From the Heart ~ Carole Lewis

Transcription

1 October 2012 From the Heart ~ Carole Lewis Make Wise Decisions One Day At A Time The last couple of months I have written about subjects that relate to my new book Live Life Right Here, Right Now. This month I want to write about the theme of Chapter 5, making wise decisions one day at a time. Most of the time we know when we are making a wise decision, but many times we make the right decision, only to find out later that it was a wise one. This very thing happened to me on Labor Day around 10:00 a.m. Our granddaughter, Katherine, called to see if she and her boyfriend, Keith, might come to the bay to spend the day with Johnny and me. Instantly, my thought was that this is a holiday and I would need to clean the RV and go to the grocery store before they arrived at Noon. My delight in getting to be with them overrode my hesitation and I told them to come for lunch and spend the day. After I got off the phone, Johnny said not to worry about the grocery store; we would take them out to lunch. They arrived and we had a delightful lunch and then spent four hours on the pier. Johnny was lying on the porch swing, which has a chaise lounge pad on it; Keith was next to Johnny, followed by Katherine, then me all lying on chaise lounges facing the water. The guys talked sports and world events all afternoon, and Katherine and I enjoyed visiting together and just listening to the guys talk. Around six, Keith said they needed to go if they were going to drop by his Dad s house on the way home. Johnny asked Keith to trim some palm fronds before he left, so Katherine and I went inside to visit until they finished. Keith followed Johnny to the garage to put the tools up and when Keith came inside, he suggested that we all go down by the water and take some pictures before they left. I m holding Keith s cell phone taking what I thought was a picture, when Keith dropped down to one knee and asked Katherine to marry him! I was actually taking a movie instead of a picture, so you could hear me in the background asking Keith why I didn t need to push a button. What an honor and a joy to be the ones Keith chose to witness a momentous occasion in their two lives. None of us had a clue that this was Keith s plan when he wanted to come to the bay to see us that day. I tell you the story because it was a memorable day for sure. But I want you to think about your own life where you said yes to something that turned out to be a very wise decision. How about the times you said no and missed a tremendous blessing because of it. Continued on Page Two Matthew 6:33: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. From the Heart ~ Carole Lewis ~ Page 1 Fit Tips ~ Vicki Heath ~ Page 3 Upcoming Events ~ Page 5 From the Pastor ~ Pastor Steve Reynolds ~ Page 6 A Story of Hope ~ Page 7 From the Dietitian ~ Page 9 Devotional ~ Page 10 Recipes ~ Page 11 First Place 4 Health (800) (713) To Place an Order: (800) , x The First Place 4 Health E- Newsletter is published monthly by First Place 4 Health. Address all correspondence to First Place 4 Health, 7025 W Tidwell, Suite H-101, Houston, TX 77092

2 Continued from page one I can promise you that God has wonderful plans in store for you and for me if we will make wise decisions today, then do it again tomorrow, and the next day until we reach our weight goal and get healthy. We may think that this or that goodie won t hurt anything but every time we indulge those goodies, we are delaying the plans God has for us. Who knows how God wants to use every one of us if we would get serious and obey Him? My trainer, Donna, asked me if I would like to fast and pray with her and some of her clients until the election. This wouldn t be a total fast. but it would be only clean foods every day with lots of fruits and vegetables and only very lean meat. I was out of town the first two days, but I got up this morning and decided that I could try it one day. I went to the grocery store to get my supplies and thoroughly enjoyed my day of eating clean foods. One thing I found is that it is impossible to overeat if you are eating fruits, vegetables, lean meat and brown rice. I can almost promise you that Joyce Ainsworth didn t know she would write a book and be speaking and telling her story everywhere when she did the hard work to lose 192 pounds. She just made one wise decision at a time until she was at her goal. I m quite sure she never thought she would be running in 5 and 10 K races with all her friends when she could barely walk. She started where she was and God came around her and gave her the strength to do the hard work. God will do the same thing for you, if you will begin today making wise decisions one day at a time. You will never be sorry! Blessings, Carole Lewis Resources to Help You Track Your Food! My Food Plan Booklet, ISBN This handy resource provides up-to-date calorie and Live It Tracker information for many common foods, in addition to recommended serving sizes to help you manage your portions. Foods are listed in alphabetical order, making information easy to access on the go, whether you re at the supermarket or out to eat. You ll also find a two-week weight loss jump start plan with menus, shopping lists and recipes to get you started right on your pursuit of a balanced diet Live It Tracker Packs, ISBN This package of 12 Live It Trackers provides First Place 4 Health members with an easyto-carry, durable set of forms for recording their activities that lead to a healthy, balanced lifestyle. These Live It Trackers have space for entering each day s food choices, exercise and spiritual activities and are printed on heavy cardstock. PAGE TWO

