, ghee, and lard.
Duck and chicken fat
To make it easier to stick to this diet, be aware of which types of
fat your body can tolerate. Many people seem to have zero or very low
tolerance for vegetable oils and mayo. This may be a good thing because
most of these oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids - the kind that is
bad for your body’s cholesterol levels.
In this case, work with the listed monounsaturated fats to reduce the
inflammatory effect brought about by polyunsaturated fats.
Nevertheless, work to balance both fats because you cannot survive on
monounsaturated fats alone (You need a lot of fats and oils). Even then,
avoid hydrogenated fats such as margarine to reduce the number of
trans-fats you eat.
Fresh Vegetables
For these foods, opt for organic ones or better yet, grow your own to
avoid all pesticide toxins. Avoid starchy vegetables (corn, sweet
potatoes, potatoes, peas, and winter squash) that are high in carbs.
Instead, opt for a moderate intake of sweet vegetables (squashes,
peppers, tomatoes, and carrots). Vegetables that make it to the list
are:
Celery
Collard Greens
Onions (high in sugar; moderate intake) Alfalfa Sprouts
Beet Greens Broccoli
Spinach
Dandelion Greens Bamboo Shoots Cabbage
Brussels sprouts Garlic
Mushrooms Shallots
Kale
Bok Choy Sauerkraut Chives
Celery Root Swiss chard Cauliflower Snow Peas
Bean Sprouts Olives
Cucumbers
Salad greens and lettuces: Romaine, Arugula, Fennel, Bok Choy, Boston
lettuce, Endive, Mache, Escarole, Sorrel, Radicchio, Chicory Water
Chestnuts
Turnips Scallions
Dill Pickles Leeks
Radishes Chard
Asparagus
Dairy Products
Mascarpone cheese
Unsweetened whole milk yogurt (limit intake of this type of yogurt because it is a little high in carbs)
All soft and hard cheeses Cream cheese
Full-fat sour cream (do not forget to check for additives) Full-fat cottage cheese
Heavy whipping cream
In any case, always go for raw milk products and if you do not have easy access to them, go for the organic ones.
Beverages
Bulletproof coffee Decaf Tea
Flavored seltzer water Decaf coffee
Water
Herbal tea
Lemon and lime juice (limit intake) Clear broth or bouillon
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts: almonds, macadamias, pecans, and walnuts are the nuts with the
lowest level of carbs meaning you can consume them in small amounts.
Other nuts such as chestnuts, pistachios, and cashews contain a higher
amount of carbs; thus, you should carefully monitor their intake. Nuts
are best soaked for some time before being roasted.
Nut flours: these are necessary because while you are on this diet,
it does not mean baking no longer fits into your life. Nut flour such as
almond flour will suffice.
Sweeteners
Some options include:
Erythritol
Splendor-liquid
Inulin and Chicory root Lo Han Guo
Liquid Stevia Xylitol
Swerve
Spices
Here are the spices allowed on the keto diet:
Sea salt
Peppermint Ginger
Basil
Chili pepper Cloves
Thyme
Cilantro or coriander seeds Rosemary
Black pepper
Cumin seeds Oregano
Turmeric
Cayenne pepper Cinnamon
Mustard seeds Parsley
Dill Sage
As you can see from the above very detailed list, the keto diet is
NOT a highly-restrictive dieting lifestyle, it also offers you a variety
of foods to choose from; thus, you should not feel overwhelmed.
However, there are foods you should avoid to achieve optimal ketosis
as your body makes the switch from using glucose to synthesizing fats
for ketones.
In the next section, we shall outline the foods you should avoid:
Achieving Optimal Ketosis:
Foods to Avoid
If you stick to the food listed in the previous section, you do not
have to worry about not achieving optimal ketosis. On the same note, as
you increase your intake of those foods, you should also be on the
lookout for the following foods that may hinder ketosis:
Avoid all grains, whole meals included (rye, wheat, oats, barley, corn, millet, rice sorghum, and buckwheat). Also, avoid
all products are made from grains; these include foods such as crackers, pasta, pizza, and cookies.
