July News. Can Freedom be For Real?

July News Can Freedom be For Real? What does freedom mean to you? Freedom means different things to different people. For some, being out from under the burden of debt and financial worry is their definition of freedom. Being released from an abusive relation could be the definition of freedom for some. According to my 15-year-old granddaughter freedom is getting to do what you want, when you want. Yep, I get that. I was 15 once. My pastor husband, the ability to do what you want without undue restraint I love the undue restraint. Very clergy-like. Young gen X er the ability to do that which you most desire to do. (Quoting Augustine I think.) An 18-year-old young man: the American flag. Now that is serious. Google Definition: Freedom (noun) The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Absence of subjection to foreign domination or despotic government. The state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. The third part of Google s definition resonates with my definition of freedom being controlled by nothing other than the Spirit of God. I mean nothing else. Can you imagine living your life no longer controlled by your emotions, your circumstances, your food environment, your job, your family, or even your past? Can you imagine a day free from the torment of unhealthy food thoughts? Can you imagine what you might accomplish with all of that brainpower and energy you use thinking about food? It is limitless what you might accomplish. Jesus promised this kind of freedom for those who dared to follow Him. In September of this year, we will release our newest Bible study Be Free. I have prayed for this study for over seven years, since the day I met Gari Meacham. I am praying that God will use this study so freedom will finally become a reality for many. Gari Meacham, author of Spirit Hunger, Truly Fed, and Watershed Moments, has written this study with one thing in mind Your Freedom. This is what Gari Meacham says about freedom in Be Free: The trouble with freedom is it s hard to define and even harder to pin down. We like formulas, ten-step plans, and tidy prayers that keep us safe and neat. But freedom is wild. It s fueled by power and the most powerful people are those who know the chains of this world are no match for the truth of God s promises. The fact that few people acknowledge they re free can be traced to several common factors: We think we re sick with a disease or genetic curse. We have few role models who have gained freedom and remained free. We re used to a diet-crazed mentality (overeat push to lose weight, overeat push to lose weight). We re skeptical and untrusting of a promise that sounds too good to be true. We rationalize food struggles and think, I could be struggling with things that are a lot worse! Continued on Page Two First Place 4 Health, 2510 Church St., Galveston, Texas 77550 800.727.5223 ~~ www.firstplace4health.com

Continued from Page One Probably, the most quoted freedom verses in the Bible are found in John 8:31-32 (NIV): If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Jesus promises in this verse that knowledge of the truth is what sets you free. Gari says Jesus is handing us the key to change whatever has trapped us, or pinned us to heartache and destruction. In scripture, the word truth is often synonymous with wisdom and knowledge. Jesus is handing us the key and we have to do the hard work of unlocking the promises of God s word. Freedom is not free. It comes with a huge price tag. And the truth is not easy to find. Sometimes the things that will move us toward freedom are buried deep within us. The knowledge that comes from God s word can take hard work to discover. Daily Bible study, digging deep in the Word and deep in your heart, can be very hard work. Most give up on this kind of freedom fight and settle for something much easier. Like not really being free, just managing the symptoms the best way you can with a quick fix diet or crazy exercise plan. Most of you know that losing weight is not just a physical battle. There is so much more to weight loss freedom than cutting calories. Getting to the source of your abusive relationship with food will be worth the freedom fight. I hope you will plan on diving into this new study, body soul, mind and spirit. It will be the hardest, best work you will ever do! Be free, stay free, Vicki Heath...vicki.heath@fp4h.com

The 5-4-3-2-1 Sizzling Summer Interval Workout Just 15 minutes! This is a great workout you can do just about anywhere and does not take much time. If you work at about 80% of your capacity, you should burn approximately the same amount of calories as a 30-minute walk, maybe even more! It s called the 5-4-3-2-1. We will do five exercises, for one minute each, alternating cardio and strength exercises. After you have completed the first set of five exercises take about a one-minute break to hydrate and review what s next. Proceed with the four exercises, three exercises, two and then one, all for one minute each. If you have time and want to make the workout longer you can work back up the pyramid using the same exercises, finishing with the five. You will need: A set of weights five pounds should do nicely Workout mat Stop watch or IPhone to time the exercises Printed copy of this workout Set the stopwatch where you can easily see it as you are exercising. Start the stopwatch and proceed with each set, taking 30 to 60 second breaks between each set to hydrate and review the next set. The Five one minute each 1. Run or march in place 2. Bicep curls with weights 3. Squats with or without weights 4. Overhead press with weights 5. Jump rope (with or without a real jump rope) The Four one minute each 1. Jumping jacks at your level 2. Triceps kickbacks 3. Hamstring curls or butt kicks your level 4. Front raises with weights CLICK TO WATCH 5-4-3-2-1 VIDEO The Three one minute each 1. Front kicks 2. Lunges 30 second R and L with or without weights 3. Squat jumps or calf raises The Two: 1. Pushups or bench presses on your back 2. Back extensions The One: 1. One minute prone plank either knee or full Remember to work at your level and take extra recovery breaks if needed but get it done!

