GR8TR Today Magazine

Living a GR8TR Life Every Day

Health & Fitness

Sustainable Health and Fitness – Creating a Lifestyle

There are countless articles relating to fitness. There are those that  will convince you that it is possible to lose 7 inches in one month, and others that layout radical diets. A majority of these articles are based around getting quick results,  or seeing the numbers on the scale dial back with minimal effort. We often times buy into these gimmicks with false hope, knowing that maybe it is too good to be true, but reading on despite that fact. We fall in love with this fallacy, and it can cause problems when trying to get healthy, stay healthy, or change the paradigm of our eating habits.

It is the small changes you make now that will transform into significant differences later in your life. This is a small outline of changes you can make now, that will help create a healthier, and sustainable lifestyle.

  1. Shop Smart: Avoid temptations that lurk in the candy and chip aisles. It is much easier to avoid the danger zones in the grocery store than to avoid the snacks burrowed in your own cabinets. A trick to avoiding the unhealthier items in the store is to shop around the perimeter of your store. The outside areas of the store are usually where the fresh veggies and fruit live. You can also find the freezers and refrigerators with eggs, milk, yogurts, and meats on the perimeter.
  2. Drink More: Not just water either, tea and coffee have health benefits, and can help increase energy as well. Although water does not have any caffeine, it is the most effective way to hydrate, and dehydration is a common cause of sleepiness. Dehydration can also cause muscle cramping, headaches, and even dizziness in some cases.
  3. Find Your Physical Activity: Gyms are great, and so are CrossFit boxes, but if they’re not something you enjoy, then they’re probably not going to be something you will continue doing. Physical activity is important, but sometimes people neglect the fact that there are countless ways to exercise. Playing a sport, going on a hike, or even taking your dog for a more lengthy walk are all examples of exercise that are not as cookie-cutter as going to a gym or doing a structured hour and a half workout, but they will improve you physical fitness and health. The important aspect of this, is to find joy in the activity. To make a healthy lifestyle sustainable, you must get pleasure out of leading one, and enjoy the activities that keep you active.
  4. Accountability: If leading a healthy lifestyle is a newer goal of yours, accountability to others can be a huge motivator to stay in track. It is a much easier feat when the people closest to you are aware, supportive, and encouraging of your choices. Having a partner that is trying to lead a similar lifestyle is very helpful and can lead to a stronger relationship by bonding over staying active, or discover new fun ways to eat cleanly. This is a successful way to stay on track, as well as make it more fun for both parties.
  5. Cook at Home: As fun and tasty as the food in restaurants can be, often times, they are packing a very high caloric punch. Although we all can understand that a double decker cheeseburger is not healthy, we tend to gloss over the fact that we are eating our entire daily allotment of calories and fat in a single sitting. Restaurants focus more on making food taste good, than on making it moderately healthy. Learning to cook home-cooked meals can greatly increase your health, as well as keep some extra cash in your wallet. Cooking can also be a fun adventure, learning to mimic healthy recipes online can be exciting and rewarding, as well as help sharpen up a useful skill.

All these small changes are easy to start implementing slowly into your lifestyle. Although none of these are incredibly drastic, they can all be a great additions to your lifestyle change, and making it more sustainable as well.

One last important aspect is understanding balance, as well as flexibility in your lifestyle. No one is perfect, and there is nothing wrong with occasionally digging into some pizza, or spending a day binge watching your newest Netflix obsession instead of going for a run. Everything is best in moderation, but leading a healthy lifestyle can make some significantly positive changes for you.

 

Transitioning From Outdoor Fit to Indoor Fit

With the cooler weather coming soon, it is time for Ohio residents to start planning their transition from outdoor fitness activities to indoor. Northeast Ohio has a wealth of bike trails, hiking, beaches, swimming, outdoor sports and other ways to stay outside (for free) in the Summer.  But once it dips below 50 degrees, those outdoor activities seem a bit less appealing and eventually only are options for hard core outdoorsy people.

So what are some of your options this Winter to stay in shape?

Join  a Gym.  This is obvious, but one nice thing that has changed in the last few years is you can join gyms month to month and only use them in the Winter months.

Buy limited fitness equipment to stay fit at home.  A tread mill and some kettle bells might be all you need to stay beach body ready in your home.  Look for used kettle bells to save some money.

