GR8TR

What Happens When You Stop Drinking Alcohol?

This is NOT an article about not drinking for two years, or about substance abuse. I am writing this based on personal experience of developing a bad habit of drinking too frequently in the afternoons and evenings, even though it did not appear to have a negative impact because I was not getting drunk.

There is a large group of people out where who are casual drinkers, who probably drink more frequently than they intended. I, for one, thought a glass or two of wine daily was good for me, years ago when I started the habit. Of course, that usually turned into 3-5 glasses in an evening.

Over the last year, I have stopped entirely for a few weeks and then gone back to drinking again, several times. This has given me a real insight into the positive outcomes of cutting way back on alcohol. I have good data because I wear a fitness tracker and pay attention to the data. I also run a business and am acutely aware of productivity. Not just butt in seat time, but actually getting shit done.

One important point about this is that one day, either drinking or stopping drinking, is just a blip with little effect. What I mean by that is the positive effects I list below get stronger the longer you do not drink, and if one day you have a couple of drinks, but do not “start back up” drinking regularly, you are not going to lose all the progress you make. This article is about changing your trend of drinking from regularly to rarely, and these effects will show themselves over time.

Productivity

When drinking regularly, I would never work at night unless there was a client emergency. In fact, sometimes I would have a drink at 3 or 4 and really not do much but read the news in the afternoon. One I stopped drinking for more than a week, I actually got rather bored in the afternoons and became much more productive. When working on projects I enjoyed, I would even work late into the evening because I liked the work, I was focused, and I was making money. This added thousands of dollars to my revenue per month and I became better at getting things done and learning new things.

Weight Loss

As someone who is not in their 20’s anymore, losing weight and keeping weight off is more difficult. I would say I eat extremely healthy compared to average, but alcohol leads to eating more other carbs, and that leads to steady weight gain and difficulty losing it again. The best example is recently I went on a slow-carb diet where I cut out obvious carbs. I know I can lose weight very steadily on this diet, as I have done it before. In the first couple of days, not drinking, I lost nearly 6lb. Then a negative experience with someone gave me an excuse to have a drink, which led to 4 days of drinking wine again steadily. Even though the diet remained perfect, I gained 2lb during that time. The only difference was the wine, and it was not excessive. Three days of cutting out the wine resulted in another 5lb of weight loss. Especially if you are a little older, you simply cannot lose weight while drinking alcohol.

Better Sleep

This should come as no surprise to anyone, but on average, you sleep better when you are not drinking regularly. There are other factors like exercise, but alcohol does affect sleep, and sleep is critical to your health and wellbeing. What I found is that actually, drinking can help you fall asleep faster in the evening, but the issue is that you get a lower quality of sleep and for me, I frequently woke up at 3 AM not feeling great, and at that point, I would have trouble going back to sleep. This often resulted in only 5 hours of sleep or less overall. Not drinking would result in about 6.5 hours of sleep or better. This is tracked in the smart device I wear and is based on data, not my personal opinion.

Exercise

For years, I rarely miss a day of getting a good 4-mile walk in, at a minimum. While not intense, I prefer the low impact regularity of it, and I play tennis and am active in other things as well. While drinking I did do all these things. But by not drinking I did them better. It basically came down to feeling better and simply skipping fewer days, because I didn’t have the excuse of feeling sore or crappy. The net might only be 10% more exercise when not drinking, but 10% more exercise over a year adds up to a lot more fitness activity.

Savings

People that go out and drink spend a lot per month. Over time, I really started just drinking to relax at home, which resulted in my only spending $200 to $300 a month on alcohol. While not outrageous, that is over $3,000 a year which could have been invested, used to fix up something in the house, or reduce high-interest debt. It is not a game-changer, but should not be ignored either. Once I stopped spending money on alcohol, I felt a little freer to splurge on things for myself and my family, because I knew I was saving all that money.

Heart Rate

One interesting data point to keep an eye on when you drink is your resting heart rate. This was the most obvious change that occurred right away. The resting heart rate reduction and increase would happen the very next day when I would start drinking or stop drinking. Typically, I was in the Good range anyway because I exercise and eat well. However, there was a range from 65 to 80 and the single thing that made the biggest impact was alcohol. Drinking would result in a cumulative 2 point a day increase of about 10 total points if I drink 5 days straight. Not drinking would result in a loss of 1 – 2 points per day. High 70’s when I drink, mid 60’s when I do not. Why is this important? Less stress on your heart, and it is probably one of the reasons you also sleep better. I am no doctor, but this is an obvious data point that you can see very easily.

