Health Tip
For many people, the start of the new year is a time to reflect on what we’ve learned and set new goals as we look ahead. You might evaluate your physical and mental health and think of the changes you want to see in the coming year. Making big changes can be tough, though, and habits can be challenging to break. As you think of what you would like to accomplish in 2023, Mayo Clinic Health System reminds us that S.M.A.R.T. goals can help set us up for success:
Specific: Eating healthier sounds like a good goal, but what does it really mean? Aim for specific goals instead, like eating three servings of vegetables a day.
Measurable: Make your goal one you can measure. Sleeping at least 8 hours a night is a goal you can track. A goal of sleeping more is not so easy to track.
Attainable: Avoid aiming too high or too low.
Realistic: Choosing realistic goals that you can meet will reinforce your efforts and motivate you to keep going.
Trackable: Choosing specific, measurable goals means you can track your progress over time. Write your efforts down or track them electronically so you can see how far you’ve come!
Baby Boomers & Retirement!
Baby Boomers are now re-writing the rules of retirement. And why not? This generation known for its uniqueness does not view inactivity as a desired lifestyle. Previously most retired to inactivity. Getting older has not changed Boomers. When faced with traditional retirement or continuing in the workforce, 76% say they plan to extend their working life.
Traditionally, seniors have considered retirement the end. Boomers tend to see it as an important phase of life. Many don’t want to continue a 9 to 5 job. Some plan to work part time while others look to start a business of their own. Yet others want a break from work to enjoy leisure time. Travel is the choice for many. What else would you expect from such a large, diverse group?
Creative, productive, useful, goal oriented folks are most likely to be happy. Boomers are all that and more. In our current economic environment, many have no choice but to continue in the workforce.
Many Baby Boomers now find that the internet provides an opportunity to take charge of their finances. Online trading can be exciting but caution must be exercised. Many claims are made of financial success online but few are verified. Online banking and checking your financial condition are examples of good online tools. Not only can you feel closer to your money but you are made more aware of your financial condition.
The question for many Baby Boomers facing retirement is “ Where will I Live”? Do I stay in my home? Downsize? Maybe I should move to another area. Do I follow the kids or move away from the kids? There are all sorts of retirement communities with differing sets of amenities. Decisions depend on your desires and your pocketbook.
Travel is the calling for some. There are many sponsored group travels for those with similar interests. Boomers are simply a great boon to the travel industry.
Four tips for retirement are: Simplify your life. Make a plan. Start saving now. Make money while in retirement.
Some are ready to retire now. Some have much work to do to be prepared. Many want to continue to work. Others look forward to leisure. Most of the Baby Boomer generation love forward to staying engaged and making a difference.
Quick & Easy Clubhouse Sandwich!
We all know how to make a peanut butter sandwich or even a hamburger. But if you want to make something bigger than comes in three layers, why don’t you learn how to make the quick and easy clubhouse sandwich recipe.
The clubhouse sandwich has been around for a very long time. It is believed that this originated in club cars of passenger trains. But regardless of where it came from, there are certain ingredients that this meal will always have.
This includes toasted white bread, some chicken crispy bacon and few vegetables. If you don’t have chicken, you can try changing it for either turkey or shrimp instead.
To start this recipe, you need the following ingredients so check your refrigerator and bring out at least 6 stalks of celery, 2 onions, 8 slices of bacon, 12 slices of toasted white bread, 2 pounds of chicken, 2 medium sizes tomatoes and 4 lettuce leaves.
When you have everything ready, you start by cooking the chicken and then let it cool after 25 minutes. As you know, the chicken that is used for the clubhouse sandwich is turned into chicken salad which is why you have to mix it with other ingredients.
Once the salad is ready, it is time to cook the bacon until it is crisp and brown which should be done within 4 to 6 minutes. You better transfer the bacon to a paper towel first to drain the excess oil which is not good for those who have high cholesterol.
The last thing to do now is to put everything together. You get a piece of bread and then spread the chicken salad on the surface. Put some bacon, tomato or lettuce in between before putting the next layer of bread over it and then doing it one more time until you have three layers of bread.
