TRADITIONS

 

 

 Fall Family Football

Sledding Before Dinner

I am a big believer in traditions.  They bond people together.  A variety of groups have traditions.  Teams have traditions.  Fraternities and Sororities have traditions.  Schools have traditions.  Families have traditions.  The list could go on and on.

Santa Hats

Given that it is the holiday season, I would like to talk about family traditions.  Shortly after we got married my wife and I moved away for graduate school and later work.  For many years we didn't have family close by so we had to start our own traditions.  This turned out to be a real blessing.  Over the years we built our traditions as our family grew.  The meals we ate, what clothes we wore, what service we rendered, Christmas eve carolling, making ginger bread houses, how the children lined up to see what Santa brought, etc.  As time has passed and the children have grown and their interests have changed, the meals have become a bigger and bigger deal.  We now have the meals down to a science and expectations are high.  And, you definitely do not mess with tradition.  If even one side dish is missing, someone notices!

We have four traditional meals each year: Thanksgiving Dinner, Christmas Eve Dinner, Christmas Day Dinner and Easter Dinner.  Here are the menus:

Thanksgiving

Menu:
Turkey
Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole
Sweet Potatoes
Spinach Salad with poppy seed dressing
Pickles and olives

Dessert: Pie fest with an assortment of pies

Christmas Eve

Menu:
Clam Chowder
Crab Legs
Beet & Pickle salad

Dessert: Date Pudding

Christmas Day

Menu: 
Prime Rib
Napa Cabbage Salad
Party Potatoes
Cooked Carrots
Layered Raspberry Jello with Banana, Fresh Raspberries & Pineapple 

Dessert: Bread Pudding

Easter:

Menu:
Leg of Lamb
Rice Pilaf
Colby's Salad - Almonds, Mandarin Oranges, etc.
Asparagus
Curried Fruit
Seven Layer Jello
Pistachio Salad

Dessert: Trifle

When the children have been unable to be home at holidays due to college or in foreign countries for service, they all want to know how the dinners were.  They ask about the different dishes and if they were prepared just right.  I am so very fortunate to be married to a world class (self taught) cook.  I am qualified to do the pealing, stirring, fetching, meat carving and cleaning.  My wife, clearly the brains of the operation, does everything else.

So here is a TIP FROM A MAN... if you have family traditions, by all means, continue them.  If you don't have traditions, then start some immediately.  Do anything you can to bond with your loved ones.  Make sure your traditions are mobile so that if you relocate from home to home or city to city, your traditions will carry on.  Your traditions must only be meaningful to your family.  No outsider is allowed to judge!  Happy Holidays, and...

Enjoy life!

HOLIDAY EATING

Several articles I have recently read say that the average person gains between 7 - 10 pounds over the holidays.  When you think about the parties, goodies and treats that are available during this time of year it seems pretty logical that this is accurate.  Well, with a bit of preparedness and a game plan, let's be sure that this weight gain doesn't happen to us.

Here is a TIP FROM A MAN...

Parties / Snacks

When I go to a party, I have a plan in advance about what I am going to eat and drink.  If I splurge, I make sure that it is only a little bit, I don't eat the whole fruit cake.  At parties besides the cookies, cakes, etc., there is often fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and nuts.  This is where I focus my munching.  Rather than the Egg Nog, I go for the water with a twist of lime or a diet soda.  Really, it is very easy.  When I sit down to watch a game on TV, rather than chips, dip, cookies and cake, I choose fresh fruit, nuts, vegetable slices and pop corn.

Breakfast / Lunch
Here are photos of two meals I recently enjoyed:

Bran Cereal, Raisins, Blueberries, Sliced Banana, Walnuts, Almond Milk, Agave Nectar

Leftover Turkey, Fresh Peppers, Carrot Slices, and Apple Slices

These meals were very tasty, filling and easy to eat.  Preparation time was next to nothing.  Clean up was a snap.  Over the holidays, you tend to get out of your normal routine.  Be disciplined.  Have a plan for eating.  Fill extra time by going to the gym or visiting people who may be lonely such as shut ins or the elderly.  It is a wonderful time of year.  Do much good.  You can make a difference. I like this quote:

"With one kind gesture you can change a life. One person at a time you can change the world."

