Lyle Johnson is a personal trainer who uses Christian principles for weight loss. He is a certified fitness trainer, a workshop facilitator and owner of St. Louis-based MVP Fitness, located at 3339 N. Highway 67 Florissant.
MVP Fitness is comprehensive fitness program, including personal training, sports specific fitness training, and boot camp training. Johnson holds a personal training certification from Cooper Institute and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Grambling State University. Johnson is also the author of the book, “Get Fit 4 Christ.”
He explains how individuals can lose weight by a proper diet, exercise and along with prayer and by applying knowledge from biblical scriptures. The book title alone is not geared to self-motivation; it links to scripture-based beliefs where God can be a help even in weight loss.
In the scriptures it tells us how our bodies are important to God. He encourages his people to be a good steward over their bodies for His sake.
I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Johnson adds, “If we as God’s people can live as he pleases holy and also healthy, now wouldn’t we be all that and then some?”
The Christian trainer in his book, “Get Fit 4 Christ,” instructs his readers back to the bible to obtain biblical principles that can assist with weight lost goals. He provides the importance of goal setting. Johnson believes that having a vision is most important as the Bible scriptures indicate.
Habakkuk 2:2, “And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readth it.”
According to Johnson, “You need a vision, set a goal of how much weight you would like to use. Once you have a vision, take action, lose weight, exercise and eat right, it is not a quick fix.”
Moreover, Johnson says one must place faith into action with weight lost. One tool to get fit with Christian principles is through prayer Johnson suggests. “To accomplish these goals you have to pray.”
Johnson directs the question, “Have you asked God for your weight loss goals in your prayers? If God answers prayer and we know he does, when why wouldn’t you pray for weight loss. You can do all things through Christ that strengthens you. He can give you strength to lose weight.”
In one chapter in his book, he explains how we must have the faith and confidence to accomplish weight loss. “The word confidence means to tie into your beliefs and to tie into your foundation of what you stand for, and whom you stand in.”
Johnson illustrates the story from the bible David and Goliath, how David over came all odds on defeating the giant in his life, Goliath. “David is also known for greatest upset in the history of mankind by defeating the Philistine giant Goliath with a stone from his sling at which the Philistines ran away in terror and the Israelites celebrated one of the greatest victories ever.”
Spiritually, Johnson obtains his spiritual strength under the teaching of Reverend Michael Jones, the pastor of Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist church, where Johnson is a member.
Johnson is a single parent of three children, whose past consisted of drinking, parting, chasing women and gambling. Now he is saved and a changed man, who has a Christ-centered purpose.
Copies of Lyle Johnson’s book Get Fit 4 Christ is available through his website,www.mvpfitness.net. Contact Johnson directly at 314-831-7505 or lyle@mvpfitness.net.
Gospel scene
The Drama Ministry of Memorial Tabernacle Christian Life Center will present an urban musical drama, “Far Beyond the Clouds -The Sun Shines” at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23in the Gymnasium of Memorial Tabernacle Christian Life Center,1350 South Lafayette St. in Florissant. The event is free. Call 314-921-6825, e-mail info@mtclifecenter.org or visit www.mtclifecenter.org/.
On Monday, April 25 at 7 p.m., Union Memorial United Methodist Church, 1141 Belt Ave., will presents RUST COLLEGE CHOIR IN CONCERT. Scholarships are available. Call 314-355-0863.
