16 – Danger in Grand Canyon

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastJanuary 16, 2014 – Episode 16 – On today’s show, Dave and his guest Larry talk about their extreme rim to rim to rim backpack trip in Grand Canyon and what went terribly wrong. Even if you have no desire to ever backpack Grand Canyon, this show is a must listen!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #16:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

BACKPACKING IN THE GRAND CANYON
Dr. Dave goes hiking once or more a year in the Grand Canyon. There is no real easy backpacking in the Grand Canyon. Here is more info about the Grand Canyon and the National Parks Service’s Hike Smart Tips: http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hike-tips.htm

RIM TO RIM GRAND CANYON
The edge of the rim is where you are standing looking at this big opening of the earth. You start at the south rim and hike down to the river 7-8 miles to get to the north rim to get to the top which is a couple thousand feet higher than the south rim. Learn more about the rim trails of the Grand Canyon: http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/day-hiking.htm

TRAINING
Dr. Dave’s friend Larry trained and prepared for this hike by hiking heavy miles with a heavy 30-40 pound backpack. He took this very seriously and was well prepared for the big Grand Canyon hike. The Grand Canyon can kick your butt and you should be in great shape and prepare too! Here is some more information on preparing for a major hike: http://www.mensfitness.com/leisure/travel/fit-travel-hiking-the-grand-canyon-rim-to-rim

HIKE FUELLING
Larry and Dr. Dave and others hiked and camped for 7 days in the Grand Canyon. You really need to eat and drink and replace your electrolytes and keep fuelled. These are long hikes carrying backpacks up and down elevations in the heat. You need to not only be prepared physically, but keep your body fuelled with food and beverages.

LIGHTENING THE LOAD
Larry needed to lighten his load, so he dropped off part of his load at a ranger station because it was just too much. This isn’t something you normally cannot do, but the rangers made an exception. If you don’t come back and get it, the items will be donated.

LIGHT-HEADED LARRY
After the first day Larry felt light headed and nauseous. He didn’t feel great after that point and kept trying to suck it up. After lightening his load on day 3, he felt and looked so horrible the team had him lay down on some rocks. Even some EMT trained people on the trail stopped and helped lighten Larry’s load even more and carry some of his items. Larry continued after a rest and then needed to lay down again. Dr. Dave and Larry separated groups and the next Dr. Dave saw Larry he was on a mule riding towards Dr. Dave! Listen to the show and hear how this harrowing saga continues. Definitely exciting times!

HIKERS ON THE TRAIL
The other hikers on the trail were amazing. They helped carry items. Many stopped and checked on him and asked if they could help. Hikers are amazing and nice people! Their grace and kindness really blew our minds! All these great people came together to help Larry from encouraging words, to physical help carrying some of his items, to giving him a mule!

TASTE OF INSPIRATIONS TEA
All the guests on Dr. Dave’s show are treated to his latest favorite tea. Today’s Show Tea was called Taste of Inspirations Tea. It is 100% Organic, Golden Chamomile, Smooth and Buttery Herbal Blend Tea. This is Dr. David’s newest most favourite chamomile tea!

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

15 – Introduction to Yoga, Breathing and Stretching

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastJanuary 9, 2014 – Episode 15 – Guest visit by Sandy (Dave’s yoga instructor) to help you understand what yoga is and how it can help you in your life. Dave’s wife Yoko is also a guest on this week’s show! Very informative and a fun episode.

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #15:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

YOGA
Dr. Dave has practiced yoga throughout the years on and off. About 2-3 years ago Dr. Dave and his wife decided to make yoga a very high priority in their lives and figure out how to make it a regular consistent behavior and habit to positively influence their daily lives. So Dr. David Madow practices yoga every Monday night with his wife Yoko. Sandy, the best yoga instructor on the planet, comes to Dr. Dave and Yoko’s house to give a private yoga class. Take a listen to Dr. Dave and Yoko chatting with Sandy about yoga and all of its amazing benefits.

YOGA GETS YOU CONNECTED AND AWARE
Yoga gets you in tune and connected yourself. It makes you aware of you, your breath, your body, your surroundings. You are more aware of your inside and outside and makes for a healthier you.

YOGA ON THE ROAD
You can do yoga anywhere anytime. You can even do yoga 15 minutes a day. You can do yoga on the road when you travel. Dr. Dave travels all over the world and can get his yoga on anywhere he goes.

YOGA FOR STRESS, DEPRESSION, AND BACK PROBLEMS
Many people who start yoga start practicing for a reason like back problems or even depression. Yoga absolutely helps with all of the these things and much more! More information on Yoga for Depression http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/2440. More information on yoga for back pain: http://www.yogajournal.com/health/125

YOGA BREATHING
Yoga breathing reduces stress, quiets your mind, and helps you get connected to your inner self. It is wonderful when your yoga instructor guides you through various breathing techniques. It can lower your blood pressure and your stress level. You can even practice yoga breathing when you are in the car dealing with crazy drivers during crazy rush hour. There are many types of breathing. Some are relaxing like single nostril breathing http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2483 or energizing like fire breathing http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2452/ yoga.

YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE
There are many different kinds of yoga and many types of instructors. Don’t give up or be afraid to try again if you tried yoga once and didn’t have a good experience. There is relaxing rhythmic yoga and there is powerful stretching yoga. There is hot yoga sweating in a room yoga that seems to be popular right now; though this is usually recommended for highly fit individuals and certainly shouldn’t be a starting place for a beginner. Yoga is for all ages for 9-99 and all fitness levels. Also, each class you go to will have people of all fitness levels. Don’t worry about where are you on that spectrum. There will always be someone better than you and always someone you are better than. Just focus on taking care of your body and what your body can do.

YOGA CHANGES YOUR LIFE
Yoga makes you more aware internally and externally and makes you more present in your every day life and existence and see things in a new way. Be sure to listen to Dr. Dave and Yoko chatting with their Yogi Sandy. Be inspired to try yoga or get back to it if you have tried it before.

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them tohttp://www.sliceyourage.com.