Steve Maraboli
Author, Speaker and Radio Show Host

Enjoy life!

TRANSFORMATION

The human spirit.  The newspapers and evening news are dominated by nasty politics, disasters and all manner of tragedy.  Popular TV shows feature murder, with often more than one murder to solve in each episode.  So, rarely do we get to hear human interest stories like this one.  Please view this short video about a war hero that most everyone had given up on.  Fortunately almost everyone - not everyone...

Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... if you see some of yourself in this man, please believe in yourself.  If you know someone like this, figure out a way to reach out and help.  This can be a delicate subject.  There is no one way to do this.  This man reached a point where he was receptive to help.  If someone isn't ready, just build a relationship so that when he is ready, trust has been established.

We do not know the diet or exercise program that was followed here other than a few yoga clips.  But it goes to show that setting ones mind to a goal then following through can lead to a life changing transformation.  Congratulations Arthur, where ever you are.

Enjoy life!

BALANCE

We all need improved balance.  It doesn't matter if you are a world class ballerina, weekend athlete, or simply a person who is growing older.  Read the startling statement below found on the Livestrong.com web site:

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the No. 1 cause of death for men and women 65 years and older. The number of cases has increased 55 percent from 1993 to 2003. Therefore, balance training is one of the major factors in preventing falls for seniors and must be a part of any exercise program.

Pretty important stuff.  I've regularly encouraged people to use regular resistance training as they grow older as a way to prevent injury.  It is vital to prevent the loss of muscle tone.  Focusing on seniors, improving balance may prevent the possibility of falls and the resulting injury.  The following link has a program that is free and easy to follow:

Senior Balance Exercise

 

 

As for athletes, strengthening the legs and core are the first step and then drills and actual participation must follow.  I recently spoke with a person who is an avid snow skier.  He stated that his balance is always best near the end and just after the ski season.  All of the repetitions from turns and correction of balance in response to changes in terrain required in skiing trains the brain and the muscles.  Pretty interesting.  Following is a link for athletes:

 

Balance Exercises for Athletes By Jon Kahney, MS, CSCS - YouTube

Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... there is much more advise available from books, internet sources and from qualified trainers.  This post is intended to get you thinking a bit more about the importance of balance and ensuring that the maintaining and improving of balance is an integral part of your lifestyle.  It is difficult to enjoy life if you've "fallen and can't get up!"

Enjoy life!

DENTAL HEALTH

 

Smile.  People light up when you smile.  You gotta care for the choppers, but many folks neglect their teeth.  I know of a young man now 20 years old that hadn't been to the dentist since he was 12.  Due to a service commitment he was finally forced to go see a dentist.  He had ten cavities.  Actually, he was lucky it wasn't worse.  Many serious illnesses can be traced back to dental infections.  This is a big deal.

I have spent quite a bit of time with dental hygienists and dentists over the past several months and have gathered that pretty much everyone needs to step up their game when it comes to regular care and treatment of our pearly whites.  So here is a TIP FROM A MAN... 

 

1) Invest in a powered tooth brush and use it twice a day for a minimum of two minutes.  The research is startling.  The advantages over manual brushing are great.  There are several brands to choose from. 

 

2) Floss once daily at a minimum.  It is a good idea to floss after meals and even lightly brush after meals as well.  This can be done with a manual toothbrush and even without toothpaste.  The area where plaque builds up most quickly is the lower front teeth.  Just work this area a bit. Keep these items in your desk at work or in your car. 

 

3) Use a good quality mouthwash frequently.  Countless choices here that offer a variety of benefits.  Some taste better than others that's for sure.

 

4) Have your teeth professionally cleaned once or twice a year.  Something to consider, many cities have dental hygiene schools and these students frequently need patients to work on (under the supervision of a highly trained and skilled instructor) for a fraction of the normal cost. 