Gain Time

When you start drinking in the afternoon, you tend to relax and chill. Occasionally this is great. But if you are doing this multiple times per week, you are probably feeling like you cannot get stuff done. The reality is the afternoons seem boring when you stop drinking, at first, because you are still alert and have energy. Over time you will start getting more done at this time and it will seem like your day has many more hours to achieve your goals and get tasks done.

Better Habits

Making positive changes is difficult no matter what. When you are drinking alcohol regularly, you are less likely to make a positive change or develop new good habits. The fact is, in the evenings your willpower will go down due to drinking. When your willpower goes down, you start making excuses in your head to do something you are trying not to do (eat sweets) or not do something you are trying to do (go to the gym). If you want to develop good habits, try doing them one at a time and start with reducing your drinking to special occasions or one specific day a week, at most. Then when you add more habits you want to develop, you won’t let alcohol sabotage the effort.

Tips to Reduce Drinking

Substitute Other Liquids – I find I am accustomed to having a beverage and sipping it. When I keep a glass of water, unsweetened decaf iced tea, or decaf hot tea with me in the evenings it really reduces my urge to drink alcohol.
Don’t Keep It In The House – This way when you have a bad day, and really want a drink, you have to go out and buy it. This won’t stop you all the time, but sometimes it will.
Change Habits with Friends – One friend of mine always wanted to go out for drinks. I started to offer to meet him for breakfast instead, and while we are still friends, we see each other a lot less because he was more interested in a drinking buddy and not as interested in getting together often.
Avoid Labels – Whether you are an Alcoholic, a Social Drinker, an Abuser of Alcohol, a Weekend Binge Drinker, or you just drink to relax is not really the point. The point is you have to be clear you would like to make a change and stick to a reduction or elimination of alcohol.
Track progress – I found an app called LESS – Alcohol Tracker that is very light, no groups, and does not sell anything. It just tracks your days without drinking to encourage you to keep streaks up.
Don’t let a drink trick you – When you have one drink, realize your mind will start saying “You already had one, might as well have another…” and the same might go from one day to the next, with reasoning like “You already messed up the week, might as well enjoy it and drink again today.” Or you might even just hear that little voice in your head “…it’s Thursday night…it’s Friday… it’s Saturday … I just mowed the lawn and it is so hot… “ Practice shutting down those excuses your head makes because it is trying to trick you into having “one more drink.”
Seek Treatment – if you are struggling to make a change that sticks, seek treatment. It is a struggle for many people, and some need more help than others. The change is worth it.

I hope this article is useful to you. Please remember I am neither a doctor, psychologist, addiction specialist, or any form of a health expert. These are just my personal observations over time. I will still have a drink occasionally, but the more I reflect on what drinking does to me, the less I feel inclined to easily go back to drinking most days of the week. You are really gaining more time in your day, and more years to live. You cannot buy more life with money, but you can through your actions.

Fire Prevention In Your Home

According to The United States Fire Administration (FEMA) “Fire is everyone’s fight’, and it should be especially important as homeowners and head of households to comply with fire safety standards and make safety around the home a priority.

The National Fire Protection Association’s reports about fire and its consequences are alarming. According to their information, between the year 2012-2016, there were an approximate 355,400 home fires, 11,670 civilian injuries, 2560 civilian deaths and $6.5 billion in damages due to these fires.

Home fire prevention can be very simple. The worry of being the victim of a fire in your home is always present, but it’s not too worrisome. As a consequence, we grow careless and let things that are dangerous creep into our lives. Preventing a fire is about being diligent about safety precautions, but more importantly, it can save the lives of your family, your pets and your property.

What are some of the basic safety precaution you and your family can follow? There is a long list of little and big things you can do if you want to check online, but here are some of the most important ones you can follow to keep your home and family safe.

Install smoke detectors in every room of the house, but especially in the kitchen. Make sure the smoke detectors are less than 10 years old, the batteries are changed frequently and make sure the smoke detectors are tested frequently to make sure they are working properly.
Cooking Safety, Keep papers and other flammable items away from the stove. Oven mitts, kitchen towels, paper towels should not be left on the stove or close to the burners. Do not leave the stove on with unattended cooking pots on it, keep small children away from boiling pots.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors should be placed at every level of the house. They become more important during the winter months when the house is closed more securely and outside air is minimal. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that can be fatal if inhaled.
Candles and oil lamps should be used carefully. Extinguish the candles’ flame or oil lamps when you go to bed and keep them away from small children and pets. The candles and oil lamps should never be left unattended. This useful habit can help you prevent a fire that can get out of control within minutes.
Electrical safety is usually a topic many homeowners do not think too much about. We are more concerned about preventing fires that are the result of carelessness or accidents than electrical fires. But, electrical fires should be a concern for us. Frayed, and cracked electrical cords are a hazard that can start a fire without you being home. Old appliances with old cords can short circuit and start a fire within minutes. Appliances big or small should be plugged directly into the wall outlets to help prevent a fire in the home.