Quinoa “keen-wah” High Protein Gluten Free Food of the Gods and Champions Around the World!

quonia-tinkerbell-picWHAT IS QUINOA?
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is a cereal that is relatively new to grocery store shelves. It is a small, slightly nutty pseudo-grain, with a history that outdates many of its cousins in the kitchen. Once, only the domain of health food stores, it has recently gained acclaim on tables around the nation. A great substitute for rice or noodles, what is it about this small grain that is bringing it the acclaim it is gaining?

Far from a new food source, this ancient grain was domesticated in the South American Andes over 3000 to 4000 years ago. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that it could have been around longer than that, with a history perhaps dating back almost 7000 years. Cultivated by the ancient Incas, it was held in high regard as a food source, but also as an offering to the Gods. Referred to as the “mother grain”, it was traditional for Inca leaders to plant the first grains of the season. That was until Spanish settlers arrived. The conquistadors discouraged the ceremonies around quinoa, and even went as far as forbidding the cultivation of it.

Despite the decline in quinoa production over the following 400 years, this super food did not disappear. Locals continued to eat it, and slowly the rest of the world has become aware of the powerful nature of this almost forgotten pseudo-grain. While the ceremonies may have faded away, quinoa’s real value is in its high nutritional impact. Quinoa is a complete protein and is easily digestible and also gluten-free!

QUINOA NUTRITION:
In fact, quinoa has one of the highest protein contents of any grain, beating out rice, corn and barley, and comparing to nutritionally similar amaranth, spelt, and millet. It is a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron and many of the B vitamins. It has a high lysine content, which is an essential amino acid that is responsible for lowering cholesterol, helping the body process calcium, and converting fatty acids into energy. Not many food sources can claim all of that.

The list goes on from there. Quinoa is also gluten free, so an attractive alternate to anyone that suffers from gluten intolerance, celiac disease, or is just looking to reduce their gluten intake. It is an invaluable addition to vegetarian and vegan diets, due to its high protein content. Its naturally low sodium, and the presence of vitamin E are other benefits that can be added to this amazing little seed.

HOW TO COOK ANY QUINOA:
Rinse:
Always rinse your quinoa in fine mesh sieve for at least 3 minutes to take off the chaff (coating called saponin) and the wee bit of bitterness. It is so worth the effort. Do not skip this step. Also, no matter what you read, do not SOAK your quinoa – it turns it into a mushy disaster. Drain thoroughly.
Roast and Toast:
Now, put a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Put in quinoa and toast to dry it out for 1-3 minutes.
Cook:
I cook my quinoa in vegetable, chicken, or beef broth. I like the more robust flavor it gives it. You can even do ½ water and ½ broth. Add your chosen liquid (2:1 ratio = two times the liquid to uncooked quinoa) and bring to soft rolling boil. Now turn down heat to low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes timer goes off, do not lift lid! Take pot off the burner and let stand for 5 more minutes with lid on.
 
MY FAVORITE MELISSA QUINOA RECIPE
This is the one that converts non-quinoa eaters into quinoa lovers! Nothing is a must have. You can adapt ingredients to your personal tastes.

QUINOA INGREDIENTS:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups of vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 red pepper diced
1 orange pepper diced
1 yellow pepper diced
2 medium roma tomatoes diced
1 english cucumber diced
3 garlic cloves diced
1 can of black beans
1 cup canned corn (or frozen corn thawed and lightly steamed)
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped green onions
¼ – ½ cup of feta cheese (based upon preference) – I like lots!

DRESSING:
4 tablespoons of lime juice or juice of two fresh limes (roll limes before squeezing)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Above can be adjusted to taste
Whisk all together in a bowl before adding to cooked quinoa and veggies

STEPS:
1) Rinse 1 cup uncooked quinoa thoroughly with fine mesh strainer for at least 3 solid minutes under cold water
2) Drain thoroughly
3) Drizzle olive oil in saucepan
4) Add and sautee 3 diced garlic cloves for 60 seconds
5) Add 1 cup uncooked quinoa and roast for 1-3 minutes to get all the moisture out
6) Add 2 cups of your chosen liquid (veggie/chick/beef broth or water)
7) Bring to soft rolling boil.
8) Now turn down heat to low, cover, and let cook for 15 minutes.
9) After 15 minutes timer goes off, do not lift lid! Take pot off the burner and let stand for 5 more minutes with lid on.
10) Add all of the other ingredients above: the veggies, the feta cheese, the whisked dressing, and of course the lovely cilantro

QUINOA IS AMAZING!
Enjoy this quinoa salad warm when done or put in the fridge and enjoy cold. I usually make enough for my lunches for the week or a great mid-day snack. This is an action packed, super high nutrition, amazingly high protein, non-gluten salad that even people in your life that have never even heard of quinoa will love!

melissa-dawn-lierman-photo-by-karl-raupp-port-stanley-marina-september-18-2012GUEST BLOGGER: You can find Melissa Lierman all across the interweb tweeting, blogging, facebooking, photographing, and instagramming. She has lost 50 pounds and knows what it takes to get it done with a good attitude, good nutrition, and lots of healthy fitness. She is Woman 42. Kids 15.12.6. DigitalGeekGirl. College Professor. Runner. Marathoner. #MomsRunning Founder. Locavore. Dilletante. Primative Photographer. GlobeTrotter. You can connect with her on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadawnlierman, FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/digitalgeekgirl, Twitter @DigitalGeekGirl, or Instagram http://www.instagram.com/digitalgeekgirl.

14 – How Being Weird Can Keep You Young!

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastJanuary 2, 2014 – Episode 14 – Join Dr. David Madow and his guest, Jason Siemer of Jason Siemer Productions as they discuss how being “weird” can keep you not only young, but very HAPPY!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #14:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

SPECIAL GUEST JASON SEIMER
Jason’s definition of happiest: “To live the most amount of your time, the happiest!” Live how you want and do what makes you happy. There was a long time that Jason was not happy.  Find your happy and keep doing that.

