Christian an Fitness Issue 2018 by His Favor Ministries

I Believe in God 1st & Myself 2nd Abe Cruz, Author, Fitness Model, Entrepreneur

www.AbeCruz.com 1 "Mindset of Champions"

The Christian & Fitness EditioN

Founder/Editor in Chief ............................ Shenee' Edwards Managing Editor ......................................... Luke Turner Cover Graphic Designer ........................... Sarah Grace Content Editor ........................................... Anissa Stewart Sales Manager .......................................... Dr. Aikyna Finch Feature Contributer.....................................Frankie C. Wilson Jr. Contributing Writers ...............................Ami Loper ...............................Chef Kenneth Temple ...............................Richard Wessenberg ...............................Takia Ross ...............................Dr. Jia Conway Photographer Credit ...............................Noel Daganta (James Ellis) ..............................Corey D. Taylor (Abe Cruz) ..............................McKinley Walker (Luke Turner) ..............................Brian Landis (Tiffany Robertson) PHONE NUMBER 410-645-0629 WEBSITE www.hisfavormagazine.com

ÂŠ 2018 by His Favor Magazine, Inc. All Rights Reserved Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Magazine Name is a registered trademark under His Favor Ministries Printed in the United States of America.

From The Editor's Pen

What an awesome year this has been thus far! Even in the midst of troubling times, God is still God. Aren't you thankful for a God that loves us... Flaws and All? However, he still wants what best for His children. He wants us to experience this earthly life to the utmost! Not just in material things, but a peace of mind, joy and even our health. Yes, he even wants his creation to be healthy. Now, I know I am not the only one that has struggles with the physical being. Please don't let me admit this on my own. Yet, as I recognize it. I realize that my physical weight is a direct effect of the mental and emotional weights that have been placed upon me. When I am stressed, I tend to want something sweet. You know that ice cream looks so delicious after a not so good day! Well, I pray that as you read through this issue, you will be inspired as I have to change not only the outside, but internally as well. Building those "spiritual muscles" are just as important as that 6 pack you are working on. As the body of Christ, we can do our part in showing this world that it is imperative to be WHOLE! Physically, Mentally, Emotionally and Spiritually

C O V E R 8

Andy Dooley

Athlete, personal trainer, youth pastor, husband, father of three kids and strength and conditioning coach shares his heart to inspire and motivate others to enjoy a healthy life style!

21 Tiffany Robertson Wife and Mother reveals the reason she started taking care of her temple

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F E AT U R E S 22

James Ellis

WBFF (World Bodybuilding & Fitness Federation) Fitness Model World Champion (2011), Speaker, Fitness Coach with over 2 million facebook followers, opens up about his role in the fitness industry

I really want to be Spirit led here and to truly share from my authentic heart

Justin Cheadler

Ex-NFL player turned his loyalty to his family into a lifestyle brand (DILF)

pg.

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W H AT ' S 10... Stephen Wessenberg 18 year old national competitive swimmer obtains 5 time age group State Championship with the Wyoming Waves Swim Club in Cheyenne, Wyoming

16....Jessica Hoeffner "Christian Health Coach, who started as a personal trainer, but was not fully satisfied

16....Luke Turner "Author, Model, Personal Trainer and Managing Editor does not hold back his passion to inspire others"

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am imperfect by God, but I am perfect for God to translate my purpose from God"

26... Felicia Dortch Single mother of four, Entrepreneur, Nurse, Public Speaker, and Life Coach has made this woman of a God, a BOSS in her own right. 6

I N S I D E 24.... Sarah Grace "Evangelist, CEO, Mother and Entrepreneur opens up for the ďŹ rst time publicly concerning her physical and spiritual transformation"

29... George Ward Single Father, Health Professional and Entrepreneur believes with proper nutrition, water consumption will definitely ensure oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health in the long run

27....Frankie C. Wilson Jr. "Award Winning Radio Personality, Host and Speaker uses a powerful metaphor to encourage readers"

31.. Donna Rojas Entreprenuer goes down memory lane as she shares her Health and Wellness Journey

Andy Dooley

Your Spiritual Life Is A Muscle

I have been an athlete all my life and I truly enjoyed working out and being ﬁt. The challenge was always intriguing to me. However, when my father was stricken with diabetes, it all changed for me. I want to help people and educate them on health and ﬁtness.