Fires are preventable. Being careful and using common sense can help you keep your family safe.

Preventable Home Health Problems

There are many home dangers that can play havoc to our health, physical fitness and overall well being. For many families, creating a safe and healthy environment where the family can grow and prosper is of particular concern.

And it should be.

The hazards in and around the home are many but, they are preventable. One of the top home hazards is a physical injury. These injuries are caused by slippery floors, poor lighting, fire, and overcrowding the halls with objects that can cause injury. Asthma and respiratory system illnesses can be caused by a wet basement full of mold and mildew.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 out of 5 falls results in broken bones or a serious injury in the United States. And, every year more than 3 million older people are treated in Emergency rooms across the country for fall injuries. Most of these injuries are head and hip injuries, and for the elderly, a fall can have catastrophic consequences.

The statistics for young children with asthma and respiratory system illnesses is a growing concern for many parents and medical personnel. These are treatable and preventable issues that can be addressed and dealt with before they can become more serious.

Living with young children or caring for aging parents don’t have to be riddled with health issues or injuries. Preventing these injuries or health concerns requires little effort.

Floor Mats in slippery areas save lives.

Buying a floor mat for the bathroom shower or bathtub can help you avoid slippery falls that can be fatal. Mats placed at the entrance of the house can help you keep water or snow from making the floor slippery. Floor matting in many places in the house can prevent injuries.
Installing smoke detectors in every room of the house, checking the batteries monthly of the ones you have and testing the smoke detectors to check they are functioning properly is something every homeowner should do regularly.
Carbon monoxide detectors should be placed on every level of the home. Checking the batteries and their functionality should be done when you check the smoke detectors to keep a monthly routine.
Fire prevention is a family affair. Make sure you talk to your children about it, have an evacuation plan, and practice safety. Keep paper and flammable items away from the stove. Do not leave cooking on the stove unattended. Oven mitts, kitchen towels, and paper plates should NEVER be close to the stove.
Frayed, and cracked electrical cords are a hazard that can start a fire without you being home. Old appliances with old cords can short circuit and start a fire within minutes. Appliances big or small should be plugged directly into the wall outlets to help prevent a fire in the home.
Asthma, allergies and many respiratory illnesses can and do begin at home. A wet basement can play havoc to your respiratory system without you being aware of the cause. Mold and mildew can grow rapidly in a wet basement causing damage to your health and to your stored belongings. Waterproofing the basement is a solution that will help your family’s health and your property.

Advances in the medical field have for many years allow people to live longer and fuller lives. We can do a bit on our own. We can prevent some of these injuries and illnesses by being diligent and by practicing safety with our families.

Busy Parents Exercise Tricks

Parents juggle a lot of demands, but they need to stay in peak health as well to keep up with the family, both mentally and physically.

If you read the countless studies about depression, exercise is one of the many paths a person can take to combat this debilitating illness. In the United States and According to the CDC-The Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention-in 2017-2018, 42.4% of the adults 20 and over were overweight. That statistic is likely to be higher with more recent data because the trends of obesity continue to climb.

For many Americans, finding the time to exercise can be difficult if one considers the juggling act of balancing work outside the home, taking care of children, and in some instances taking care of aging parents. Time can be difficult to find as more and more daily chores accumulate in one’s life. Nevertheless, exercise should be at the top of anyone’s list and should be considered an activity one must do to promote healthy living among family members.

Choosing the right exercise and diet has to begin with our free will to become healthier, and to change the way we do things if we are unhealthy. Doctors, parents, spouses, or significant others cannot tell us to do something if we are not ready to do so. The decision has to be taken on our own.

For any parent that wants to lose weight, and want to do it guilt-free, it is very important to schedule a time where you can do the exercise at the same time every day to form a habit. Exercise can extend one’s life expectancy, and that’s worth the time, and the effort it takes to exercise.

Here are some ideas for the best time to exercise daily:

Right after you drop your kids at school-This is especially convenient if you work from home or are taking some time off to raise your kids.
Afternoons are very convenient for many people. During the summer months where the days are longer, walking outside after dinner can be a great time for any parent to jog or walk a mile or two.
Early morning-Before your kids wake up and need to get them ready for school, twenty minutes of exercise will lift your mood and get you ready to start your day
Late at night-After you send your kids to bed, you might want to relax after an arduous, hectic day. But, twenty minutes of exercise before bed will allow you to sleep better and lose weight.
Before picking your children from school-Any time you have free before you need to pick up your children from school. You can exercise, and shower and be ready to pick them up and help them with homework before dinner time.