WHAT WAS JASON’S LIFE LIKE NOT HAPPY?
He was depressed in high school and was very hard with on himself. He would beat himself up and be down. This had a downward spiral effect. The more bad things that would happen the more they turned into a mountain of gloom and doom. Later on in therapy after college, he found out he had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

“You can retrain your brain to be better and healthier. I worked with therapy to control these negative thoughts that led me to depression. When certain thoughts came into my head, I can now put up a mental stop sign and re-route my thought process,” says Jason.
 
jason-seimer-dr-dave-madow-episode-14

JASON’S DREAM CAREER
As a boy, Jason used to sleep with his baseball mitt dreaming of being in the big leagues. When he didn’t get drafted to play on his favorite team; he got the 2nd best offer of being hired at 21 to do video production for the Baltimore Orioles. He would do things like the player music video, blooper videos, marketing videos, the highlights reel, you name it. He worked at this job 10 years and got burned out at about year 7 because you were working at least 70 hours a week or more, especially during season.

JASON’S BIG CHANGE
Jason moved onto a new job with a production company in town, but that lasted for a very short 4 months. He just decided he didn’t want to work for anyone anymore. He wanted to make his own rules and control his own destiny and life. So he put the word out across the internet he had his own video production company. Hear about his crazy wonderful life and what he is doing now to make money that includes video production but also dusting off his guitar!

CHANGE YOUR LIFE
Take a risk. If you are in a job or relationship that is not making you happy and is stressful and it is time to leave. It is better to be alone than be with someone who does not make you happy and is negative in your life. It is also important that if you or your partner needs alone time; that is respected and honored.

HOW TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE
You don’t have to belong to an expensive gym to have your best health and fitness. Not being healthy and in shape affects all areas of your life from sleeping too much, not eating healthy, not working out, then clothes get tighter. You need to kick off with some momentum and get started, and go a few days, and keep going. The first changes Jason makes when he gets off track is to drink more water, eat healthier, eat lots of fruit and veggies, and get running. Jason makes these healthy changes and in two weeks, the pants are not as tight and everything changes. Listen to how his life changes as his fitness and health improves. Great stuff today! Dr. Dave will definitely have Jason back!

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them tohttp://www.sliceyourage.com.

13 – How to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions All Come True

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDecember 26, 2013 – Episode 13 – On today’s show Dr. Dave and his “special guest” teach you how to come up with goals for the New Year, as well as what you can do to make sure all or most of them actually come true. This is a very powerful show because it will help many of you begin to live the life of your dreams! Please join us and watch your life change!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #13: Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk.

THIS YEAR MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS COME TRUE!

WHAT ARE TOP RESOLUTIONS PEOPLE MAKE YEAR AFTER YEAR Dr. Dave talks about some of the top New Year’s Resolutions people talk and think about year after year and are still stuck. He shares his personal experiences with how he turns this year’s resolutions into goals with resolve and makes them happen. This is your year to make your New Year’s Resolutions come true! – Lose Weight – Save Money – Get out of Debt – Lead a Less Stressful Life – Spend More Time with Family – Quit Smoking – Travel More – Get Organized – Read More

NEW YEARS GOALS Dr. Dave thinks of the New Year’s Resolutions as New Year’s Goals. When he was a practicing dentist in the 90s, Dr. Dave used to stop by a park on the way to work and read his goals and believe his goals. Listen to the show and learn how they have all come true! – Write them down – Read them every day – Believe them – They will happen

CREATE A VISION What kind of life do you want? What do you need to change? How do you get to have the life you want? What do you need to do and what steps do you need to take? Make a list of the things you want to change in your life like your eating habits, exercising more, getting more sleep, better overall health, save money, start a new career, learn something new, or maybe find a life partner and even your soul mate?

YEARLY RITUAL – CREATE A GOALS BOOK Every year Dr. Dave and his wife Yoko sit down each year between Christmas and New Year’s and review the last year’s goals and make plans for the next year’s goals.

PLAN YOUR FINANCES Do you want to make a certain amount? Do you want to save a certain amount? Do you want to pay off any or all debts? Could it be paying off your car? Could it be paying off your mortgage entirely? Do you want to contribute to your IRAs and Pension Plans? Is it your goal to start making contributions or to make the maximum amounts contributions? Do you have an investment portfolio? Should you set one up? If you have one, do you contribute every single month to it? Dr. Dave has zero debt and owes no one. It feels fantastic to have no car payments, no mortgage payments, no credit card payments. If you want to sleep soundly at night, pay off your debt! Recommended Reading: The Millionaire Next Door

FUN THINGS People have many dedicated and serious goals, but you need to remember to have some fun in life. What are some fun goals you could make this year? Could it be travelling somewhere you have always wanted to go? Could it be celebrating your birthday or anniversary in a special way this year? Could it be entertaining more? Could it be having a party? Could it be learning a new language or learning to play an instrument? What is stopping you? How can you make fun things happen in your life in 2014?

FITNESS GOALS Dr. Dave and his wife Yoko enjoy travelling and fitness activities. This past year they backpacked in the Grand Canyon, skied in Colorado, and ran races all over the country. They also make fitness part of their daily and weekly fitness routines, such as: yoga together on Monday nights, running indoors or outdoors multiple times a week. What if you started with 15 minutes a day if you are not currently active? That could be your starting point with a goal of the end of the year with being able to make you and your health a priority for one hour each day. You could also have a goal of a race like a 5k or 10k race.

MONEY What if you committed certain percentages each month of your pay check to: XX% to your savings account, XX% to your investments and retirement, XX% to charity, XX% to any debt. You need to plan for your future to have certain levels of security in your savings and retirement to handle any economic changes in the world or your life. Getting out of debt and having the security of money in savings, investments, and retirement will take years off your life and sure let you sleep well at night!

GIVING TO CHARITY Dr. David Madow donates a very nice percentage of his income to various charities and encourages you do to the same. Pick organizations that resonate with you and your life and have meaning to you. Give big or give small. Give what you can and are able to give within your means. Make it a goal in 2014 to give back to your community and the world to those that are less fortunate than you. There will always be someone who makes more money than you and those that make less. Help out in your time or money or both how you can this year.

