Month: December 2018

‘Tis the season for overindulgence. Whatever one’s celebratory focus, December is a season of weight gain—if we are not careful. The key to keeping fit during the holidays is to be intentional. We must plan ahead and be diligent. We don’t have to deny ourselves celebration. We do, however, need to exercise control.

Exercise. Travel and changes in our schedule can make it easy to skip our regular exercise. In some cases, this will be unavoidable. Over the span of the holiday season, not exercising is inexcusable. Have a plan and stick to it. If traveling, consider how you might maintain a level of activity away from your normal routine. If exercise is not possible (first, is it really not possible), plan for a deload period—a scheduled reduction of exercise load. Deloads are not a planned break from exercise as much as a planned recovery from intensive exercise. In other words, the exercise preceding a deload should be pushing the limits of recoverability (e.g., slightly greater than the “maximal recoverable volume”). This give the body system something from which to recover during the break. Otherwise, the body system is facing a period of detraining (“use it or lose it”). So, prior to the holidays, ramp up the exercise volume.

Preemptive calorie burn. You can’t really burn the calories to be consumed prior to the holidays, but the deficit created can to some extent offset the damage. This is especially important the day of a celebration or the days immediately preceding. An extra 30 minutes of exercise the day of a party will allow for a bit more “extra indulgence”.

Preemptive caloric restriction. The most important factor in weight management is caloric balance (calories in v. calories out). Not only can we offset holiday calories with increased physical activity, but we can also offset them by restricting caloric intake. When you know that you will be entering the realm of culinary temptation, eat less the rest of the day. Avoid big meals. A degree of fasting will actually curb the appetite. Avoid carbohydrates and eat limited amounts of protein and healthy fats to maintain a sense of fullness. “Save” your calories for the celebration. You might still overshoot your daily caloric needs, but it won’t be as damaging to the overall caloric balance. As well, the body will likely compensate to some extent with the appropriate metabolic counters. At the very least, you will minimize your guilt.

Contain the celebration. This is hard as one bounces from party to party—family visits, work parties, etc. Try to limit the number of parties as much as possible. Moreover, don’t make it a 24/7 party. It is easy to be “in the Christmas spirit” with trays of desserts and bowls of candy strategically positioned throughout the house, but this is unnecessary temptation. Bring out the unhealthy snacks only during planned times and avoid “cheating”.

Be a good neighbor. Don’t be that neighbor who shares their culinary skills with the neighborhood. The gesture is well-intended, but it is not helpful. It is appreciated, but…. (I know. I am a Grinch.) Respect that we all struggle with excess calories over the holiday season. Most of us probably already have more than enough desserts in the house. Going to a party? Bring a healthy option. (I know I would appreciate it.)

Enjoy. This is what is most important during this season of celebration. Be social. Have fun. Excess calories might cause some weight gain. So be it. Weight can be lost. Memories, however, remain forever.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

Concurrent to listing to Jim Harshaw’s pocast, I was reviewing a colleague’s portfolio for tenure and promotion (one of the many “hoops” we university faculty must jump through). This is one of my most respected colleagues, and I knew that her portfolio would be complete and provide the necessary evidence of her effectiveness in teaching, scholarship, and service (the three pillars on which we are evaluated in academia). In reading her summaries and self-reflection, this sense of the “emotional why” stood out.Perhaps, it was because I had the concept in mind as I read, but I tend to see such things as the speaking of the soul—an alert to take pause and consider what is being spoken.

Among the podcasts I enjoy listening to is Jim Harshaw Jr.’s“Success Through Failure”. A recent guest was author and motivational speaker, Don Yaeger (#153,”What Makes the Great Ones Great”). He used a phrase that was not necessarily new to me but that, for the first time, struck a chord: “emotional why”. He suggested that we are taught to have our “why”, but this isn’t enough.Successful individuals and teams tie their emotions to their why. An example was the Make-a-Wish Foundation that annually brings in recipient families to share their experiences with the board. The Foundation understands why they exist, but the shared experiences strengthen that importance by linking the “why”to the Emotional Dimension—thus securing the “keystone”.

I have often struggled with certain “why”s in my current position. I have rather recently learned to look at these from the perspective of “opportunities.  My friend, Andy Lausier, would refer to this as moving from “have” to “get”. This process is strengthened—I might argue that it is only effective—when it is tied to some “emotional why”.

Over the years, I have always seemed to receive a card ore-mail from a student thanking me for the impact I have had on their success that lists me out of the lows. Sometimes the span between these is long, and the “emotional why” is lost. Well, it is more like it is hidden—buried below the insignificant and the deceptive negativity we allow to cloud our vision. Like our living spaces, we need to regularly dust and run the vacuum cleaner. We need to remove that which hides our “emotional why”.