It is evident that you work out physically. How important is it for you to "work out" spiritually? It’s extremely important. Your spiritual life is priority. Personally when my spiritual life is out of order, everything else feels out of place. Your spiritual life is also like a muscle that you need to work on. It takes time to develop. How do you want other young men to perceive being a man of integrity? I want them to think about how they are when no one is looking. Behind closed doors, does your life match with the life you reveal to others? That shows us how we really are. We should strive to be consistent with a moral compass in and out of the view of others. Why do you think some people start their fitness journey o f strong but tend to lose ambition a ter awhile? Because they may not have a why nor make it a lifestyle change. If it is a quick fix, you will burn out and lose steam. When you have a purpose, it will keep you driven. When it’s a lifestyle, you are not su fering from restriction rather it’s a way of life for you on a consistent basis. This becomes a recipe for success. What does a typical day look like for Andy Dooley? Typically I wake up and pray then head to the gym for some fasted cardio. Head home shower and start working. I’m meeting with people, working at the church, sta f meetings, working on messages etc. A ter I leave I train select clients, go to the gym and get my workout in. Film some Youtube and Instagram videos. Come on spend time with my family, help get the kids ready for bed and then have one on one time with my wife and catch up on the day then get ready for bed to do it all over again the next except Saturdays because we try and make that our sabbath and do NO WORK! As a youth pastor, I incorporate health and wellness into my teachings. I want to teach balance. One of the scriptures that speaks to me is “And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do re lect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” Titus 2:7 NLT I don’t just want to be all spiritual and unhealthy vice versa all physically fit and spiritually unhealthy. I want to motivate and inspire others to have a healthy balance in all areas of our lives. From faith, family and fitness.

www.andyLdooley.com

How long have you been competitively swimming? About 10 years now.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Utilizing the Giftâ&#x20AC;?

Stephen Wessenberg, is an 18 year old national competitive swimmer Christian Athlete. Stephen is a 5 time age group State Champion with the Wyoming Waves Swim Club in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 10

What inspired you to start up swimming? Watching Michael

Phelps in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games and his amazing gold medal run. How do you stay focused?

I set big goals, with little baby steps in between that help me ensure that that goal will be met. How do you remind yourself that God is the one to give thanks for athletic abilities?

Going into practice and meets and giving it my all, my gift back to Him is to utilize the gift that was given to me. ~Interview: Richard Wessenberg

Jessica Hoeffner

is a Christian Health Coach, who started as a personal trainer, but was not fully satisfied. When she saw her clients lose weigh and tone up, but they remained trapped by their insecurities and unhealthy relationship with food and their body image, She knew she wanted to take a different more holistic approach that as a personal trainer she could not due to time constraints. She wanted tot rain her clients and have them live in their fullest potential full of security in their identity in Christ and a life full of grace, love, hope, joy and peace. Her passion lead her to become a health coach and started GIGACalisthenics. Her passion is to for everyone to overcome their unhealthy mindsets and break free from destructive habits because “God is gracious and compassionate” (2 Chronicles 30:9). This verse is what lay the foundation for Jessica’s personal transformation, so she the acronym for her health coaching business name (GIGAC). From Jessica’s personal life, she knew the love, grace and power that works through broken people to make them strong and live full lives. She lived a life comparing herself to others, thinking her appearance mattered to achieve her goals, turning to food for comfort and using exercise in unhealthy ways. She began the journey to walk in the path to security and freedom from these destructive thoughts she was met by an amazing life full of grace and love. She knows that God’s grace and compassion are enough for everyone, but knows everyone needs encouragement and support because it is not easy, but it is possible with God!