SLEEP IS SO IMPORTANT Can you map out how much you sleep each night in an average week? Is that really enough? Are you getting at least 6-8 hours of sleep a night? If not, what could you start with tonight and this week? Could your goal by the end of the year to get 8 solid hours of sleep a night? Getting proper sleep will change your life from your health and fitness, weight loss, your career, and your overall happiness.

PEACE IN YOUR LIFE Do you need daily meditation? Have you wanted to try yoga? Do you need to change where you live? Do you need to change your career? How can you make small and big changes towards a more peace filled life?

GET STARTED WITH YOUR NEW YEAR’S PLANNING AND GOALS Write them down. Write it in a journal. Write down on your computer. Feel free to modify or update them as the year progresses. Do individual goals. Do goals as a couple. Share your goals with your partner. It costs nothing to get started and use your brain and thoughts to create these goals and visualize them happening. What you could gain is priceless! Get started today to work towards the life you want, you deserve, and should have.

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.SliceYourAge.com

Work Smarter, Not Harder – The Secret to Staying Younger!

I am sure you have heard of the Pareto Principle, more widely known as the “80/20 Rule.” It came from Vilfreto Pareto, the Italian economist who noticed back in 1906 that 80% of the land was owned by 20% of the people. Not coincidentally, Pareto also noticed that 80% of the peas in his garden came from 20% of the pods.

Over the years this “80/20” rule has been used for much more than land and peas. For some reason it works for practically everything in our lives. By the way, did you know that the richest 20% of the world’s population controls about 80% of the world’s wealth?

There are many applications of the 80/20 rule seen in business. Here are a few:

  • 80% of a company’s profits come from 20% of its customers.
  • 80% of a company’s complaints come from 20% of its customers.
  • 80% of a company’s profits come from 20% of the time its staff spend.
  • 80% of a company’s sales come from 20% of its products.
  • 80% of a company’s sales are made by 20% of its sales staff.

Here is a cool one that you can also relate to: 80% of web traffic comes from 20% of web pages.

It’s amazing how this rule applies to so much more in our lives. I am pretty sure that 80% of the time I am listening to only 20% of the music in my iTunes library! And on my iPhone, I likely use 20% of my apps 80% of the time!

So where am I going with this? Well, last year I decided that I was spending my time with too much “busy work.” I got bogged down answering emails, putting out fires, dealing with interruptions and getting involved with mundane tasks that could have been delegated to others. 80% of my time was being wasted with crap that I did not want or need to do.  My days were generally full and I was stressed. Yes, I was a busy “worker bee.”

So I decided I would eliminate, automate or delegate everything that I possibly could, freeing my days up to do ONLY what I wanted to do and what I loved to do. I had my employees and even a hired virtual assistant do almost everything. I also became an expert in saying the word NO!

What happened? My days totally freed up. My time is my own. I work smarter, not harder. I finally have the time to do everything that I want, whether it is work related or play related. And guess what? My businesses are more successful than ever. More customers, more sales, more speaking gigs, and more followers! Not only am I bringing more money in, now I have the time to manage it properly which means my investments are growing like crazy! It is truly amazing what happened and how fast it happened!

I can honestly say that by adopting the 80/20 rule, I have seen the quickest, most dramatic change EVER in my life! I am happier and less stressed and I am able to enjoy more time with my friends and family than ever before. I am able to work guilt free from remote locations such as Breckenridge, Colorado in the winter and the west coast in the summer. Please understand that I am still VERY MUCH involved in my businesses. But since getting rid of 80% of the stuff that I could get rid of, a whole new world has opened up to me!

12 – 26.2 Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDecember 19, 2013 – Episode 12 – “Are you ready for the holidays?” Don’t you love that question? In this episode Dr. Dave gives you 26.2 ways that will help you deal with all of the holiday stress you will likely encounter. He covers working out, eating, removing yourself from stressful situations, financial, scheduling, end of day activities, and much more.

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #12:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!
 
WORKING OUT
#1  Focus on maintaining and losing ground
#2  Plan your workouts in your calendar every Sunday evening for the week ahead
#3  Consider doing a shorter workout or two shorter workouts. Something is better than nothing!
#4  Find a workout buddy for the month to keep each other on track
#5  Consider switching up your regular workout time this month due to the craziness of this month
#6  If the weather is not good outside or if it is too much effort to go outside, hit up the treadmill. This will allow you even a quick 15 or 30 minute workout while dinner is cooking or while watching your favorite television show.
#7  Sign up right now for a fitness event or race in 2014. Depending on where your fitness level is: this could be a 5k, 10k, marathon, tough mudder. Commit to signing up THIS week. It will be something for you to focus on and have a goal to work towards.
 
EATING
#8  Eat before going to a holiday event to keep you from being extremely hungry and overeating
#9  Use a small salad sized plates at the parties and events. Do not take big plate and fill it up!
#10  Do not take seconds. Do NOT take seconds! It all goes downhill after that!
#11  Limit your alcohol to just one drink per event.
#12  No desserts! Unless a healthy dessert like fresh fruit and cheeses.
 
STRESS
#13  Practice Yoga Daily. Here is a link to great images of Yoga Poses and Information http://www.yogajournal.com.
#14  Have a morning ritual. You may want to get up a bit early than you normally do just to get some time to yourself. This may even create a good habit in the new year.
#15  Get plenty of sleep. If your battery is not fully charged, it is going to make it very difficult to cope with the high stress of this month. Try for 6-8 hours each and every night.
#16  If you are uncomfortable during the holidays with a person, conversation, or situation – take a time out! Use the old “I gotta go to the bathroom” excuse and get away from that area.
#17  If it is a very stressful event or situation, LEAVE. You do not need to stay. You are your own boss of your own life. You don’t HAVE to do anything or stay anywhere. Leave if need be.
 