3 Fit Tips Newest Fitness Trends Continued Vicki Heath As a follow-up to my September newsletter article, I want to keep you informed that the fitness industry is changing at a rapid speed because of the availability of new research. Every year IDEA (International Dance and Exercise Association) and several other fitness organizations release the newest trends for the past year and what is fast-growing on the fitness horizon. Here are the next five: Buddy System Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. This verse from Ecclesiastes. 4:12 could never be more true than today. If you really want to have success with your weight-loss endeavors, find a friend! A university study cited in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology found that people who have three friends or family members to support them in their efforts to lose weight had better results losing and keeping off weight than those who chose to go it alone. We are seeing healthy support groups becoming a more popular offering in gyms and churches. Group support undeniably increases individual potential for success in achieving wellness goals. It has been a fundamental part of our programming in First Place 4 Health from the very beginning. You may need some advice on how to choose a buddy or accountability partner. We have great guidelines for this in the Emotional Wellness section of your First Place 4 Health Member s Guide (p.72) Most Popular Workouts A Boot Camp-style workout is currently the most popular workout among consumers based on its intensity and efficiency. If you want to get the best return on your time investment for burning calories, a Boot Camp workout will make it happen. Bottom line people who consistently work out using interval training programming lose weight. An example: 150 pound woman walks at a very brisk pace for 40 minutes. She can expect to burn approximately 227 calories. In that same time frame, doing an interval training workout, she can expect to burn approximately 375 calories. This is definitely one of the reasons Boot Camp-style classes are more and more popular. Zumba dance-style classes are the second most popular workout. One reason Zumba is so popular is that these classes continue to offer a fun alternative to more traditional dance classes. Dance-style workout and interval training both offer intense workout experiences with impressive results. Our ministry partner Body & Soul Fitness actually offers both of these kinds of programming using Christian music. Body & Soul Boot Camp has quickly spread across the states as well as the new dance programming Dance Blast. To find a class near you, check out the website or consider starting one of your own to partner with your FP4H class. Youth-Based Fitness Expect to see more youth-focused classes and clients popping up in gyms, thanks to the national attention and focus on childhood obesity. Since 1980, obesity in our children has tripled. Childhood Continued on page 4

4 continued from page three obesity is at such epidemic proportions do not be surprised to see the government get involved. Just recently, here in South Carolina, a woman lost custody of her 14 year-old son because his weight soared to 555 pounds. We will see more and more of this. If we cannot govern ourselves and our children, the government will step in. That is a scary thought! Schools and fitness centers are also bringing back physical education and will incorporate more exercise curriculum for the youth population. Corporate Wellness Whether it is through the hiring of in-house personal trainers, or discounts and incentives offered to employees that join a health club, corporate wellness programs are emerging country-wide to help encourage healthy lifestyles among workers. The benefits of healthy employees are a boost to the company as well as to the individual. A healthy employee is a more productive employee. Wellness incentives are also being offered if employees simply lose just 5% to 6% of their body weight, lower their blood pressure or come off any medications. A real live success story is what is happening at Sandy Cove Retreat ministries in North East, Maryland. Last year Mark Fisher, President of Sandy Cove Ministries, led his staff in an all-out campaign to get healthier. He offered wellness lunches, monthly lectures and a weight-loss competition with incentives. Attached is a picture of those who participated. They are glowing with a sense of health and camaraderie! Use of Personal Trainers There has been a significant increase in the hiring of personal trainers. There is something about that one-onone personal touch that encourages consistency, and clients are seeing real results. The greatest benefit to hiring a trainer is that the trainer will help you maximize your results. Teaching you how to correctly use equipment and how to effectively target muscle groups will produce results you can see within just a few weeks. The fact that you have made a regular appointment, which costs you money, will definitely have an impact on your consistency. We all know how easy it is to back out of an exercise commitment made only to yourself because you forgot, or have dinner to cook, or need to do a favor for a friend. It's harder to face a paid professional with these excuses because most trainers will expect you to pay for missed appointments ouch! What's more important than that is the fact that working with your trainer on a regular basis does wonders for your self-esteem and confidence, plus it also creates momentum to follow through on your other commitments. For some great guidelines on how to choose a personal trainer, see the article Choosing a Personal Trainer on page 217 of our FP4H book Simple Ideas for Healthy Living. The fitness industry is ever-changing, but the keys to success are always the same: Consistency produces results! Stay informed and keep moving! Vicki Heath PAGE FOUR

