Fitness replaces religion in one particular family. A background in Catholicism has morphed into a devotion to nutrition and exercise. Among the family, one married couple is vegan and another cousin is a health coach and Paleo chef. This is the lifestyle of Lauren Napolitano’s family. She is a licensed psychologists and fitness writer who takes her physical activity seriously.

The family members consistently work to hold each other accountable in terms of overall health. Gatherings are a source of many of these conversations because a suitable food selection needs to be made for everyone. Often, several people disagree on what to eat. One may eat meat but refuses pasta, while another must have kale, as long as there is no butter in it. Additionally, making the decision to eat dessert may result in a group run come morning time.

Like on CNN’s “Crossfire”, this family will tend to debate health and fitness issues instead of religion. Instead of celebrating Hannukah like some families, they prefer to use the holidays as a time to talk safe deadlifts and the components of dairy. It begins nicely and progresses into an intense and assertive discussion. They challenge each other’s opinions and sometimes end up over-talking the other.

Religion is a set of beliefs that are accompanied by ritual practices. A belief in God may be essential to some family members but the overarching theme for this family includes finding comfort in the world. Important aspects of life include safe exercise and healthy foods such as organic kale. Whether there is room for dessert in this type of lifestyle is also up for debate.

To learn more about the fitness as religion lifestyle, visit Philly.com here.