Avoid refined fats and oils like sunflower, canola, grape seed, corn oil, soybean, and Trans-fats such as margarine.
Avoid milk (only full-fat raw milk is acceptable). For coffee, replace milk with reasonable amounts of cream.
Avoid tropical fruits such as bananas, pineapples, mango papaya, etc., and some high-carb fruit.
Avoid fruit juice.
Avoid factory-farmed pork and fish.
Avoid all artificial sweeteners containing Aspartame, Sucralose, Saccharine, etc.
Avoid alcoholic sweet drinks such as beer, and sweet wine
Avoid Soy products
Now that you know what to eat and what to avoid, is there a way to
guarantee faster adoption of ketosis? The answer is yes. The following
section illuminates such tips:
How to Get Into Ketosis ‘Fast’: Invaluable Tips
It takes 48 hours to get into ketosis. To get there, you must
correctly adopt the keto diet. Below are tips that should help you do
just that and get your body into ketosis faster:
Tip 1: To get into ketosis faster, eat less than 20g of carbs a day.
Tip 2: Drink water, about 100 ounces per day. Drink more to lose more.
Tip 3: Purchase some Ketosis. Getting some validation that the diet
is working will be a great motivation to keep you on a diet considering
the intimidating nature of the first few days of the diet.
Tip 4: Do not panic. Be aware of the keto flu coming your way. The
dizziness, irritability, and fatigue you will be feeling on the first
three days may have you experiencing mood swings; but don’t give in just
yet. Reward yourself with bacon and delicious keto-friendly foods as
you crave carbs and sugars. The craving will disappear as long as you’re
full.
Tip 5: Consume more salt. This is important. While on a keto diet,
your body does not retain water as it normally would; hence,
electrolytes like sodium quickly flush out of your body. Therefore, you
need constant replenishment; otherwise, you will feel awful. As
indicated earlier, opt for sea salt.
Tip 6: Never open the door to hunger. When you feel the tiniest bit
of a hunger pang, immediately eat high-fat low-carb foods. The moment
you get too hungry, it forms the temptation pathway. Remember: go
simple. Do not over-plan things because when you do, you may end up
making everything strict and less fun. The keto diet is fun; keep it so.
Tip 7: Remember: this is not a high-protein diet. The keto diet is a
high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet. Moderate is the keyword
here.
Tip 8: Embrace the fat. Eat fat to lose fat that is your new motto.
Do not shy away from the fat because it is your ticket to a healthier
you.
Common Keto Diet Mistakes You Should Avoid
Nobody is perfect, and no diet is perfect. As you adopt this diet for
good health and weight loss, you are bound to make several mistakes;
this is normal. The best way to avoid, or minimize the effects of
mistakes is by learning and preparing for common mistakes. Below is a
list of common keto diet mistakes dieters make:
Eating Too Many Carbs
There is no exact definition of what ‘low carb’ means. Some would say
it is simply anything under 100 to 150 grams a day simply because they
get amazing results with this range. However, this may be excessive if
you aim to have plenty of ketones in your bloodstream. Most keto dieters
go for under 50 grams of carbs per day to get into optimal ketosis.
Anything beyond that is termed excessive.
Eating Too Much Protein
Remember: the keto diet is all about protein moderation.
Impatience
As you adopt a keto diet, you need patience: patience to get into
ketosis and patience to adapt to ketosis. Understand that previously,
your body’s main source of energy was carbs; now, it has to adapt to a
new source of energy, fats. The body requires time to do this;
therefore, be patient.
Obsessing Over The Scale
The number on your weighing scale should not determine your keto diet
success. Let this be the least of your worries. Just live life and
enjoy your diet. Weight loss will happen; do yourself a favor and keep
away from that scale.
Not Eating Enough Fats
The unrestricted consumption of fats may seem excessive. However, the
keto diet is a high-fat diet. Just trust keto and enjoy the fat.
However, you should eat the right kind of fats, preferably
monounsaturated and saturated fats.