It is not enough for us to have an Intellectual “why”. We must have a purpose that is tied to our Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual,Emotional, and Social “why”s—what I like to refer to as “Purpose”. The keystone of this is, of course, the “emotional why”. This requires daily effort and should be part of our growth habits and, moreover, a part of our leadership style.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

The other day, I saw Will Grier’s announcement that he will not be playing in the Camping World Bowl on December 28^th. My initial response was “Good for him.” Apparently, other Mountaineer fans don’t see it that way. I saw quite a few negative responses, and some “he owes it WVU”. I even saw someone suggest they pull his scholarship. I, however, support his decisions and the way he went about it.

First, he made his decision in consultation with his family, coach, and teammates. All of whom (including his teammates) supported him. This was certainly not an easy decision, though it should have been. In the end, he has to do what is best for him and his family. This is not a quarterback entering the NFL draft early. Grier has completed his degree and could have entered the draft last year. He could already have a year in the NFL under his belt. Instead, he returned for his final year of eligibility with the Mountaineers.

Speaking of his final year of eligibility with the Mountaineers, Grier gave me possibly the most exciting season in my40+ years of following the Mountaineers. Sure, they came up short. The team lost three games and missed out on playing Alabama in the playoffs. Look at the stats. No one can put these losses on the quarterback.

Second, with regards to “owing” Mountaineer fans anything, such an argument is a kin to slavery. College athletics—particularly football and basketball—are big money makers for so many other than the athletes. Scholarship athletes earn so much more than the scholarships they receive. The are not under contracts to play. We are supposed to be teaching them that academics come first. So, if an athlete completes his or her degree and performs in practice and games, he or she has fulfilled the obligations of the scholarship.Will Grier completed his degree and then some. He played the entire season. (Bowl games are post-season play. Other than the BCS playoffs and championship, they are meaningless. They are entertainment. They are money makers. They are great for recruitment, but they are not necessary.) Seniors, who are top NFL prospects should not be under any obligation to play in any post-season games. Grier is passing the ball to a very capable young quarterback who has not taken many snaps in a college game.This is a great opportunity for him to get some experience going into what will be a very tough season next fall. (I, personally, think the Big XII is a great conference with some very talented players returning next season.) In addition, Alex Kirschner (https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2018/12/9/18132107/will-grier-bowl-game-nfl-draft) makes a good argument for the benefits of Grier going high in the NFL draft to recruiting.

I wish Will Grier great success in the NFL. I would love for him to go to the Steelers to be groomed to be Ben Roethlisberger’s successor. I thank him for the 2018 season and his dedication to WVU. I appreciate his example as a family man and as a team leader.

I wish the Mountaineers success against Syracuse in the Camping World Bowl. Honestly, I don’t care whether they win or lose. It is, after all, just a game.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

We have a bit of a family holiday tradition… jigsaw puzzles (and Chex Mix). The more difficult the better. (I once got my dad a puzzle of a glass red apple on a solid black background. He still curses me over that one.) Often we select locations to which we have traveled. Always, though, they are challenging.

The title of this selection is “999 piece puzzle”. Of course, there is no such thing…unless there is?

Puzzles are often 1000 pieces. If there are 999 pieces, it is because one is missing. We never know that a piece is missing until the very end. It can be frustrating and disappointing to spend days on a puzzle only to find the last piece is lost or missing. Does this mean, though, that the effort was in vain?

Life is often this way. We can work very hard at something just to come up short. It is disappointing, but it doesn’t discount all the successes along they way. Sadly, though, we look at that one missing piece rather than the other 999 and the image these shape. We miss out on the celebration of our accomplishments. We miss out on celebrating the effort.

“Pause today and notice something you have worked hard on and recognize yourself for it. Acknowledge your effort.”—Kristin Armstrong

I am learning to allow space for the soul to speak—especially as a parent. We have desires for others that may not ultimately be their desires. Often, when we step back, space will reveal how miserable they are and/or the extent to which we are imposing our will on others. As a parent, this is often a great challenge.

I want my kids to be active in sports. There is much to be gained from both team and individual sports emotionally and psychologically, as well as physically. I want them to participate in multiple sports. I am certainly opposed to early specialization (in most cases). Moreover, I want them to have fun.

This was my son’s first season of not playing football. I didn’t mind that he dropped the sport, as he never seemed to enjoy it. We (I?) decided he would do preseason wrestling. That may have been a mistake. His passion for the sport has waned dramatically in just one year. He wasn’t having fun, and I let my focus be on effort and discipline rather than enjoyment. He belongs to the best club in Oregon, and the coaching is top-notch. This year, however, there just seems to be more emphasis on competition and being champions—which there is certainly nothing wrong with this level of coaching. Unfortunately, for my son, he was losing the sense of enjoyment the sport provided. The more I pushed, the more apparent it became to me that I was pushing my will on my son.