My number one goal I had in mind when figuring out a career was helping people. I entertained A LOT of different possibilities, but they all fell shy of what I was really excited about. People!.. especially women being confident. Unshakeable confidence that stems from God’s love and His Word radiating into every area of their life. The health industry makes a lot of money off of insecurity, but I love being able to be a partner on the journey to health and security. It is amazing how a holistic approach to health leads to a complete lifestyle transformation by God’s grace. It is very important that we continually grow and improve ourselves in all areas of our life, and our spiritual life is obviously critical. It is amazing how my outlook, self-talk, and my “to-do” list changes with time, with God. There is always another layer deeper of knowing God and His unfailing love. Even just a little bible verse in the middle of a busy day puts things in a different perspective. I also love exploring new ways to “workout” spiritually whether it be trying out a new way to study the bible, a different translation, different method of prayer, a different style of worship, dancing, drawing, painting, meditating, anything! I do think that the Christian Church is becoming more open to talking about health, but I think we can do more. There are so many practices that Jesus teaches that make us healthier and it is backed by science! I find it funny that things like fasting is now a healthy trend when that was something God told us to do. I would love to hear more sermons about the interconnection of what God tells us to do and the health that it brings. I feel like it would help Christians realize God cares about our health and physical bodies. Additionally, as a country, we have a problem with health. It could help people see weight loss as something more important or have people take a different approach when losing weight (i.e. eating more whole foods instead of something more extreme). I also would like individual churches to provide healthier options for their congregation to chose from for after service fellowship. Community and healthy food are important for a well-rounded healthy life. Most can already tell that I have so many ideas! I do not think there is enough space for everything, but to keep it short, I definitely see myself traveling internationally, doing ministry work, public speaking, prayer & worship gatherings, and writing books. 12

Loved, Curious, Hard-working, Compassionate, Ambitious

Photograph Used with Permission (Kenneth Temple)

www.chefkennethtemple.com 14

Savory Creole

Asparagus Pesto Chicken with Vegetable Rice Every now and then you have to apply some new different techniques to a favorite dish. That’s how I came up with the idea to make a pesto out of asparagus and the flavors did not disappoint. The truth is a friend asked me to cook for her and this is some ingredients she had in her fridge. This is the dish I came up with.

Ingredients

Instructions

• Chicken: • 1 lbs. chicken tenders • zest of half a lemon • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper • 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder • 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne • 1 ½ teaspoons Italian herbs • Vegetable Rice: • 1 tablespoon canola oil • ½ onion chopped • ½ red bell pepper chopped • ½ orange bell pepper chopped • 1 garlic chopped • 1 tablespoon ginger chopped • 1 ¼ cup jasmine rice • 2 cups unsalted chicken stock • 1 teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon black pepper • Asparagus Pesto: • 12 asparagus trimmed • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 cup walnuts • 1 garlic clove chopped • 2 cups basil leaves plus more for garnish • 1 ¼ cup parmesan cheese • ½ teaspoon black pepper • pinch salt • ½ teaspoon cayenne • 1-1 ½ cups canola oil

sides with lemon zest, spices and herbs, sit to the side while you prepare the remaining components.

1. Season chicken evenly on both

2. In a pot over medium heat,

add oil, onion and bell peppers cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger stir then add rice, salt and pepper cook for 1 minute, add stock bring to a boil reduce heat cover with lid and cook on low heat for 14 minutes.

3. To make pesto, add enough

water to a pot to cover asparagus bring water to a boil add 1 tablespoon of salt. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes depending on the thickness. Drain and add to a food blender. Add walnuts, garlic, basil, parmesan, black pepper, salt and cayenne. Cut on high and slowly add oil. Pesto should be smooth and not clumpy. If pesto is to thick add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until smooth.

4. In a heavy bottom skillet over

medium heat, add oil and chicken and cook for 3 minutes, flip over and add a dollop of pesto to each tender and pop in the oven for 5 minutes. Serve hot over rice garnish with basil.

Recipe Notes

Preheat oven to 375 F

Luke"LT" Turner

" I am only one, But I am one. I cannot do everything, But I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, And what I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do!""

~Jerry Horner

"As I Ponder Why I Do This"

Constantly I ponder and ask myself "Why I can’t settle for being an average version of Luke?" Why do you push yourself as avidly as you do?" At ﬁrst, I wasn’t looking for this type of lifestyle but somehow it found my address. In all honesty, where I’m from, the commonality is to use drugs, abuse alcohol and eat whenever/whatever we desire. What prodded me to change was maturity and utilizing a sober mind to learn from my earlier lineage hiccups. Over 50% of my uncles are now deceased from some type of CVD, autoimmune or chronic disease. Medical records prove the mortality for both of my grandfathers at an early age, leaving my generation with no prominent older male guidance.

Training hard is the only way I can cope and keep my sanity. Yet, I’m not doing this just for me, but for all my future generations. My Blood, sweat, and tears will not be in vain! Health or Die is the tempo that trumps my temple!