Eating Processed Keto Foods
When you are on a keto diet, always think about it this way: the
intention is to eat natural ingredients and not foods that come in
wrappers such as Atkins bars and Quest bars. Although you can
occasionally eat these, the idea is for a large portion of your diet (we
are talking about 70-80% of your entire diet) to consist of natural
ingredients.
Being After A Quick Fix
If this is your aim, do not start the diet. The Keto diet is more of a
lifestyle change than a short-term diet plan. Dropping a few pounds and
then going back to your normal bad eating habits will be a waste of
time.
Indecisiveness
Half-heartedly adopting the keto diet could be the worst thing you
could do to yourself because you are just wasting time. If you are not
all in, you will not survive through the temporary
effects that come with adopting the diet. Decide on what you want and
think of everything you will gain by going keto to keep you motivated.
Breakfast Recipes
Egg Salad Serves 6
Ingredients
1/3 cup of finely minced white onion
½ cup of mayonnaise
12 large eggs
1-teaspoon salt ½-teaspoon ground mustard 2 tablespoons melted butter 1-teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Place eggs in a pot of water. Let this boil for 10 minutes, pour the
water from the pot, and replace it with cold water. Let the eggs sit in
the water for 2 to 3 minutes.
Take out the eggs and peel them. Using an egg slicer, chop the eggs
into ¼-inch pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and refrigerate until
ready to serve.
Total carbs: 1g
Keto Porridge Serves 1
Ingredients
¼ cup of crushed almonds ½ cup of hemp seeds
1 tablespoon of xylitol
1 cup of non-dairy milk
2 tablespoons of freshly ground flax seeds ¾-teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½-teaspoon ground cinnamon 1-tablespoon chia seeds
Topping
1 tablespoon of hemp seeds
Instructions
Mix ingredients except the topping and the almonds in a saucepan and stir well until they are properly mixed.
Heat this over medium heat until it begins to boil lightly. Stir once and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove from the heat, add in the ground almonds, and pour into a bowl. Add toppings then serve right away.
Net carbs per serving: 4g
Avocado Salmon Breakfast Serves 1
Ingredients
60 grams of wild-caught smoked salmon
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
Celtic sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
30 grams of fresh, soft goat cheese
1 ripe organic avocado
Instructions
Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed.
In a food processor, process the other ingredients until coarsely chopped.
Place the cream inside the avocados then serve. Alternatively, you
could also cut the avocados into cubes and the salmon into small pieces
and mix them up together. Add the rest of the ingredients with the goat
cheese and mix well.
Net carbs per serving: 4g
Keto Main Meals
Spaghetti Squash Casserole Serves 4
Ingredients
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3 ounces of Italian salami, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning 4 tablespoons of butter
½ cup of organic tomatoes, diced
1 large spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
1 cup of onion, diced
A handful of Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
4 large pastured eggs
2 cloves of garlic, minced
½ cup of Kalamata olives halved
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees and place spaghetti squash on a rimmed
baking sheet, cut side up. Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each half
and sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1
hour.
As the spaghetti bakes, heat a skillet and add the remaining butter
to it. Once melted, add onions, garlic, pepper, and salt to taste. When
the onion starts turning golden, add the salami and tomatoes.
Once done, scrape off the flesh from the spaghetti squash and mix it
with the onion mixture. Create four wells in the mixture and crack an
egg onto each.
Place pan in the oven and bake the egg whites cook through. Just before serving, sprinkle some fresh parsley.
Net carbs per serving: 13.25g
Tuna Salad Serves 1
Ingredients
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 head lettuce
Salt taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
140g of tinned tuna
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 medium spring onion
2 organic hard-boiled eggs
Directions
Tear up the lettuce, wash, and then drain.
Spread the leaves at the bottom of your serving bowl and place the shredded tuna on top.
Place the mayo, freshly chopped onions, and the boiled egg on top. Mix well, drizzle with olive oil, and enjoy.
Net carbs per serving: 3.9g
Ginger Beef Serves 2
Ingredients
2 sirloin steaks cut into strips
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1-tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 small onion
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 small diced tomatoes
Instructions
Add oil to a skillet and cook the steak over medium-high heat until brown.
Once the steaks are well seared, add in tomatoes, onion, and garlic.