We decided to step back and take a couple of weeks off. He is still excited for the middle school season to begin in January, but he needed a break from the competitiveness. So, he agreed to take time and condition at home with me. We have been doing Bulgarian bag and HIIRT workouts three times a week, and he has been happier and more engaged at home.

It is hard to let go and let others experience life on their own terms, but we must. Sometimes, all they need is that little bit of space so that their soul can speak its will.

My son can be a good wrestler—if he chooses to be. He won’t be forced to be, however. I never dreamed of him being a collegiate or Olympic wrestler. I just enjoyed the bond we had over the sport—when he wrestled on his terms. He may or may not continue in the sport. He still has lacrosse (the sport I think he is best suited for), and, if that changes, so be it. He will always be my son. He will always be who he is intended to be. My role as a father is to facilitate his finding of his Purpose—whatever that may be.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”—Mark Twain

Many might be waiting until January 1^st to change behavior.  Why wait? Today is the best time to start. I am not a fan of New Year Resolutions for many reasons. Goals can be set at any time—not just at the beginning of the year. As we approach the new year, have a plan for exercise and diet to avert holiday gains (in fat) and losses (in muscle and conditioning). Be proactive. If you have goals for 2019? Start now.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“You cannot measure a man by his failures. You must know what use he makes of them. What did they mean to him. What did he get out of them.”—Orison Swett Marden

Take today’s failure and learn. Be your best today; be better tomorrow!

Carpe momento!

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”—Zig Ziglar

Emotional well-centeredness is founded on gratitude—or, as I prefer to call it, grattitude. The emotions we express are less about how we feel and more about how we choose to feel. Grattitude shapes our emotions. Choose wisely.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

As we snowball toward the end of 2018, many are starting to prepare goals for the coming year. Some will undoubtedly want to lose (fat) weight. If so, rather than set a goal on the scale, try one daily change that will get you there. For example:

Cut one sugared soda/pop. Typically, one 20 oz. pop (I’m from Pittsburgh…it’s “pop”) contains 231 kcal (60 g sugar!). Cutting one per day for 2019 will decrease one’s caloric intake 84,315 kcal! At 3500 kcal per pound, that is 24 pounds!!

Cut one pint of beer. At 40 kcal per %ABV, an average pint of beer is 5-7%. That is 200-280 kcal. Cutting one per day for 2019 will decrease one’s caloric intake 73,000-102,200 kcal or 21-29 lb! Hopefully, one is not drinking more than a beer a day. If that is the case, cut the alcohol content in the beer being consumed. Cutting just one percentage point (e.g., 7% to 6%) is 40 calories a day or 14,600 a year (4 lbs!!).

Cut one glass of wine. Like wise one less glass of wine will have a significant effect. At roughly 125 kcal per 5 oz glass (and admit it, you always pour more), cutting one per day for 2019 will decrease one’s caloric intake 45,625 kcal (that’s 13 lb!!).

Cut the latte. If you are one who stops at the coffee shop on a daily basis for a latte, try switching to black coffee. One vanilla latte at Starbucks is 250 kcal (6 g fat, 37 g carbohydrate, and 12 g protein), and we know there are options that are far worse nutritionally. Cutting one vanilla latte per day for 2019 will decrease one’s caloric intake 91,250 kcal per year. Black coffee has zero calories. This switch will add up to 26 pounds in 2019!

Cut the sugar. One teaspoon (4 g) of sugar is 16 kcal. Cutting one teaspoon per day for 2019 will decrease one’s caloric intake a mere 5,840 kcal. “Mere”? That is 1-2/3 pounds lost by doing something that is barely noticeable. If you add sugar to coffee and other food items, that can really add up. Try switching to an alternative (“noncaloric”) sweetener. One is no longer limited to artificial sweeteners that are questionable for one’s health. (For Thanksgiving, my wife replaced the sugar in a pecan pie cup for cup with Swerve. Truthfully, it was much too sweet. She could have cut some of the sweetener.)  Swerve is labeled “noncaloric” but there would actually be about 51 kcal per cup (sugar contains 773 kcal). The average American consumes about 150-170 pounds of sugar per year (272,155-308,443 kcal!!). Cut this in half, and that is a savings of 136,078-154,221—or 39 to 44 pounds!!

The above is a mere sampling of possible changes for 2019. I didn’t discuss adding some physical activity (walking a half a mile a day in 2019 will expend approximately 50 extra kcal per day or 18,250 kcal for the year—5 pounds). Moving just a bit more can have a cumulative effect. Consider your personal vices. What are the small changes you can make on a daily basis that would go relatively unnoticed (except for the physical changes)? Baby steps in 2019!

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!

“Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.”—Denis Waitley

Spend your time and health wisely. This is the focus of “well-centered fitness”—to balance and invest in the Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimensions (i.e., assets) of wellness.

Be your best today; be better tomorrow.

Carpe momento!