Tim Reed, President of the Utica Boilermaker Road Race

Tim Reed is the president of the world renowned Utica Boilermaker Road Race, which will be celebrating its 40^th running on July 9, 2017. This year will mark the 10th year that Tim has been involved as president of the organization. Prior to the Boilermaker, he was employed by ECR International for 24 years. The Boilermaker was the brainchild of his brother, Earle, who envisioned a race that would start in front of Utica Radiator (now ECR International) and end in front of the F.X. Matt Brewery.

Tim says he’s a firm believer that community give-back is a must. He has served on the United Way (including one year as interim executive director), the Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, Oneida County Tourism Bureau and the Grace Episcopal Church vestry.

What’s your secret to healthy eating?

Eat slower! Don’t put salt on food before you’ve even tasted it. Keep up with your water drinking throughout the day – a lot less calories in water than cookies!

How do you juggle a career, family and a healthy lifestyle?

Being an ‘empty nester’ has helped not ‘inviting’ non-nutritious foods into the house. Worst thing is going to evening meetings with the obligatory pizza and saying no.

Tim Reed and his son go for a run.

How do you stay active in the winter?

I am definitely not a winter lover. When the lousy weather arrives into the gym I am driven.

How does a healthy lifestyle help you at home and/or at work?

I definitely notice that I’m more ‘with it’ when I’m watching what I’m eating. I’ve really tried to cut down on caffeine consumption as I tend to ‘crash’ in the afternoon.

It’s so hard to lead a healthy lifestyle. What advice do you have for others?

Don’t try to do too much at once: it’s a road to failure. The old adage “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time” is fitting. Many small changes will add up to success. It took you a long time to get where you are so what makes you think you’ll change overnight?

Get a Fitbit or similar fitness tracker – what gets measured gets better!

What are your favorite, local “healthy” spots?

As I have gotten older, I have more and more embraced walking to running. I love just walking through the neighborhood or one of Utica’s fantastic parks! My favorites are Frederick T. Proctor Park and Thomas R. Proctor Park. Both parks were designed by Fredrick Olmsted who also designed Central Park in New York City – not too shabby!

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield is a proud sponsor of the Utica Boilermaker Road Race Corporate Cup.

Certain slices of Americana are just ingrained into our culture. You know, things like mom, apple pie, pizza, and yes, cool sunglasses. Images of famous people like JFK, The Blues Brothers, Tom Cruise, Barack Obama, and others in their favorite shades have helped promote them all over the globe.

Of course, sunglasses do have a more important purpose than letting us channel our inner celebrity. Whether you’re on the road, beach, boat or the slopes, wearing the right sunglasses is a great protection against ultraviolet (UV) rays that can cause eye damage, including tumors and other eye diseases that can cause blindness.

Spend your hard-earned dollars wisely. Here are seven tips for buying your next pair of sunglasses from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

1. Look for this tag
   Look for a sticker or tag noting that the glasses block 100 percent of UV rays. About half of sunglass wearers, however, fail to check UV ratings before buying a pair of shades, according to a survey by the Academy.
2. Go big
   Consider buying oversized or wraparound glasses. The larger the sunglasses, the lesser the risk of the sun damaging your eyes. Don’t let those pesky UV rays sneak in from the side of your glasses!
3. Darker lenses?
   You might feel like a dapper chap in your darker shades. But darker lenses don’t necessarily block more UV rays.
4. Don’t worry about the colors
   Sunglasses with amber, green or gray lenses don’t block more sun. The lenses, however, can increase contrast, which might be good for baseball players, golfers and other athletes.
5.  Cut glare, not UV.
   Polarized lenses cut glare from water, pavement and other reflective surfaces. They don’t offer more protection from the sun. But wearing these lenses while driving or being on the water can make the activities safer or more fun.
6. Don’t worry about $$
   The best sunglasses don’t have to cost a lot of money. Cheaper glasses marked as 100 percent UV-blocking can be just as effective as more costly options.
7. Finally …. Do you wear prescription glasses? Then don’t forget those prescription sunglasses!