In a bowl, stir ginger, pepper, vinegar, and salt and stir.
Cover, lower the heat, and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Serve and enjoy.
Net carbs per serving: 3g
Keto Casserole Serves 4
Ingredients
1 package cream cheese
½-cup low-sugar ketchup
½ pound corned beef 2 cups Swiss cheese 1 can sauerkraut
½ teaspoon of caraway seeds 2 tablespoons of pickle brine
½ cup of mayo
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In low heat place pan, melt cream cheese; add ketchup and mayo.
After a few minutes, add the sauerkraut, beef, and Swiss cheese. Mix until the cheese melts.
Remove from the heat and mix with the pickle juice. Pour this into a greased dish and top with the remaining Swiss cheese.
Garnish with caraway seeds. Place in the oven until the cheese melts and enjoy.
Net carbs per serving: 6g
Keto Pork Chops Serve 2
Ingredients
1 medium star anise
1 tablespoon of almond flour
4 boneless pork chops
½ teaspoon of five spice
½ tablespoon of sugar-free ketchup 1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
4 halved garlic cloves
½ tablespoon of chili paste
1 stalk of lemongrass
½ teaspoon of peppercorns 1 tablespoon of fish sauce 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
Instructions
Put the pork chops on a flat table and use a rolling pin wrapped in wax paper to pound the pork chops into ½-inch thick pieces.
Grind peppercorns and anise in a blender (or mortar and pestle) to a fine powder.
Add the garlic and lemongrass to the blender or pound to a puree.
Add the fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and five-spice powder then mix well.
Season the pork chops, place them on a tray, add the marinade, and
then turn over to ensure the pork chops are well coated. Cover and leave
for about 1 to 2 hours.
Place a pan on high heat, add oil, and then coat the pork chops lightly with almond flour.
Place the coated chops in the pan and cook both sides (about 2 minutes on each side).
When done, cut the chops into several strips.
To make the sauce, mix sugar-free ketchup and chili paste. You can serve it with Parmesan green beans.
Net carbs per serving: 6g
Keto Snacks
Zucchini Hummus Makes 3 cups
Ingredients
½ cup of fresh lemon juice 1½ teaspoons of cumin
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 organic chopped zucchinis
1 teaspoon of sea salt (or to taste)
1 cup of raw tahini
½ cup of raw sesame seeds
Instructions
Start by soaking the sesame seeds for about four hours.
Drain them and dump all the other ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed as you scrape the sides.
Serve with carrot or vegetable sticks. Net carbs per cup: 3g
Parsnip Chips Makes 4 cups
Ingredients
2 medium parsnips, peeled & sliced Salt
Oil for frying (your choice)
Instructions
Heat oil to 350 degrees and add parsnip chips in small chunks.
Cook for 20 to 30 seconds until the chips are golden brown. Place on
paper towels and sprinkle with sea salt and kosher. Net carbs per cup:
4g
Sugar-Free Turtles Make 24
Ingredients
½ cup of organic heavy whipping cream 6 tablespoons of organic butter
1 cup of Swerve confectioners
2 dark chocolate bars, chopped finely
24 whole pecans
Instructions
Heat butter in a saucepan.
Add cream and the swerve to the pan. Whisk until the sauce is smooth.
Pour it into a glass mason jar and let it cool at room temperature. Store it in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Once cooled a bit, place a tablespoon on a cluster of pecans and place in the fridge to set.
Meanwhile, chop dark chocolate bars and heat in a double boiler until
the chocolate melts. Drizzle this over the cool caramel-covered pecans
and enjoy.
Net carbs per turtle: 3.7g
Protein Bagel Makes 12 bagels
Ingredients
¼ teaspoon of Celtic sea salt
¼ cup of melted coconut oil
½ cup of vanilla egg white protein powder 2 tablespoons of coconut flour
½ teaspoon of guar gum
2 teaspoons of blueberry extract
1 teaspoon of baking powder
10 eggs
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix ingredients in a bowl
Spoon the dough into a greased donut mold; place it on a cookie sheet and allow them to bake.