Pint-sized Meal Planners Summer is a great time for involving children in food shopping and preparation. Our schedules can be more relaxed and allow the extra time to include them. Their involvement will help develop positive attitudes about food and prepare them for independence as they get older. Take the kids grocery shopping and ask them to help you choose what to buy. For example, ask them to pick three fruits and three vegetables they would like to eat during the week. Ask each child to help plan the family meal on a designated night. Let him or her even handle the details. For example, stop at a party supply store and let the planner select special paper napkins. Remind kids that tastes can change. Encourage them to try at least one bite of everything- call it a no, thank you bite. Remember that it takes children a while to try new things, so continue introducing them to a variety of foods. It will help if you always have some nutritious foods on hand so when their hunger (and curiosity) strikes, you ll be ready. Hang a chalkboard on your pantry door or paint a couple of panels with chalkboard paint. Give your kids some chalk and let them write the menu for the week on their chalkboard. Lisa Lewis..lisa.lewis@fp4h.com JULY 2017 PAGE THREE

PERSISTANCE, NOT PERFECTION - Devo Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. HEBREWS 10:24 Years ago, in my first session of First Place 4 Health, my leader, Joy Huber, spoke a word of encouragement to our group that has ministered to me ever since. She told us that our First Place 4 Health journey was about persistence, not perfection. She would continue to speak that encouragement over us that entire session. My heart s desire was to learn everything I could about the program and follow it without fail. But in my struggles along the way, Joy s encouraging words echoed in my mind it s persistence, not perfection. I am so thankful to the Lord for using Joy in such a practical way that continues to minister to me as well as to our First Place 4 Health group. Temptation will rise, faulty thinking can make us feel entrapped, discouragement can trip us up; but we need to remember that the journey we are on is indeed a journey. Sometimes I think about this journey being a race, with all of our First Place 4 Health family together on the course. There are times when we might trip and fall. That s not the tragedy. It s when we choose not to get up and get back in the race. I think about our members cheering each other on and how that fuels our passion and gives us strength to carry on. When I am on the ground after a tumble, I see the hand of Jesus extended to me. He is speaking to me, Its about persistence, not perfection; lean on me, and carry on. The burden of failing to live up to perfection is too heavy. But encouragement to be persistant is vital to our health and wellness. It is fuel for our hope and passion to live in the freedom of Christ. Action Item: In what ways can you spur others on with encouragement toward love and good deeds? You may never know how the impact of your encouragement may be the hand of Christ reaching out to help someone up. PRAYER Dear Lord, may You use me as Your instrument to spur others on so that You can make a difference in their lives. Connie Welch Keller, Texas ON SALE THIS MONTH! -- $5 JULY 2017 PAGE FOUR