If you choose a time to exercise and it doesn’t work out very well, change it. You can change the days, the time and the exercise you want to do. But, if you start the exercise, try it for two weeks before quitting. It is a habit one is forming, and it takes time to stick to it.

For any parent, free time is never abundant. But exercising should be an activity that takes priority over other meaningless ones. Watching TV, checking Facebook, Twitter, or other social media platforms takes more time than we want to admit. Unfortunately, those activities bring us no health benefits, yet we continue to do them religiously.

Start exercising today, you will be a healthier person for yourself and your family.

Bun Substitutes for Sandwiches

For many people, eating bread is not an option. For people who suffer from Celiac disease, eating barley, wheat or rye is out of the question. For many of us, bread is an easy way to have a sandwich at lunch or dinner with a cup of soup, and call it a day.

Bread has been a staple in many cultures for thousands of years. From the Greeks, Europeans, and Egyptians, the consumption of bread has been a tasty way to enjoy a meal, and feel satisfied. Breads from different parts of the world have been adopted by different cultures because of the deliciousness and joy they bring to the table.

So, do you know how many types of bread there are? According to many sites, there are more than 20 types of bread, and the choice of your preferred one is a very personal matter. There are Baguettes, bagels, Naan, Brioche, Ciabatta, wheat, rye, pita, multigrain, etc, etc, etc. There is at least one that is sure to be a favorite in your life.

Unfortunately, for many of us, bread should be avoided most of the time. Weight loss is not easy, and consuming bread is not going to help anyone achieve their goals. Breads, pasta, cereals, or starchy vegetables are delicious and filling. But, they won’t

If you want to enjoy a sandwich without having bread, here are 5 great options for you:

Plantain – Use a plantain that is not ripe all the way. Cut the ends, and through the middle to make it the size you want it. Bake it or fry it to flatten, and to achieve the desired consistency for a sandwich.
Nori – They are the perfect substitute for bread. You can moist the middle to fold, once or twice, and achieve the desired shape for a sandwich. You can use the nori sheet to have a carb-free burrito as well. It holds perfectly, and it can hold all the yummy ingredients of a sandwich or vegetarian burrito.
Sweet Potatoes-This is another perfect option to substitute the bread in a sandwich, and a tasty option as well. Cutting the sweet potato lengthwise will give you the desired size to make a beautiful sandwich. You can put them in the microwave to cook for a few minutes, take them out and bake them for a few more minutes to make them hardy enough for whatever items you want to put in a sandwich. You can add salt, and honey to make the sweet potato sweet when you put them in the oven. You can choose to have the skin on or off depending on the family’s preference.
Romaine Lettuce Leaves-They are another perfect substitute to make a beautiful sandwich without having the bread. They are the easiest to work with, and you only need to wash them thoroughly before you can use them. You can salt them lightly to give them a bit of taste, but it is not necessary.
Napa-Napa is another great substitute for bread. The boat shape and size of the Napa leaves are a great way to fill them with meat, rice, or fish, or use them as a bread substitute. Their crunchiness makes them an ideal substitute, and as with the romaine lettuce leaves you need to do very little with them. Wash them, dry them and salt them lightly before you use them. It takes less than 5 minutes to prepare a sandwich using Napa leaves.

Substituting bread in people’s lives is not easy. In the beginning, it might seem strange and a bit messy, but periodically, you will come to enjoy the “bread” you are using. For weight loss, and to offer a different take on sandwiches, these options are a great start.

5 Ways To Improve Your Life AND Cut Expenses

The first thing we need to do is agree that some of the things in this article are not going to be more fun. When I write, “Improve Your Life” I mean in a healthy way, not in a binge drinking frat party way. The real key to this article is if follow all of these things, you should save many thousands of dollars per year and also be healthier and happier.

Next I want to say I got this information from all over. We reference some things, in other cases you can do a search and find different numbers from different sources. This is not a scientific research paper – just an interesting article on how to save money while improving your life.

Cold Showers

Your first reaction might be “Hell no!” but give me a moment. There are a lot of people that swear by cold (or colder) showers because they have significant benefits and they save you money. Cold showers have been associated with increases Alertness, Refines Hair and Skin, Improves Immunity and Circulation, Stimulating Weight Loss, Speeding Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery, Easing Stress and Relieving Depression. I have also heard that taking a cold shower when you cannot go to sleep and getting in bed right away will put you in a great, deep sleep if you have trouble with that kind of thing.

So fine, it is good for you if you can hack it. But does it save you a lot of money? I found a calculator for shower costs online here. I did an example where I did a colder, shorter shower and a longer, hotter shower and compared the cost. Turns out a family of 4 would save $478.50 in a year. Not bad – and good for you.

