Latest / Daughters of Armor / Episode 06: Faith & Fitness: Is Wanting to Lose Weight Vanity?
Transcript
- Coach Crystal: Hi everyone, we're back! I don't know, last time I wasn't prepared, I was telling Nikita before we popped on here, because we agree that when we chat, it's coffee with Christ. And I brought it this time, cheers my love! Nakita: I'm always prepared, I always have coffee. Coach Crystal: I know, that's why. I'm getting a little FOMO. I gotta get my coffee out. She has been in the health industry for a very, very long time. And you shared your journey and today's like really our coffee talk is like a continuation of that because as Christian women Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: who you know prior being born again we were very much deep in the secular world of fitness and now that our identity is in Christ and no longer steeped in that fitness world We wanted to share, well, how? How do Christian women approach fitness in a more biblical, quote unquote, balanced way? And so I thought what I would do is just open up in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 31, because I think this is a really, you know, in terms of scripture and infusing faith and fitness. or just a healthy lifestyle, this is something that I would love for us to discuss, meditate, and fellowship on, which is 1 Corinthians 10, 31. So whether you eat or drink, underline, highlight, circle, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. And for us, as fitness professionals, as health professionals, I... Like, I will admit that was not connected. Like there was how I fed my body, how I trained. Yeah, my identity, a huge part of my identity before becoming a born again Christian was, yeah, just, it was just, was, it was secular. was fitness related. It was how I looked. It was how I felt in my body. And there was really no direct correlation of you know, this body is a mago day. it's, it didn't, there was no connection of the fact that I was made in the image of God. Right. And now we're, we're really tying that together. So, you know, I'd love for you to, kind of share this again, you, you actually train people in person and you might not train believers, right? So how are you kind of working through that yourself? and when it comes to what you do as a profession. Nakita: See, I've been very fortunate with the women that I do train. I Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: don't train competitors. Coach Crystal: Mm. Nakita: I'm training moms, women that just want to be able to move and take care of their families, which is, even though they're not believers, I mean, that's the Proverbs 31 woman right there, is a Coach Crystal: Yes. Yes. Nakita: woman who takes care of her home. You know, one of my favorite verses from Proverbs 31 is she, she clothes herself in strength and makes her arm strong. This isn't an aesthetic ideal. This is someone who is training to take on life's demands. And that's what I'm seeing in these women that I train. They just want to be able to take care of their kids. husband and their home, right? So I've been very fortunate to have clients like that. But as someone who has been a competitor, who has been in the fitness industry for a long time, who also works in the supplement industry, I'm constantly Coach Crystal: Right. Nakita: having conversations about Coach Crystal: you Nakita: how do I look good? Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: So, but like for Christian women, like how do, like the question is like, how do we approach fitness in a more biblical balanced way? Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: Because just in that there is a tension, know? Your Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: body matters, but it's not ultimate. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: which is not something that you hear in the secular fitness world. Coach Crystal: Yes. you know, when you're bombarded with like on IG, TikTok, you know, all the socials, anything that has to do with fitness, and I'm guilty of this, where, you know, in my previous business model, it was all about, okay, you know, to fit in your skinny jeans again, to, you know, But some of it was actually good, such as having the energy to keep up with your kids or your grandkids, you know. But a lot of it was very much tied to, yeah, how you look. but I'm like thinking, but is it wrong for us to wanna look good? Especially Christian women, is it wrong? Nakita: No, I don't think it is wrong, there's but there's We have to start with the right foundation Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: It's it's about stewarding The body Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: that God has given us It's not our identity. So are there are multiple verses. Okay, like your body is a temple first Corinthians 6 That might be speaking more about sexual immorality, but our body does house the Holy Spirit. So we should treat it with respect and dignity and worth because we're made in the image of God. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: You know, first Timothy four, bodily training is of some value. like that gives us the framework. Our body is a gift to steward. It's not a project to obsess over. Fitness Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: is valuable. but it's not your source of worth. So the goal isn't how do I look, it becomes am I honoring God with how I care for what he gave me? So, because... Coach Crystal: Yes, because ultimately, right, this doesn't belong to us, it belongs to him. Nakita: Exactly, It's like I've had talks in our lady small group about how I see finance as like not something that God has given me to manage. Our bodies are the same thing. He's given us these bodies to steward, to manage, Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: but it's for His glory. It's not for ours. But I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting to look good. I think that's just something we're always going to desire or struggle with. Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: it just, like I said, it's starting with the right foundation. Coach Crystal: Yes. Yeah. Nakita: But, and also, just from my own experience, there's two very different motivations and fitness. There's insecurity driven fitness, which is Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: you're never enough. You compare yourself to everyone and everything and social media just amplifies that. And Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: there's a lot of pressure. And then there's gratitude driven fitness, which happened after I came to Christ, which Coach Crystal: Right. Nakita: is more strength, energy, discipline, leads to burnout and body fixation. The other leads to consistency and peace. Coach Crystal: So if we were to backtrack, because you and I are on the same page where, like you said, am I stewarding this body? So in other words, yes. Am I doing everything ultimately to glorify Him? That wasn't our mindset before. It was really to glorify us. set that foundation? Yeah, we need that foundation before we can even shift our mindset to that. So you mentioned some scripture. Any other things that you personally did to, for one thing, as an example, and I know that you were deeply, you deeply resonated with this was when my husband shared, and I think we shared this in the last episode, because I was guilty of this, where I would wake up and would get my workout in first and then I would do my Bible study. But then my husband so wisely said to me, and I don't think it was like to put me down or anything, but this was just his core belief, which was, well, I'm not going to, you know, exercise this creation, this body until I glorify the creator who gave me this body in the first place first. So that I was like, and that's like, yeah, yeah, right. Nakita: So convicting. So convicting. Coach Crystal: Cause I was like, wait a minute. So you do your Bible study first, glorify the one who gave you this body. And then you thank him by now taking care of this vessel and exercising and moving and keeping. I'm like, well, that makes sense. And that, Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: that totally convicted me. Cause now that's my new routine. So that was one thing, praise God, you know, the Holy Spirit worked for my husband to share that wisdom with me because I had backwards for the longest time, like years, that was my routine. Anything like with you like how because I know you shared last episode You know you were striving for for numbers you were striving for you know So how did how did you shift or how did the Holy Spirit help shift that? Kind of self-driven mindset to now glory You know given that like how did that change for you? Nakita: So I was like you. First thing in the morning, gym, everything, Coach Crystal: Yep. Nakita: like physical fitness, whatever it was, was more important. Yeah, actually more important. If I'm being honest, more important. And Coach Crystal: Yeah, same. Yes. Nakita: then I would, you know, so I'd go to the gym and Coach Crystal: Thank you. Nakita: then after the gym, shower, eat, and then like 10, 15 minutes of a quick Bible reading, maybe like a really quick prayer and then I'd be off to work. And then I don't know exactly what shifted, but there was just a lot of, there was a lot of conviction that I just was suppressing because fitness is more important. But I was spending like an hour and a half in the morning on myself. Coach Crystal: Right! Nakita: first Coach Crystal: Yes! Nakita: and it's amazing how that conviction, know, the Holy Spirit gives us that conviction and we just keep suppressing it. Coach Crystal: Yeah Nakita: But there was one morning where I just, I was really, I woke up and I didn't want to go to the gym. I just wanted to read my Bible. Coach Crystal: Yeah. Wow. Nakita: And so I was just reading it and then my husband woke up and you know, I was sharing what I was reading and then we just got into a really good discussion and I was like, I think I'm prioritizing this the wrong way. And then your husband, like this was a few months after, but then your husband just said that and I was like, dang Nelson, seriously? Why? Coach Crystal: You're so mean! Right? You know you needed it. Yeah. Nakita: And so, yeah, and like not every morning is perfect, you know? Coach Crystal: Of course. Nakita: But now it's, so, okay, so. Keeping my identity anchored in Christ, not fitness and my body. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: That is the real safeguard for me. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: no matter, like the gym will always be there. It's not going anywhere. It doesn't matter what time of day, it's there, right? Coach Crystal: Yeah. Yeah. Nakita: So just some things that I've learned to discipline myself in this area, no matter how mean, strong or fit I become, it will never satisfy my heart. It will Coach Crystal: So true. Nakita: never secure my identity. It will never replace spiritual growth. And that's why spiritual disciplines should come first. Time and scripture, prayer, Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: community, you know? Fitness is to support our life. It's not to define our life. It's like supplements. Coach Crystal: Amen. Yes. Nakita: Supplements are meant to supplement your healthy lifestyle, not Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: to replace everything. Coach Crystal: And you know what, that's perfect because I think if we shift our mindset and look at fitness as a way to supplement, ultimately, it's not everything. It's to supplement. It's to enhance Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: our spiritual growth. And I think you mentioned about the bodily training. It's good, but what's more important is our spiritual training. Nakita: Okay, okay. Coach Crystal: Because to me, ultimately that means, okay, well, we need to be spiritually healthy first. That is the bread that we need to survive. And then when we strengthen this vessel, now we're strong in our spiritually strong, we're physically strong to now walk out whatever God's plan is for our life. Because if we are Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: sick, If we are full of pain, if we are now, mind you, I know Paul was able to still share the gospel behind bars, but so many of us have, you know, unique plans that God has put forth for us, which requires the energy, which requires us to get out of our house, you know, and serve in some capacity. And I think You know, one of the things that in, in, you know, training women for so many years is they're not only trapped in their body, but they're trapped in their minds because they'll go out into the world and whether it's socializing or serving or just being with family, they're so in their head because they're so self-conscious about what other people are saying about them, whether they've put on weight or You know, they think everyone's talking about them, but no one is. But because they're like tugging on their clothes, they're, you know, they're, you know, super self-conscious about their Spanx and, you know, or maybe they're at the beach and they're covered up and, you know, a t-shirt and they are missing out on spending, you know, creating memories with their kids because they do not want to step into the water. So all of, they're literally imprisoned in their own head because they think Everybody's gonna talk about them if they see their body. And so from that perspective as well, yeah, like you said, we need to get spiritually strong, getting into the word, being in a community, being a part of a church. We went through our church, the 5G life, right? So God time, group time, all of that is so important. But then at the same time, yeah, if we look at fitness as supplements to help supplement our calling, that's what it is. Our fitness is to supplement our calling, right? Nakita: Yeah. And like, and like there's, there's two extremes to this too. Like you can neglect fitness as fitness doesn't matter. And you Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: can treat it as it's idolatry. Like fitness is everything. there, there's extremes to this as well. But, I think like, try to it's in my head just It's not an either or. Discipline and fitness, in my opinion, actually reinforces spiritual discipline. Because, and there's Coach Crystal: 100%. Nakita: such a powerful crossover between the two. Showing up when you don't feel like it. I Coach Crystal: 100%. Nakita: don't have a 100 % desire to go to the gym all of the time, to read my Bible, to pray. Showing Coach Crystal: to work out. I know. So true. So true. Yeah. Nakita: up when you Don't feel like it. Consistency Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: over emotion. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: motivation in itself, I can't stand it. It is, same with, Coach Crystal: It's garbage. It's garbage. Nakita: it's almost like to an extent same with willpower. It eaves and flows, right? But Coach Crystal: Yes. Yeah. Nakita: consistency showing up when you don't feel like it. Those Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: same muscles are used in prayer, obedience, faithfulness. Coach Crystal: Yes. Yes. Nakita: And when approached rightly, fitness becomes a training ground for godliness, not a distraction from it. So it's not an either or. Coach Crystal: Yes. Yeah. Nakita: But it all starts with building that strong foundation, which is Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: our identity is in God. It's not in fitness. Coach Crystal: Yeah, 100%. You know, and another kind of opportunity that fitness is really a test is the fruit of self control. Because Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: both fitness and nutrition, I mean, we need to control, you know, things that, you know, if you're teetering between like gluttony or like, you know, Binging, you to practice self control. Right. And so that translate as well, because with our spiritual growth, our spiritual disciplines, it's easy, like you said, to be distracted, you know, because we're so are it's so hard to focus nowadays. Like we're blessed because we were we grew up in a in a generation where We lived without Facebook and computers at one point and, you know, unlike, so we know, I think Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: we can tap into focusing, right? Like, think Nakita: Yes. Coach Crystal: we still have that quality where we're not too distracted. But I mean, with the technology, with Facebook, with all the things, the self-control to shut that down, even emails, even work, like the self-control Nakita: Thank Coach Crystal: to shut it down and actually give God 100 % of your focus also takes self-control So Nakita: Yeah. Yeah. Coach Crystal: that you know all translates you're right because training physically The way that I look at it to you, it's it's it it really is Training the mind it's because Like you said whether we feel like it or not we do it and that's And that's the power of, yeah, the foundation of who we are. Well, my identity is in Christ. There's a calling on my life. And when we look at so many examples in the Bible, there is a lot of things that, whether they be the prophets or the disciples, there's a lot of things that they didn't want to do, but they did it anyway. Nakita: Exactly. Yes. And like, yes. Coach Crystal: right? Including Christ, you know? In the garden, he's like, okay, well, can you take this cup away from me? But your will be done, right? Nakita: Exactly. and I think like too, especially like us women, like we were so hard on ourselves. I think like we really need to just give ourselves room for the seasons of life that we're in. Like, Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: like we, our hormones don't operate like men on a 24 hour cycle. Okay. They, Coach Crystal: Bring that pause. Nakita: they are up and down every day. Like, yes. So Coach Crystal: Top lashes. Nakita: like hormones, stress, life demands, if you have kids, like these things Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: just add to the season that you're in. So, you know, I think Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: like a balance would be pushing yourself when it's appropriate Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: and pulling back when it's needed. Coach Crystal: Yeah Nakita: like training consistently. eating intentionally, not obsessively, and resting without guilt. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: How many times, and I'm so guilty of this, how many times have I pushed myself beyond, I used to get, full disclosure, I used to get really bad periods. Like, Coach Crystal: Mm. Nakita: I couldn't work for four days. I would be Coach Crystal: Yep. Nakita: in so much pain, like borderline endometriosis pain, but not diagnosed with it. Coach Crystal: Wow. Yeah. Nakita: And I would still, push myself to go to the Coach Crystal: Oof. Nakita: gym. I wouldn't give myself any rest. If I took a day off from the gym, I would be so anxious. I would feel shame. I would feel guilty. I would go through body dysmorphia like crazy for missing one day, one day. Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: And so, but now thankfully, like I've learned over the years of like just grounding myself in Christ. He is where my identity is. Not every season is for PRs and fat loss, and that's okay. Coach Crystal: Yep. Yep. Nakita: And I also, I also like a big shift for me was like aesthetics chasing to focusing more on performance and health and functional training. And guess what? The physique followed and I wasn't even trying. It wasn't, it wasn't my focus, but the physique Coach Crystal: That's good. Yeah. Nakita: followed. might've taken a little bit longer, but Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: Something happens to the mindset when you start to get stronger. You Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: start to see your actual potential for actually handling stress and anxiety when, like I'm such a huge proponent for women in strength training. Like not just for the science behind it and like the. the bone health and all this, but just what it actually does for our mind. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: So yeah, I have these conversations with women, even men that I speak to on a daily basis for work, but mostly women. And it's mostly older women that are terrified to start because they don't know where to start. They see the enthusiasm that I have for it and it and I do see the excitement after talking with me. So yeah, I just. It's hard, though, because fitness is so secular. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: And there's not a lot, at least from my knowledge, there's not a lot of women in Christianity who are like who live the lifestyle. who really speak about it. It's almost like this taboo subject and I don't know why. Do you get that? Coach Crystal: Yeah. You know, So I think I shared this with you it was a few years back listening to I was going to Hope Bible Church listening to pastor Robbie Simons and I can't remember exactly what he said but All I remember is the Holy Spirit saying to me you need to pivot your business. I'm like, what do you mean by that as? in the direction that I was headed I was very much, know, are you sick and tired of feeling sick and tired? Do you want to feel better in your skinny jeans? Like that whole typical, you know, when I think about, you know, the reels that I put out there and like just the marketing that I did. And it's funny when I was doing that, because I was being coached to do that, I had a business coach. It already didn't sit right with me. Like I felt fake. And I didn't know why because I mean, I've been doing it for a long time, but that season in my life, I feel like the Holy Spirit was like, no, there's more to it than that. And being a certified life coach, the way that I was coaching the women from a secular perspective, I was like, I knew it was helping, I didn't, like, I kind of felt, but it wasn't. really helping the root I Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: Didn't know like I didn't I didn't really understand at the time because I had no idea what biblical counseling was and You know where I was in my faith walk. I was still also, you know deepening my own personal relationship with the Lord and So yeah for the longest time I and I actually was putting it out there, like, should I pivot as a 100 % kind of Christian health coach? But people were like, no, no, no, don't do it. You're going to make your audience so much smaller, and you're going to turn off. Yes. And I was Nakita: You're going to alienate yourself. Yeah. Coach Crystal: like, OK. And I listened to it. And I felt Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: like I wasn't walking into what the Lord was calling me to do, because Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: Even though, like health and fitness is important, what we're talking about right now, that foundation of having your identity in Christ and not, you know, the number on the scale Nakita: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: was, was like I was being evicted to step into that boldly. But for a long Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: time, I would say a few years, I was being advised to not do that. Nakita: Well, because life coaching, like, correct me if I'm wrong. Life coaching is more about self fulfillment, defining Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: your own truth or purpose, stepping into your highest self, which is like anti biblical. Coach Crystal: Absolutely. 1000%. And so it's funny, because I've been life coaching since 2013. as I was maturing in my faith, I started including kind of like our sin nature as I was teaching. That, Nakita: Mmm. Coach Crystal: you know, like, because I was already from opening up the word, like realizing, wait a minute, a lot of these women are depending on food for comfort and not the Lord. And I was just kind of like, already, it was already being revealed to me because I was maturing, that there was that foundation missing. And so I put my own spin on the way that I was life coaching. because I would really highlight our sin nature. would highlight, and I would, you know, as I was getting into the word more, pulling out scripture and sharing that with my women, but it was still kind of a fusion of secular life coaching where I would use, you know, NLP as an example. But I would sprinkle in Bible spirit because I was like, Nakita: Mmm. Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: Because part of me was like, I know this is not it. This is not the way. But this is Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: all I know. I'm certified in this. I went to school for this. But then I know that this is the way. This is the truth. This is how we're going to heal those struggles, because the word is sufficient. But for Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: a long time, I was kind of like blending the two, because something was like, this is not it, but this is all I know. But as I'm growing in this and learning the truth and learning that yes, everything that we need is in the Bible. The scripture is sufficient. We don't need any other modalities or you know what I mean? And so Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: that's why the Lord has said, stop what you're doing. And he shut down my business. He literally did. And now I'm in a period of educating myself, growing and slowly, he's slowly revealing to me this is how I want you to serve women. Nakita: Mm-hmm. Coach Crystal: And this is a huge part of it is connecting with sisters in Christ who have backgrounds in fitness who believe in the same core beliefs as I do because I'll admit there are a lot of fitness professionals that I know that are either not believers or maybe are Christian but are still very much influenced by the secular way of promoting themselves, marketing their businesses. And I'm like, it doesn't, there's such conflict within me now when I see those things. I can't do it anymore. I can't. Yeah. So. Nakita: Okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, like Christianity is the foundation. It's truth, identity, and purpose. Life coaching. is meant to be a tool. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: know, execution, clarity, structure. Bye. Life coaching, like, yeah, it's almost, it's almost like it gets lost in translation. Like there's no, there's no, it's either one or the other. You can't actually integrate both. Whereas like with like fitness and spiritual discipline, you can, but it's like life Coach Crystal: Yes, you can marry her. Nakita: coaching is such a secular industry. Like it's everywhere, even on social media. And there's a Coach Crystal: Yeah. Yeah. Nakita: lot of new age influence. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: in life coaching as well, right? We are all divine. Coach Crystal: Yes, we are the masters of our own universe. You know, I am, I am, Nakita: Yes, yes, Coach Crystal: I am, you know. Nakita: yes, I am affirmations. Like I've Coach Crystal: Bye. Nakita: noticed that a lot in life coaching as well. But I think like, see the difference is though is like you felt that conviction, that Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: conviction was exposed to you and you want to glorify God doing something that you absolutely have passion for. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: And so you're not necessarily stopping being a life coach. It's just now you're kind of trend, you're transitioning into, okay, you know what? I don't really care what the world says. I don't really Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: care what anyone says. I want to glorify God. I want to, Coach Crystal: in the future. Nakita: and I'm going to do what I can to do that. regardless of the circumstances, like, Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: like, let's be honest here. Okay, if Christianity made the apostles like, I think about this, I'm like, have prosperity and word of faith, like health, wealth, all of these things. But let's be honest here. Since becoming a Christian, I'm not wealthier in a material sense. Coach Crystal: Yeah. Right. Nakita: You know, the apostles, they were not wealthier. Coach Crystal: No. Nakita: in an eternal sense, we are the wealthiest people. Coach Crystal: 1000%. Nakita: And that matters more to me than what I look like. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: I don't need the approval of others because I already have the approval of my king. Coach Crystal: Yes, of the one who matters. The only Nakita: Yes, Coach Crystal: one who matters. Nakita: but that all goes back to building that solid foundation. Like it all goes back. It all goes back to that. So I don't know. You've heard of the 75 hard challenge, right? So I. Coach Crystal: Yes, I have. I will let that. Yeah. Nakita: So, don't know if you, you might have seen this on social media, but there's, I think it's an account like Fit for His Glory. And they do a 75 hard, but Coach Crystal: Yep. Nakita: it's a 75 hard Christian based, like Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: faith and fitness challenge. So it's called 75 for His Glory. And so Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: it's the same principles, but the center of it all is designed Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: to build discipline and spiritual growth and Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: a deeper, more rooted relationship with God. So like daily Bible study and prayer, physical workouts, healthy eating, there's a daily Coach Crystal: Yeah. Yes. Nakita: goal to grow spiritually and mentally and physically for the glory of God. combining something Yeah, so combining fitness, what we love, with a spiritual discipline. I think just... Like fitness, fitness is worship. Coach Crystal: Yes, agreed. Nakita: Fitness is definitely worship, but it all comes down to the heart, the position Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: of the heart, which we've talked about many, many times. Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: As we know, the fitness world is driven, it's very image driven, aesthetics, performance, self-glorification. Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Nakita: It's easy to let it consume every part of your life, especially when it comes to our jobs too, right? Coach Crystal: and then Nakita: So I think some key takeaways would be check your heart and your motives regularly. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: Like, why am I trained? Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: Is it to steward this body that God gave me? Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: Is it to be strong for the work that he has called me to do? Or am I chasing approval and attention or control? Like I used fitness for a long time as a way to escape the life that I was living. Coach Crystal: Yep. Right, right. Nakita: You know, how do I feel if I miss a workout? Does it make me anxious? Does it make me mad? You know, and Coach Crystal: Yeah. Let's go. Nakita: you brought up 1 Corinthians 10, 31 at the beginning, like so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Coach Crystal: All of it. Nakita: So, yeah, some of and to. Coach Crystal: You know what? That's actually a great question to add on to your key takeaways is ask yourself, is this glorifying God? Like, is it glorifying God or me? It's either or. Nakita: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Coach Crystal: right? But those are really good questions to almost prey on, meditate on, even journal on if you're struggling with this, especially if fitness is an idol, you know, is an idol. Nakita: Yeah. Or would I still do this if no one ever saw the results? Coach Crystal: Yeah, that's good. That's good. That's very Nakita: Like, is this something? Coach Crystal: revealing. Nakita: Yes, that is a very revealing question. Coach Crystal: Because that is going to technically highlight your motivator, right? Like, yeah, that's good. Nakita: Yeah. And is fitness adding to my life or is it controlling my life? Yeah. Coach Crystal: Yes. Yes, that's a good, those are good, good kind of reflection questions for something Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: to journal daily until they've rebuilt that foundation, right? Cause if your current Nakita: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Coach Crystal: foundation is self-driven, like you're building on sand. You really are. And like we both learned, it's not satisfying. It's not gratifying. You're always going to be continuously striving. Similar to Nakita: Okay. Coach Crystal: those that are ruled by money, you could never have enough. And that's Nakita: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Coach Crystal: a big danger too. Now I love goals. Don't get me wrong. But if they rule Nakita: I love goals. Coach Crystal: you, right? If they are just, that's life for you, hitting those Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: numbers, looking a certain way, you will never be satisfied. And Nakita: No. Coach Crystal: that's a terrible feeling, right? So that's Nakita: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Coach Crystal: good. That's really, really good. Nakita: Yeah, like what I was going back to the, know, fitness is also a worship. Like training becomes worship when your goal shifts from looking a certain way to living a certain way that honors God. That is worship. That's praise. Coach Crystal: Yes. Yes. Nakita: But another thing that like I've also had to learn from all of these years, especially being on social media is like, I also have to guard my heart against comparison and pride. Coach Crystal: 1000%. Nakita: Like the fitness world runs on comparison. Who lifts more, looks leaner, has better aesthetics. You know, this person Coach Crystal: Yes. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Nakita: and I are the same age, but I look much different than her. Of course I do. We have different body structures. so, but so also, Coach Crystal: Yeah, yeah, that's good. Nakita: so also just being in, in prayer more like praying for a heart that celebrates others without envy. Like, that's... that's hard. Coach Crystal: Yes. Well, that is, yes, without envy. Because I was guilty of that for a little while. I deleted TikTok. I deleted Instagram for a while because I was slipping down that slope. Nakita: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Coach Crystal: know, especially being in the fitness competition world, was easy Nakita: Yeah. Coach Crystal: to do that. But, you know, this is a beautiful segue for our next episode because we'll be kind of zeroing in on you know, can a fitness journey become an idol? And so we've kind of touched upon that, but I'd love to save that for Nakita: Hello. Coach Crystal: our next episode. last words about how we, like your key takeaways are amazing, but any, else that you wanted to kind of share before we close up this episode about how, as Christian women, do we approach fitness from a biblical perspective? Any other? Nakita: I just want to end with like what we've kind of touched on throughout this episode like just to set healthy boundaries like Coach Crystal: Yeah, that's good. Nakita: like take a true rest day not just Coach Crystal: Yeah. Yeah. Nakita: from the gym but from striving right like Coach Crystal: So good. Nakita: like your husband I'm just gonna call it devotions before deadlifts Coach Crystal: Yes, good. Last one. T-shirt Nikita. Nakita: Devotions before dead lists. Don't Coach Crystal: What? Nakita: let training crowd out prayer, scripture, or fellowship. And then Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: also, just having boundaries. Have limits around tracking. Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: Even just tracking food. I'm so guilty for this. It's so ingrained in me to track everything that like that. Coach Crystal: Same here. Nakita: that even as an idol too. Coach Crystal: Mm. Nakita: But yeah, have limits around tracking and progress, photos, whatever, and diet so they don't consume your thoughts. just use fitness as a ministry. Encourage other Coach Crystal: That's good. Nakita: women to build strength from a place of faith, not fear. Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: Be a light in your gym or wherever you are. Be approachable. Be kind Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: and not obsessed with yourself. Coach Crystal: That's good. Nakita: And just if someone asks you like, if anyone asks you about your fitness journey, like, don't be afraid to share how your strength and discipline comes from God. Like this, this can open up a conversation and like, I also have to have this in me too, because I can be fearful of man more than fearful of God. So. Coach Crystal: Right. Nakita: This is a way to also just evangelize to people as well. Yeah. Yeah. Coach Crystal: Gospel opportunity for sure in the gym. Yes. Nakita: And I just want to, I just think of Galatians six, four, like it's each one should test their own actions. They can take pride in themselves alone without comparing themselves to someone else. So like that's Coach Crystal: Yeah. Nakita: like, I think that's a good takeaway for just the social comparison of the fitness industry as well. Coach Crystal: Well, we're gonna, that's episode three for us, for our kvafi tsuok with Christ. Can Finnish be an idol? Our Finnish journey be an idol. We'll go a little bit deeper, but this is a really beautiful kind of like opener to that subject. I just wanna cheers you. I love you, see that? I love you. Nakita: You too. Coach Crystal: So I wanted to close off a quote from, who's this? This is Lisa Whittle. She wrote a study about the body and soul, and she just has this really cool quote about being Imago Dei, right? And the image, really being image bearers of the Lord. And she says, Imago Dei is not the size of your waist or hips. Imago Dei is not being able-bodied. Imago Dei is not bearing children. Imago Dei is not only for the young. Imago Dei is not about physical fitness or physical attractiveness. Imago Dei is not how well you can perform to prove worthiness. Imago Dei is not even the color of your eyes or skin tone, which yes, God, your creator, created you with. God created you in his image for relationship to connect with him, for, like you shared Nikita, representation to bear his image to the world and for resemblance so that we can be personally transformed in the likeness of Christ. So, Nakita: Amen. Amen. Coach Crystal: yeah, so good. I think we're breaking the barrier, Nikita. And on the next episode, I'll share with you the fitness ministry that the Holy Spirit is kind of revealing to me. It's budding, but I'd love to share that with you and I'd love for you to be a part of it. So I will reveal Nakita: Haha. Coach Crystal: that on the next episode of what that looks like. And it is similar-ish to Fit for His Glory in that I was looking at the 75 hard kind of pillars and really, but making the foundation of it is our identity in Christ. And it really encompasses everything that we talked about today to create this movement so that Christian women can live a healthy fitness, but biblically sound journey. And so, I will share that on the next episode. That means all you guys gotta return. Would Nakita: you Coach Crystal: you close us in prayer? Would that be all right? Nakita: Yeah, for sure. Okay. Father God, thank you so much for your grace and for just your presence in this conversation. I pray that this conversation would be edifying and encouraging for women who may be struggling this area in their life. Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: And I just pray that there would be clarity for them, that you would show them. And Father Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: God, I I'm just so thankful for you and for just fitness in general for giving us an outlet to be Coach Crystal: Yes. Nakita: able to just become strong and to glorify Coach Crystal: board. Nakita: you in all that we do. And I pray that we would treat it as a tool, Coach Crystal: behind. Nakita: as just a way to supplement our life, not for Coach Crystal: Mm. Nakita: it to be an idol in our life. Our identity Coach Crystal: And Nakita: is only found in you Coach Crystal: Amen. Nakita: and only you can satisfy our hearts father. So I just pray as we go about our day, as we go about the weekend, as we go about the week, that Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Nakita: if we are to go to the gym and train that we would glorify you in all that we do, that we would Coach Crystal: Amen. Nakita: praise you, that we would worship you. And yeah, I just pray that this conversation would go with us into the week that we would keep it in the back of our minds, in our hearts. And Coach Crystal: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Nakita: yeah, I just, pray that it would be edifying for all of those who are listening in Jesus' name, amen. thank you. Coach Crystal: Amen. Amen. Thank you. All right. So And I'm praying that it'll be a blessing to the listeners. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. My sister in Christ. Nakita: Thank you for having me. Coach Crystal: Until the next one. Until the next. Love you so much. God loves you more. Nakita: Yes. Bye bye. Coach Crystal: Bye!