FREEDOM FROM FOOD OBSESSION Helen Baratta In the past, food was my primary strategy to cope with life. Each time I ran to food I strengthened its connection to my emotions and weakened my ability to break free. In order to reverse the damaging connection, I needed to address the situations in my life and the source of my obsessions. First, I stopped numbing myself with food. I embraced the Live It food tracker and committed to write it down. In 2010, when I reached my healthy weight goal, I d lost 116 pounds and thought I understood my eating habits. A deeper look at my tracker revealed I still obsessed about food and needed freedom. Second, I recognized food was still my go to for comfort. I retreated to the pantry and gazed at the shelves searching for a soothing treat. Instead of asking God for help, I chose food. Convicted when watching the Emotions and Eating DVD, I admitted to myself that I idolized food, I was an emotional eater, and food remained a stronghold. Third, I needed to uncover the truths about my poor eating habits if I wanted to maintain my healthy weight. The road to freedom opened up when I dug deeper using the Mapping Your Emotional History with Food found in the Member Guide. Mapping forced me to think about what happened in the past and how my past was tied to food. It s vital that we remember as much as possible about our past and bring it into the light so we can understand and resolve our unhealthy responses (John 3:21). One of the untruths we believe about our dysfunctional relationship with food is something terrible is going to occur if we remember and reflect on the pain. On the contrary, with God s truth we can resolve the continued pain when we identify the root, seek to forgive, and recognize the stronghold it has played in our life. I ve returned to emotional mapping many times since 2010 and uncover new truths each time. When I am relaxing and enjoying down time, I need healthy snacks to graze on. When dining out, I no longer believe I m entitled to whatever I want. I request healthy options when eating out. When I m tired, I need to go to bed, not the pantry. When crisis strikes, I need to reach for God s word, not the bag of chips. Finally, staying free requires focus on God s word. Each day I prepare for battle reading and praying God s word. Paul in Ephesians 6:17-18 identified the offensive weapon, the sword of the Spirit, as the word of God. When I pray through God s word, I believe He desires my deliverance and everyone else s from our strongholds. New courage and strength overflowed as each stronghold dissolved from their tight grip on my thoughts. I honored God with my healthy choices and moved from weak and obsessed to steady and free. Have you invited God to reveal your history with food? Be restored! Embrace weight loss God s way. Helen Baratta is an author, speaker, coach, group leader, triathlete and nationally certified fitness instructor. She serves as Director of Development for First Place 4 Health. Her new book Restored! Embracing Weight Loss God s Way will be released later this year.

AND NOW I M PERFECT Cynthia Ruchti And now, I m perfect. Nobody s story ends that way. Mine doesn t either. I m still very much a work in progress. The Under Construction sign is dented and weathered, but it will never be removed. But I do have a before-and-after picture. Maybe it would be better called a before-and-during picture. At one time, I weighed forty pounds more than I do now. When I hit my max weight, I was finally ready to admit that something was missing in my unspoken plan to eat right and exercise. The missing ingredient was the power to follow through. In January of 2015, I joined a FirstPlace4Health online group. A master of excuses, I believed I couldn t afford the time or the small investment of money. So days after signing up, I contracted a heavily excuse-ridden case of buyer s remorse. I messaged the group leader issuing the invitation and told her I couldn t see how I could possibly join a group because of the financial and busyness stressors. She responded with, Those excuses sound like more evidence that you need to participate. Skeptical that a virtual group could change my long-held patterns of unwise food choices, uninformed snacking, and disinterest in exercise, I attended my first meeting. Finished that session. Started another, because by then I could see how body, mind, soul, and spirit were responding to the truths I was discovering. I lost a quarter of a pound. Then a half pound. Then two pounds. I persisted because FirstPlace4Health made sense scientifically, emotionally, and spiritually. Logic coupled with caring support and accountability brought me to the day the scale registered forty pounds gone forever. I d watched a friend in the group morph before my eyes. From ill-health and lethargy to health and strength. I took courage from watching her story unfold. As I continue to apply the FirstPlace4Health principles and bond with the women in my online group, hope grows. Maybe that was the true missing ingredient. Hope. I picked up two 20-pound suitcases and climbed the stairs to the second floor the other day. That s the equivalent of what I d been hauling on my body without the benefit of arm muscles to help hoist the weight. That s the strain I d put on my body and energy every day, through every burdensome activity, until FirstPlace4Health taught me how to lay it down. And now, if you ll excuse me, I need to go track what I had for breakfast. It matters. As does every bit of wisdom I ve discovered or rediscovered through FirstPlace4Health. Cynthia Ruchti tells stories hemmed-in-hope through novels, nonfiction, devotionals, and through speaking events for women and writers. She lives stronger and healthier with her grade school sweetheart husband in the heart of Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five (to-date) grandchildren. http://www.cynthiaruchti.com/

