What's Your Story: Heidi McLaughlin shares

For over 2 decades Heidi McLaughlin has been teaching women how to heal their brokenness and unleash their full potential and beauty by connecting with God. She does this through speaking across Canada at retreats and conferences – teaching Bible Studies, mentoring and writing. Her favourite part is sitting across from a woman over a freshly brewed cup of coffee and exchanging heart connection stories. Heidi and Pastor Jack McLaughlin live in the beautiful vineyards in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, and have a blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. She is the author of: Beauty Unleashed: Transforming a Woman’s Soul


Let’s read Heidi’s story…

“Where do you get all your energy?” is a question I hear quite frequently. I am always ready to give my confident response about the gorgeous benefits of staying physically fit.

I started working out by watching Charlene Prickett on her TV show “It Figures” in 1981. I saw the results of regular exercise. I had more energy, I slept better, it reduced my stress and the waistline on my pants felt more comfortable. I have been faithful in my exercise program since that time, but of course it has taken many rabbit trails as techniques, styles and equipment has changed.

When my dad had two heart attacks in the late 80’s, it was a startling awakening that made me realize how important it is to take care of our hearts, physically, emotionally and spiritually. After that dramatic event, my fitness program became more intentional in all areas of my life. In Proverbs 4:23 it says, “Above all else, (italics mine) guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.”

Who I am flows from my heart. Period. If I want my heart to be strong physically, I have to take care of it by eating right and exercising it. If I want to be a radiant, passionate Christian who loves God and wants the whole world to know it – I have to fill my heart with God’s beauty and glory. If I want to be emotionally strong – I need to clean the old, “drag me down” clutter out of my heart. Physical programs need to be simple and fun.

Three Maintenance Tips:

1. I am never on a diet. I watch what goes into my mouth (and heart) and I have been counting calories for over 30 years. This still seems to be the simplest, most productive way.
2. I hardly ever snack after supper.
3. I eat a lot of seafood, fruit and healthy cereals. I try to stay away from breads, cheeses and desserts.

Workout Schedule:

The last five years I have doing a combination of aerobic and weigh training. I am working more with weights because I need to keep my upper arms, shoulders and neck area looking strong and fit. I also love to walk 5 km – twice a week. I do this as exercise and my “walking and talking” time with God. As I walk through the gorgeous vineyards of the Kelowna Valley, I see the visible evidence of a beautiful God and it makes it so easy to walk, worship and fill my heart with all good things.

What's Your Story: Glynis Belec shares

Glynis M. Belec of Drayton, Ontario is a contented mom, proud grandmom, children's author, freelance writer and very grateful daughter of God. You can visit Glynis at her website or blog

How has God made a difference in the way you approach your commitment to health?

I have discovered that free will is a gift. I can choose to sit and whine about my cancer and all the side effects of my chemo or I can get proactive. As long as I assume the fetal position and focus on all my aches and pains I will achieve nothing other than a little sympathy and a boatload of depression. So what if I gained 25lbs because of the steroids and my induced menopause? Instead of wallowing in self pity I choose to use my energy to do something about it.

I love my stepper (my sweet daddy bought it for me a long time ago for $4 from a yard sale!) I try to do 200 steps every morning and then follow that up with 100 sit-ups using my lovely green exercise ball. Sometimes I feel like I am getting nowhere and then God steps in and whispers..."I promised to never leave you comfortless...stick with Me and I will help you through this mess." I believe Him and cling to His promises.

I don't know if my cancer is gone, but I think my negative attitude is out the window. I intend to lead a healthier life and make good choices, because I have been reminded that my body is my temple. That means I have a responsibility. I choose to rise above adversity and kick cancer in the butt. Maybe that's not a very lady-like way of dealing with my situation, but I love life a little too much to curl up and be consumed.

My physiotherapist told me last week that our bodies are intended for movement. I can't get that out of my head. So I will move. I will do my exercises. I will try my best to be healthy and be aware of what I consume. I have a sweet tooth so I have to consciously turn away from temptation and make wiser choices about diet. Self control, a fruit of the Spirit, will guide me and prod me into following the will of God. That is what life is all about. Thy will be done, not mine...