Drink Less

Well, this is already starting to sound really sucky. Take cold showers and stop drinking. But in 2018 more evidence has been steadily coming out that the whole 1-2 drinks a day are good for you thing is not really true. Women should have much less than that and even men should only be have a couple a week. I found another calculator that will help you see how much you are spending weekly on alcohol. And remember, it is not as good for you as you have been lead to believe.

In this very reasonable example, I have used this calculator and estimated a $1,872 annual expense per person. If you live in a big city and like to go out with friends or coworkers a lot you are spending a lot more than this in fact.

Eat Less

The average American consumes more than 3,600 calories daily. This is a 24% increase from 1961, when the average was just 2,880 calories. A man needs around 2,500kcal a day to maintain his weight with a healthy , balanced diet. Woman need around 2,000kcal a day. These values can vary depending on age, metabolism and physical activity, among other things. Body builders and professional swimmers should not try this at home.

With all of this in mind, we simply eat too much – and food costs money. We eat 37.5% too much food to be exactish.

How much money does the average person spend on food per month? This figure varies based on age and income level. Assuming you are middle class and a fairly young adult, it is $173 per week times 52 weeks which equals $8,996 in annual food costs. Now if we cut that back by 37.5%, we would be saving $3373.50 per year per person. And you would also save money on health care as it would reduce the likelihood of many weight related diseases.

This gets even crazier when you consider Forty percent of food in the United States is never eaten, amounting to $165 billion a year in wasted food, according to a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council. This would figure that you might be throwing away 40% of the groceries. If you are someone throwing away a lot of food, plus eating 37% more calories than you need, it means 75% of your groceries could be wasted or eaten when they should not be.

Cook More

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014, the average American household spent $2,787 on restaurant meals and takeout, compared to $3,971 on groceries. But in 2015, the average amount spent on restaurants and takeout jumped $221 to $3,008. Grocery spending, by contrast, increased just $44 per household to $4,015.

We all know that restaurant food tastes great. It is higher in sodium, bacon fat, fried breading and slathered in butter or some delicious sauce. If you learn to make good, healthy meals at home and cut the restaurants, you can save money and be healthier very easily. Going out no more than once a week should cut that restaurant bill in half or less, saving approximately $1,500 a year and

Walk or Bike More Short Trips

In 2017, the average household made 1.5 trips per week to grocery store. Most likely these were done driving. As mentioned above in the article, chances are you have too much food in your home already so going 6 times a month is too much. But instead of saying “You can’t go” let’s say you can only go on bike or walking unless you are going for a big run that should only happen 2-3 times per month.

Walking and biking are great exercise and if you really want something, just make yourself go on foot. Chances are the craving will not be worth it if you have to walk there.

By using this strategy you will help yourself cut down on those food and alcohol expenses mentioned above while also saving gas and car maintenance. AAA estimates that it costs 58 cents per mile to operate a car. Of that 58 cents, only around 11 cents is in gas. The other 47 cents goes for expenses like, maintenance, insurance and depreciation.

So if you cut down on short trips by walking or riding your bike more, you could save several dollars on each trip and get better fit and buy less crap. Putting a savings tag on this is harder but let’s say you cut $5 a week in car expenses plus another $10 per week in stuff you do not buy on a whim. That is small but would add up to $780 saved in a year.

All told, all of these things would make you healthier. And I certainly do not mean to imply to never take a hot shower or have a glass of wine again. But the little daily things add up to huge savings and health benefits. Let’s recap.

In one year, a family of 4 average people can save the following:

Cold Showers: $478.50
2 Adults In Family Cut Drinking: $3,774
Eating Only Recommended Calories for Family of 4: $13,494
Eating Out Maximum 1 time per week: $1,500
Walking more and driving less: $780

This is all based on averages, different sources and fuzzy math. We are just having fun here. But this would suggest these changes could save an average family of four $20,026.50 per year. Your results will vary. But that is a lot of savings and health benefit.

If this all seems a little extreme, remember to start small and no one says you have to go to this level. Shorter showers and less restaurants alone could save you some cash. Make it work for you. This is just an example of how you can imagine a different life.

Outstanda Pulse Discussion with Ron McDaniel

Today we have a chance to interview Ron McDaniel, Chief Innovation Officer at Outstanda. He will be talking about their program that helps schools collect data from students, parents, staff, and alumni to build a stronger, more effective school. The program is called Outstanda Pulse. Below is the interview.

Let’s start with an overview of the product you want to highlight today.