Join Indoor Sports.  We recently covered options of Indoor Tennis and Indoor Soccer.  Basketball would be another obvious one.  Maybe you can even find adult dodge ball.  There are plenty of indoor sporting opportunities for kids and adults.

Do Winter sports.  Cross country and downhill skiing are great workouts.  Snow shoe hiking?  Sure.  You can also simply hike snow trails with some extra preparation.

Watch what you eat.  There is the issue of paying close attention to your Winter diet.  Do not start eating more at night because you are spending more time in front of the television.  Do not cut back on fresh fruits and vegetables just because they cost a little bit more.  Do not stop grilling healthy lean meats just because you have to push some snow off the grill cover first.

With some advanced planning and careful attention being paid to how your habits change, you can stay fit and firm no matter how long the ground is covered in permafrost.

 

Fall Fitness – Things To Do Before Winter Hits

Summer is almost over and for many that means exercising outdoors is coming to an end. However, there are many fine days in fall when you can engage in various fitness activities such as hiking or biking and enjoying fall beauty or picking apples or traveling to a pumpkin patch and choosing several great looking pumpkins for your patio or porch. Running during crisp fall days is another way to get your exercise.

When running in the Fall, be sure to wear breathable, moisture-wicking clothing, as the temperatures will be much cooler. Or when walking during dark morning or evening hours, it is important to wear reflective workout clothes and carry a flashlight. For those who like to ride their bike, invest in blinking tail lights and headlights and be cautious of roads that are heavy with traffic. Other activities that you can do during the fall are learning how to tap dance, box and maybe even fence. Discounts are often available in the fall and that makes learning how to dance, box or fence that more enjoyable.

Or, if you would rather work out at home, buy several fitness DVDs or try Hulu for free workout tutorials on Exercise TV. In addition, how about buying a bike? Sometimes you will find sales on bikes during the fall season. Prices are often slashed on old models because most dealers don’t want old models taking up too much room in the showroom. Another way to exercise at home is by purchasing a rower or treadmill. Exercising during the fall has many benefits such as controlling your weight, combating health conditions and diseases, enjoying an improvement in your mood, boosting energy and engaging in activities that stimulate your brain.

To conclude, exercise is a wonderful and beneficial activity. It not only keeps you in great shape, it also helps with weight loss, improves your mood and combats health conditions and diseases. So, don’t let the cool, fall weather stop you from exercising. Try one or more of the above ways to exercise such as taking a hike and enjoying the foliage, picking some apples, riding a bike and enjoying the fall weather. Enjoy the summer while it is here but remember when fall arrives, you can still enjoy several outdoor activities. Remember, exercising keeps you fit physically and mentally; it is activity that will maintain your good physical and mental health.

5 Reasons To Cook More At Home

I get a little concerned when I hear that Americans do not cook. I get it if you both have professional jobs working 50+ hours a week and long commutes. I also get it if you live alone and it is easier and sometimes cheaper to go out to eat.  But if you have two or more people and you are not making a bunch of money working crazy hours, going out to eat should be more of a treat and not a twice a day occurrence.

From what is reported in the media, it seems like many people did not learn cooking growing up and decide this means it is too late to learn.  In fact, it is just a matter of building up your comfort level with different ways to cook and different ingredients.  You can do trial and error, starting with easier stuff and building up your competence over time.  You can watch cooking channels and try things you see.  You can take cooking classes.  You could offer to buy ingredients and cook with a friend who is a better cook than you but let them know you want to cook with them and learn.

Here are five very good reasons to cook at home – even if it is going to take you a while to get good at it.

