Charlaine Martin is the owner of Be Totally Fit for Life. She loves to help individuals and groups glorify God through stewardship of the bodies in her Healthy Lifestyles program. Her commitment to health and Christian wellness comes as she pursues God through her own unique health journey. I met this resilient lady over ten years ago and was so impressed that I joined several of her healthy living groups online. I've been encouraged seeing God's handiwork through Char and the ministry to which He's called her.
Welcome to the Extraordinary Ordinary blog, Charlaine, where regular folks like you and me share their extraordinary adventures!
Q) Char, how has your own personal health adventure guided you into your healthy living work?
First, thank you for inviting me to share Healthy Lifestyles with your followers! I had no idea my fitness career would take me this way, but God had a better plan than I did. I had no idea that I would find myself living with fibromyalgia, mixed collagen vascular disease, celiac disease, and multiple allergies. When I first began teaching water exercise and Arthritis Foundation exercise classes for seniors with various issues, God was setting a foundation for Be Totally Fit for Life's healthy lifestyles program.
As my health changed, I had to apply the same principles of personal stewardship to my life. My body is not my own, it was bought at a price through Christ. In order to honor God in autoimmunity, I eat healthy, low-inflammatory foods, practice low-impact exercise, and work with my healthcare providers to serve God, my family, and my community. I teach others how to put personal stewardship principles into practices they can incorporate into their own lives. Ephesians 2:10 guides us in the Healthy Lifestyles groups.
Q) What main hurdle did you encounter along the way and what was the outcome?
Wow! God showed me that everything I have and whatever I do comes from Him. I had to yield my will to His when I found myself with so many limitations. Every breath, every step, and literally everything comes from God. I am not my own! I had to grieve losses of everything I loved about being physically capable of doing—things like Russian-style kettlebells, functional training, and HIIT exercise. I had to let it go. The ability to do those things with ease and grace all came from God.
Now I swim, do water exercise, modified bodyweight exercise, and cycling for shorter distances. I've adjusted my eating patterns to include gluten-free, allergy-friendly food options with more organics. If I didn't, I would do so much damage to my body. I've discovered that by being a part of disease-specific groups, I function considerably better than most. I'm allowing God to lead me in these healthy choices so I can write and be part of ministries at church while caring for family and friends.
About three years ago, I'd taught PraiseMoves, the Christian alternative to Yoga and wondered if there were any alternatives to Tai Chi out there. I found one, but it came from Tai Chi itself and some of what was practiced still had Eastern religious roots. There wasn't much out there, so I started playing around with what is now ChiRho Flow.
Last year, I realized I needed to start teaching it online. There are several class members. Unfortunately, my health conditions sometimes cause me to cancel classes occasionally. Right now, classes are on hold while my doctors and I chase down some cardiac symptoms that are connected with autoimmune issues. Thankfully, I've been doing classes on YouTube so that class members can go back through past workouts. My plan and prayerfully God's plan is to begin certifying instructors so ChiRho Flow's future isn't dependent solely on me.
Q) How do you work with churches along with individuals?
Churches can contact me to set up Healthy Lifestyles programs and ChiRho Flow classes via an online forum. I can also train leaders from within their churches to lead and guide them. They can email me to start that conversation. (See links at the end.)
Individuals will usually see posts on social media announcing groups, classes and coaching for Healthy Lifestyles. They can fill out a form at my website if interested and they can make special requests regarding totally healthy living and Christian wellness. I will be offering my Adventures with God, using my new Christian Wellness Journal in April on Facebook, in a unique closed group with videos and discussions that groups members can access at times convenient for them.
Q) Who influenced you the most in your healthy lifestyles journey?
Honestly, there is not just one individual. I've gained inspiration from gym members, clients, class members, supervisors, and colleagues. One man stands out, though. He was in his late 70s and had gone into cardiac arrest. Paramedics revived him, and he spent quite a while in the hospital. When his doctor released him to exercise at the gym, I welcomed him back when I saw him. He told me, "It's such a privilege to be here! Not everyone can say that."
Q) I noticed you were one of the presenters in the Healthy Living Summit this year—how did that turn out?
I'm privileged to teach a workshop at the Healthy Living Summit with some fantastic, talented Christian women this second year! Last year went really well. Participants loved my practical tips for making healthy food swaps and integrating exercise into their daily routines. I have 45 women in my workshop this time.
For this year, I felt God nudge me to teach about Christian Wellness because so many Christian women are beaten down in life. Many have unknowingly integrated New Age practices without realizing these draw them away from God rather than closer. I've received glowing feedback from those who have hear my message. Women can still participate by watching the recorded sessions for several weeks afterwards, but there is a fee since the Summit has ended. Here's the link.
Q) How has your health and wellness ministry changed since I've been involved?
Good question! I backed off for awhile because I burned out with it. But I have shifted more toward proactive agers taking care of their health, to do more for longer. I help them consider their health conditions when they are frustrated with weight loss and redirect their focus to healthy living. The ministry aspect is woven throughout. I find myself helping them recognize the false promises of the New Age movement and putting Jesus back at the center of their lives.
I've also changed the way I work with groups. Healthy Lifestyles did well for a lot of people, but it became outdated. I do updates for churches that continue to use this program. Currently, I'm inviting people to use the Christian Wellness Journal I created. We work from what they already know, but more emphasis is on integrating classical Christian disciplines. They still work on goals, make healthy swaps and find ways to work in fitness. People are gathering now for it starting April 2nd.
Q) What's one surprising thing about you?
Hmmm. I think it is that I'm a nerd. Most health and fitness pros were the cheerleaders, athletes, and social butterflies. Certainly, I've been a martial artist since 1996 and a swimmer since 2000, but these are individual sports which works for a nerd like me. Because of the traits that go with nerdiness, I look at individuals' needs to help them from an analytical perspective as I help them solve problems and create solutions. I'm also not one to follow the crowd, so I assist people to look outside the box and connect with God at a deeper level.
Thank you for reading the EO blog, finding the EXTRA in the ordinary. Please contact Charlaine Martin on her website or on social media.
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzWs2-S1nqsZh-kyFlFH5aQ
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/betotallyfitforlife/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlainemartin84/?hl=en
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/charlainmartin/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlaine-Martin/author/B08YRVPSMS?ref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
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