END OF THE DAY
#18  At the end of each day before you go to bed, write down what you want to accomplish the NEXT day. I find a notebook at the bedside night table good for this.
#19  Release the day and any of its frustrations. The day is done and it is over.
#20  If you are VERY stressed or worried and you can’t seem to sleep. Get out of bed! Do something to reset your mind – do some yoga, some breathing, drink warm drink of tea or milk, or some reading with a soft light. Try your best to release all the frustrations and anxiety before getting back in bed.
#21  Reflect on 3 things that you are grateful for that happened during the day. It could be that you got a good run in, or connected with a friend and had a good visit, or that you are in good health, or about your family and kids and grandkids. Again, the notebook next to the bed is good for you to even write these 3 things down.
#22  Go to sleep with really positive thoughts. You are strong, you are healthy, you are loved. The last 5 minutes of thoughts before you sleep live in your mind and subconscious for hours while sleeping. A great book by Dr. Wayne Dyer called “Wishes Fulfilled” talks about this in his chapter called “Now I lay me down to sleep.” http://www.drwaynedyer.com.
 
MISCELLANEOUS
#23  Remain calm and relaxed. There are a lot of crazy stress and situations during this month.
#24  Weigh yourself every single morning. Use this measuring device to hold yourself accountable just like your speedometer or gas gauge on your car. It will help you keep things in check.
#25   Do not overspend. Say right now “I will not overspend”. Do not overspend on gifts, food, travel. Live below your means. Every single person you know needs gifts. Do not overspend! You will regret it come January and that is no way to start 2014.
#26   ENJOY!  Spend quality time with the people you truly care about.
#26.2  Listen to next week’s program because I am going to give you some New Year’s Resolutions and goals to start out 2014 right!
 
HOLIDAY GIFT FOR YOU – MY BOOK: IMPRESS THE WORLD WITH YOUR BODY IN SEVEN DAYS
I have a special holiday gift for you. I want to give you an electronic kindle copy of my book: “Impress the World with Your Body in Seven Days”. Have you ever dreamed of being stronger, healthier, more confident, younger looking and more attractive? If so, you owe it to yourself to check out “IMPRESS THE WORLD WITH YOUR BODY IN SEVEN DAYS.” Organized in a very easy to digest format, “SEVEN DAYS” will help you become a more vibrant, healthier and physically fit human being. Do you ever stop to wonder why some people look so good and others simply look terrible? It took Dr. Madow more than thirty years to figure it out, but he can now teach you the answer in seven days! This is serious stuff that anyone can read and put into practice immediately. There is no question that the readers of this book will be thrilled with the changes that they will see with themselves in a very short time. And unlike other books that make promises (but either don’t work or don’t last); the “SEVEN DAYS” lifestyle will stick with you forever! Listen to today’s show to find out how to get your very own electronic kindle edition. Here is Impress the World with Your Body in Seven Days by Dr. David Madow on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Impress-World-Your-Body-SEVEN-ebook/. This is would be a great holiday gift you could send along with an e-card this holiday season or even in the New Year to get yourself, family, and friends with a new perspective and trying new things.
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.
 

11- How a Busy Accountant Managed to Bike 180 Miles!

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDecember 12, 2013 – Episode 11 –  Dr. David Madow’s long time friend Larry is today’s guest! Dave asks Larry about how he got started living a healthy lifestyle. Larry is a 58 year old accountant  who recently bicycled 180 miles on the C&O Canal towpath, a beautiful trail that runs from Cumberland, MD to Georgetown, Washington, DC.  This story is sure to motivate you!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #11:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

IMPRESS THE WORLD WITH YOUR BODY IN SEVEN DAYS
I have a special holiday gift for you. I want to give you an electronic kindle copy of my book: “Impress the World with Your Body in Seven Days”. Have you ever dreamed of being stronger, healthier, more confident, younger looking and more attractive? If so, you owe it to yourself to check out “IMPRESS THE WORLD WITH YOUR BODY IN SEVEN DAYS.” Organized in a very easy to digest format, “SEVEN DAYS” will help you become a more vibrant, healthier and physically fit human being. Do you ever stop to wonder why some people look so good and others simply look terrible? It took Dr. Madow more than thirty years to figure it out, but he can now teach you the answer in seven days! This is serious stuff that anyone can read and put into practice immediately. There is no question that the readers of this book will be thrilled with the changes that they will see with themselves in a very short time. And unlike other books that make promises (but either don’t work or don’t last); the “SEVEN DAYS” lifestyle will stick with you forever! Listen to today’s show to find out how to get your very own electronic kindle edition. Here is Impress the World with Your Body in Seven Days by Dr. David Madow on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Impress-World-Your-Body-SEVEN-ebook/

LARRY THE CPA
Today I chat with Larry, the CPA, who is 58, 5’9”, 168 pounds, and is in fantastic shape! He has been running and biking for 30+ years. Even during the insanely busy tax season he keeps working out. It is not as intense of a schedule as the off season, but still works out 3-4x a week, sometimes getting in a spin class at the gym early in the morning, and does at least one long bike ride on the weekends. Making sure to take care of himself and getting these workouts in makes him feel energized and able to handle such a heavy work load during his busy season.

Listen to what his tipping point was so many years ago as a spectator of the NYC marathon in the 1980s. There was this really overweight guy running this marathon and he was watching it. This tipped him to think if THIS guy can do it, HE can do it too! So he started running, got in shape, and shed a lot of pounds. In fact, we ended up doing the Marine Corp marathon together in 1983!

Recently, Larry did an incredible three day bike trip 180 miles on the C & O Canal towpath that parallels the Potomac River and was very significant and historic in early days of the United States for trade. Learn more about this amazing trail: http://www.nps.gov/choh/index.htm. Listen to my chat with Larry, the CPA, and be inspired by his 30+ years of dedication to his health and fitness and his recent 180 mile bike ride.

NO TIME TO EXERCISE MOM?
It helps to get a bike or treadmill at home to fill the gap when you just cannot get out of the house. Put it on in the t.v. room with the kiddos and toys if need be. You don’t have to spend thousands on a fancy treadmill or bike. Think about getting it online on a Craig’s list or Kijiji in February when other people have given up on their New Year’s Resolutions. You are worth the investment for this equipment and the investment of time to take care of yourself. You will never be sorry for the workout you did do! More information and tips for treadmill workouts: http://www.runnersworld.com/treadmills/treadmill-workouts.