Ron McDaniel
Thanks. Outstanda has a flagship product called Outstanda Pulse that uses SMS (texting) to survey students, parents, staff, and alumni of a school to know what is going on with them. It is automated and provides actionable data for schools to identify areas of excellence and areas that need some work.

What are some major benefits of using Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
There are a number of benefits. First, it can identify problems with students before the issues start impacting grades. It can identity concerns parents are having. It can boost enrollment. It is a tool to improve staff feedback. And it helps the school keep in touch with students and family’s long term, no matter where they move, and measure the impact the school has had on the students.

oustanda pulse surveys students, parents and staff

Why is Outstanda Pulse unique?

Ron McDaniel
While there are a lot of ways to do surveys, Outstanda Pulse is unique in standardizing questions and measuring results across similar schools. While protecting the individual student’s data, aggregate data can be compared to show administrators how each school is doing compared to peer schools. This can be part of marketing or PR, and for a lower-performing school, can be a tool for measuring improvement.

How did Outstanda Pulse get started?

Ron McDaniel
The product got started when several school leaders got together and discussed the kinds of data that could be valuable, especially if it is collected frequently and trends are analyzed. While the initial idea of an app had issues, it evolved into an SMS service that would do the same thing but not require an app to be installed on the phone.

What type of buyer benefits most from using Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
Most schools thrive on data, so most schools could benefit from Outstanda Pulse. Districts can benefit even more because they can see their different schools and compare the culture and issues in each school against the other schools. This can easily lead to proactive training or hiring a consultant to work for schools that could be getting substandard results.

Is it hard to set up the surveying system for a school?

Ron McDaniel
Schools can have the system up and running very quickly. It is as simple as handing off names and mobile phone numbers of people who will be participating. Also, defining the frequency and times of the surveys. There are other customizations that are possible, such as creating sub-groups with tagging, adding custom questions, and changing up your Summer schedule. But the Outstanda team helps you with every part of it, to minimize your time commitment. Mostly and administrator just needs to look at the reports and take action if any is needed.

Are there other features that might interest readers?

Ron McDaniel
One nice thing we added is the ability to send SMS to your audience at any time without a survey attached. You already have the people in the system, and maybe have them grouped in useful tags, which will allow you to send out quick messages any time you need.

How is Outstanda Pulse priced?

Ron McDaniel
Outstanda Pulse has several pricing options. It has a limited, free option. Then it has an ala carte (pay per message) option and a monthly option. Pricing is very low compared to other data tools schools will use.

How can readers find more information about Outstanda Pulse?

Ron McDaniel
Visiting the Outstanda website is the best way to get information about the school survey product. You can also contact us, and we will be happy to set up your limited program.

Interviewer
Thanks for taking the time to be interviewed and help our readers understand Outstanda Pulse better.

Interview with Ron Mcdaniel, Outstanda by GR8TR Today Magazine on Scribd or Amazon

Tweet:
Interview about Oustanda helping school meet kids needs. https://ctt.ac/UIbm1+

Buying a Bike – What You Need to Know

In 2019, there were 846 bicyclists killed in traffic crashes in the United States. It is predictable and unfortunate, but when an accident occurs between a moving vehicle and a bicycle, the cyclist will be the one injured or killed. The laws and responsibilities for motorized vehicles and cyclists are the same, unfortunately, size matters and a driver might not see a bike.

As more and more Americans use biking for transportation, exercise, to commute to work, or for plain fun, they are encouraged to adopt safety biking measures to keep them safe. By adopting these biking safety measures, the accidents and fatalities can be reduced and can increase the likelihood of your well-being while on the road.

The thousands of miles of biking trails in the United States make it easy for cyclists to engage in the sport they love. They can also be assured their safety is relatively safe when on these biking trails. For the many other cyclists sharing the streets and roads where motorized vehicles are abundant, taking some safety precautions before embarking on a bike trip is recommended.

One of the most important measures to take when heading out to ride your bike for exercise, to commute to work, or for fun is to wear a helmet. Following the manufactures’ safety information instructions with your bike is of the utmost importance. Following those recommended instructions can help you maintain your bike in optimal condition and keep you safe.

Safety Information Tips when Riding Your Bike

Wear a helmet
Inspect your front and back brakes
Inspect the tires to make sure they have the correct air pressure
Inspect the entire bike’s frame before taking your bike on the road
Beware of abnormal noises your bike is making, and
Make sure the seat is positioned correctly on your bike

Choosing a Bike

Now that we have covered safety and the inherent dangers of riding a bicycle, it is time for you to choose and discover the many bikes on the market and what to consider before purchasing one.

There are many bikes in the market for the customer to choose from. From Mountain bikes, Road cycles, tandem bikes, Hybrid bikes, BMX bikes, and Touring bicycles, the bike you choose depends on the activity you want to pursue.