5 Upcoming Events Wellness Week ~ Round Top October 11-18, 2012 Round Top Retreat Center Round Top, Texas Contact: Lisa Lewis lisa.lewis@fp4h.com Mississippi Area Training Meeting November 10, 2012 Christ United Methodist Church Jackson, MS Contact: Donna Conerly threedove@gmail.com Phone: Life Life! ~ Florida (Pensacola) January 19, 2013 Olive Baptist Church Pensacola, FL gmitten@olivebaptist.org Phone: Live Life! ~ Louisiana January 26, 2013 First Baptist Church Jennings Jennings, LA vabailey@charter.net Fun & Fitness for Life Weekend February 8-10, 2013 Sandy Cove Ministries North East, MD Contact Phone: COVE (2683) More info.: Wellness Week For Pastors South Carolina February 17-22, 2013 Myrtle Beach, SC More info. coming soon! Wellness Week ~ Sandy Cove April 28 May 3, 2013 Sandy Cove Ministries North East, MD Contact Phone: COVE (2683) More info.: Summit 2013 July 26-27, 2013 Houston s First Baptist Church Houston, Texas Contact phone: , x lisa.lewis@fp4h.com For more information about any of these events, please visit

6 From the Pastor Are You Following the Manual? Steve Reynolds I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye. Psalm 32:8 (NKJV) What a great promise! God says He will instruct, teach, and guide us. Just think about it: God Almighty who has ALL wisdom and power will be there for you. For years I ve preached that the Bible has all the answers for life. All the information needed for success is in God s Word. Even though I ve taught that truth from the pulpit, I never realized just what the Bible had to say about my body and my health. I knew that it said my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, but I had never taken the time to really learn what the Bible says about how I should care for my body, God s Temple. Then I began to focus on Colossians 1:16 which says, All things were created through him and for him. Wow! I matter to God! I think in the back of our minds we know this, but do we really believe it? Do we live as if we matter to God? Because we matter, He gave us the best health book we could ever have the Bible! He gave us all the instructions we need to care for this miracle body, but we ll never learn what we need to know unless we read it. Think of the Bible as a set of instructions and directions. Now I know some of us hate instructions and never use them, but not following them only slows down our progress. In studying what the Bible says about the body, I found two things that really hit home for me I realized that 1) I was made by God and 2) I was made for God. I matter to Him, and so do you! Let that sink in for a minute. God really cares about you and wants you to live a healthy, abundant life. The world s idea of how to get healthy has a lot to do with quick fixes like pills, powders and potions. These are not God s way of getting healthy. The world wants you to believe that instead of being God s creation, you evolved. There is also the idea out there that you can do anything you want with your body. God s truths are contrary to everything the world wants us to believe about our body. God has a different idea and it s a whole lot better plan than what the world has to offer. It s a plan made up of truths that come right from the pages of His Word. One of the great things about First Place 4 Health is it gets us into the Bible. We have the opportunity to learn what it says about wellness. The question for you to answer is this: Are you following the manual? Steve Reynolds Steve Reynolds is the Senior Pastor of Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, VA. He is also the author of the book Bod4God and the creator of the Losing to Live Weight Loss Competition. Steve has lost over 100 pounds and has led his church to lose over three tons of weight. PAGE SIX