  1. Healthier Food – The top reason is that you know what is going in your food and you can make it healthier.  The reality is that it might not taste as good as that unhealthy stuff, but it can be very good and be much better for you.  For example, I make Chipotle burritos at home and they are not as good because I put less of the cheese and no sour cream.  I just can’t bring myself to glob on huge portions like they do in the restaurant (even though it is delicious.)
  2. Less Fried Foods – You can also cut back on fried foods when you eat at home.  It is easy to order a side of fries but a pain in the but to heat up the fryer and fry things just for an unhealthy side.
  3. Show Off a Skill – As good cooks get more rare, it is even more impressive when you meet one.  The only way you become a good cook is by cooking regularly and experimenting with new recipes.  Once you get there you can amaze your friends and family, impress a date and act like a snob know it all in restaurants.  So much fun.
  4. Save Money – Sometimes you might spend MORE on a meal than you would have getting the same thing in a restaurant.  But what you might not factor in is that you have a lot more food than you would have by going out.  So you may get 3 meals for roughly the same spend.  Alcohol is one big bonus when it comes to saving money as you buy your bottle of wine or case of beer for what two glasses would have cost in that dinner out.
  5. Get Sick Less – I am not anti-restaurant, but we do notice we get sick more when we eat out more.  When you have a restaurant kitchen full of people cooking and prepping your food, it only takes one person with a cold to get the whole family sick.  Restaurants do not want employees to come sick, but since the employees most likely do not get sick pay, they need to work when they are feeling under the weather.  This results in people working while sick more then you would like to think.

I am not suggesting not eating out anymore.  Far from it.  But also you do not want to get into the habit of eating out all the time and eating prepackaged stuff at home that you only need to microwave.  It is so much healthier, cheaper and more rewarding to learn how to cook nice meals.  Start slow and build up your skills until you are an Iron Chef of your home.

10 Ways To Free Up Your Time

Let’s talk about how to free up a bunch of your time.  Most people feel overwhelmed and busy most of the time and there are ways to put more minutes back into your day and they do not take too much effort.

There are a lot of reasons you should want to free up your time.  Even if you just want to have more fun and enjoy life more, freeing up time is a noble en-devour.  Another reason you might want to free up time is to do more side gigs and make some extra money to pay down bills.  Either way, well worth doing.  Here are 10 ways to grab back those minutes.

  1. Live close to work – Have as small of a commute as possible.  If you are living in Hudson and working in Fairlawn, why?  You can change your job or your home.  Cutting your drive can add an hour or more a day to your free time.
  2. Work from home – Better yet, make your commute a short walk to your home office.  You may be able to work from home all the time or only some days a week, but cutting down on drive time can free up your day.  Also, less office chit chat might make you more productive.
  3. Plan your meals – Do you go to the store every day or two?  Plan out your meals for the week and shop once.
  4. Get up early – Get up earlier and go to sleep earlier.  Chances are you are more productive in the morning and even if your sleep hours remain the same, the morning hours will probably be more productive and free up time later in the day.
  5. Time your errands – Do your errands, such as going to the post office, the bank and shopping during times when other people are working.  This cuts down on lines and waiting.
  6. Prep outfits – Know what you are going to wear for the week and prep them all at once.  The less you need to think about your clothes the better.  There is a reason that many great leaders have worn the same outfit most of the time.  They save their time and energy for more important things.
  7. Declutter your home – In our article on decluttering your home, we talk about how having less stuff saves time and money.
  8. Automate finances – One of the best things I ever did was automate most monthly financial transactions.  I know how much money I need to have in my account and everything happens automatically, saving me time and avoiding late fees.
  9. Hire help – If you are not an expert on something, don’t try to do it yourself (unless you truly enjoy figuring it out.)  You can find people to do thing much more affordably than before with sites for people doing gigs like tutoring, handyman, lawn care, etc.  Know what your time is worth and don’t waste it when you could hire out more cheaply.
  10. Limit Non-work Screen Time – Whether it is binge watching Netflix or reading fake (or real) news, limit your time in front of screens and get back hours a day.

All of these things individually are fairly minor habit changes or location changes that can vastly free up your time and improve your life.

How To Prepare Your Garden In The Fall for Next Spring

As the summer months wean, and the fall and winter months approach, it is time for the gardener to prepare for next year’s bountiful and colorful vegetable and flower gardens. While the temperatures are still mild, there are different chores every gardener must do to prepare themselves for next year’s spring gardening.  From cleaning, storing, and oiling tools to getting ready the soil, many gardeners view the fall as a preparation time for their spring gardening. Here are 8 gardening tips to follow to have a beautiful garden without the backbreaking chores that come in the spring.