However, Working out spiritually is far more stupendous to me than physical advancement. “What benefits a man to obtain the whole earth but lose his soul”. God is my source and the manufacturer of my life. That’s the most precious gi t you can ever render or provide to someone. Therefore, I’m praying the seeds I’m sowing will produce a good harvest which will be my gi t in return to him. If it wasn’t for the goodness and mercy of my savior, I would still be a lost sheep headed into the destruction of being slaughtered. Ironically, it’s comparable for me to coincide physical fitness with spiritual fitness because it takes the consistency of mental beliefs to achieve outcomes for both m. The more you physically workout, it’s contingency to become stronger and to develop greater endurance. When you provide that same measure and temperament with strengthening your spirituality, it’s contingency to increase your faith and attain a higher frequency with God which is vital. With that being said, integrity comes into play! The definition states integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. In these modern and contemporary times, it appears that men of integrity have taken the backseat and accepted a passive behavior with the act of becoming an ideal renaissance man. I believe it’s imperative for positive, productive, spiritual, men of valor to take center stage and become advocates for our future generations. Especially in my culture, the Black culture, we are truly su fering from a lack of leadership which produces opportunities for inept personal development. In my belief, I think integrity is being conscious of what it takes to be noble, to be a proud citizen of one's community, to have a presence that signifies hard work, trustworthy, fidelity and most of all being at peace with the man in the mirror. Eventually, I want to open a gym facility mainly because health and wellness is my life. It’s what I love to do and what I have a passion for. Now that I’ve discovered from research and studies of how dysfunctional being unhealthy is, I wish to indoctrinate as many people as I can on how to take back the quality of their lives. Your body is the vehicle that will transport you for the remainder of your years on God’s green Earth. Therefore, the maintenance of your vehicle can literally be the di ference between having your engine run smoothly or having a “check engine” light notification displayed. Right now, the approach I’m using to be distinct in this prevalent market is still under research. But trust me when I say, I’m looking to tackle a procedure with my clientele that’s very interesting and unlikely currently. At least I haven’t seen or heard of any gyms aiming to address this cause, and I’ve even asked di ferent populations for their input and they definitely support the ideas I have. Overall, when I think of a few words to describe my personality, I would end this by saying

eccentric, eclectic, powerful, leader, and imperfect ! ~Luke Turner aka 'LT",

18 Men Of Favor

Humility In a world where it’s so easy to become arrogant, it is important to remain humble. There are valuable lessons taught by individuals of all ages. If you are arrogant, you will lose sight of being the student. No one knows everything. Therefore, it’s best to stay humble so that you can always learn and strive to be better than your previous years. Balance I believe that having both your spiritual and physical bodies intact are important. They go hand and hand. You can’t have one without the other. It’s is important to take care of your physical because you are less susceptible to sickness and diseases. You also want to practice what you preach. You can’t speak about all the great things God has done for you if you don’t have a physical representation. Perseverance I’ve never felt like giving up, but haven’t because someone was watching me. I have felt like giving up because of how hard my fitness journey was. After having my daughter, I gained 50 pounds. I was determined to get the weight off. I started working to get my weight down. It was very hard to do. Giving up on the foods I love so much and getting up to workout on a daily basis was difficult. But because of my determination, I never gave up. I kept pressing forward, even though I messed up along the way. Nobody is perfect. Eventually, after two years, I got to the desired goal I had chased for so long. Advice My five main ingredients would be, staying motivated to be in shape, setting short term and long term fitness goals, eating healthy meals, staying active, and consistency. Future I see myself completing my first bodybuilding competition within the next two years.

"The Fit Mom is Practicing What She Preaches"

James Ellis

- My Story Let’s start with Junior High & High School. I was a scrawny kid that got picked on and bullied a lot throughout junior/senior high school, so my self-esteem and confidence were super low. I didn’t enjoy going to my high school and thus walked the hallways with my head down. I never really applied myself to my studies, so I barely graduated high school. My dad encouraged me to go to college as he didn’t think I’d enjoy working in the factories for the rest of my life. So, I went to college, I really had no idea what to major in. (I didn’t have much passion for any kind of career). My father suggested that I try to major in Elementary Education as my grandfather had been a very successful teacher and got a great retirement out of it. So, o f to Indiana State University, I went, majoring in Elementary Education, and minoring in Physical Education. I really applied myself in college and actually graduated with a 3.5 GPA. But, I honestly was never passionate about being a teacher and really wasn’t ready to do so. Thank God that while I was in college I did find my passion, which was li ting weights. I was in the gym nearly every day for four years and was noticing massive changes in my body, this also created positive changes in my self-confidence. I was never bullied in college but rather was loved and respected. I took my great results in the gym to the bodybuilding stage and was blessed to win a couple of shows. My passion for li ting weights and my passion for a solid relationship with Jesus (I was a servant leader of Campus Crusade for Christ on my campus) lead me to decide to move to California in pursuit of a fitness modeling career. I knew that the fitness business and Hollywood, in general, needed more of Jesus, so I moved out here to be a vessel and a light for Christ. ALL of my success is due to the Lord's guidance, direction, and favor. He is my driving force in life and my reason for living.

