There isn’t a better place on a 72-degree evening in the spring than Comerica Park in Downtown Detroit. Standing up on the terrace overlooking left center field, the Tigers struggle to show their legitimacy against the Seattle Mariners.
Gorgeous night for major league baseball, a beer and hotdog. Anyone as big of a fan of this scenario as I am?
Sticking to a nutrition plan is one of the hardest things to tell anyone to do. For some people, a TV commercial of a chocolatey, chewy Twix bar alone sparks them to drive to 7-Eleven just to get one. Some see the McDonald’s arches on the expressway and pull off instantly just because the thought of crispy, salty fries makes their stomach jump in anticipation. Others fail to combat the peer pressure of temptations from an office setting when tasty donuts, muffins or cupcakes are bought in for a morning client meeting.
Not only do they look delicious, smell even better and settle your growling stomach, they work as brain food, as the sugar kicks in to liven us up during a 8:15 a.m. morning meeting. We’re more attentive and our eyes aren’t constantly wandering over to the dish as our mind races, “Should I have one of those or not?”
Tormenting yourself isn’t healthy. Starving yourself certainly isn’t either. And failing to ever give into temptation will drive you insane. If you’re hungry and don’t have access to a granola bar, piece of fruit or pack of oatmeal, have a half of a muffin. It’s not going to kill you.
But don’t let it control your life. When you feel guilty about eating something in the morning, don’t simply skip lunch. Use portion control to stabilize your stomach and ease your mind. Work out after leaving the office to help both of these problems.
The more you trust yourself and don’t beat yourself up, the better you’ll feel.
Today, I had a 100% whey protein shake, 80-calorie yogurt and banana before these sweet treats made their debut into my life. Thankfully, I easily found the ability to pass.
What have you turned down recently? What haven’t you been able to turn down?
Jalapeno-smoked chicken pressed against brown rice and lemon-spiced salmon with crispy asparagus sitting atop. Don’t forget the juicy pineapple cut straight from the whole fruit and a tall glass of ice water to wash it down.
It’s an incredibly healthy meal filled with something I can’t get enough of — protein.
With Sriracha, it’s unbeatable. What are your favorite healthy meals that you make?
Graffiti covers it all. Windy streets are filled with debris flapping against the broken concrete. Windows remain smashed in. Dirt piles fill the parks. Melted rust coats building structure walls. Barbed wire spirals atop fence lines.
This is the city I love.
Riddled with crime and poverty, Detroit clenches its fist in recoil and gives its best responding effort to fight through every crushing blow to the city abdomen.
But how much more can it really take?
As a 24-year-old fanatic for Detroit, I know how terrifying the city’s streets can become. At any given second, gunshots will echo between building walls, screaming out into the crisp evening air.
Walking down Clifford Street with my roommate in February late one Friday, a black Cadillac Escalade came whistling past us with a car full of 30-somethings. As the bright red taillights lit up the sky a half of a block in front of us, four cracks popped out of a gun barrel in front of an abandoned building.
An individual then leapt into the SUV as the driver stomped his foot onto the accelerator, jerked the steering wheel left and took off down Clifford toward us. Seeing the Escalade approach us, we barrel rolled behind a parked car, shielding our bodies — and eyes — from the car’s contents.
My heart beat so violently inside my chest and throat, I thought I might actually black out in fear.
The two of us, regaining our sense of direction and state of mind, picked ourselves up and took off running in a dead sprint down a street perpendicular to the chaos as my hands bobbled and failed to properly hold my cell phone enough to dial 9-1-1.
What the hell had just happened?
Less than two months later, gunshots rang out again — this time at a bar across the street — as my roommates and I were in line at a local pub. Ambulances, police offers and medics rushed to the scene shortly after.
I know Detroit is filled with problems. It’s one of the fattest, most unhealthy, deadliest and flat-out economically pathetic areas in North America.
Maybe that’s why I want — so badly — to be a part of the movement to change it all. I’m toying with moving straight into the heart of Detroit when my lease ends in June. I practically grew up inside Tigers Stadium, as my dad sat me on top of his shoulders during batting practice two hours before home games camped out in left field.
“This is where all the big hitters put ‘em, Seany,” my dad would say to me. “You’re bound to snag one today.”
He was never wrong. We caught BP homers regularly. We bought pre-game peanuts from the same street vendor before every game. We’d park in the same lot guarded by the same security guard with every trip to Detroit. I never stopped smiling. This was home. I was happiest here: Father, son and baseball.
It’s impossible for me to leave this city behind. Living in Royal Oak, or Lansing, or Redford … it makes me feel incomplete. My mother would have trouble sleeping every night she knew I resided in Detroit, but she too knows my obsession with it, the potential that is there.
I’m a young adult ready to infuse this place. If I can be responsible for even a fraction of that potentially happening, I lived a good life, in my eyes.
I dream of a bustling city with restaurants, bars, trendy clothing shops and outdoors malls thriving every weekend. I see park benches filled with hipsters playing the guitar and singing along to “Sweet Caroline.” I envision skateboarders cruising down Woodward and watching games at Hockeytown Cafe when the Tigers, Red Wings or Lions are on the road.