  1. Clean the leaves, dead branches, or plants from your garden.  Gardening during the springtime will be less time-consuming and strenuous if you get rid of unwanted plants in the fall.
  2. Trim the bushes and small trees.
  3. Plant bulbs during October for a colorful spring garden. From daffodils, tulips, and crocuses, to Asiatic Lily Blacklist and Dutch Iris Sapphire Beauty, your garden will surely be a beauty to see.  Check the planting periods recommended for the bulbs you buy or want to plant.
  4. Do you want lush grass on your lawn next spring? You need to fertilize and aerate your lawn in the fall, and plant grass seed to obtain great results. Buying a lawn aerator to accomplish this task should not be too expensive, or difficult to accomplish.
  5. Getting your flower pots ready for next spring means you need to clean them and stored them for the winter. The terra cotta pots might break if you leave out in cold climates. For that reason, it is better to store them in your shed in crates or stack them carefully on a shelf.
  6. Bring delicate plants inside to keep them from dying during the winter months. Your lemon tree needs to be inside before the first frost to survive. Any other delicate plants need to have a cool temperature to make it through the winter months.
  7. Store your garden tools in the shed.  Make sure they do not get wet and are safe from the elements.  Your garden hose needs to be stored away as well. Empty your lawnmower from gasoline. You need fresh gasoline next spring for it to start without trouble.
  8. Stored your patio furniture or cover them till spring. A heavy-duty polyester covering can protect your garden furniture from the elements and keep them ready for spring.

Protecting your garden furniture, plants, garden tools, and plants from the winter will make the time you spend gardening more enjoyable in the spring.  If you clean your flower beds, leaves, brush, or dead plants from the garden, you will have more time planning the vegetable garden or design the flower garden you always wanted. Because gardening can be a wonderful hobby and an enjoyable activity, preparation is key to having a wonderful time gardening during the spring.  Fertilizing your front and back yard during the fall might not seem important, but it is if you want to have a beautiful lush lawn during the year. Your local nursery is always a good source of advice if you have a specific question about a plant, tree, or fertilizer.  Moreover, a visit to your local nursery might inspire you to try a new plant or shrub.

Six Reasons to Play Sports

Sports are tough if you do them right.  Practices should be grueling.  Injuries?  Hopefully minor. Less time to study.  Less time to spend with friends.  More aches and pains.   If you are lucky, a few family members show up to support you unless you.  So why do people play sports and why should you?

You may not know this, but large corporations put a high value on hiring people who have played sports at an elite level in the past.  The reason is simple.  They must have confidence, a great work ethic and they have to be competitive to preform well.  They also need to be able to bounce back from a failure because no one wins all the time.  Doesn’t this sound like the perfect employee if you are hiring someone?

But is all starts at a young age and there are other benefits early on where kids can benefit from playing sports even if they do not reach an elite level.

  1. Self Esteem – If you are serious about a sport, then you are going to work on your self esteem and improve it. Very simply, your confidence and belief in yourself are primary factors in winning more.  The nice thing sports do for self esteem is it gives the player a purpose and focus to work on it.  If you only told someone to work on their confidence, with no framework, it is very hard to do.  However, when applied to a clear purpose with clear rules and expectations, it is easier to focus and develop a more positive framework for someone.  This will then translate to other parts of life over time, improving confidence and self-esteem in all areas.
  2. Sticking Up for Yourself – Some people in sports cheat or are very aggressive. While this may seem like a shocking situation the first time it is encountered, it will teach a player to stand up for themselves as well.  Parents with youth athletes should talk with them on how to handle different situations.  Over time, this adds a strength to people who simply do not roll over and take whatever comes their way.
  3. Competitive Drive – Not everything in life needs to be a competition. But let’s face it, many things are.  Some are friendly competitions and other things are real, meaningful competitive situations, like landing a client or getting a job.  Knowing how to compete at a high level is never going to be a skill you regret having in life.
  4. Fitness – This might have been the first thing that came to your mind when you saw the title of this article. Yes, fitness is a big plus.  In some cases, wanting to be better at sports will drive a person to be more fit.  In other cases, the sport is the fitness that a person who may be less serious gets while playing.  Either way, the alternative is probably staring into a screen so playing a sport, even if not at a high level, is good fitness and easier to do than running on a tread mill for an hour.
  5. Becoming a Goal Oriented Person – Initially when you take up a sport, it is normal to dream you are going to be a natural. The hard reality is it takes a lot of work to become competitive at any sport, if you are playing people of the correct level.  This means someone dedicated to being a good athlete must develop goals and have an improvement plan.  It also means managing other parts of your life more carefully to keep free time to develop your skills as an athlete.  All of this leads to a more organized and goal-oriented lifestyle.  That rarely is a bad thing in life.
  6. Unplugging – Lastly, it is hard to unplug. To not be attached to your phone or some other screen all the time.  Playing a sport may be the longest you go without looking at a screen other than sleep.  And the time flies by as you engage in competition and physical activity with a clear goal and requiring great focus and intensity.  Sports are one of the few things that truly still engage us in the real world.  We should be enhancing sports and getting more people competing, to help people stop their screen addictions.

