This month, please join me in welcoming our special guest, a committed follower of Christ and a thirty year Christian fitness expert, Laura Monica. Laura is certified Health Fitness Specialist and an advanced personal trainer, certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. She is also a Group Exercise Instructor with the Aerobics & Fitness Association of America and the American Counsel on Exercise and is a Gold Certified Personal Trainer with the International Dance Exercise Association. To top it off, at age 50, Laura became a black belt in Karate! Laura is the founder of Houston-based WholyFit™ a non-profit ministry of Fitness Pros for Christ, Inc. Laura functions as a trainer of the trainers, certifying new WholyFit instructors in order to equip churches and gyms with Christian fitness programs. Laura personally shepherds over 100 certified WholyFit instructors worldwide and ministers twice weekly to the general public through WHOLYFIT LIVE online classes and through WHOLYFIT TV weekly e-newsletters / e-videos.
Dr. Rita:
Welcome, Laura!
Laura:
Hi Rita. Thanks for interviewing me! Let me start by saying that I am applying the Eden Diet personally and using your CDs during the relaxation period at the end of my classes!
Dr. Rita:
That's awesome. I personally have benefitted from using your material, as well. Okay, are you ready for question number one? Please help my readers understand the nature, history, and mission of your WholyFit exercise ministry, so they can become familiar with your wondeful work.
Laura:
My ministry offers two main types of Christian mind-body exercise: WholyFit, a Christian replacement of yoga, and SlowFlo which is a Christian replacement of Tai Chi. Being that you're a rehabilitation doctor, I'm sure you know how wonderful those movements are for physical health. But you also know that balanced health and healing involve more than just physical health. It's better to have wholeness, holiness, and fitness all together! WholyFit™ Ministries came about in my own search for a way to make that happen. WholyFit turns your workout into a Bible study in motion, and for that reason is a wonderful way to heal through God's goodness!
Dr. Rita:
Absolutely! I want to hear more about those types of exercise in a minute. But, first, please tell us how you were led into this ministry. Have you always been Christian?
Laura:
I grew up in a church going family, believed in God, but never heard about Jesus until I was a teen. A new pastor came to our church and his face seemed to shine with what I now know is the light of Christ. He explained what he called "The Gospel in a Nutshell", that Jesus died for all my sins - past, present and future - in order to bring me to God. I accepted Jesus and have enjoyed a personal relationship with God ever since. My relationship with Jesus helped me to slowly but surely recover from asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Epstein-Barr Virus infection, clinical depression, fear and debilitating anxiety.
Dr. Rita:
How do yoga and Tai Chi fit into your testimony?
Laura:
At one point in my search to heal from chronic illness, I mistakenly sought out (and even taught) yoga and Tai Chi. When I pursued formal certification, I learned that the Yoga Alliance does not allow teachers to be registered unless they study yoga scriptures and actually practice traditional mantras, chanting and kriyas in a dedicated yoga environment. I felt this infringed on my freedom of religion. Finally, when we were given prayer cards and instructed to chant in Sanskrit to "give your soul completely to Shiva" during yoga teacher training, I rejected both yoga and Tai Chi for good. From then on, I dedicated my time and energy to developing new, therapeutic, mind-body corrective exercise systems so that other fitness professionals would not have to compromise their Christian faith.
Dr. Rita:
Please tell my readers more about your SlowFlo system!
Laura:
SlowFlo is the first-ever Christian alternative to Tai Chi! It provides all the medically proven benefits of Tai Chi, but is presented from a Biblical point of view, embracing that Jesus is the only Way to God (John 14:6). SlowFlo's physical benefits are too many to list: it oxygenates the body, burns calories, improves flexibility, stability, grace and strength, tones muscles, improves balance, increases energy, helps people sleep better and so much more. But the best part of SlowFlo is that it is mentally, emotionally and spiritually healing. The exerciser focuses on the power and wonder of God through affirmations of praise performed in American Sign Language. As someone who has suffered from chronic illness and clinical depression, I know that the Prince of Peace always has the best stress management strategies!
Dr. Rita:
Yes He does! Could you now tell us which of your DVDs are best for beginners and which are best for the more advanced exerciser?
Laura:
The SlowFlo (Tai Chi-like DVD) is great for beginners and for those with special needs like chronic illness due to asthma, MS, arthritis, etc... It's also great to use on days when you have low energy or just feel like you need a change of pace and vertical worship time with Jesus. My WholyFit Basics (yoga-like) DVD is great for anyone who wants a gentle workout. The WholyFit Intermediate DVD, my personal favorite, is worship-focused and targeted toward those who have already developed a general fitness base. The WholyFit Multi-level DVD is the one to suggest to power yoga enthusiasts whom you want to introduce to the more Biblical concept of Devotional Exercise instead of Yoga. This DVD is a really intense, athletic workout and has surprised us by becoming a best seller on Amazon.com for years. My teenage daughter thinks it's harder than some of the more faddish secular fitness DVDs on the market today!
Dr. Rita:
What other thoughts would you like to pass on to my readers?
Laura:
Apply the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) to exercise by practicing gentleness, faithfulness and patience. Work out just 10 minutes each morning for 4 months. Then go to 10 minutes each morning and evening for 1 month. Then progress to 20 minutes, 3 times per week. And here's a great tip for learning SlowFlo: start part one in a seated position until you learn the hand movements. Then practice the legs only from standing position till you learn the stances. Then, put the hand and leg parts together!
Dr. Rita:
Thank you so much, Laura, for your ministry! And thanks for offering great discounts, tips, and perks to Eden Dieters. (Eden Dieters: see below to find out what Laura is offering you!). I know you are a small company and you don't advertise at all, so I pray that this interview will be a good opportunity to let people know about your excellent healing resources.
Laura:
God bless you Rita, and your readers! May God Himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole and keep you fit - body, soul and spirit- for the return of Our Master, Jesus Christ.
Dr. Rita:
Amen! You too!
Thanks again!