When choosing a bike there are five important factors to think about.

What is the activity you want to pursue?
How much money are you willing to spend?
How frequently are you going to use the bike?
Can you shop around to find the right vendor and bike?
Can you wait to think things through if you are choosing an expensive bike?

A hybrid bike for example is the perfect bike for you if you are starting to cycle. They are easy on the city trails, but you can take it on a smooth, dirt path if you prefer. They have thinner tires than a mountain bike, which allows you to climb steep hills with more comfort. They are a very versatile and efficient bike. The price range can vary greatly when choosing a bike. The cheapest hybrid bikes can start between $200 and $300 and a good one can cost you more than $700. Like any other bike, a hybrid should fit properly before riding it. After a lot of shopping and comparing bikes, we purchased a Felt 2021 Verza Speed 50. We had to wait for over a month to get it in the blue we wanted, but it is a good bike.

A Mountain bike, on the other hand, can be very affordable. If you are a beginner cyclist and don’t want to spend too much on a bike, this is a good choice for you. Their tires are not as thin as the tires of hybrid bikes, and not as smooth. They don’t go as fast when climbing those steep hills, but you can buy one for $200. If you are not sure if you will continue cycling in the future, a mountain bike can be a good alternative while not spending too much acquiring one. This bike can be the beginning of acquiring a more expensive and faster bike if you decide you like the sport.

Regardless of the bike you purchase, make sure the bike it’s the right fit for you, and your finances.

Boost Your Gym Consistency

It is common for people to sign up for a gym membership and go for a short while and then fall off. The fact is, you cannot get results going less than once a week. And three times a week is kind of a minimum for making progress. This article is not the ideal advice – we are assuming you are struggling with getting to the gym enough and we want to give you some realistic life hacks to get to the gym more frequently and get the results you want.

But first let me say, we have a list of things to try and you should not try them all at once. Chances are, one or two of these will be enough for you to accomplish your goals. The list is longer because different gym strategies will work for different people.

Meet a Friend – One common strategy is to work out with someone on a regular basis. I actually am committed to taking my teen age daughter 3-5 times a week, which has forced me to go. You could meet a friend there and talk while working out. The fact is, you are far more likely to go not going will disappoint someone else.

Do a Program – Whether you do Zumba or Spin, showing up for a class is easier than just popping in at random times. Even if the class is not that challenging, it gets you there and you can more easily go early or stay late and do some extra things.

Make It an Appointment – Time is often the excuse not to go. Don’t think of the gym as an extra. Think of it as a doctor’s appointment.

Go the Same Time Every Day – If your schedule is fairly fixed, you should also fix the time you work out each day. The less you need to think about it and juggle things the more likely you will go.

Go No Matter What on Assigned Days, Even for 15 Minutes – This works wonders for me. As long as I am not ill, I go on my gym days no matter what, even if I feel too tired or too busy. I give myself the option to leave after 15 minutes on the treadmill. I cannot tell you how many times this has worked (a lot) because once there, doing only 15 minutes is silly.

Keep a Log – You can do this electronically or on a paper chart. Track key metrics important to you. How many times you go. How long you stay. How many miles you run. Key personal measurements. A log will encourage you to want to beat last week, or at least not do less.

Appreciate the Results – Depending on your current condition and your body, you might be seeing results in as little as a few trips to the gym. I see better arm definition after 3 arm days, for example. Don’t be shy. Check it out. Show friends. Appreciate the results to encourage you to keep at it.

Hire a Trainer – Working with a trainer once a week might work for you if it motivates you to go the other days and put in the work. Unfortunately, like piano lessons, this depends on your personality and how honest you are with your trainer. You cannot just show up for the weekly session and skip training the rest of the week.

Have a Backup Plan – For days where something comes up and you absolutely cannot go to the gym, have a few weights or a medicine ball at home and do the reps. This way you do not let your body down.

Reward Yourself – Figure out something (could be small weekly or bigger monthly) as a reward if you go the minimum number of times to the gym. This only works if you absolutely follow the rules. For example, if you missed one session because of something that came up that was important, make it up a different time or day, or do not reward yourself, no matter how good the reason was.

Use a Fitness Tracker – There are expensive fitness trackers and inexpensive ones. Just because you cannot afford an iWatch is not a reason not to get a simpler step tracker and keep track of steps daily. If fact, it is probably built into your phone if you buy a strap and keep it on when you are running or walking.