Now for a word of warning.  Sports can be negative for kids as well.  The number one reason I see it being negative is parents applying too much pressure and having unrealistic expectations.  If you are trying to help your child become an elite athlete, you need to start early and have a ten-year plan.  Winning and losing at an early stage means nothing.  It is all about skill development and continually challenging those skills in harder situations.  This means losing to get better.  Winning is easy – just play easier people to beat.  That will not develop your long-term skills though.

Striking the right balance and putting real effort into being a good athlete will not always lead to a pro career, but it will usually lead to a person more ready to take on the world and be a happier, more well adjusted and successful person.

Daily Health Habits

Some of the best things you can do for your body take little effort and will become routine in no time. 

1. Drink more water

Start by buying a reusable water bottle and start carrying it with you wherever you go. Water fountains and kitchen sinks are always around, and to be sure the water is clean look into buying a filtered water bottle. Brita offers a BPA-free filtered bottle for less than $10. A filter lasts over two months and a pack of five filters is less than $20. This will help cut back on plastic waste and will give you fresh, clean water. Staying hydrated will keep you feeling more energized throughout the day, cleanses the body and keeps skin soft. 

When looking to go a step further, start cutting out all soda or energy drinks, which cause dehydration and are linked to many health problems. Even diet soda contains artificial sweeteners that affect the body the same as regular sugars. 

2. Set 10 minutes aside a day to stretch or practice yoga. 

Start taking care of your body. The many benefits of yoga are numerous and the practice of yoga is a very social, doable activity.  Practicing yoga can help strengthen muscles, flexibility, lower blood pressure and can help you combat insomnia. The physical and mental health benefits are longstanding and can help you live a healthier lifestyle without spending too much time in the gym.

If you decide to begin an at home yoga practice, be sure to know your limits and not get discouraged by them. What you can’t do one day may be easy the next, and that’s what keeps it fun. If you’re unsure where to begin, check out Yoga With Adriene, who offers free yoga practices online. Start with a 30-day yoga challenge or a 10-minute beginners yoga flow, see what you like and how it feels. After practicing stretching or yoga for a while, you may feel ready to try different workouts. Try some exercises with light weights, or squats and lunges. 

3. Get outside

Even if it’s just sitting outside to get some sun, be sure to get outside while the weather allows it. Vitamin D does great things for you and can help improve your mood. On top of that, getting fresh air and enjoying nature is an easy thing to do to feel better. Go for a walk, maybe jog and eventually try running. Do what feels best, and check out some of the nature trails or parks in your area. Instead of driving to a close location, try walking there.

4. Buy fruits and vegetables 

Buying fresh is great, check the fruits and vegetables at the store or farmers market to make sure they are not starting to spoil. Store most fruit in the fridge and if it starts to look tired, throw it in a blender. Smoothies are a great way to get lots of great nutrients and there are lots of interesting combinations you can try with your family.

Salads can be a creative way to get vegetables into your diet. Dress them up with cheese, chicken or beans to add some protein into the mix. There’s more to a salad than iceberg lettuce, try spinach, arugula or romaine. Try cooking some recipes you’re used to while adding in a vegetable or fruit with the meal. 

Starting to change your lifestyle may seem scary at first, but these are exciting changes that will improve your quality of life. Be mindful and respectful to your body, and find what you enjoy. Try to be more active every day, and don’t get discouraged if you miss a  day of exercise or eat poorly that day. Begin again the next day and remember you’re bettering yourself and improving your health. It will take time, but the journey will be worth it.

LynAnne Vucovich is a journalist who studied at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. She has a passion for culture, community and cats.