Net carbs per bagel: 1g
Kale Chips with Lime Serves: 2
Ingredients
1-teaspoon soy sauce
1-teaspoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 bunch of kale, washed well
Juice of half a lime
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Chop the stem off the kale. Break them into chip-sized pieces and thoroughly dry them.
In a bowl, combine lime juice, Sriracha, olive oil, fish sauce, and
soy sauce and mix. Taste for saltiness and hotness and adjust as
desired.
Pour the dressing over the kale to coat the chips. Spread the leaves over 2 cookie sheets (greased) but do not overlap them.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes as you monitor them.
Net carbs per serving: 6g
Keto Drinks
Raspberry Avocado Smoothie Serves 2
Ingredients
½ cup frozen unsweetened raspberries 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 packets of swerve sweetener
1 ripe avocado
1 1/3 cups water
Instructions
Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Net carbs per serving: 4g
Chocolate Green Smoothie Serves 2
Ingredients
¼ cup of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon of granulated stevia (or sweetener of choice)
½ cup of frozen boysenberries (or berries of choice) 100g of spinach
1 cup of coconut cream
Instructions
Add everything to a blender and blend. Net carbs per serving: 5.2g
Vanilla Almond Milk Shake Serves 1
Ingredients
¾ cup of unsweetened almond milk ¼ cup of vanilla protein powder
½ cup of avocado 1 cup of crushed ice
2 tablespoons of cream cheese ¼-teaspoon of mint extract 4 tablespoons of Erythritol
½ teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt (for minerals) 1 teaspoon of stevia glyceride
Instructions
Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Net carbs per serving: 2.1g
Detox Smoothie Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley
1 tablespoon of Swerve
1 cup of raw cucumber, peeled then sliced ½ cup of kiwi fruit, peeled then chopped
1 cup of mixed berries
4 cups of filtered water
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger-peeled then chopped ½ Hass avocado
1 cup of romaine lettuce
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve cold.
Net carbs per serving: 4g
Green Tea Shake Serves 2
Ingredients
2 teaspoons of Swerve Sweetener or granulated Erythritol ½ cup of Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon of hot water
1 teaspoon of match green tea powder ½ medium avocado
¼ cup of vanilla whey protein powder 1 ¼ cups of unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
Place in a blender and blend until smooth. Net carbs per serving: 6.5g
Almond Raspberry Smoothie Serves 1
Ingredients
20 almonds
½ cup red raspberries
1 tablespoon protein powder
2/3 cup almond milk
Instructions
Combine the ingredients in a blender; pulse until smooth.
You can add ice as you blend. Serve immediately.
Net carbs per serving: 6.3g
Conclusion
As you have seen, other than rapid fat loss, the keto diet also has
many other health benefits. Most importantly, you now have multiple
delicious recipes based on Top Keto Foods to try out anytime!
Variety is the spice of life. With the variety of foods to choose
from, you can easily get into the Keto Lifestyle in an easy, painless,
and hassle-free manner. Making it a new way of life
– For both physical and mental wellness.
Your journey to a leaner, healthier you is only one step away.
Sometimes
the Bible seems difficult to understand. After all, it is a compilation
of documents from different times and places, written in various
styles. But you don’t need to attend seminary in order to read
Scripture. Believers have the ultimate Teacher within them—the Holy
Spirit, who not only helps us comprehend God’s Word but also enables us
to obey it.
Obedience is a key part of truly understanding
Scripture. When we apply what we read, the Bible comes alive and we
begin to hear the voice of God more and more. Experience is an effective
teacher, and living out God’s Word helps us move beyond simple recall
to maturity in Christ.
Conversely, when we don’t act on biblical
truths, we will not receive the awareness that comes from experience.
Besides, if we haven’t obeyed what God has previously revealed to us,
why would He share His deeper truths? The book of Psalms says, “The
secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him” (Psalm 25:14); it goes on to say that those who fear Him obey His commandments and are promised “a good understanding” (Psalm 111:10).
As
you read the Bible, look for God’s instructions. Then, with the Holy
Spirit’s help, commit to follow them. You’ll soon discover how applying
divine truth leads to understanding and wisdom.