A “Learn to Dance Ballroom, No Partner Required” headline caught my eye in a catalog I was flipping through 18 years ago.

Vaguely intrigued because I had always wanted to learn how to dance, I set the catalog from OCM BOCES aside for a couple of days. Pretty soon, however, the plusses of signing up for the class started working on me.

I was recently out of a relationship, so I liked the “no partner required” aspect of this particular learning opportunity. The class was at Onondaga Community College (OCC), which wasn’t far from where I lived and easily accessible after work. I also liked the idea of having a chance to meet new people. It wasn’t long before I had signed up for the class.

Since then, I have come to realize that ‘recently single, recently divorced, recently widowed, recently coupled and recently new to the area’ are some of the main reasons why people discover ballroom dancing. Most of us fit into one or more of these categories at some point in our lives.

Not easy for a beginner like me

For the next six Mondays, up I went to the cafeteria at Onondaga Community College, where I joined a group of about 60 people intending to learn ballroom dancing. Many of the attendees were couples, perhaps taking the class to brush up on some dance steps before a significant event in their lives. Those of us who didn’t have a dance partner were paired up with a teacher assistant.

Our instructor was Walt Medicis, who was 75 years old when I had my first lesson with him. At that point, he had been teaching ballroom at OCC, for the OCM BOCES adult education program and the Town of Manlius Recreation Department for 50 years. But don’t let his age fool you. He’s a fabulous dancer and a great teacher!

A high school prom date who criticized Walt’s dancing inspired him to study ballroom dancing. Since then, he has become one of the area’s best ballroom dance instructors.

After six weeks of Beginner Ballroom, I took a three-week Swing Dance course and then Beginner Ballroom again before moving on to Intermediate. Through those classes, I learned the basic steps for the waltz, fox trot, East Coast Swing, salsa and rumba.

None of these were easy for a beginner like me. More than a few times, I’d mix up the various dance steps that I had learned in class. I remember coming home and trying to persuade my mom to be the ‘leader’ so I could practice what I learned.

When the magic happens

Practice is a key ingredient to learning how to dance. If you’re a ‘follower,’ your job is just to learn, practice and know your steps. If you’re a ‘leader,’ you must also learn, practice and know your steps to properly guide the follower. When the leader and follower come together is when the magic happens.

Within a couple of months of attending classes and practicing as much as I could, I felt as if I was somewhat ready to attend my first actual dance. It was the Syracuse Swing Dance Society’s Halloween dance held at the Syracuse Ukrainian National Home.

That first day, I remember feeling intimidated and self-conscious, because it seemed as if everyone knew what they were doing and having fun. I only wished I could relax and get in on the action.

The hustle, tango & bolero

It turned out that the dance community is very warm and welcoming. I wasn’t standing along the sidelines of the dance floor for too long before a group of people appeared to help me through my first tentative dance steps in a social dancing environment.

They provided a steady stream of encouragement and support, so I started attending the Syracuse Swing Dance Society’s Thursday night dances, where I learned West Coast Swing (which I would describe as a flirty kind of dance) and picked up the basics of the hustle, Nightclub Two-Step, bachata, tango, bolero and merengue.

Sequins, jeans, leather – doesn’t matter

Soon, I was looking for other dance venues to perfect my burgeoning repertoire. I found monthly dances at Guzmán’s Dance Studio and dances hosted by Geno and Theresa Aureli of All for the Love of Dancing in the basement of the Moose Lodge in Solvay. I have been regularly dancing three Saturdays every month for the last seven years.

My favorite dances are with Geno and Theresa, who have moved their dance venue to a newly renovated building in North Syracuse, where they’ve created a beautifully warm, gracious and inviting atmosphere for the dance community.