 

5) Visit a dentist regularly.  Preferably build a relationship with a dentist you trust so that you can put together a life long treatment program.

It is not enough to just focus on diet and exercise.  Dental health is a huge part of our physical wellness and if you like your smile, it can boost your confidence.

Enjoy life!

OFF SEASON TRAINING

OK, maybe you don't have an off season.  But, I pretty much do.  In the summer my activities focus around baseball, golf, horse riding and the lake.  So in the winter, I try to build up my body so that I can participate in these summer activities to the best of my ability.  So, for this TIP FROM A MAN... I am going to share my winter routine:

 

Resistance Training - I enjoy lifting weights.  That is just me.  Some don't like this, but I do.  After I warm up on the treadmill for 5 - 10 minutes, I lift upper body and legs three times per week.  I work back and core three times per week on alternating days combined with cardio.  I have a routine that I follow but I mix it up regularly because I am a believer in the 90 X theory of muscle confusion.  I do three sets of 8 - 10 repetitions and adjust the weight so that I hit failure  (I can't do any more) on each set.  I allow a one minute rest period between each set (no longer).

Cardio / Core - I certainly don't enjoy doing cardio as much.  Just saying.  Three times per week.  Weather permitting, 30 minutes of road running.  Indoors, 30 minutes on the treadmill, elliptical,  or spin bike.  I need to vary this work, because I don't like it as much.  Just saying.

Stretching / Yoga - We must stretch before each work out.  Don't cheat.  Also, in the evening when I am catching a bit of TV, etc., I get down on the floor for an extended stretching period never taking my eyes off of the flat screen.  I strongly encourage you to find a yoga or Pilate's class if you can work it in.

Cross Training - Being active is what it is all about.  In the winter months I play racquetball, snow ski and love to go bowling.  I also try to sneak in a bike ride whenever the roads are clear and the temperature moderates (not that often).  This winter I am going to start a new activity of snowshoeing.  We have huge amounts of great terrain near where I live so I am really looking forward to it.  The downside is that this is mainly a daytime activity so with my work schedule combined with the shorter hours of sunlight, I'm afraid that this might only be a Saturday deal.  I used to play a lot of basketball but I don't play much anymore.  For me it is too easy to roll an ankle or to have someone take out my legs.  Too much risk.

So there you have it.  Combined with a shower and a sauna, steam or hot tub this is about 1 hour time commitment six days a week.  I dedicate the other day of the week to rest, recovery and worship.  Baseball roars back in March so I have four months to get ready for the first pitch!

Enjoy life!

 

VOTE

Today is November 6, 2012.  Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... please exercise your right to VOTE!  It is our privilege, our civic duty and our social responsibility.  May the winner of our presidential election be the person who can: 1) Unite our country.  United we stand, divided we fall. 2) Return our country to economic prosperity based upon principles of fiscal discipline, self reliance, encouraging innovation and compassion for those unable (not unwilling) to provide for themselves. 3) Protect us from those forces that seek to cause war upon peace loving people.

May God bless the United States of America.

Enjoy life!

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

As parents or future parents we need to take a very active role in the education of our children.  One of the biggest tools at our disposal are the regularly scheduled parent teacher conferences that are offered at the school.  This is like any other meeting, the more prepared you are the more effective the experience will be.  Here are some good suggestions I recently found in a newspaper article:

Teacher tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Do more than talk about grades.

Figure out a way to seat parents comfortably and expedite lines.

Let parents tell things about their child.

Share stories about what each student does in class, and display items that demonstrate student learning.

Ask parents how they want to stay in touch, including emails, phone calls and texts. Keep communicating.

Source: Nancy Flanagan, Education Week

Parent tips for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Talk to your child before the conference about how things are going at school.

Make a list of topics you want to discuss.

Give personal insights at the conference about such things as medical issues and emotional upheavals that might affect your child's school performance.

Be open-minded. Parents and teachers form a partnership, so their relationship should not be adversarial.