7 A Story of Hope & Inspiration Mary Krupski Rochester, MN First Place 4 Health has been a huge blessing in my life. I grew up with a number of overeaters in my family. By the age of 10, I was following in their footsteps. In my teen and early adult years, I decided I needed to make a change. I joined a number of weight-loss groups and experimented with several unhealthy ways to lose the weight. Motivated by an event or a beach vacation, the pounds came off, but they also came back. I just kept wishing I could get it right and be free of the weight struggle. In 2006, I was a new believer living in VT, and on fire for Christ. I had three wonderful children and was carrying around about 30 lbs. of extra weight. God had already freed me from huge struggles with worry and fear. When I heard about the FP4H program from a friend at church, I imagined God must even have something to say about the struggle with my weight. I read the first few chapters of Carole s book and still remember how the comment A weight gain is often a symptom of a deeper issue. both scared me and intrigued me. Before starting the group though, plans dramatically changed for our family. Our son, who was then three years old, was diagnosed with a bone marrow disease and within three months, we needed to relocate our family in order to get the best medical care for him. We moved to MN and spent nearly all of 2006 living at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis. Our son underwent intense chemotherapy and radiation, two bone marrow transplants, numerous complications and several scares, which made us wonder if we would still have time with him here on earth. We are beyond grateful that this year we celebrated our son s 9 th birthday. I have found myself saying that I don t always get it right, but I get it. Although terrifying and challenging in so many ways, our son s medical crisis was a blessing. God brought us all closer to Him during that time. I felt His peace in the middle of a storm and my faith grew, but so did my waistline. Instead of putting my efforts into the next diet or re-investigating His word on this subject, I did my best to be content with the body I had. I had work to do for Christ. I invested my time in Bible studies, ministries and local service organizations. I was almost convinced that my weight and physical health were not part of my faith journey. I didn t believe God wanted me to waste time counting calories or sweating at the gym. I honestly saw exercising as something people did who were self-obsessed, and I was all about serving the Lord. I was blind to the fact that my 70 lbs. of extra weight, and the increasing number of medications I had to take, had anything to do with my relationship with Christ, but that was soon about to change. After one year back in Vermont, we made the journey back to MN and became permanent residents. In the spring of 2010, I was serving as the director of women s ministries at our church, when God presented me with the opportunity to start a FP4H group. I didn t feel qualified, but I knew God would equip me. Blind to the depth of my own areas of sin, I mostly thought he would equip me to help others; what I didn t realize was that He had a great plan in there for me too. Although I was the one to present the four-sided person concept and how living for Christ meant putting Him first in all four areas, I wasn t completely sold on it myself. I boxed up each part and thought I am doing okay spiritually, emotionally and mentally; I just need self-control and I will get the physical part in check too. PAGE SEVEN

8 Mary Krupski continued Over the next two years, God blessed me with several FP4H groups, the ones I led and others in which I participated. He taught me new things about Him and myself through each study. He revealed to me that my overeating wasn t just about my need for a shot of willpower; it was much deeper. I had always said I overate because I just loved food and didn t want to obsess about measuring foods, while I pushed off the idea of looking for other reasons behind it. What I learned was that I had been relying on food instead of God for comfort, and was filling myself with calories instead of meaningful relationships. My trust was not in Him and the people He had placed in my life. God has helped me see food as fuel as something wonderful He created to give us nutrition, and not something we use in response to emotions or to have a relationship with. He has shown me that our bodies were meant for exercise. and that it is part of our obedience to Him to care for our bodies in this way. He has shown me that skipping the high-calorie snack and turning to Him in prayer, diving into His word, or calling on a sister in Christ, who speaks His love language of obedience, brings immeasurable blessings. I am grateful to say that He has blessed me with a 70 lb. weight loss over these past two years. I exercise and eat healthy most of the time. I have found myself saying that I don t always get it right, but I get it. For example: I used to secretly purchase and consume a Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Parfait, and simultaneously stuff aside whatever emotions I was trying to avoid, feeling disgusted and frustrated with myself. Now, there has still been the occasion when I have regrettably eaten the Peanut Buster Parfait, but I followed it up by recording the 710 calories on My Fitness Pal. I also journal and pray about what was really on my mind and show myself grace that only comes from knowing Him. As far as exercise, I am not a marathon runner and may never be, but I move this body a whole lot more and enjoy the small milestones. When I started running earlier this year, someone once stopped me to ask if I needed help because I looked like I was desperately running away from something or someone. In order to prevent this awkward, yet considerate, gesture from happening again, I have learned to wear some obvious exercise gadgets. I have also kept up running and it has gotten somewhat easier. Last month, my husband and I ran a 5K without the look of desperation. It was comical though when my husband and I passed a little girl on her front lawn, she said to her dad, I don t think they are going to win. He wants to keep us humble too, I guess. Well, I didn t win the 5K, or even come close, but I have won in so many other ways. God has given me a relationship with Him that gives my life meaning, balance and confidence. Just as it was hard to ever imagine calling our son s illness a blessing, I find myself seeing my struggle with weight as a great blessing. Although it is hard to imagine not wanting to pass up buying clothes in five different sizes over the years, countless days of hating the mirror and scale, tears and immeasurable frustration with myself, I would choose those struggles in return for what I have gained. He has given me a love for healthy foods, an appreciation for exercise, relationships I cherish, and a new way to look at the grace, love and mercy He continues to show me. PAGE EIGHT