What I love about dances in the Flamingo Ballroom are the people. On any given night, you might see women dressed in sequins, jeans, leather and lace, which is a testament to the great variety of people who are attracted to ballroom dancing.

You can get really dressed up if you want to. If you decide to come out for a dance there, it’ll be your chance to go through your closet and throw on that outfit you wore to a wedding once. The men don’t dress up as much, which is something we ladies have never been able to quite figure out.

Whether you like to dress up or not, ballroom dancers are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Everyone is encouraging. More experienced dancers are always willing to invite less experienced dancers to the floor. Also, each dance at the Flamingo Ballroom (held on the first, third and fifth Saturdays of every month) is preceded by a one-hour lesson, usually including the basic steps for a particular dance, so you can brush up on your dance steps.

The ballroom workout

If you decide to give it a try, you’ll find that ballroom dancing is a great stress reliever. When you’re out on the dance floor, there’s no time to think about the past … or … the future. For followers, your best bet is to concentrate on the present so you can take the proper cues from your leader. It’s always just awesome to be in a present state of mind while a leader is spinning you around.

I believe that a dancer’s ability to “be present” is what distinguishes an average dancer from a great dancer. A great follower is someone who will allow the leader to, well, lead.  While I’m an average dancer, because I know the basic steps for most dances, I feel that as a follower, I excel in allowing the leader to lead me.

Dancing also is a great way to stay active. On any given dance night, you’ll easily put in anywhere from three to four hours of dancing, which can help you burn hundreds of calories an hour.

That’s probably a big reason why dancers never appear to get any older. To me, the age you are when you start dancing is the age you remain throughout your dancing career. You never seem to grow old if you keep dancing! That’s probably as good a reason as any to start dancing.

My favorite places to dance in Syracuse

In Central New York, you’ll probably find a place to dance every night of the week. I’ve attended dances at all of the following locations:

The Flamingo Ballroom (Geno and Theresa Aureli), North Syracuse:  Great parking, beautiful maplewood dance floor, beautiful lighting, cafe room, on-site parking.

Guzmán’s Dance Studio (Michael Guzmán and Krissi Caccamo hosts), Fayetteville:  Refreshments table, DJ Joe Carino spins the music, smaller and more intimate crowd.

Puttin’ on the Ritz Dance Studio, DeWitt:  Donna Natale O’Neil offers  wonderful refreshments, pre-programmed music, two dance floors.

Puttin’ on the Ritz Dance Studio, DeWitt: Steve Ryan hosts swing dances on the first and third Fridays of every month.

Johnston’s Ballybay, Syracuse:  DJ “la Maquina” spins Central New York’s finest Latin mix at the Havana Nights Latin Dance Party every Friday night.

(Where do you like to dance? Add your thoughts in the comments section below.)

Some tips on etiquette

If you go, here are a few tips on proper social dance etiquette:

• Pay attention to personal hygiene (breath mints and hand sanitizers are available in the Flamingo Ballroom).
• Whether you’re a gentleman or a lady, do extend an invitation to dance to those around you (this is especially important for beginners).
• Always accept an invitation to dance (unless you have a good excuse not to).
• Don’t try to ‘teach’ on the dance floor.
• Don’t wear strong perfumes or colognes.
• Thank your partner after the dance.
• Wear comfortable clothing and appropriate dance shoes.

MyFitnessPal makes it easy to journal what you eat and drink.

MyFitnessPal is a food diary, calorie and nutrient tracker and exercise journal rolled into one easy-to-use app. I use the MyFitnessPal app when I realize I’ve been eating a little less than “mindfully” and need to inject some discipline into my routine. Journaling everything you eat and drink is a great way to hold yourself accountable for what you consume, and counting calories through journaling is often heralded as an effective way to maintain or lose weight.

