The Eden Diet Visits with Christian Fitness Expert Laurette Willis

Dr. Rita: "This month, it's with great pleasure that I introduce a wonderful Christian lady and fellow Oklahoman, Laurette Willis. Laurette is the founder of PraiseMoves, which is the Christian alternative to yoga. She is also the host of the PraiseMoves Fitness Show on CNL-TV as well as the PraiseMovesKids TV show, the first faith and fitness show for children, which airs on TBN's Smile of a Child network on Thursdays at 2:30 p.m. Central time. After yoga opened the door to a 22-year involvement in the New Age movement, Laurette broke free from Eastern religion in her late 20s and since then has committed her life to serving Christ. A professional actor, video producer and author with Harvest House Publishers, she oversees the PraiseMoves Fitness Ministry and Certified PraiseMoves Instructors on four continents.

Welcome, Laurette! It's such a pleasure and honor to have you as a guest!

Laurette: Thank you, Rita! I'm honored you asked me to visit with you.

Dr. Rita: Before we talk about your experience with traditional, Eastern-based yoga, let's talk about the health benefits of those moves (barring any religious issues that might be involved). In my opinion, those movements are excellent for the body. I have personally benefitted and I recommend those moves to my patients. Can you elaborate on why stretching exercises are good? What do they accomplish?

Laurette: The stretching and strengthening exercises we do in PraiseMoves improve flexibility, promote better circulation and posture, improve balance, coordination and agility, and reduce the risk of injury.

PraiseMoves incorporates gentle, deep diaphragmatic breathing and full-body stretching which help reduce stress and tensions. Blood pressure and resting heart rate can drop significantly after stretching regularly. This in turn reduces one's risk of cardiovascular disease.

This also assists weight loss by enabling us to do better during other forms of exercise such as walking, cycling and strength training. Increased flexibility improves our ability to exercise with more energy, burn more calories, and lose weight (we like that!!!).

Dr. Rita: Agreed! Now, even though those yoga-style movements are wonderful for the body, I understand you take issue with the Eastern spirituality in which yoga is rooted. Can you tell us about your personal experience with that form of spirituality?

Laurette: Yes, certainly. Many do not realize that yoga is a part of the Hindu religion. The postures in yoga are actually offerings to the 330 million Hindu gods (yikes!). For me, when my mother and I became involved in yoga when I was a child, it was an open door to Eastern mysticism and the New Age movement for the next 22 years until I became a follower of Jesus Christ.

Several prominent Hindu scholars consider yoga to be the "missionary arm" of their faith, and it has made serious inroads into our culture since many think yoga is "just exercise." How can an exercise system possibly draw one away from Christ? Speaking as someone who taught yoga and was a student of it for 22 years, I can attest to the fact that its practice is quite deceptive.

I have an article that goes into greater depth which your readers may find interesting. It's available on our PraiseMoves website as a downloadable file they can print off and share with others, if they'd like - at http://praisemoves.com/calt

Dr. Rita: I agree that the Eastern spirituality in yoga could be dangerous for many people, but it's probably not dangerous for all people. In my case, I can easily filter out the "spiritual" language and just hear the nuts and bolts instructions about what I'm supposed to do. However, I just honestly find it annoying when the instructor says things like "reach your fingertips to eternity." If I hear any spiritual language, I want to hear about Jesus, not the "Universe." On that note, tell us what makes PraiseMoves different from yoga?

Laurette: PraiseMoves is called "The Christian Alternative to yoga" for an interesting reason. I'm careful to tell people it's not "Christian yoga," which I consider an oxymoron, or contradiction in terms. It would be like the person who calls herself a "Christian Buddhist" or a "Christian Hindu." I think we'd just call them confused!

The foundation to PraiseMoves is the Word of God - scriptures from the Bible which we meditate upon or speak aloud while doing these wonderful stretching postures. I like to say that the exercise in PraiseMoves is the "witty invention" to get us more into the Word and to get more of the Word into us!

For example, in The Angel posture, we meditate upon Psalm 91:11, "He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you safe in all your ways." In this way, we are building strength and flexibility in our bodies, renewing our minds on the Word of God, feeding our spirits and praising the Lord as we grow in our relationship with Him.

It's a fitness program for spirit, soul and body-and we've received numerous positive testimonies as a result. God is gracious-and it's His Word that makes all the difference!

Dr. Rita: Your videos certainly help me! They're a great workout for my physical body, they're great stress-relievers, and they help me reconnect with God. Plus, I love how you emphasize safety, you give alternatives for beginners, and you're so clear in your instructions that I don't even have to watch you to know what I'm supposed to do next!

Laurette: I'm grateful-grateful, Rita! It's amazing to me that the Lord could use someone like myself - who was messed up and miserable for so many years. He's taken something that was a negative in my life and turned it into something positive to help others. Now that's a true case of the Lord giving us "beauty for ashes" (Isaiah 61:3)!

Dr. Rita: Paul said in 1Corinthians 10:31, "Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it to the glory of God." So, that means exercise to the glory of God. I love that you've provided a means for people to do that.

Can you tell the ladies how to find your website and your TV show in case they want to try one of your PraiseMoves videos?

Laurette: Yes, certainly! They may go to our website http://praisemoves.com. There they can see video excerpts, subscribe to our free FitNews, get a free copy of our Fit Favorites Devotional. We also offer more free fitness tips at http://fitnessforhiswitness.com ("Fitness for His Witness" is our radio ministry).

At PraiseMoves.com they can find PraiseMoves classes offered in their area, and learn how to bring this Christ-centered alternative to yoga to their community.

I'd like to leave your readers with the foundation scripture to PraiseMoves from 1 Corinthians 6:20, "For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

Thank you, Rita, for allowing me to share my heart with your readers.

Dr. Rita: Thank you so much for joining us and for telling us about your exercise ministry.

Don't miss Laurette's 8/31/10 Christian fitness teleseminar at: ChristianFitnessTeleseminar.com.

Even if you can't make the call, you will get the free, 54-page Christian fitness ebook program and an audio copy of the teleseminar just for visiting her website.