Upcoming Events Summit 2017 Best Life Ever! July 21-22, 2017 Newnan, GA (Atlanta Area) Pennsylvania/Ohio/West Virginia Wellness Workshop July 29, 2017 Oakdale, PA Delaware Wellness Rally August 5, 2017 Georgetown, DE Wellness Workshop South Carolina August 26, 2017 Six Mile, SC Wisconsin Wellness Workshop September 23, 2017 Algoma, WI Southern California Wellness Workshop October 7, 2017 Bakersfield, CA Wellness Week October 12-18, 2017 Round Top, TX Northern California Wellness Workshop October 21, 2017 Location TBD Fun & Fitness 4 Life Weekend January 19-21, 2018 Northeast, MD Did You Miss a Webinar? No Problem! You can find all our webinars (and more!) on our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/firstplace4health Interested in hosting a FP4H event in your area? Contact Helen Baratta at helen.baratta@fp4h.com to find out how. PARTY! July 19 th Facebook Live 7:00 PM Central Time Join us on Facebook live on July 19 th for our debut of all new swag! We ll have fitness bundles, cooking bundles, inspirational jewelry, visors

JUNE 2017 EIGHTPasta and lots, lots more. Get it first! Supplies limited. PAGE 1 large egg 1 large egg white 1 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups toasted oats 2/3 cup chopped dried cranberries or raisins 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon flour Fruit & Pecan Bars Serves 12 Preheat oven to 325 F. Line an 9-by-11-inch pan with foil. Coat with cooking spray.whisk egg, egg white, sugar, oil, cinnamon, salt and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in oats, cranberries (or raisins), pecans and flour. Spread in prepared pan. Bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool and cut into bars. Quick & easy breakfast on the go! Nutrition Information: 119 Calories; 3 g Fat; 0 g Sat; 1 g Mono; 13 mg Cholesterol; 22 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 1 g Fiber; 44 mg Sodium; 17 mg Potassium Tracker: 1 1/2-oz. equivalent grain 2 tsp. olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 4 4-ounce boneless chicken breast with skin 2 1/2 cups fresh or 1 cup frozen raspberries 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 cup raspberry-apple juice Chicken Breast with Raspberry Sauce Serves 4 Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes; do not brown. Remove onion and set aside. Season the flesh side of breast with salt and pepper; add to pan and cook over medium heat only until each side is lightly browned. Add juice to pan and continue cooking until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Add onions to skillet; cook until liquid has a syrupy consistency. Add raspberries; heat through. Remove skin from chicken before serving and serve breast topped with sauce. Nutrition Information: 231 Calories; 4g Fat (16.2% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 66mg Cholesterol; 345mg Sodium.

1 8-oz. carton of vanilla low-fat yogurt 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 oz. light whipped toppint 3 cups fresh raspberries and/or cut fresh strawberries 3 cups fresh blueberries Red White and Blue Parfait Serves 6 In a large bowl, stir together yogurt and vanilla. Fold in Cool Whip Lite. Place in 6 12-oz. glasses or dessert dishes, alternating the layers of the berries with the layers of the yogurt mixture. Nutritional Information: 129 calories (21% of calories from fat); 3g fat (2g saturated fat), 21g carbohydrate; 8g dietary fiber; 2mg cholesterol, 26mg sodium. 3 cups small cubes seedless watermelon 6 fresh mint leaves, chopped 2 mangos, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon honey Cool Watermelon Bites Serves 12 Combine watermelon cubes and mint leaves in bowl. Scoop equal servings of melon cube mixture into 6 small glasses or mini cups. Cover with plastic wrap until ready to use. Combine chopped mango, lime juice and honey in a blender. Puree 30 second or until smooth. Pour mango sauce into small bowl and cover. Refrigerate until ready to use. Drizzle with mango sauce. Serves 6. Nutritional Information: 50 calories, 0g Fat, 0mg Sodium, 10g Carbohydrates, 0g Protein

WHAT IS SUMMIT 2017? It s more than a conference more than an event It s all about a new healthy YOU. Be Empowered Encouraged...Equipped MIND -- BODY -- SOUL -- SPIRIT Best Life Ever! KEYNOTE SPEAKER Gwen Smith is a co-founder of the conference and devotional ministry Girlfriends in God. She s also a popular Christian speaker, the author of I Want it ALL, Broken into Beautiful and two other books, a songwriter, and worship leader. For more about Gwen, visit her website: GwenSmith.net. SEMINAR LEADERS & SPEAKERS Vicki Heath Carole Lewis Helen Baratta Lisa Lewis Candy Davison Charlotte Davis Becky Turner Finda Guyton Mary Ward WHAT S NEW! VIP Registration Option Exclusive Apparel Friday or Saturday-Only Registration Cool Swag WHERE Crossroads Church 2564 GA-154 Newnan, GA 30265 for more information, visit www.firstplace4health.com or contact Karen Shockey at Karen.shockey@fp4h.com.