Ron Kardashian: How to Get in Shape God's Way

So many guys looking to get in shape end up falling into the same old pattern: lose weight, gain it back, rinse, repeat. Ron Kardashian wants to change that. Ron is a professional trainer who believes the secret to success is getting God involved in our health. We talked with Ron about his new book, Getting in Shape God's Way—both a stand-alone fitness plan and a support book for other fitness plans or diets out there. He's an energetic and inspiring guy, and we hope you enjoy the interview.

New Man: What makes Getting in Shape God's Way different from other fitness or diet books out there?

Kardashian: Getting in Shape God's Way is a "life balance" book—it doesn't just deal with the exterior; it also deals with the interior. It came out of a silent cry to God that I had years ago. I was training people, even working with professional athletes. But I finally realized—what good is it if you can get big biceps and a ripped stomach and do nothing for your soul? I thought, What kind of health am I advocating? That's why we named the book Getting in Shape God's Way instead of Getting in Shape Ron's Way.

To get in shape in any kind of magnitude, you have to ask yourself, "Why?" Why do I want to get in shape? When you have that, then you can find the "how." Everyone tries to get to the "how" first. How do I lose weight? How do I lower my blood pressure? How do I get off this medication? Getting in Shape God's Way is first of all a "why" book, and then it moves into the "how."

God has great things in store for you, and getting healthy is one of His main gifts. Boy, have we overlooked the power of God's vision in regards to our health.

New Man: What kind of results have you had with clients who have used this plan?

Kardashian: When it comes to your body, this book yields results. We've had clients lose up to 30 pounds in six weeks. I had a client who lost over 100 pounds. I had a client who didn't have a will to live, and now he does. God has restored him. I had a client who successfully got off his diabetes medication. What it does is give God a portal to get involved in our health. We want God to be involved in all aspects of our life, from finances to work to relationships. This book gets Him involved in our health.

New Man: Your plan is centered around the four keys that will make any fitness plan work. Could you talk about those a little bit?

Kardashian: The keys to getting in shape God's way were learned in the crucible of personal suffering—mine. Through years of my own personal health struggles as a child and as a youth I began to pursue answers to make me a perfectly fit person. I needed a complete lifestyle transformation.

As I searched for the answers I needed, God gave me four simple keys that I call "neglected secrets" to making everything else—proper nutrition, exercise and other healthy principles—really work. That is why I can attest to their effectiveness in transforming a life that was bent on self-destructive behavior into a life that is purposeful, happy and, most of all, healthy. The first client to prove to me that getting in shape God's way works was me.

Since I have become a personal trainer, I have spent thousands of hours with clients over the past decade, sharing the four keys that changed my life. They are: revelation: letting go of the lies, and invading your spirit with the real; declaration: speaking the right words to influence your mind, volition and emotions; application: infusing healthy activities for your whole person; manifestation: increasing your quality of life—spirit, body and soul.

New Man: Can you share a little more of your personal story with us?

Kardashian: I was a young man who was raised Catholic, so I had God in my head but not in my heart. I had a very capricious view of God. I thought God was walking around with a bat ready to hit me upside my head if I messed up. So I would run from Him. As a result, I got involved in drug use, alcoholism, womanizing and just doing all the things that boys do. Then, at 22, I literally had an encounter with Christ. I cried out to God, and instantly the whole room flooded to light, and I was touched by the Holy Spirit in a radical way.

What I think is important to understand is that while the inside of me had been touched, the outside had a long way to go. I didn't have an epiphany [about my health]. It took a long time. Everyone seems to be focused on the product, but they often neglect the process. God is into processes. He wants to transform us, not control us.

New Man: A lot of guys get on a diet or fitness plan, get in shape, and then fall back into old habits. How does your plan help us avoid that?

Kardashian: Getting in Shape God's Way is goal-oriented. You'll get results from the first step. That result is coming from that fact that you know it's God's will for you to be healthy and fit. A lot of men move into a fitness plan already defeated. They had buddies who found success losing weight and then gained it right back. You have to get fit from the inside—mentally—first. This is why Paul said you have to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

My plan helps you to fight the battle in your mind that says you can't do it. The truth is, you can. The word "transformation" comes from the root word "metamorphosis." Once that caterpillar becomes a butterfly, he's not going to become a caterpillar again. Getting in Shape God's Way is designed to move you from failure to victory, but you have to be willing to submit to the process. You have to be coachable and humble.

To purchase Getting in Shape God's Way, click here. You can also dial Ron's motivational hotline at (323) 622-8565 or send an e-mail to him at results@gettinginshapegodsway.com for support.