Explosive, technical, and
exciting; Olympic weightlifting movements look sexy and fun. The
question is then, what are the benefits of using these movements in your
own training? Let’s dig in.
A Brief History
Olympic weightlifting as we know it made its entrance into the
Olympic Games in 1920. Prior to that, there were several versions of
strength events in culture and in competition, but none quite like the
double-overhand barbell movements of the snatch, clean and jerk, and
clean and press. These movements have since made their way from the
Olympic platform stage into modern fitness, sport, and training culture
(though the clean and press event was abandoned competitively in the
1970s).
A Breakdown
The snatch and clean
exercises, whose objectives are to move the barbell from the floor to
either overhead or into the front rack position, are highly technical
movements consisting of several different “phases” when broken down
biomechanically. These phases signify changes in joint angles and
intent, a carefully choreographed synchronization of flexion, extension,
and timing. In competition, the movement sequences are scrutinized by
judges to ensure proper technique was maintained in order to perform a
successful lift, not dissimilar to powerlifting.
Weightlifting in Training
The snatch, clean, jerk, and their variations have been popularized
as training tools for non-weightlifting sports as part of strength and
conditioning culture. They can be highly beneficial for training
muscular power and coordination, but the benefits are often limited by
the technicality. For example, in order to move relatively heavy weight
efficiently, it requires a fairly high level of technical proficiency.
Everyday Application
Though your training goals may not align with the weightlifting
movements’ intent when designed, one cannot underestimate the value of
learning a new skill and keeping things fresh and interesting. Several
fitness brands have made the snatch, clean, and jerk staples within
their training programs and have helped them become more mainstream than
ever.
If possible, working with a coach is one of the best ways to learn
these lifts. Having another set of eyes to watch and provide feedback
can be highly beneficial. Otherwise, here are a few tips as you get
started:
Fail First. Many people may be hesitant to try out weightlifting.
In reality, the technical nature of these lifts effectively regulate
your success at completing them according to your strength level. The
most important thing that must be learned early on is not the lifts
themselves - it’s how to fail at them and dump the bar. Regardless of
the weight, you will fail at catching a snatch, clean, or jerk
repeatedly. Inevitably, this will happen early in your weightlifting
endeavors. In the interest of safety, it is important to learn how to
fail these lifts.
Take Your Time. Few things feel better than the first time you
catch and stand a snatch after working on it for a while. Chances are,
you won’t care how much weight is on the bar. Train responsibly, and
take your time building up in load.
Return on Investment. You may be considering weightlifting
movements when training for a particular sport. Depending on where you
are in your playing career, you may benefit more from using other power
movements over weightlifting. As mentioned above, power development
solely due to these lifts is limited by technical proficiency. Evaluate
if it is worth building these lifts from the bottom up or if other
movements will help create adaptations sooner for when you need them.
Whether you’re looking to mix up your normal routine, or if you’re
training for sport, weightlifting movements can be a valuable addition
to your training program. Next Olympic cycle, check out these strength
and power athletes in action! Until then, train responsibly, and channel
your inner movement technician!
Do
you ever feel defeated in your spiritual life? The problem may be that
you’re depending on your own assets and abilities instead of God’s
inexhaustible riches, which He has deposited into your account.
With
God, we don’t have to worry about running out of time, energy, money,
or resources. He has promised to equip us with everything needed for the
purpose to which we’ve been called. In fact, we are heirs of great and
glorious riches. Consider a few of God’s generous blessings:
• You are His workmanship (Ephesians 2:10).
God saved you by His grace and He’s sanctifying you the same way. The
work of transforming and empowering you is the Lord’s; your role is
simply to cooperate and depend on Him.
• You have immediate access to God (Hebrews 4:16). Divine help is only a prayer away.
• You have the Holy Spirit indwelling you (Eph. 1:13-14). He not only brings guidance and understanding of God’s Word; He also enables you to obey Jesus.
As
human beings, we’re used to having finite resources, but there’s no
such thing with God. When we remember His unlimited provisions and
depend on them, we’ll discover rest, peace, and confidence in Christ.
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