I see a college town take shape within the intertwined streets of Detroit, with people of all ages taking part.
It’s a long shot, something many people believe will never happen.
But my optimism is there. I’m keeping my head up, like Detroit has always done for me.
A very underrated, under-appreciated holiday: April 22’s Earth Day.
That’s today. And maybe it’s because there’s really no excitement, pizazz or immediate reward for taking part in it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not as important — especially for like, ya know, the entire planet’s well being — as Christmas, Easter or New Year’s Eve/Day.
While everyday should be deemed Earth Day, let’s take a quick look at what this day actually means. It’s not just, “Hey, recycle your Pepsi bottle today in honor of Earth Day, K?” It’s a hell of a lot more.
The first Earth Day took place on April 22, 1970, activating 20 million Americans to start the modern environmental movement. According to the Official 2011 Earth Day website, “The passages of the landmarks Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act … soon followed” because of its start.
The Earth Day Network works with more than 22,000 partners in 192 countries to “broaden, diversify and mobilize the environment movement.”
Currently, more than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities every year, now the largest civic observance in the world.
So how can we — as lowly, everyday American peasants — take part in such a large movement?
Create new habits.
Use that recycling bin next to your garbage can, rather than tossing plastic in your trashcan because it’s easier. Live in an apartment building with pitiful recycling efforts? Break down cereal boxes after finishing their contents and collect them in a green-friendly bag to take to your local drop-off center.
Turn off your laptop and unplug it from the wall when going to sleep for the evening. Lightbulb burns out? Buy energy-efficient bulbs to replace them (and save on utilities too!). Use a refillable Nalgene bottle instead of buying a 24-pack of plastic water bottles.
It might seem small, but if 100,000 people tweaked their daily efforts, big things can happen.
The research I did for today’s post has opened my eyes, as well as dating a girl who couldn’t be more a fan of this movement. It’s necessary for all of us. Let’s keep these facts in mind and move forward. Whattaya say?
Yesterday was a fun challenge for me.
I woke up at 7 a.m. and headed to Royal Oak Gym for a prework exercise session, which consisted of a 5-mile treadmill run and weights (arms). When I got home from a stressful work day at 5:45 p.m., I had some built-up emotion that a nice outdoor run in a 40-degree environment could easily solve. I mapped out my route and completed a 5K.
After relaxing to a few episodes of Party Down on Netflix, two of my roommates indicated they were going for an evening run, roughly 2.5 miles, and wanted me to join. It’s hard for me to say ‘no’ to more exercise, despite being so exhausted mentally and physically from the day.
I laced up the new shoes and was on my way.
What about you — do you have a running buddy? A running team? What motivates you best to complete a second- or third-day workout?
For more than a year, I’ve used Foursquare. I’ve developed a laundry list of do’s and don’ts, as I’ve seen friends, family, co-workers and complete strangers use it incorrectly. Below are my top 5 “do nots” in regards to Foursquare:
1. Do not publish Foursquare check-ins to Twitter unless you are accomplishing something worthwhile:
2. Do not create a venue that already exists. Do your homework first. Search for the venue, wait, see.
3. When creating a new venue, use proper grammar, capitalization, address and corresponding symbol for what type of business it is.
4. Do not use Foursquare to check-in and then put your phone away. It’s pointless to even use it if that’s all you’re doing. The social media application’s main reason for creation was to offer YOU coupons, free products, business deals and specials. Decide where you’re going to dinner based on how you can get some freebies:
5. Don’t ignore the “Explore” function. Because of your Foursquare check-in behavior, the app knows what you’ll like to visit.
Spring race season presses on. My next big race is the Fifth Third River Bank Run in Downtown Grand Rapids in which I’ll be running a 10K (6.2 miles) on Saturday, May 14. The event brings more than 22,000 participants, many for the 25K road (bicycle) race, the largest in the country.
On Friday evening, a Sports & Fitness Expo kicks off the weekend at DeVos Place featuring a pre-pasta dinner, Gazelle Sports Fashion Show and panel discussion. I’ll be running this race with my girlfriend and one of our best friends.
One of the most rewarding parts about finishing a 10K are the post-race parties. For this event, we’ll be enjoying the morning at the Michelob Ultra Post-Race Party Village on Calder Plaza.
I haven’t run a competitive race in Grand Rapids yet, so I’m very excited to do so in mid-May. Let’s hope the weather — by that time — is in the 70’s for a truly enjoyable experience. If you’ve run this race before, I’d love to hear from you. What should I expect? Never stop running.
On Saturday, my Nike Runs retired from competition and strictly became backup weight lifting shoes after 18 months of gruesome use. I’ve always had — since I was 13 — Nikes as my running shoe, as they never let me down.
Since January 1, 2010, the sneakers above went through 270 days of P90X, eight competitive races, the Detroit Free Press Relay, a 10-mile hike in the jungle of Tulum (Mexico), countless outdoor pickup basketball games and much, much more.