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

10 – Take Baby Steps / A Grandfather Speaks Out / Ritu Rao Screams / NCR Trail Marathon

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDecember 5, 2013 – Episode 10 –  A new grandfather speaks out on health and lifestyle! Dr. Ritu Rao, a dentist and mother from Dallas, TX calls in to tell her story and to let out a LOUD SCREAM! Dr. David Madow tell his story about traveling to Jacksonville, Florida and what happened at the airport. He also shares his experience about finishing the NCR Trail Marathon in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Dr. Dave asks that you share the podcast with at least one friend or family member that you would like to see get a little healthier. We are going to be starting a “Baby Steps” program very soon and we want to help as many of you and your friends/family as possible!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #10:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

GRANDFATHER STORIES
I made a quick trip down to Florida with my wife to visit my daughter and her husband to meet my very first grandchild, baby Jeremy! It is quite an amazing feeling! I don’t feel like the old old school grandpa in the rocking chair reading a book. I am a grandpa that feels half my age who runs marathons and skis black diamond runs.

MARATHON
I ran a marathon over the Thanksgiving weekend. I try to run 2-3 marathons a year. This time it was the NCR marathon in Baltimore Maryland on one of those Rail to Trails corridors. It was a blustery cold morning and my wife and I got up at 4am to get ready for the marathon in 18-20 degrees cold. We were waiting before the race in a local elementary school and it was so fantastic to be surrounded by fit, positive, healthy people.

My wife and I run to be healthy and have fun. No matter how fast or how slow you run; you are a runner. No matter how fast or how slow you finish a marathon; you are a finisher and you are a marathoner. You all get the same medal at the end. I don’t get caught up in a time or place in the pack or runners. I feel fantastic I did this and glad I did.

Rails to Trails is an awesome non-profit organization that converts old rail lines to trails for a healthier life. The Baltimore area has a yearly marathon and my wife and I ran their 24th annual marathon this year. More information North Central Railroad Trail Marathon: http://ncrtrailmarathon.com/home.aspx.

DR. RITU RAO
Dr. Ritu is a 38 year old mom, dentist, and a runner. She was tired of being tired physically and mentally. She wasn’t loving life, feeling exhausted, and had 30 pounds of leftover weight from the last pregnancy. She started with a coach potato to 5k program she found online and then got bored with it so she joined a running class, then a running group. Listen to my chat with Dr. Ritu how she went from 5ks, to half marathons, and to date has run two full marathons. Running has changed her life from losing weight, to diet and nutrition, and making some great new friends from her running club.

BABYSTEPS
Are you one of the many people who have too many pounds on your body and you want to lose weight, but you don’t know where to start? You have to start today, not tomorrow, not after the holidays, not in the New Year. The first step is to stop eating the junk! You can stop that right now. Every bite you put in your mouth is a choice. Make good choices with all food that goes into your body. I am creating a program called Baby Steps to help you my friends get in the best shape of your life and slice your age in half! More details forthcoming about this program.

MOTIVATION
You never regret the workout, walk, run, or bike ride you did. I promise you that you will regret that workout you did miss. Sometimes the hardest step is convincing your mind to do this and get out of that warm bed especially in the cold weather and get those shoes on and get out the door. You want a better, strong, healthier life – and it starts with you and starts with those first steps!

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Connect with me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

09 – Ironman Howard Farran / Holiday Tips / Breathing Exercise / Garmin 220

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastNovember 28, 2013 – Episode 09 –  Howard Farran is a special guest on the show today. The Phoenix, Arizona resident talks about he went from an overweight out of shape dentist to an Ironman Triathlon finisher. His story is sure to amaze you as well as inspire you! Also on today’s show your host Dr. David Madow gives some more holiday eating tips, shares a really cool breathing exercise, talks about what you can do if you have a short work break, and much more. This is a special “not to be missed” holiday episode that you may listen to and share with your friends.

 

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #9:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk.

Daily Single Nostril Breathing – Quick 10 Minutes De-Stress
Do this daily first thing in the morning and during a break at work. This special breathing practice was taught to me by my yoga instructor to create peace and calm and de-stress.
– Block your right nostril with your right thumb or pinkie
– Breathe in and out of your left nostril 1-3 times
– Then, block your left nostril with your left thumb or pinkie
– Breathe in and out your right nostril 1-3 times
– Repeat this for 10-15 minutes a couple times a day
More Information on Single Nostril Breathing:  http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2483

Thanksgiving and Holiday Eating
– There is a temptation to eat too much
– You can get distracted and not pay attention to what is going in your mouth while visiting and the next morning have the scale hangover and not be happy when you step on the scale and regret overeating.
– This is your life and your friends and family may not be on a plan or care about being healthier, but you do and that is why you are listening. This is a lifestyle I am teaching and not a crash diet or quick fix.
– TIP: When things are passed around, just take a little bit and pass it on.  Your body doesn’t know it is a holiday and is not ready for you to eat two or three times what you normally do.
– Be good I am watching you! Remember it is your body and you need to respect it, not abuse it, and take care of it!

Howard Farran
What an inspiration! He went from overweight workaholic to triathlete. He wanted the biggest baddest goal he could find; the goal that scared him the most = a Triathlon. He announced his goal and told all of his family and friends and they all laughed.  This motivated him even more and he remembered this when he heard that alarm go off at 4am every morning.

Every year from ages 40-50, his goal was to lose 10 pounds. Then at 50 years old I was 5’ 7”, 238 pounds a good 50 pounds overweight, and a workaholic. He woke up at 50 I wanted a big goal to live a better healthier life. He couldn’t swim one pool length for 2 minutes, he couldn’t run around the block, and could only do 6 miles on a bike. Then 11 months later just before his 51st birthday he completed his first Iron Man race. He decided every day to workout and bike, swim, or run.

The only place he could find consistently to workout with no problems, interference, or excuses was 4am.  This had an amazing effect of getting him to bed early and sleeping well and stopping late night eating.  He never planned a rest day, but life interferes with family, life, and travel provided an unplanned down or rest day.

Take a listen on to my chat with Dr. Howard Farran, full-time dentist who changed his life.