"Being A Vessel & Light For Christ"

My Spiritual Workout If I am short on time in a day for whatever reason, I’d choose to miss my physical workout in order to prioritize my spiritual workout. Reality is, my physical body will rot in the grave someday, but my spirit will last for eternity. Do not get me wrong, ﬁtness modeling and promoting physical health is a huge part of my job, so I make sure to get my workouts in so that I can stay in great physical condition. I also believe that the good Lord actually wants us to stay in good physical shape as our bodies are one of the many blessings (gi ts) that the Lord has given us and our bodies are a "Temple of Christ.” But, my number one priority each day is to spend good time in prayer, studying the Word of God, and listening to worship music (worshiping Him) so that my Spirit can experience tremendous growth as well. Notice I said, “Studying the Word of God”, that is because reading the Word and studying the Word are two di ferent things. Many years ago I stopping simply reading the Word in order to check it o f the list for the day, and I instead began to study the Word of God. This means that I read a chapter over and over again until the good Lord reveals to me what He would like me to take from that chapter. Once I ﬁgure that out, I spend time journaling what I feel He is speaking to me and teaching me during that time alone with Him. I actually started posting these journal type entries in my Spiritually Fit Blog on my JamesEllisFit website, so check it out if you’d like. My Advice I want other men to perceive being a man of integrity as, being whole, complete, and consistent in their relationship with Christ. No matter what your circumstances look like at any time, you always look to the good Lord to guide and direct you. A man of integrity (especially in Christ) doesn’t cheat or cut corners. You are 100% honest with your taxes. You are faithful to the good Lord with every single penny that you earn (every good and perfect gi t comes from above). This means that you are faithful with your tithe to your church. Furthermore, you pray and ask God what to do with the rest of your paycheck as He might want you to sew an o fering somewhere or bless someone else with some of the money in which HE has blessed you. This man of integrity is a gentleman that treats all women as daughters of our King Jesus. Not only is he opening doors for any/all women, but he vows to be sexually pure (to only have sex with his wife). This man isn’t swayed by what is popular or cool, but rather lets His light shine by focusing on being the best that He can be in Christ. This man always takes a stand for Christ Jesus, even when the so-called political correctness of the world tries to get in the way. To sum it up, a MAN OF INTEGRITY is a man that is ALWAYS a ter God’s own heart, and that will put him in the right place at the right time to do the right thing always. 23 www.JamesEllisFit.com

Meet F elicia D ortch

His Favor would like to shine the “Author’s Spotlight” on Felicia A. Green, author of “#MomBoss: Life on Purpose” (a prayer journal), and “Dear God Can You Hear Me…” Being a single mother of four, Entrepreneur, Nurse, Public Speaker, and Life Coach has made this woman of a God, a BOSS in her own right. “Outgoing, Dependable, Strong, Compassionate, and Communicative are some of the words this author uses to describe herself. Having to overcome many obstacles in her life, has caused her to be exceptionally appreciative of the many opportunities she has been afforded. She is an overcomer! When asked what makes her book so "unique" she responded, “Recently, I struggled with developing a relationship with God, as well as talking to Him. I wrote this prayer journal to help facilitate a conversation with God. I realized,

through my efforts that it wasn’t that God was not listening to me, but it was I wasn’t talking to Him. This book gives a daily scripture and space to write what God reveals to you for thirty days, with the hopes that it will spark a lasting relationship between the reader and God.” Because this is the “Christian and Fitness” edition, we wanted to know how her book pertains to “wellness". Felicia stated, “Spiritual wellness is the ability to experience and integrate meaning and purpose in life through a person's connectedness with self, others, nature or power greater than oneself.”

