Eaker - Healthy habits for a fit family

Healthy Habits
for a FIT
FAMILY

J. Ron Eaker, MD

2007 by J. Ron Eaker, MD

Published by Revell Books
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.revellbooks.com

Spire edition published 2011
ISBN 978-0-8007-8793-6

Originally published in 2007 by Bethany House as Fat-Proof Your Family

Ebook edition created 2010

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4412-1486-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

The internet addresses, email addresses, and phone numbers in this book are accurate at the time of publication. They are provided as a resource. Baker Publishing Group does not endorse them or vouch for their content or permanence.

God is the author of all, and to him is the glory.

To my family: Susan, Katie, and Caroline,
who are there for memind, body, and spirit.

And to those courageous women and men
who make the decision to be fitfor themselves
and their children.

Contents

Help, Hope, and Hold the Mayo

10. The Goal: Achieving Wholeness and Wellness as a Family

An ancient proverb states, Whenever the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I have been blessed by many teachers along the way, even though I was not always ready to hear or understand their wisdom at the time. Nevertheless, many persisted in helping me form my ideas into a somewhat coherent proposition that is this book. People frequently ask how long it took to write Healthy Habits for a Fit Family, and my honest reply is the past forty-eight years! It is a culmination of a lifetime of learning that is ongoing. I am convinced that God has a plan and purpose for each of us, and my prayer is that this book reflects a partial fulfillment of that plan.

Numerous individuals played a major role in helping this message get distributed to those meant to hear it. I am forever indebted to them for their time, knowledge, wisdom, and kindness.

Bill Jensen is a friend, agent, confidant, and advocate. He gave birth to the idea of this book, and he remains my Barnabas. Kimberly Shumate showed both kindness and foresight to connect me with Bill, and for that I am forever indebted. The folks at Bethany House Publishersin particular Jeff Braun and Kyle Duncan, who caught the vision and made it a realitydefine integrity for me. To those who took the time to read and honestly critique the original manuscript, Dr. Don Berry, Dr. Alan Getts, Cindy Brynteson, and Sid Gates, DMin; many thanks for making the book readable and accurate. I have been inspired by many for this book, but none as much as Covert Bailey, who began the crusade for commonsense fitness years ago. Writing itself was a learned art, and Tom Bird, years ago, planted the seed that eventually grew into books, articles, and other works. My love for medicine was kindled by my dear friend and partner in medical practice, Dr. Pat Williams, who was taken from us much too soon, and my father-in-law, Dr. Bill Shirley, who still quizzes me on interesting medical cases whenever we talk. My two daughters, Katie and Caroline, are the cables that tug on Daddys heartstrings and keep me grounded. Rooster and Bird, I love you with a passion I cant explain.

Finally, I want to thank my wife, Susan, my partner for the past fifteen years. She has been the grace when I didnt deserve it, the patience when I tried to rush it, the wisdom when I totally blew it, and the love when I prayed for it. I love you now and forever.

Notice: This books goal is to provide you with information that may be useful in attaining optimal health. Nothing in it is meant as a prescription or as medical advice. You should check with a physician or other health-care provider before implementing any changes in your lifestyle, especially if you have physical problems or are taking medication of any kind. Many of the products mentioned in this book are described by their trade names. The companies that make the products claim these designations as legally protected trademarks. It is not our intent to use any of these names generically, and the reader is cautioned to investigate a claimed trademark before using it for any purpose except to refer to the product to which it is attached.

The greatest health-care crisis in this country is not AIDS, not cancer, not heart disease, not even HMOs; it is people not making healthy lifestyle choices. Our childrens generation has the potential to be the first generation in America to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. This unimaginable crisis is due to a tidal wave of obesity engulfing the country. Losing excess fat and achieving fitness are the most important, controllable, preemptive activities for health improvement in people of all ages.

One key for lasting fat loss, and what makes this book unique, is an emphasis on family. Nothing happens in a vacuum, and this includes a practical program for a healthy lifestyle. Healthy Habits for a Fit Family has at its core a belief that fitness can be simple, sustainable, and practical when it is achieved within the family structure. Tools for accomplishing this include mental commitment, proper nutrition, smart exercise, emotional and spiritual well-being, and effective education. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God has provided both the methods and motivation for achieving physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness.

This book is about hopea hope that is fueled by having a goal and a plan. It will not be easy for many of you. You may be overweight and have been fighting this problem for years. You are certainly not alone. But you are just the person I want to reassure and state confidently that you can get off this roller coaster of defeat and disappointment. This book is a way to win for both you and your family. Throw away the guilt and frustration. The past doesnt dictate the future.

Several years ago Robert Fulghum wrote a wonderful bestseller called All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. In it he describes several life lessons that were tattooed on his brain from those early sandbox years. He showed how things such as sharing, making friends, and resting could be translated from the happy-go-lucky world of the preschooler to the hectic existence of the suburbanite. Its simplicity and relevance resonated in many people and awoke in them feelings of renewal.

Healthy Habits for a Fit Family is also based on elemental building blocks that we all learned as children. For example, when it comes to food, amounts matter. In school you were given a set amount for lunch, no more, no less. What you had on your plate was enough to both fill you up and fuel you for the days events. There were no super-size fries, Big Gulps, or double-decker cheeseburgers. You ate to fill up, not to fill out.