Leave on a good note, and let the teacher know how to contact you. 

We have had three children graduate from high school and another will do so in a couple of years.  We have experienced the good and the bad, but it is safe to say that in our experience the vast majority of teachers are very effective and very interested in student success.  Poor teachers are few and far between.  Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... do all you can at home to teach children to respect and trust their teachers and to actively participate in class discussions.  This will instill confidence in the student and will help the child to enjoy school.  Whenever one of my children seemed shy about asking questions I'd say something like, "Hey, ask the question... the teacher gets paid to answer questions.  They want to earn their money."  I have witnessed some parents openly question the competency and motives of teachers in front of children.  I have never seen this be successful.  It only works to undermine the teacher student relationship.  If you as a parent have a concern, request a private audience with the teacher and calmly explain the concern.  I'm confident that you will be very happy with how aggressively the teacher will work with you to resolve the issue.

Obtaining a quality education is more important today than ever.  As parents we need to ensure that our children gain their education through work, personal responsibility and attention to detail.  Conspiring with the student to help them get out of work or assignments will only do harm in the long run.  Almost every evening for the past twenty years we have been at the table with our children helping and supporting them with homework.  We are a team and we hope you will make education in your family a team effort as well.

Enjoy life!

PUCKS

We're not talking hockey here.  We are talking fruit.  What???  Yes, fruit.  Throughout the year and especially in the fall most people have access to amazing fresh fruit.  Peaches, plums, apricots, apples, pears, bananas, cherries, all kinds of berries, etc.  But as we all know, sometimes the fruit ripens before we can eat it or bottle it.  What to do?  Toss it in the trash or compost?  Ouch!  Wasteful!  Expensive!  We all hate throwing money away.

Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... take that super ripe fruit, cut it up, place it in a blender on the low setting and puree it a little bit.  Just a bit.  Enough to make it smooth so it will pour, but not more.  Then take a muffin pan and pour the fruit in each hole like you are going to bake muffins.  But instead of the oven, place the pan in the freezer and let the fruit freeze into individual pucks!  When completely frozen, twist the pan slightly releasing the pucks.  Now scoop up the pucks and place them in freezer quality zip lock bags that you have already written on with a Sharpie identifying the contents and place the bag in the freezer.  Bam!

Now, when you want to make a green drink, protein smoothie, or festive chilled or frozen party drink, you will have a ready supply of natural, flavorfilled, nutritious, amazing fruit containing no preservatives or additives.  It is a fact that if we can easily get our hands on quality ingredients with little cost or effort we will eat better.  This little "puck" secret will 1) make preparation easy, 2) save money by utilizing fruit that would have spoiled and 3) help you to follow the TIPS FROM A MAN healthy eating guidelines.  Pretty cool, huh?

Enjoy life!

P.S.  Also works great with tomatoes, etc. but you probably already thought of that.

TIM CHECKS IN

 Tim last checked in on June 18, 2012... here is another update:

Hey Roger,

Wanted to give you an update.  As you are aware, I recently hiked to the summit of Mount Timpanogos which for me was a milestone and somewhat of a miracle.  When I consider the health challenges that I have been through and the prognosis of my cardiologist, it truly is a miracle.  I am very grateful for your blog and the hints that you offer particularly as they relate to the simple changes we can all make in our diet and your hints for increasing our activity levels, small changes practiced over time which lead to astonishing results.  That is what I have experienced.  It has changed my life and I can engage in activities that I love and thought I would never have the privilege of doing again.  I have attached some photos of the last two Mt. Timpanogos hikes.

Additionally, I just had a routine visit with my cardiologist and he performed all normal labs, etc. that he has always done.  It was fun to watch the expression on his face as he went over the numbers with me.  He asked me several times what I was doing and of course I simply referred him to your blog.  Anyway, my blood pressure continues to improve from 114/72 to 110/68.  A diastolic rate in the sixties!  Are you kidding me!  My triglycerides went from 114 to 84, truly amazing!  What I am most excited about, however, is the resting heart rate dropped by 16  and my HDL (good cholesterol) went from 35 (below normal) to 49 which is fantastic!  The cardiologist was so impressed that he is cutting back on my meds!  