Author Spotlight

In other words, spiritual wellness is vital to being spiritually fit and equipped to handle life’s challenges! It is this author’s desire that readers to feel empowered to be able to extend their communication with God beyond the 30 days, cultivating a relationship with God, when they are finished reading her book. Some of her future ventures include plans to build her own Charter School; enabling her to continue the work of helping and advancing the Kingdom of God. 26 Author Spotlight

Interview: Anissa Stewart

"Weightlifting 101: The Subtle Art of Focus" When we study 2 Timothy 3:16-17 , we see that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” However the road to righteous competency is attained through the focus, attention and obedience. During this short series on weightlifting, I want to address how learning the art of focus can open your opportunity to truly experience God in a powerful way.

When looking up the definition, focus has been defined as “a center of interest or activity” and “a condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived.” Have you ever tried to read something and your mind was somewhere else? By the time you’ve finished reading once, you had to start over because you weren’t really paying enough attention to what you were reading. You missed the point or the

message in what you were trying to read. This is common, but does not need to be acceptable. Too often in life, we accept the minimum as opposed to the maximum. The end result is not just us giving God our minimal focus but more so, we miss our chance to receive his maximum blessing. “Let us lay aside every weight…let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…(Hebrews 12:1-2).” “Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead… (Philippians 3:12-14). The Bible inspires us on multiple accounts to focus and be diligent in our pursuit of righteousness. So how do we master the art of the zone and give more focus and attention to God?

First things first, if you truly love God make time to love him. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not insist upon its own way (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). This means you have to deny your own selfishness and create new habits for yourself. Never accept defeat! “We are more than conquerors through him that loves us (Romans 8:37).” When learning to “press” you must adopt an attitude of determination. Just because you miss a service or forget to read your daily word once or twice, does not mean you have an excuse to quit! Your soul and spirits prosperity are at risk! Mastering the art of focus may not be an overnight thing, but God is worth it. When you are able to achieve this level of focus, you will be better positioned to receive a clear understanding of what God is wanting from you in prayer, your studies and etc. Be Blessed~ Frankie C. Wilson Jr. Frankie C. Wilson Jr. (@MrFrankieWilson) is an award-winning syndicated radio host and national speaker from Dallas, Texas. In addition to his busy schedule, he is one of the newest contributors to His Favor Magazine. Frankie is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in General Psychology in addition to his Master's in Divinity (MDiv) and Masters in Business Administration (MBA). Frankie is founder of The Giving Project 501c3 which feeds up to 1,000 people a year and is dedicated to his message of self-ownership, discipline and success. 27

www.MrFrankieWilson.com

George Ward brotherly love, the great city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania before moving to Freeport, Bahamas. My dear and loving parents wanted more opportunities for me, so we moved to the United States. We first lived in Miami and then moved to the sub-city of Fort Lauderdale by the name of Lauderhill. Lauderhill is where I met my brothers and sisters from another mother and father. The area of my residency was predominantly Caribbean inhabited, which offered and introduced a lot of clean eating and good health cultural habits. As time progressed and I matured with age, I’ve grown to recognize the importance of workouts, eating clean and proper nutrition.

w w w . georgeawii.thrive-reviews.com

I was born in the city of

It’s these 3 things that in my later years I’ve discovered to be the root for the majority of the sickness and health concerns of the world. Especially in my current profession as a medical professional. I recognize the clinician shortage that is imminent due to the largest group of medical professionals entering retirement. Also, the new crop of clinicians is having more toll gates in order to enter healthcare. Therefore, it’s creating a STARK gap that’s only getting larger by the day. I believe with proper nutrition, water consumption and getting one’s self to an Alkaline state, it will definitely ensure one’s health in the long run. Especially with us “Kemite American” or “Aboriginal American” folks, I feel we entirely relay too much on our “God-given” genetics. Godgiven genetics fall short when genetics has bad habits.

"I’ve been sharing my plant-based nutrition product line for 4 years and it’s been a great blessing to so many people because it under promises and over delivers"

My Health and Wellness Journey

D o n n a Ro a s

Every single year like many of you, I was one of those individuals who would make a “New Year’s Resolution” and by February I would look at myself in the mirror and at the scale feeling discouraged and defeated. I did not understand why the steps that I was taking did not reveal that dream body I so desired.