9 From the Dietitian Subway Sinks the Sodium David L. Meinz, MS, RD, FADA, CSP In the category of What Took Them So Long? the Subway sandwich chain has announced a reduction in the salt content of some of their products. The Subway Fresh Fit six-inch sandwich will drop by 287 mg to 737 mg. Their average sandwich will drop from 1241 mg to just 1037 mg by using less salt in the bread and meats. Yes, that s still a lot of salt, especially when you consider that the American Heart Association recommends you only take in a total 1500 mg of sodium for the entire day. And yes, that still doesn t count all the extras like pickles, cheese, olives, and dressing, all of which can add a lot more sodium. But, let s give credit where credit is due. Subway has more locations around the world than even McDonald s and this seems to reflect a trend by restaurants and food manufacturers to improve the nutritional quality of what they offer. Even though the food industry has got a long way to go, we ve got to start somewhere. About one-third of all adults in the US have a problem with high blood pressure. By the time they re 65 years old, more than 60% of Americans have blood pressure that s too high. Anything at or above 140/90 is considered actual high blood pressure, or by its official name, hypertension. A reading above 120/80 is designated as pre-hypertension. Your ideal goal is 120/80 or less. Surprisingly, getting rid of the salt shaker is NOT the best way to fix the problem. Only about one-fourth of our salt intake comes from the salt shaker. The rest comes from processed foods that we buy at places like Subway. But they re not alone. Here s America s Top 10 Sodium Bombshells you need to watch out for when you go out to eat: #10 Saltiest Bread: Dunkin Donuts Salt Bagel 4,520 mg #9 Saltiest Sandwich: Quiznos Turkey Bacon Guacamole Large Sub with Cheese & Reduced-Fat Ranch Dressing 4,670 mg #8 Saltiest Pizza: Pizza Hut Meat Lover s Stuffed Crust Pizza (3 slices of the 14 large) 5,070 mg #7 Saltiest Comfort Food: Denny s Meat Loaf Dinner (with Mashed Potatoes and Corn) 5,080 mg #6 Saltiest Salad: Romano s Macaroni Grill Chicken Florentine 5,460 mg #5 Saltiest Mexican Entrée: Chili s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas 5,690 mg #4 Saltiest Kids Meal: Cosi Kid s Pepperoni Pizza 6,405 mg #3 Saltiest Seafood Entrée: Romano s Macaroni Grill Grilled Teriyaki Salmon 6,590 mg #2 Saltiest Appetizer: Papa John s Cheesesticks with Buffalo Sauce 6,700 mg #1 The Saltiest Dish in America:Romano s Macaroni Grill Chicken Portobello 7,300 mg To see a sample of David¹s church program visit and to find out how you can have David¹s program at your church for FREE visit

10 Devotional have a great day If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ROMANS 12:18 This verse is broken into three distinct phrases. If we only look at the last phrase live at peace with everyone, we see the verse as quite impossible to live out in daily life. Some people are just not peaceful, and they seem to always be stirring up trouble. The keys to this verse, however, are the first two phrases: If it is possible, as far as it depends on you. These two phrases put most of the responsibility for living a peaceful life on each of us. What would this look like? Here are some examples: I don t react when someone shakes his or her fist at me in traffic. I show kindness to the clerk when she is rude to me. I sincerely apologize when a neighbor is angry because our dog tipped over their trash can. Does doing any of these things make me a wimp or a wet dishrag? No, quite the contrary. The Bible has a lot to say about keeping the peace. Proverbs 15:1 says, A gentle answer turns away wrath. Psalm 34:14 says to Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Johnny and I have been married for more than 50 years, and we have finally learned how to live this verse. The way we do this is to realize that everyone has a bad day from time to time, but rarely do both of us have a bad day on the same day. So, when one of us is out of sorts, the other has learned not to react, but to wait awhile for the truth of what is going on to come out. Most people who are angry are not really angry at us. They have had a bad experience at some point in their day and need someone who will listen and not condemn, someone to love and not preach. Action Item: If it is possible, and as far as it depends on you, try to live at peace with everyone today. Before you go to bed tonight, write down in your journal what happened during the day. I think it will be a great one! Carole Lewis First Place 4 Health National Director Houston, Texas Devotional taken from the devotional, Better Together. To order, visit our website, or call , x1002. PAGE TEN