Three maintenance tips:

1. Be consistent in exercising the mind and body

2. Know that when you do good you feel good and when you feel good you shine your light in a way that glorifies God.

3. Healthy choices result in peace of mind and quality of life.

Workout Schedule:

1. 100 situps first thing in the morning make me 'sit up' and realize God's plan for my day

2. 200 steps helps me understand how I need to 'step up to the plate' and make a difference today.

3. Walking to my mailbox, which somedays, seems an eternity, invigorates me and helps me to appreciate the purpose of muscle groups and bone structure. How too often we take these things for granted.

Favourite Scripture Verse:

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God..."

What's Your Story

What’s Your Story?

... a new series featuring women who tell us how God has made a difference in their commitment to health.

Each story will feature 3 maintenance tips, workout schedule, and favourite scripture verse. Be inspired!

Let’s start with my story:

I was never extremely overweight, however, I was very conscious of my mid-section and even as a child I remember holding in my stomach as I walked around. My obsession with my weight began in grade 10 when I gained over 30 pounds within the year. I started to experiment with weight reduction pills and laxatives. Always on a diet, I would eat as little as one muffin in a day. I kept trying to find the “quick fix”.

As a child, I had participated a little in soccer and softball, but in high school I didn’t fit in with the jocks and didn’t consider myself to be an athlete, so I stayed away from organized sports.

In University, I drank over 10 Coca-Colas per day, smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, and ate canned ravioli, chicken wieners and dill pickle chips. I had extremely low energy and continued to gain weight.

It was not until I became pregnant with my first child that I decided to make a lifestyle change. I stopped smoking (went cold-turkey) and started reading up on health and fitness issues. I wanted my baby to be healthy and so I started to eat more vegetables and more regular meals. I became a “grazer” eating every 2 to 3 hours and I found this worked very well for me.

With my new interest in health and fitness, I started to volunteer at the local YMCA and certified as a Weight Training Instructor to better serve members in the weight room.

After my daughter was born, I started a brisk walking regime to return to my pre-pregnancy weight. I found it wonderful to get out in the fresh air and enjoy the outdoors. The added bonus was that my daughter loved it too.

I enjoyed my new-found energy so much that I took it one step further and certified as a Fitness Instructor. I taught body sculpting and low-impact aerobics and loved leading a pre- and post-natal exercise class.

When my daughter was old enough to start solids, I decided to make my own baby food, and so learned about the joys of vegetables and fruits. I started to use variety in my diet, and tried not to eat the same food within a four-day span. I focused on eating pasta, brown rice, and potatoes with fish, low-fat meats, and poultry and always a generous portion of mixed vegetables. During the day, I snacked on fruit, figs and low-fat muffins, and didn’t eat anything after 8:00 p.m.

My interest in the health field continued to grow, and so when I was pregnant with my second child, I certified as a Personal Trainer.

My health is a high priority for me now, especially because it reflects on my two children who have been the inspiration for my complete turnaround.

However, in my early 30’s God spoke into my heart. He showed me how I compartmentalized my life – family here, work there, finances here, health there, and faith here. God wanted me to include Him in everything, even the small things such as losing five pounds.

So I began a partnership with God and each morning I started my day with a prayer.
Dear God – I pray that You instill in me a responsibility to care for my body, to nourish and sustain it.
Dear Lord – I pray that You will remind me each day that You are at work within me and around me.

I spent time reading my Bible and seeking out scripture truths about God’s character

And I ended my day with a journal entry. “Last night, after the children were asleep, feelings of hunger overwhelmed me. Instead, I prayed to God to take the desire for late night snacking away. I then brushed my teeth, washed my face, put on my pajamas and by the time I turned on the television, my desire had subsided. I was honestly surprised how easily I forgot about my apparent hunger.”

I realize now that you don’t have to be an athlete to be healthy, and if you just incorporate small changes into your daily routine you can change your life. I no longer believe in dieting and feel that the key to a healthy life is moderation in a diet and exercise program. I believe that prayer, Bible study and journal writing are to my spirit what exercise, healthy eating and stretching are to my body.

Maintenance Tips:
1. Commit to trying new activities with each changing season.
2. Include God in everything you do, starting the moment you open your eyes.
3. Indulge your sweet tooth with low fat choices such as raisins, tootsie rolls or licorice.

Workout Schedule:
Brisk Walking: 45 minutes, daily
Strength Training: 30 minutes, 1-3 times per week
Hiking, bicycling, rollerblading: weekends

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect (2 Samuel 22:33)