Men and Depression

According to the American Psychiatric Association, the number of women diagnosed with depression is two to four times higher than the number for men, yet in 2012, of the thousands of people that committed suicide, 78% were men.  The disparity is alarming, and there are many reasons why treatment is not sought by men and why the rate of suicide is so high among them.

According to researchers, the view of depression as a “feminine” illness is one of the many reasons men oftentimes do not seek treatment and instead find other methods to cope with depression, among them but not limited to:

  1. Anger
  2. Short temper
  3. Use of drugs, alcohol, and sexual dysfunction
  4. Overwork
  5. Excessive weight gain or loss and insomnia

For men, these are some of the non-traditional symptoms they experience without admitting they are suffering from depression, or oftentimes without even realizing it. Seeking professional help to hep diagnosed and find treatment for their depression is paramount. Many of them turn to alcohol and drugs instead of looking for professional help. Some of them believe they can get through their depression by themselves.

If you need help and are reluctant to seek it, reach to a friend, or a loved one for help first. They may be able to help you reach a professional and start the process of healing.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the suicide rates in the United States have increased since 1999 for every state in the country except Nevada which has seen a decrease of 1%. In Ohio, on the other hand, the state has a  suicide rate increase of 36% since 1999.  And although depression is a mental illness and one of the causes of suicide, it can be preventable and treatable.

If you have a loved one that is suffering from depression or has suicidal thoughts, you should seek help right away.  Depression is serious and help is available through many government agencies.  Calling 911 or the suicide prevention Lifeline 1-800-273 TALK (8255) can get you on the way to health.

Should You Make Your Child a Professional Athlete?

If your child has an inclination for sports, you might be like many parents who fantasize about helping them pursue becoming a professional athlete.  This could include dance, football, tennis, horse showing, baseball, gymnastics, soccer or any number of other physical, competitive pursuits.

I am writing this article to give these parents general advice on things to consider.  I am doing this because we, as a family, are pursuing this kind of goal.  It is fun, but also expensive and a huge amount of time and sacrifice.  Here is what you need to know.

High School sports are fun.  But being top dog in a sport in your high school is not a sign your child can go pro in a sport.  In fact, many players who are serious about their sports do not play high school because the time spent with the high school team takes away from more serious training.  My oldest daughter, for example, was a very good high school tennis player but when she tried to compete in more serious tournaments, she quickly realized younger players were much better than her.  She did not want to go pro anyway, but as a parent, we thought she was hot stuff till we saw what real competition looks like.  Don’t get too excited to early.

Second, remember coaches are there to motivate you, earn a living and try to get the best out of the player they can.  This might result in stroking a parent’s ego a bit on how good a kid is.

Next, have a long term goal, not a short term goal.  Winning is not everything.  Proper training and physical fitness appropriate for the age along with good technique is more important than winning at a young age.  Being a serious tennis family with our youngest means we get to see parents freaking out all the time because their kid loses or has an off day.  Guess what.  Every weekend is another chance to get out there and get better.  But negativity will hurt that long term performance.

This we have seen lead to high stress in kids as well as parents getting divorced.  If you cannot deal with the stress that comes with this level of constant training and competition you may be better off not taking it so seriously.

Also, you should consider money.  Most sports are very cheap to play casually.  Take tennis for example.  Playing on a public court with 3 week old balls is a very cheap way to have fun and stay fit.  However, if you are serious about it, you are going to have 3 or more racquets that are $200ish and have them restrung each month at $35 a pop plus indoor memberships and multiple lessons per week plus a gym membership.  Then you are going to be travelling around your local area and if you are lucky, you will be travelling nationally competing in bigger tournaments and working with specialists.  In the Summer months you might spend $600 per month and Winter closer to $1,000 per month at least.  If you look at the serious Tennis academies in Florida, they are $60,000 per year in many cases.

So that $25 Walmart tennis racquet and old can of balls playing in the park can quickly become a very expensive proposition.  And in case you are wondering, no you cannot become great without some serious money and time.

Of course, there are exceptions when your child is a total freak of nature athlete.  But even then you cannot just pick up a sport in an afternoon.  Strategy and coordination must be learned.

These are just some of the issues you need to think about as a parent of a talented youth athlete.  I am not telling you not to pursue it.  I am saying you need to be realistic about chances and also about your ability to provide the resources to be successful.  Good luck.