In the 2017 Outside Online article by Alex Hutchinson 4 Laws of Muscle, some really interesting insights are presented into how our human bodies respond to nutrition and exercise pretty much every time. 2 studies reveal compellingly stark differences:
Luc Van Loon, an exercise physiology and nutrition professor at Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that elderly adults in a 6-month training program who intentionally consumed high amounts of protein gained 2.9 pounds of muscle. However, the other study concluded that in just 1 week of bed rest they can lose 3.1 pounds of muscle. Van Loon summarized, “You can mess up a lot more in one week than you can improve in six months of training.” It makes a good case for exercising regularly and eating wisely every time.
The study as shared in the article gets into 4 insightful details about:
- how quickly protein is absorbed
- how exercise can improve absorption
- if you don’t exercise you synthesize less protein resulting in “anabolic resistance” and potentially a “catabolic crisis” (significant and accelerated muscle loss)
- how you eat and how well you eat makes a difference
I found all of this information particularly fascinating since during the past year I’ve been caring for my mother. During this time I’ve observed first hand the exercise, bed rest immobility and eating habits of not just her but other older adults. It’s led me to look more closely at my own exercise and eating and that of others across all age ranges all the way to infants – specifically my grand daughter. I invite you to watch this short fun video that is produced to make it appear as if she climbs off the bed to get her bottle.
THE LAW OF EVERY TIME
What we do and don’t do every time truly impacts us physically and also spiritually. It’s similar to Newton’s first law of motion: An object at rest remains at rest, and an object in motion remains in motion at constant speed and in a straight line unless acted on by an unbalanced force. That leads me to quote perhaps the most famous line from Star Wars, “May the force be with you”. And – that leads me to take a moment to talk with you about something really important that Luc Van Loon and Outside Online totally missed:
Humans need something more than habitual routines that should be good but often are bad. Healthy eating, exercise and rest are good. A poor diet, too much sitting, excessive sleeping, and laziness are bad. Either way, your moving and eating habits, good or bad are not enough.
REASON, PURPOSE, VISION
Your spirit needs a reason, a purpose, a vision that you can embrace every time. Every time you don’t feel like it, every time you’re sick or tired, every time you’re discouraged, angry, confused, afraid or have lost all hope — every time life throws all kinds of stuff – really bad stuff at you — at us. When we have that reason, purpose and vision (God’s Spirit alive and at work within us) then we can make the best of every day, take action and build more than muscle – we can build a world that can quickly synthesize the protein of Christ’s compassion for profound and divine outcomes for right now, future generations and eternity.
As musician Lauren Evans says in her song, This Could Be,
What if each day could be amazing. What if you and I are the perfect equation to turn outcomes that are unfavored into a million reasons for celebrating … If we’d open up our eyes, this could be the time of our lives.
Listen to the whole song now.
Lauren’s message is spot on target for today’s culture. When we dare to try God’s ways, He will flip situations into the best of endings. The Bible has a message for you that takes it even further:
Everything God created is good. Exercise daily in God. Totally throw yourself into this venture. That special gift of ministry you were given – keep that dusted off and in use. Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.
Read the entire Bible passage to experience the full spiritual kerpow!
I hope you’re ready to explore the challenges and opportunities, the expectations and transformative beauty, the complex and yet extremely simple power of Every Time. It’s a call for us to be #morethanfaithful AND it’s certainly a celebration that God is #morethanfaithful
Train strong in Christ,
Brad Bloom, Publisher