One day while visiting my mother, I noticed how fit she was at her age (she was about 66 at the time). I was like there is no way my mother is going to be fitter and finer than me. I went back home with a new determination and hit the gym harder than before. However, the scale was still not moving as fast as I wanted it to. Again, I was discouraged. I asked myself, “What am I missing here?” Through a referral from a close friend, I was introduced to a virtual personal trainer. In our initial meeting she asked some very personal questions and I couldn’t understand what my personal and professional life had to do with weight loss. She provided me with a fitness program that helped me to understand that it was 80% eating and 20% exercise. This program began to reveal some results and I was proud of myself but then one day I hit a plateau.

I started getting anxious because another year was approaching and then it hit me. I finally came to the realization that this involved my mind, body, and spirit. That’s when I decided to work on myself from the inside out. I stopped focusing on the scale and began to focus on me. My virtual trainer and others helped me to see that the problem just was not just food (which I was very connected to) but it was about my overall wellbeing and how I felt about myself.

The New Year came in and instead of making a resolution, I set goals for myself. As I achieve one goal, I set another goal. I began by researching what things I needed to do in order to obtain optimal health and wellness. I received the necessary coaching regarding what fitness program would work best for me. I also took time to work on me spiritually with prayer and meditation. Along with me tuning into myself and having a great support system, I stayed focused and began to see the fruits of my labor. Not only did I lose weight, inches, and gained muscle, I also gained a stronger spiritual perspective. I began to level up and see myself as a healthy, strong, and beautiful woman from the inside out.

My journey was not an easy one and I am still on it. However, as a more seasoned woman, I am in the best shape I have ever been in, and I am able to inspire others which is the true blessing.

J u s t i n C h e a d l e I love being apart of the ď&#x201E;&#x17D;itness industry! As good as it feels to change my life around and reach my own ď&#x201E;&#x17D;itness goals, there is nothing better than helping others reach their own. My passion for helping people lose weight , get stronger, become better in their sport, and change their life around immeasurably. PODZ Nutrition stand out to me over other brands on the market is not only do they provide a source of highquality protein, but go one step further: the blend is packaged in water-soluble pods made from 100% food grade ingredients. PODZ Nutrition's main goal is to provide convenience and portability to sports nutrition products. Whether I'm packing six pods for a 3-day business trip, throwing two pods into my gym bag before heading to the office, or dropping two pods into a shaker after my workout, the packaging is designed to go wherever I do. Even though it is evident that I work out physically, I feel that it extremely important to "work out" your spiritual man as well! As a foundation to maintain the physical aspect of 'fitness', you have to conjure a strong spirit that keeps you disciplined and focused in order to stay motivated with your workouts and nutrition to achieve your goals. Equal to fitness, spiritual strength takes practice and a lifestyle overhaul. It requires daily attention or else if put to practical use, you may fall short. 32

I would like young men to perceive being a man of integrity as a man who is true to his word and beliefs. A man who is relentless in what he believes and passionately lives that life Your word is your bond. Remain committed the the word and you will remain on the narrow path. I do think some people start their fitness journey off strong. Then tend to lose ambition after awhile because they start their fitness journeys doing workouts/diets that aren't maintainable with their lifestyles. This is a huge part of why my business

Loyal to the Lifestyle has a high success

rate with our clients. We take the time to get to know each client and tailor plans based on their current lifestyles. We consider what type of workouts they tend to favor, what foods they have access to (and actually like), and provide back up options in case plans fall through. True fitness journeys are ever lasting and consist of a 360 degree lifestyle change that is maintained on a regular basis and not as a quick fix to your physical appearance.

As a peronal trainer, I'm touchable, personal and relatable to each one of my clients and even from behind the computer or on social media, I want people to understand that I am just like them and the journey is not untravelled. Send me a message via email and I will make it my business to help anyone ready to embark on the path to a new life.

LTLFIT.COM

His entrepreneurial journey began after retirement and becoming a dedicated husband to his wife, Katie Cheadle. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, Justin shredded his offensive lineman physique and shredded over 100 lbs in one year. The weight was critical during his time in the NFL, but detrimental off the field. From there Justin birthed, Loyal To The Lifestyle Fitness, which embodies his motto to remain loyal in order to yield results. Since then Justin has been named the official brand ambassador for a new fitness-related protein product that has rolled out this year called PODZ, and been called upon to work with the likes of NIKE and EA Sports. ~Leslie Taylor 33