Roger, I will be forever grateful for your blog and the resultant health benefits that I have experienced.  What's more, it has not been hard nor a flash-in-the-pan fad that I tried for a while but could not sustain. These small alterations in lifestyle have made all the difference in the world to me and I thank you.

Tim
_________________

That is awesome Tim!  I know that you love to hike and the fact that you are able to hike again is amazing!  So happy for you.  When Tim started following the TIPS FROM A MAN guidelines in January 2012 he weighed 263.5 pounds.  He now weighs 222 pounds for a total loss of 41.5 pounds.  I don't need to add a TIP FROM A MAN today, because Tim did it for us... "small changes practiced over time which lead to astonishing results."  That's what we are all about.  Tim, you inspire all of us.  Can't wait for you to check in again.

Enjoy life!

FLY AWAY

 

We are all about living life to its fullest and to experiencing the very best of the best.  Well, if you ever wanted to experience what it is like to fly a Lear jet, this is the video for you:

Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... if you want to learn to fly, start today.  My brother wanted to be a pilot from the time he was a little kid but life kept getting in the way.  Finally, he decided that enough was enough so he started taking flying lessons.  He first became a pilot able to fly single engine planes with a visual rating, then progressed to twin engine planes, then instrument rated, and finally rated and qualified to fly jets... very FAST Lear jets and Gulf Streams.  And he did all of this after the age of 44.  One time he flew me all the way to the Cayman Islands to scuba dive.  Another time he flew me to watch my son play college baseball.  He has flown seemingly everywhere.  We only get one shot at this life, so make it count!

Enjoy life!

DRIVING

 

This blog is about healthy living and enjoying life.  You know this by now.  We are trying to share ideas with one another to help us reach our goals and our potential.  However, once in a while we all can use a kick in the pants, so this post discusses the example we are setting for our children with our driving habits.  Think about this... from the time your children are babies until they start driving at about age 16, you are their driving role model.  They watch what you do and this naturally becomes what they think they should do.  In by-gone days, the only thing to possibly distract a driver was a speedometer and the knobs on the radio.  Today, here are some of the possible distractions (and I'm sure you can think of more): texting, talking on a mobile phone, searching the web on a mobile device, setting a navigational GPS, adjusting the AM/FM radio, fiddling with the CD player, or CD multiple disc changer, or MP3 player, or IPOD with a variety of adapters.  How about loading the DVD player with just the right movie, and of course the ever popular driving with ear buds in or headphones on.

Here is a bit of a very informative article I recently read in a newspaper:

"Do as I say, not as I do": 66 percent of teens believe their parents follow different rules behind the wheel than they set for their young drivers; approximately 90 percent of teens report their parents speed, talk on cell while driving