The Rundown

1. Set yourself up: When you first launch the app, you’ll enter your height and weight, activity levels and weight goals. The app will calculate a daily calorie goal for you based on this information.
   • Example:
     Height:  5 feet 6 inches tall
     Weight: 150 lbs.
     Daily activity level: Lightly active
     Goal weight: 145 lbs.
     Weekly Goal: Lose a pound a week
     Result: The app will allot around 1,480 calories a day (this will adjust for each individual’s specific goals and circumstances).
2. From your mouth to the app: Each day, enter what you had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as snacks and drinks. Try not to make exceptions to this rule—the point is to really see what you’re consuming!The app takes out a lot of the guesswork: you can search through a vast catalogue of millions of foods and meals from different stores, brands and restaurants, with nutritional information. Select your food and serving size, and log it in. The app calculates the total calories and keeps your running total for the day.
3. Feel the burn: Did you go over your calorie goal for the day? Fear not. MyFitnessPal offers no shame, only support. If you’re lacing up those running shoes or hitting the gym, the app allows you to add your exercise and it will increase your calorie allotment based on your activity.

Features and Extras

Entering meals in the diary can be easy and fast. Use your smartphone’s camera to scan the barcode on packaged foods—like a bag of granola or a protein bar—to automatically record calories. You can even store your go-to snacks in the app.

Calculating calories in meals made from scratch with whole ingredients, such as your grandmother’s chicken noodle soup, can be a little tricky. For homemade meals, enter each separate ingredient, or find a similar meal in the catalogue (just remember that the calorie counts could be inaccurate!). Luckily, if you make certain recipes often, you can save them to use again later.

What I Learned

MyFitnessPal shed light on some of my less-than-healthy eating habits.  I was unpleasantly surprised, for example, to learn how many calories (up to 500!) are in the average smoothie. I switched to plain Greek yogurt with some walnuts for a weekday breakfast at only 220 calories.  That doesn’t mean I can never have the smoothie—I just have to really want it and be willing to absorb the calories that come with it.

The app also forces you to come to grips with serving size. For me, it was a wake-up call of sorts to face what a recommended serving size really is, versus what I actually consume. To my chagrin, the app forced me to realize that while it might not be so bad to indulge in the half-cup serving size of ice cream listed on the carton, eating three times that amount knocks my daily calorie goal out of reach.

Any Critiques?

The search function on the food catalog can be a little confusing, and the easiest-to-find foods are often those that are packaged or made ready-to-eat. If you search for something simple like “roasted broccoli,” the results include dishes from restaurants and chains that might not be anything like what you made at home. It’s sometimes hard to know which to choose to really reflect what you ate.

Similarly, it’s challenging to ensure you’re correctly logging activity in the exercise diary. You can choose between “cardio” or “strength” activity categories, but there is no way to enter a class that combines both, such as a Zumba class that uses weights, or a kickboxing class that also focuses on pushups and conditioning.  To get by, I log the activity by selecting exercises from each category that best represents what I did in class, but it would be nice if the app had some combinations preset in the catalog.

Even if the log isn’t 100 percent accurate, the simple act of tracking my activity is helpful for keeping me accountable, and for looking back at my day with pride, if I met or even came close to meeting my targets.

The Gist

MyFitnessPal is a great way to stay on track, make sure I’m aware of what I’m putting in my body, and how it impacts my wellness goals. I try not to obsess over calories and enjoy the occasional indulgence. But it really helps to see what kind of damage eating the less-than-worth-it slice of sheet cake in the break room might do to my calorie goals for the day. When you’re paying attention—which the app forces you to do—you can see how little things you take for granted can really throw off your momentum for the day. The app—like any true pal—supports you, gives you tough love when necessary, and helps you adjust to make better choices.

Download: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
Cost: FREE (a paid version is available that includes several more features, such as macronutrient tracking and variable calorie and workout goals based on the day of the week)

Disclaimer: Excellus BlueCross BlueShield does not endorse or have any business relationship with MyFitnessPal.