Weigh Yourself Daily
You don’t drive around not knowing how much gas is in the tank of your car. You need to step on the scale daily to know where you in your life and measure your success. I travel a lot and even do this on the road. I use the Newline travel scale and got it off Amazon for $20 bucks and bring it on the road so I can keep aware of where I am on a daily basis.

Rails to Trails Organization
This is an awesome non-profit organization that converts old rail lines to trails for a healthier life. “Creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.” More information at http://www.railstotrails.org

Connect With Me
I look forward to connecting with you between these shows. The best place to reach me is on Facebook on my page: http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Have a great week!

08 – Holiday Eating Tips / How Much Water Do You Drink / Financial and Other Stresses

November 21, 2013 – Episode 08 – In this episode Dr. David Madow answers several listeners questions concerning exactly how much water should we be drinking every day and how to avoid the eating temptation over the holidays. Also in this episode, Dr. Madow will help you avoid the stresses that come from money, finances, marriage, relationships, and more. Finally, Mike comes into the studio to give a scream about something that he is in the process of accomplishing that will amaze you!

MORE INFORMATION FROM THE SHOW #8:
Take a listen to the show. Download it and throw it on your iphone or ipod and listen to on the go in your car or while you are going for a run or walk inside or outside. Live Stronger, Healthier, and Happier!

DRINKING WATER
Water is water. No other fluid counts as water. Water is the healthiest drink on the planet is water. There is no better nourishment for us to consume. You need to be mindful of this and always have water with you and stop throughout the day and drink just pure and simple water. You need to steer clear and avoid negative no nutritional harmful soda pops and sweetened juices. Get more water in your life.

HOLIDAY EATING
Here we go! Holiday eating is always a challenge even for the most healthy of us. I want to share some tips with you to make things a bit easier this holiday season. First, eat a little bit before holiday events so you are not starving when you get there. Next, do your thing when you get there and don’t let anyone make you feel guilty for not eating. You are the one that is going to step on the scale in January and have to deal with that number. You can politely say no or politely say yes and take a small amount. Also, here’s a tip I have been doing for years and have had great success: Use a smaller plate – both during the holidays and all throughout the year. Even if you fill it up, it will be less than half of what you would have on a regular big dinner plate. Lastly, I want you to resist going back for seconds or thirds. Go get a drink of water or tea if you are still feeling hungry or you want to have something in your hand. Focus on the people at the party and Let’s not overeat and overdrink this season! This is your life. You need to make good choices today. Right now.

VISION BOARD
What is a vision board? It is a board you look at every day focused on the vision of the life you want to have. You find pictures of the life you want and stick it where you can see it every day. It may sound silly, but it really works. It has worked for me and countless others. When we focus on the life we want, we move towards that life and those goals. It is pretty simple to get started. Go to your local office supply store for a basic corkboard or a home decorating store for a fancier one if you wish; pick one you like and put it up in a place in your home you are daily like your home office or a hallway.

Next, cut out pictures that align with the vision of what you want your life to be. Some ideas for the vision board: a picture of someone in your age range with the body you aspire to have, the marathon you want to run, the project you want to start or finish from writing a book to renovating your kitchen, or the vacation or trip you want to take. Get started on creating a vision of the life you want to have and be living moving forward. More Information on Vision Boards and how to make one and how it can help your life: http://marthabeck.com/2008/07/the-subtle-tricks-to-building-an-effective-vision-board/.

STUDIO GUEST MIKE, The Around the World Runner
No matter how fast you are or slow you are – there are always runners faster and slower than you. Do your own thing, but track what you do so you can see your progress. Start with walking and running. Walk once around the block and then run once around the block. Running is great way to not only boost your metabolism, but change your metabolism. Mike decided to have a goal to run as far as going around the world once and has run 90% of his 22,600 goal miles so far. Listen to my chat with Mike and how he accomplished this goal and still is running.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
Money is and always will be a hot topic. It is one of the biggest stressors in people’s lives and one of the top 3 reasons why relationships end. You need to live BELOW your means. It doesn’t matter if you are making $40,000 a year, $400,000 a year, or $4 million a year. True wealth and financial success is living below your means, having savings, and having no debt. It is not the dollar amount you earn or where you are on the spectrum that is financial success. It is to live below your means and take care of your debt and put money in savings that is success and freedon. If you do these simple things, you will be amazed at what happens to the stress level in your life. You need to have a map and plan. Listen to Dr. Dave talk about how money can stress out your life and how you can be debt free and not be a slave to the bank and your debtors.

TOXIC PEOPLE AND TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS
If you can fix it, do it! Do everything you can to fix it. Nowhere does it say you have to be with someone or have someone in your life that is toxic. If you cannot fix it, get out of it. It will change your life to get the negative people and negative energy out of your life.

CONNECT WITH ME
I love doing this show. I want you to be better, stronger, and healthier in all aspects of your life. Thank you for taking time to spend time with me today. I look forward to connecting with you between these shows. The best place to reach me is on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow. Have a great day and a great week!

07 – How to Set Your Goals / Why You Need to Examine Your Skin / Cure for Psoriasis

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150November 14, 2013 – Episode 07 -Dr. David Madow teaches you how to set goals so that you may achieve practically anything you want in life.  He also talks about something he did that helped cure his psoriasis and why your skin is an indicator of your overall health. Another David comes to the studio to let out a big SCREAM!

06 – Three Things You Need to Do to Begin Each Day / Reducing Anxiety

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150November 7, 2013 – Episode 06 – Dr. David Madow reveals what he does every single morning to make his day the best day possible. Some great tips on preventing anger, anxiety, stress, and more. And a special guest comes to the studio for a super SCREAM!

05 – How to Lose Weight and Keep it Off / Tony Ferrante Screams

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150October 31, 2013 – Episode 05 -Dr. David Madow gives many secrets about how to lose weight. Losing weight is not necessarily about exercising more. Although Dr. Madow is a firm believer in exercise, when it comes down to it there is something else that is actually more important that you MUST do to shed the pounds once and for all. It is all explained in this program! Special call-in guest Tony Ferrante from Winder, GA does an amazing scream!  If you finally are ready to get to your ideal weight and reach your goals, this is a must listen!

