Keith Brister — senior pastor, Duncanville, Texas

Become a “whole health” role model. Keith Brister, senior pastor at Duncanville’s First Baptist Church, began jogging 18 years ago with his first pastorate. His goal was to model whole health to his churches by managing his weight and stress levels.

Over the years, he has run 10-15 miles a week, participated in one marathon and logged 6,000 miles. Brister keeps a journal of every mile he runs and marks them on a Texas state highway map with a yellow highlighter. He says tracking his progress keeps him motivated.

Aaron Franklin — worship pastor, Austin, Texas

Make regular activity a normal part of the day. Aaron Franklin, worship pastor of Anderson Mill Baptist church, lost 15 pounds in only two months with his new regimen:

• Walk to locations within one or two miles.
• Racquetball for one hour at least three times a week.
• Reduce — and try to eliminate — caffeinated beverages.
• Eat smaller portions, even when eating out.
• Eliminate after-dinner snacks.

Ira Pinkston — worship pastor, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Replace body fat with muscle. Ira Pinkston, worship pastor at Del Norte Baptist Church, began weight training in 2008. He says he has reduced his body fat from 29% to 19% and has replaced it with lean muscle mass. His secret is a combination of weight training and aerobic exercise.

“I feel great. My body image has improved, and I didn’t die when I hiked dozens of miles through the Nicaraguan mountains this past week. A year ago, I would not have made it through the first day.”

Change cooking styles. Clyde DeLoach, retired minister of music from Irving, Texas, and his wife Beca began using a microwave steamer to prepare vegetables and fish to reduce their fat intake.

Ka Riley — Dallas Baptist University

Don’t give up. Ka Riley, who works at Dallas Baptist University, says she focuses on portion control and exercise to reach her weight-loss goals. The challenge is to stay motivated. For her, it helps to be in an environment where health and wellness are encouraged.

To help herself stay on track, Riley wrote this prayer:

Dr. Barry McCarty, chief parliamentarian for the Southern Baptist Convention

Understand fitness as your spiritual offering to God. Dr. Barry McCarty, chief parliamentarian for the Southern Baptist Convention for more than 20 years, believes physical health is as important as spiritual health for every believer. McCarty, who was an amateur national black belt karate champion in college, has regained fitness in recent years through long-distance cycling. He competes in 100-mile bicycle marathons and says he is in better shape now than he was in his late 20s and 30s.

His tip? Find a partner. He says that one of the best ways to stay motivated in any fitness program is to have one or more training partners. “When one of us ‘hits the wall,’ the other is right there to keep him going.”