Their resume is not as extensive as my love for these kicks. But as the bottoms started to deteriorate with every run around Royal Oak, it was time to invest in a new pair. I took my fellow-runner girlfriend’s advice and went to the experts at Playmakers in Okemos, Mich. Unbelievable selection, even more unbelievable staff.
Their knowledge base is simply remarkable. I walked in and was running on a treadmill in five styles of shoes that were specific to my foot/run pattern in a matter of 5 minutes. After much debate, I made my decision:
The 2011 Saucony ProGrid Mirage won the battle.
I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in them, finishing in 81st place of more than 5,500 runners. The ProGrids are extremely light and airy, making every stride much quicker and more natural. My Nike Runs were much heavier, with more support, however my running form — according to John at Playmakers — is disciplined enough to use neutral-based shoes, such as the ProGrids.
I look forward to beefing up their resume in 2011 as I train for the Detroit Free Press Marathon, which takes place October 16 in Downtown Detroit. Is anyone else running the 26.2 course? I’d love to hear about your training. Keep running, always.
My running team, The Drunk Family, participated in its first race of the year Sunday in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Downtown Lansing, just outside the Capitol Building. More than 5,500 racers hit the pavement in support of finding a cure for breast cancer, which affects more than one million women worldwide.
Since 2004, the median age at diagnosis for breast cancer has been 61 years old; more than 24% of the diagnosed women are between 55 and 64. Currently, about 124 women in every 100,000 have breast cancer.
Running a 5K doesn’t solve this problem, obviously. But raising millions of dollars every year for research to combat the disease is a hell of a start. With proper funding, more research, testing and support can be provided. Unity is strong.
I love being a part of the running community in Michigan. The kindness seen at a normal event is remarkable and unlike anything else I’ve been a part of. I’m thrilled I was able to partake in the Race for the Cure this year and so thankful God gave me the ability to do what I love every day: Run.
Whenever I hear about someone who is dieting or “trying to lose X amount of pounds,” I am intrigued, because I love to hear the route that specific individual is taking to complete his or her goal.
It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of dropping a few pounds and doing anything in your power to ride that feeling out. But, way too many people lose weight in an unhealthy, inefficient way. The goal is to lose a few pounds every couple weeks, steadily allowing your body to adjust to what is actually happening — it’s getting skinnier by losing body fat.
One route many people take is by cutting out carbohydrates entirely from their daily intake, allowing the weight to shed off them fastest. This is where red flags are raised.
It’s scientifically proven that there are “good carbs” and “bad carbs.” The good carbs are full of fiber, slowly being absorbed into our systems — avoiding any sort of blood sugar level spike. I reach for Aunt Millie’s Healthy Goodness Light Whole Grain bread (35 calories per slice), fresh vegetables that I steam on the stove top, endless amounts of fruit and black beans. Avoid white bread and white rice when possible.
“We can minimize the health risk of bad carbs by eating fewer refined and processed carbohydrates that strip away beneficial fiber,” said Elaine Magee, MPH RD on WebMD’s Health & Cooking section, one of my favorite health columnists in the country.
Remember: You need carbs for necessary brain function. When you feel lightheaded, stupid or lackadaisical during the work day, you probably need carbs. Eat them.
Adults should consume 45-65% of their daily 2,000 calories from carbohydrates, 20-35% from fat and just 10-35% from protein.
Tip of the day: When you can eat fiber, do so. It slows down the break-down process of your consumed foods, including carbohydrates, leading to a much healthier you.
Be smart when dieting. Don’t starve yourself. Do your research. Eat enough, please!
I understand social media isn’t the easiest vehicle to understand if you’re still oblivious from it in mid-2011. I don’t expect older generations to hop on and become mesmerized by it in an instant. That’s not my concern.
It’s companies that complain and utter the words, “Business is reeeally slow lately thanks to the economy” and have no social media presence whatsoever. That is what really grinds my gears. The amount of opportunity that exists through a simple Facebook Page is incredible. What companies like Qdoba are doing puts a smile on my face, because they don’t feel the need to run expensive TV ads or put up monstrous billboards off busy expressways. They dominate the social media realm with punchy status updates and tweets, host Friday entree giveaways, comment on the sunny weather and just flat out show a conversational personality.
And for them, it works. I don’t see their direct competitors — Chipotle or Panchero’s — modeling after this business set. If either of those two companies hired me for a 3-month social media contract, I’d have their business making double in sales guaranteed. Gaining a followship with that big of a corporate name is dangerous. And they’re blowing it. Qdoba is not.
Hey burrito nation — I’m available. Want to make more money and generate an actual “buzz” in today’s business realm, or sit back and let it pass you by?
Time to act.
After hosting www.seanely.com with free web space through my alma mater, Michigan State University, for the past two years, it was time for a change. I played around with various platforms and voted on Tumblr after many sleepless nights.
I’ll be swapping templates and messing around with design constantly, so for my negative three viewers, I apologize for the headaches.
Stay tuned, Gingerheads.