Think Like a Gym Rat – You have heard the expression, fake it till you make it. Well, you have seen those people walking around looking like they own the gym. Adopt an attitude like you are a part of the gym culture and look and act confident. Eventually you have a stronger sense of belonging and will enjoy going more. (We are not endorsing being a gym jerk. Just a confident member)

Have a Gym Playlist – Have a list of music you listen to when at the gym that makes you feel great and gets you pumped up. This will positively reinforce your time at the gym and if you choose your music wisely it can help you work out better and get more excited about the results you are going to start seeing.

Break Glass In Case Of Emergency – If you start to let things slip, you need to have a plan to recognize it and take corrective action. For example, if you miss a full week, what are you going to do to re-jump-start your fitness routine? Know when it is slipping and know what action to take to stop the slide.

This is a big list of things you can do to improve your attendance at the gym. Most of these are hacks to help you form a habit that has previously been hard to form. Over time, you may be able to let go of some of the hacks because your habit of working out is very well established.

Life Lessons Learned on the Tennis Court

To say that I was a tennis player would be a stretch. Although I love the game and like to play when I can, in reality I spend more of my time as a spectator.

My son and husband are both passionate about tennis, so between watching professional tennis matches live and on TV or sitting on the sidelines during my son’s lessons and USTA matches, I have developed an appreciation for the intricacies of the game.

The better educated I become, the more grateful I am for the lessons my son is learning that extend to his life on and off the court.

Here are some of the parallels you can draw to life:

Success takes an enormous amount of hard work

Succeeding at tennis, like all sports, takes focus and discipline. Players must be dedicated to their goals in order to achieve success. They discover that if they are willing to put in the time and effort, they will improve and succeed; and this lesson will carry over into their academic life and future careers.

It is not about how many times you fail, but how many times you get back up

In tennis you lose more than you win. At the end of the tournament, only one person goes home with the winning trophy. Players may have won many matches to get to the semifinals or finals; but in the end, without the trophy in hand, they are not completely satisfied with the result.

It never ceases to amaze me how these young kids put themselves out there week after week. Even behind the glass watching the matches, you can feel the immense pressure. As parents watch the outcome of every point, you can hear a pin drop. Disappointed faces are hard to cover up when their child loses the point or match. Emotions seen on the court exhibit the players’ fear of not only letting themselves down but the people around them.

The lessons they learn from losing a match can be far greater than if they had won.

Losing a match isn’t the end of the world. Life goes on
Appreciate the small victories even within the matches that were lost
Failure is a temporary setback; continued practice and focus are required to achieve success
Experiencing loss and the feelings that surround a loss, can make victory even sweeter. In life, we sometimes have to experience suffering to recognize real joy

Learn how to handle emotions and lose gracefully

We often see kids come off the court banging their racquets, yelling at themselves or their opponents. Most of them learn pretty quickly that this is poor sportsmanship. A good sport gives his or her opponent credit for the game they have played. Recognizing an inappropriate public display of emotions is part of being a good sport. A successful tennis player will use the loss as an opening to understand what they need to work on to become a better player.

We are all faced with defeat in our lives, and sports provide us the experiences for learning to handle defeat

You are accountable, and you are in charge of your own destiny

As an individual sport, the outcome of the match is solely your creation. There are no time limits in tennis. No matter how far behind you are, it is plausible that you can make a comeback and win the match.

You control your own destiny on the court and in life

Belief in yourself and the power of the mind are critical to success

As important as conditioning to support the physical requirements of tennis, mental toughness is what can separate the top players. A momentary lapse in focus or confidence can change momentum quickly and cost you the match. In many instances, the winner is the player that could isolate himself from the distractions.

In life and on the court, always keep your eye on the ball

You can never be fully prepared for what life throws at you, but how you handle those moments can make all the difference

Tennis players are giving us a performance. However, unlike lines in a play that can be recited over and over until committed to memory, or a dance that when rehearsed enough allows the body to move to the music almost on its own, a tennis player cannot prepare for every shot that is going to come at them. The variations can be infinitesimal, dictated by speed, angles, topspin, backspin, flatter, higher, weather, and surface. No two shots are ever identical. The player has a split second to make a judgment on where they want to place the returning shot and how the body needs to be aligned in order to achieve that result.

You can never fully prepare for life or a match. but critical decisions made at key points on the court or in our lives can determine the outcome

I am happy that my son has found something for which to be so passionate. I am impressed with his dedication and commitment to the sport. The young USTA players deserve immense credit for their resilience. As a child, I don’t know if I could have handled that pressure or the range of emotions–or had the buoyancy to continually put myself out there.

No matter what role tennis ends up playing in my son’s life, I am confident the lessons he has learned on the court will help him to succeed in his journey of life.

Melissa Reagan Brunetti

Tennis Mom, Freelance Writer, Certified Nutritionist

http://embracebalancedhealth.com/