View all images

BOSTON, Sept. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A new survey from Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) finds an alarming percentage of teens report their parents make poor and risky decisions while driving.  According to more than 1,700 teens surveyed countrywide, dangerous driving behaviors among parents, while their teen is in the car, range from texting or speeding to driving without a seatbelt and even under the influence of alcohol.  Even more concerning, surveyed teens repeat their parents' poor driving habits in nearly equal amounts.
The survey found teens observe their parents exhibiting the following behavior at least occasionally: 91 percent talk on a cell phone while driving, 88 percent speed and 59 percent text message while driving.  With teens reporting nearly half (47 percent) of parents have driven at least occasionally without a seatbelt, 20 percent under the influence of alcohol, and 7 percent under the influence of marijuana, the survey reveals parents may not be the best role models for their teens behind the wheel. This, despite teens reporting in past Liberty Mutual/SADD research that parents are their primary driving influence.
Given the high percentage of teens who report their parents engage in unsafe driving behavior while their teen is in the car, it follows that two-thirds (66 percent) of teen drivers report their parents live by different rules than the ones they expect of their teens.  With so many parents not abiding by their own safe-driving rules of the road, a "do as I say, not as I do" policy may be undermining the parent/teen driving relationship.
"The best teacher for a teen driver is a good parental role model," said Stephen Wallace, senior advisor for policy, research and education at SADD.  "Parents and teens should have an active and ongoing dialogue about safe driving behavior and take the conversation one step further by signing a Parent/Teen Contract.  But parents have to demonstrate good driving behavior from the onset so new drivers understand that safe driving rules apply to everyone equally."
Teen Driving Behavior
The distracted driving behavior reported by teens mirrors the poor driving habits of their parents in nearly equal amounts. Among the more than 1,700 teens surveyed, a high percentage report making poor decisions while driving. In fact, 90 percent of teens report talking on a cell phone while driving and 94 percent of teens speed (at least occasionally), with nearly half (47 percent) of teens speeding often or very often.  Nearly 80 percent of teens report sending text messages while driving, 16 percent have driven after using marijuana, 15 percent have driven under the influence of alcohol and 33 percent report driving without a seatbelt.
The link between the observed and self-reported driving behaviors reveals parents are modeling destructive driving behavior, and their teens follow suit.  The following is a side-by-side comparison of the survey data reported when teens were asked how frequently they engage, and witness their parents engaging, in the following behavior:

Liberty Mutual Insurance/SADD 2012 Teen Driving Survey
	Parental Driving Behavior (observed by teens)	Teen Driving Behavior (self-reported)
Talk on a cell phone while driving	91%	90%
Speed	88%	94%
Text message	59%	78%
Drive without a seatbelt	47%	33%
Drive under the influence of alcohol	20%	15%
Drive under the influence of marijuana	7%	16%

"These findings highlight the need for parents to realize how their teens perceive their actions," said Dave Melton, a driving safety expert with Liberty Mutual Insurance and managing director of global safety.  "Your kids are always observing the decisions you make behind the wheel, and in fact have likely been doing so since they were big enough to see over the dashboard.  You may think you only occasionally read a text at a stop light or take the odd thirty-second phone call, but kids are seeing that in a different way.  Answering your phone once while driving, even if only for a few seconds, legitimizes the action for your children and they will, in turn, see that as acceptable behavior."
Teens Can Impact Parents' Behaviors
The new Liberty Mutual/SADD survey found that few teens will speak up and ask a parent to stop engaging in distracting behaviors while driving.  For example, only 21 percent of teens say they would ask their parents to stop driving while under the influence of alcohol.  However, when teens do speak up, nearly three-quarters (70 percent) report their parents listen and change their poor driving behavior.
Parent/Teen Driving Contract
Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD encourage parents and teens to consider signing a Parent/Teen Driving Contract.  The Contract is both a conversation-starter about safety issues and a customized agreement that lets you create and uphold family driving rules.  To download a contract, visit www.LibertyMutual.com/TeenDriving.

_______________________

Pretty sobering stuff, huh?  I have tried to set an example of good driving for my kids probably because I had friends killed in car crashes when I was a teenager.  Those incidents had a profound impact on me.  So, on family trips I always say stuff like, "It doesn't matter WHEN we get there, it only matters THAT we get there."  Another of my favorites I use when we pass a vehicle that had been pulled over by a patrol car, "I refuse to give a cop any business, I refuse to Make His Day!"  Our family has been very fortunate.  I've had children driving for eight year now (and another about to start) and between all of them there have been no accidents and only one ticket (for driving 30 in a 25 mph zone).  So here is a TIP FROM A MAN... discipline yourself, set a good example for your children and talk to them often about good driving behavior when you are traveling with them.  You have them captive in the car, so make good use of this golden opportunity.  Come up with your own phrases (or use mine) and repeat them so often that the kids can recite them in their sleep.  It is difficult to enjoy life to its fullest if we are dead or maimed, or if we have hurt someone by our carelessness.  So determine a destination, gather family and friends, open the sunroof, select some tunes and enjoy the ride... safely!

Enjoy life!