11 Soups On! Ravioli & Veggie Soup Serves 4 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion mix, thawed and diced (or fresh!) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 15-ounce can vegetable broth 1 1/2 cups hot water 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 6- to 9-ounce package fresh or frozen cheese (or meat) ravioli 2 cups diced zucchini (about 2 medium) Pepper to taste Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pepper-onion mix, garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, broth, water and basil (or marjoram); bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add ravioli and cook for 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add zucchini; return to a boil. Cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Season with pepper. Tip: This is a very quick recipe that you can make ahead. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Thin with broth before reheating. Nutrition Information: 264 Calories; 9 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 28 mg Cholesterol; 38 g Carbohydrates; 11 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 763 mg Sodium; 762 mg Potassium Tracker: 1 oz.-equivalent grain, 1 cup vegetable, 1 fat Gazpacho Serves 4 1 1/4 cups chopped peeled cucumber, divided ½ teaspoon. sugar 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons chopped onion ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon chopped seeded jalapeño pepper ¼ teaspoon hot sauce 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 garlic clove ¾ cup water oz-can whole tomatoes, undrained Place 1 cup cucumber and next 10 ingredients (cucumber through tomatoes) in a food processor or blender and process until mixture is puréed. Pour into a bowl; stir in water. Cover and chill. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon remaining cucumber. Nutrition Information 37 calories,.2g fat, 1.4g protein, 8.7g carbohydrate,.7g fiber, 165mg sodium Tracker: 1 cup vegetable Find more great recipes at under Resources. PAGE ELEVEN

12 Light & Healthy Desserts! Light Lemon Cake Serves 14 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt ¼ cup lemon juice 1 cup sugar 5 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. butter 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs plus white of 1 large egg 2 ¼ cups cake flour Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray. Mix yogurt and lemon juice in a small bowl until blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat sugar, butter, lemon zest, baking powder, baking soda and salt with mixer on medium speed to blend (mixture will resemble damp sand). Beat in eggs and egg white until smooth. On low speed, beat in yogurt, then flour, until just blended. Scrape into pan; smooth top. Bake 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes before inverting on rack. Serve warm or cool. Good served with strawberries. Nutrition Information: 189 calories, 3g. protein, 33g. carbohydrates, 0g fiber; 5g fat, 37mg cholesterol, 183mg sodium More recipes at Whole Grain Gingersnaps Serves 42 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sugar 6 tablespoon margarine 1 large egg 1/2 cup dark molasses Combine whole wheat and white flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. In large bowl, with mixer on low speed, beat sugar and vegetable oil spread until blended. Increase speed to high; beat until light and creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in egg and molasses. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. Cover dough in bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until easier to handle (dough will still be slightly sticky). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. With lightly greased hands, shape dough by heaping measuring teaspoons into 1-inch balls. If you like, dip top half of each ball in nonpareils. Place balls, 2 1/2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake cookies 9 to 11 minutes, or until tops are slightly cracked. (Cookies will be very soft.) Cool cookies on cookie sheet on wire rack 1 minute. With thin metal spatula, transfer cookies to rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Tip: Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 3 days or in freezer up to 1 month. Nutrition Information: 55 Calories; 2g Fat; 5mg Cholesterol; 75 mg Sodium; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Fiber; 1g Protein

13 If God has used First Place 4 Health to transform your life, partner with us to transform more lives marriages families churches. Your partnership enables the ongoing, life changing work of reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ. It is our mission at FP4H to provide a Biblical, health-oriented program that enables individuals to achieve wellness in mind, body, soul and spirit. We have seen thousands of pounds lost and thousands of lives changed as participants move toward a balanced lifestyle under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Just a sampling: My days became filled with thoughts of Him. My marriage was healed. I forgave my parents of child abuse. I learned to love myself. I found God s forgiveness. I came to Christ. I got my life back. I became an athlete. I sing a new song. I was healed from diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. I took the trip of a lifetime! God gave me the willpower to eat in moderation. God began working in my life. God removed my burdens of guilt, anger and frustration. It saved my life. FP4H is kicking off our new partnership drive in January of 2013, but are offering Charter Partnership until October 31, As a small token of our appreciation for your investment in the ministry of FP4H you will receive: Silver Partner: $40.00 annual Gold Partner: $100 annual Sterling silver commemorative charm Automatic entry in monthly giveaways All Silver benefits 10% discount all event registration fees Monthly Gold Partner Only Webcast If you sign up for a charter membership by October 31, 2012, your membership is active until December 31, Only charter memberships will receive the one-of-a-kind commemorative charm. Your partnerships are tax-deductible. Please take the time right now to join this community of fellowship that will not only cause your walk with the Lord to be stronger but will also enable others to join this journey. Will you partner with us today? Click the Silver or Gold button above to join.