04 – Is Stretching Important / How to Buy Running Shoes / Cold Feet / Cold Hands

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150 October 24, 2013 – Episode 04 – Dr. David Madow answers listener’s questions.   Is stretching important? What type of running shoes should I get? I injured my foot a short time ago and now I can’t exercise. My feet and hands are frequently cold. And much more!

03 – How Often Should I Weigh Myself / Do I Need a Personal Trainer

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150October 17, 2013 – Episode 03 – Dr. David Madow answers listener’s questions. A listener asks how often she should weigh herself. Another listener is having a tough time getting started and wants to hire a personal trainer. Terry comes to the studio to SCREAM!

02 – Chronic Fatigue / Triathlete Wants Comeback / Tips From a Massage Therapist

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150Episode 02 – Dr. David Madow answers listener’s questions.  A young man is experiencing chronic fatigue, an ex-triathlete wants to make a comeback, tips from a massage therapist, and much more.

01 – Introduction to Slice Your Age in Half / Dr. David Madow

Slice-Your-Age-Podcast-150Episode 01 – Introduction to Slice Your Age In Half with Dr. David Madow (Formerly called “Journey to an Amazing You”). Dr. David Madow answers listener’s questions.

Want to Eliminate Stress? Pay Off Some Debt!

My mission here is to get you into a healthier lifestyle, looking better, feeling better, etc. I’ve got many tricks up my sleeve to get you going with this. I just don’t talk about exercise and eating here. I talk about anything that can help you.  Today I want to teach you how to de-stress, or at least one way to de-stress. We all know that stress is a major contributor to body deterioration and disease.

Stress is a silent killer.

There are many causes of stress in our lives. One of the major stressors that I will discuss today has to do with finances, and it is called debt.  As far as I am concerned, debt is a dirty word. Debt seems to be the American way these days. It is not unusual at all for many of us to owe ten thousand dollars on a credit card, thirty thousand on a car, eighty thousand on student loans, and hundreds of thousands of dollars on a mortgage.

When you owe money, you have people looking over their shoulders at you, waiting for their payments. God forbid you have a situation where you are in-between jobs or out of work, these people that you owe money to don’t seem to care. They still want their money and they will take drastic measures, even ruining your life to get what they are owed.

Does this sound like fun? Is this a comfortable feeling? Waking up every morning wondering what’s going to happen if you don’t make all of your payments? I don’t think so. I think it’s stressful as hell. Remember, stress quietly eats away at your body.

That’s why recently I had a goal to become debt free. And I did it. I’m not saying it was easy. I had to plan it out. But last year, I paid off my house in full, which was the last remaining debt that I had. Right now I do not owe anyone a penny. And I plan to keep it that way.

When you have no debt, your entire life changes. You don’t wake up in the morning wondering who you owe money to and what will happen if the bills do not get paid. It’s an incredible feeling knowing that if I lose my income that no one can take my house away. I own it. I control every decision that goes into it. I don’t need any permission from any bank when it comes to doing anything with my house! Or anything else.

Also, I have found that since I have been debt free, I can give more money to people and charities that can use the help. All my life I have heard people saying that when you give more, you will get more. Do you know what I used to say to that? I said B.S. How can I possibly “give” when I don’t have enough money for myself? But let me go on record by saying I am finding this giving thing to be true. When you give money, money comes back to you double or triple. Or even more! I am not sure if it’s karma, but it does work.

Listen. I believe that no matter how bad financially you think things are in your life right now, you owe it to yourself to come up with a plan to become debt free. It does not have to be tomorrow. Or next year. But you need to do it. Do it a little bit at a time with baby steps and you will get the job done.

I don’t have room here to go into all of the details, but I will tell you the first step. You need to live BELOW YOUR MEANS and pocket the difference. It doesn’t matter how much or how little you make. Living below your means is crucial. If you are spending more that you make, you can never be debt free! It is not mathematically possible.

Once you begin living below your means, take the extra money that you now have each month and figure out how to begin paying off your debts. Again, how you do this varies with each of your financial situations. We will get into this later. My goal for you today is to get into the mindset that you will eventually be debt free. Sooner rather than later. Because once you do this, you will lose all of the stress that comes with debt, bills, and the banks controlling your life. Again, I have been on both sides and THIS SIDE is much better!

Now I know what you are saying right now. You are saying this sounds wonderful but in “my” situation, I just can’t do this right now. If you find yourself saying that, you will NEVER accomplish this. Trust me. Get that negativity out of your system right now. I don’t want to hear the excuses. Excuses are easy to make. You are smart. You can do this.

Stress causes illness and other bad things. Getting out of debt is the number one way to get rid of the stress which is eating away at your body. Because after all, we all want to have the healthiest body possible, right? If you are overwhelmed, just take baby steps. Because ANY step that gets you closer to becoming debt free is better than no step!

I am not a financial planner and have no desire to be. But I do know enough to help you all on a basic level. There is no need to complicate this. I will write more on this topic later. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at rundrdave@gmail.com.

Talk to you soon.

Hey, What Was Your Time?

One thing I have always been curious about with running and racing is why people ask what my time was after a race. It’s so typical, whether I do a 5K or a marathon, the most common question is…

“Hey Dave, what was your time?”

I no longer give my time. I tell the person very politely that I crossed the finish line comfortably. This has been my practice for years.

Want to know why? Because here’s what someone will likely say no matter WHAT my time is in the marathon. Are you ready? It goes like this:

“Hey Dave, I see you ran the Chicago Marathon. What was your time?”

If I say 7 hours, they will say “What are you, dead?”

If I say 6 hours, they will say “My great-grandmother could do better than that.”

If I say 5 hours, they will say “My grandmother could do better than that.”

If I say 4 hours, they will say “I ran a marathon twenty years ago and I beat that time.”

If I say 3 hours, they will say “Oh, OK, I have a neighbor that runs one in 2:50.”

If I say 2 hours and by the way I beat all of the Kenyans, they will tell me about their daughter who is trying out for America’s Got Talent.”

So as you can see, it is a no-win situation to give anyone my time. That is why I keep it to myself and run MY race!