Body Revival: Lose Weight, Feel Great and Pump Up Your Faith - Hardcover

Victoria Johnson, one of the most respected trainers in the western U.S., is known as "the teacher's teacher," since she trains professional fitness instructors, personal trainers, physical education teachers and other sports professionals, including several NBA players. A lecturing professional on Peak Performance to the NBA and Boys & Girls Club affiliates, she also speaks around the world to Fortune 500 companies as well as faith-based organizations and churches. Several of her workout videos have won Video of the Year. Victoria is also a regular columnist to Northwest Woman, a regional women's magazine.

Chapter 2
The program—it works when you work it

A true Body Revival involves three components—body, mind and spirit—which, when in harmony, create what I call a "trinity triangle." Of course, we all have a body. And perhaps, if you've picked up this book, you realize yours is in need of some help. With the Body Revival program, you'll learn how to fuel your mind, your body and your spirit with positive energy resulting in maximized health, more vitality and inner peace. How is this possible? Again, it comes down to three—three principles you need to abide by each day. Or, another way to remember it: "You've got to pray, you've got to weigh and you've got to pay."

You've Got to Pray

Every day on the program, you've got to pray. You decide how. You decide when. What matters is that you give thanks for the blessings you have. If you go to church, pray to God. Thank Him for your blessings and ask Him to help you fulfill your life's purpose by giving you the strength to follow through on your goals.

Notice the phrase is worded: "You've got to pray, you've got to weigh and you've got to pay." Why does prayer come first? Without gratitude, none of the other rewards have meaning. If you never stop to appreciate the value of what you already have, you will stay in a perpetual state of wanting and acquiring. By praying each day and affirming aloud that you are thankful for the things you do have, you express gratitude. When you are grateful for the gift of life, you cannot be resentful that you don't have six-pack abs. When you are grateful that you have a healthy, happy family, your heart has no room for jealousy because you didn't get the promotion you felt you were entitled to.

Prayer is also a form of meditation. By praying consistently, you're able to refocus your mind and redirect any negative energy. It allows you to clear your mind, quiet your soul and realize the beauty and the potential that lies within you. Peace and beauty is an inside-out process. Once you focus on tapping into the power of what you have inside, you can manifest your best on the outside. Prayer and meditation will put you in a positive state of mind and spirit so that you can commit to the daily actions necessary that bring you closer to your goals.

When you pray each day, you acknowledge that you are not alone—that you are part of something larger than yourself (I mean "larger" as in universe, not pant size!). This helps you to feel a sense of comfort and connectedness that is often missing in our mobile, fast-paced society.

In chapter 6, you'll learn more about the power of prayer. You'll also find useful "prayer prompters" you can say (with enthusiasm) each day to get you started.

You've Got to Weigh (Your Choices and Your Goals . . . and Yourself!)

During the nine weeks on the Body Revival program, you need to eat according to the foods in chapter 7. By staying true to these foods for the entire length of the program, you will cleanse your body of toxins and rev up your metabolism so that it is burning fat and building muscle at an optimal level. If you cheat, you will lessen the effects of the program. This is why you need to weigh your choices before you eat something that will take you further away from your goals. (In chapter 5, you will decide what your own personal goals are for your body revival and learn what actions you'll need to take to get you there.)

If you're tempted to cheat, ask yourself this question: Is this food serving me, or am I serving this food? If the food is truly serving you—your body and your spirit, then it will probably be on the Optimum Foods list in chapter 7. If it's not giving your body its optimal fuel, it's probably not on the list.

You'll also identify key triggers that cause you to eat for reasons other than true hunger. We all know how this works: scarfing down a bowl of ice cream because you're bored at home while your husband works late (you're serving your loneliness, not your hunger); eating a piece of cake with your girlfriends because they don't want to eat alone (in other words, you're serving them!); eating your child's leftover McDonald's cheeseburger and fries because you don't want to waste it (you're serving old guilts and habits: "You shouldn't let good food go to waste!").

You've got to weigh your choices! If the food isn't serving a healthy purpose for you, put it down! Remember, you can always have it later at the end of the program, in moderation. Cheesecake won't fly off the planet tomorrow. You can decide to eat a piece after you're done with your nine-week program, under better circumstances, on your terms, when it can serve you. (You'll feel better about yourself after you've been having a craving for a week and you know you're not eating mindlessly. Then you can sit at your favorite restaurant where they make the absolute best cheesecake in town, knowing you've worked out hard, you deserve it and you have the control to stop eating when you're full.) Asking this question won't make you stop overeating immediately, but it will make you more aware—more mindful of what you're putting in your body and why. Over time, this mindfulness will help you stop eating to feed the wrong types of hunger (i.e., boredom or guilt).

In addition to weighing your choices to make sure they're in line with your goals, you'll also need to weigh yourself. I know, I know. For many people, the scale is their nemesis, as it was mine for years. But if you don't know where you're starting from, you can't measure your progress. Measurable progress is how you will move to success, and how you will see that your Body Revival is working. Progress will keep you excited and motivated.

You've Got to Pay

You've got to "pay out" each day all those calories you've taken in. While some of you might groan at the thought of exercise, most won't for long. Not as soon as you learn that moving gives you control over your body and an instant boost to your mood—and your buns. As soon as you begin seeing results, you will look forward to your next workout. In chapter 8, I'll give excuse-busters for those who "don't have time to exercise," specific workout programs for beginners, intermediate exercisers and those in peak condition, as well as my Vertical Training workout routine to sculpt and shape your body.

Unfortunately, there is a segment of the population that is "vertically challenged," meaning they'd rather be lying on the sofa than doing anything remotely upright or physical. (You know who you are!) Most likely, you will never love to exercise and probably will always hate to "get sweaty." All I can say is, you've got to do it. There is no magic formula that will make the weight disappear or allow you to reshape your body. Despite what they say on TV, buying an Ab-Roller will not make the pounds disappear. The only way that an Ab-Roller will help you burn fat is if you pick it up and run with it down the street!

Think of it this way: Fat = Energy. Let me say it again: The fat on your body is simply energy. Therefore, you don't have too much fat; you have too much energy! You need to find a way to use up that energy. The other alternative is that you continue to lead a sedentary lifestyle and then you will become so unhealthy you will get osteoporosis from brittle bones or end up in a hospital bed because your arteries are clogged. How can you fulfill your life goals if you're sick? So, what's it going to be: a walk around the block now, or be wheeled around the hospital ward later? (Remember my definition of mentor: Someone who will tell you what you need to hear, whether you like it or not!)

Check In with Yourself

This will be easy to do. In chapter 5 and at the end of this book, I have provided goal-setting pages, which will provide a guideline for you.

Remember, the Body Revival program is simple if you stick to the plan. Don't ever give up! Know that you are strong and that you will succeed.

¬2002. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Body Revival by Victoria Johnson. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442.