Eliptical Enlightenment

As great as the power of evil might be, it must always withdraw with the appearance of righteousness.

- Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Ensign, Jan. 2009, p. 9.



One of the biggest incentives to exercise for me is that I get some uplifting reading done while I'm on the eliptical machine. I am a die hard multi-tasker and since I like to be distracted from the difficulty of my eliptical workouts, I place a good magazine or book over the monitor. I've found this is the best way to get the church magazines read cover to cover and other good reading and I not only feel physically better after a workout, but I'm on an emotional high and ready to take on the world. Today, this quote really impressed me as I thought about the temptations that pull us off course in whatever we are pursuing in life. When I think of how this relates to healthy living, it reminds me of D&C 89:4 which talks about the consequences of the evils and designs of conspiring men in our day and the warnings and forewarnings the Lord gives us with his words of wisdom. As much as I'm not tempted by the standard things we all think about with the word of wisdom, fats and sugars certainly have my number and the scales and inches cry out as proof of my indulgences. So this morning after I got off my eliptical machine physically and emotionally enlightened, I made a healthy shake instead of going for something ultimately less satisfying. And isn't it interesting that when we go for the less satisfying but fat and sugary things, we always want MORE? But with the healthy foods, we are satisfied. Just like the gospel. Very cool I think.



Oh, and if you want to try a yummy and very satisfying shake, here's what I threw in the VitaMix blender this morning:

1 cup soy milk

1 T flax seed

1 T wheat germ

6 frozen strawberries

1 banana

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 T protein powder (optional)