With that, you now have a clubhouse sandwich. With the number of ingredients you used, you can share this with 3 other guests. Remember, a clubhouse sandwich has to be cut into quarters and then secured with a toothpick. That way, the sandwich won’t fall apart before it reaches your mouth. You can also put some side orders in beside the clubhouse sandwich by adding chips or fries.
Now that you know how to make a clubhouse sandwich, you can have this anytime you want rather than ordering it from the restaurant. What is even better is that you can do this at a much cheaper price especially if some of the ingredients are not readily available because you can replace these with something else.
It doesn’t matter where the clubhouse sandwich came from. What is important is that you know how to make it so can enjoy it and share with others.
One thing you should know about the clubhouse sandwich is that is more than just a snack which is why a lot of people eat it for lunch. Its light and healthy at the same time because it gives you a combination of B vitamins, iron and protein.
So the next time you feel hungry try having a clubhouse sandwich instead of a large meal. This is a quick and easy recipe you can make rather than another dish that will take you double the time to prepare.
Pasta meals in a flash!
Pasta meals are pretty easy to cook. The pasta itself just needs to be placed in boiling water and can be cooked in 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the type of pasta of course. And while the pasta is boiling you can already prepare your desired sauce, whether it may be tomato based, pesto or cream based, you can be finished in now time. You can have a pasta meal in a flash, provided you know what you’re doing.
To those experienced in the kitchen, this kind of meal is easy to make. But to the novices might still find pasta a little daunting or troublesome. One thing that you should watch out when cooking pasta is the noodles. You need to test every now and then to see if the noodles are done. The pasta cooks pretty quickly and leaving it too long can result to soggy noodles.
Avoid placing the pasta when the water is not yet boiling. This will help prevent the pasta from becoming all mushy, soft and sticky. Also, keep the water at a boil at all times. You can help make the pasta firmer if you add salt into the boiling water. Note that you should not cover the pot when you already placed the pasta. When the pasta is done, take it off the boiling water. The pasta will continue to cook if you leave it there. With that, one half of your pasta meal is done. The other half would be the sauce.
The good thing about pasta is having several choices for sauces. Actually, at some point you will be stumped on what kind of sauce to make due to the varieties. If you’re a pasta person then having a couple of sauces stored in your refrigerator would be the best ways to go. If you have pesto, you can use that to sauce your pasta. Add additional garlic, some mushrooms or even Italian sausages and topped with cheese and you can have a good meal.
Bottled or canned sun-dried tomatoes can go well with pasta. I always try to have some sun-dried tomatoes ready since you can just pour it over your pasta and voila! A tomato based pasta without the traditional tomato sauce and pastes. Top with grated cheese and partnered with bread and you can have a fulfilling meal in no time.
If you want a cream-based sauce, just prepare some sliced olives, cream, oregano and grated cheese. Mix the cream, olives and oregano together with your pasta and finish off with grated cheese on top. A simple cream-based pasta but can be quite joyous to the palette.
Olive oil is also a staple sauce for pasta and can be quite easy to use as well. You can mix olive oil with canned seafood or slices of meat or sausages to create a sauce for your pasta. You can add basil for flavor and don’t forget the grated cheese. If you want to experiment, try adding spicy flavored meat or canned seafood. Spicy pasta may not be for everyone but still a good dish in my account.
A pasta meal in a flash is really just that. In a span of 15 to 20 minutes you would have already prepared a good, hearty meal of pasta in either tomato, cream or olive-based sauce. It is a quick meal that I personally won’t get tired of.
10 ways to reach your self improvement goals!
One of the best ways to self improve is to accomplish your goals. This can lead to pride, to self-respect and to a better sense of responsibility.
1) Recognize your own path- when it comes to reaching your goals and improving your life, you need to be the leader. You are in control of what you want and your goals should come down to you and you alone. Just because your Dad wants you to be a lawyer and your Mom wants you to have 5 children does not mean this is what you have to do- it’s your life and thus, you are the boss.
2) Disassociate yourself from negativity- in the same way positive thoughts lead to positive results, negative thoughts leads to negative results. Negativity may be all around you- bitchy co-workers; unhappy neighbors; a depressing partner. Disassociate yourself from those types of people. You are in a happy, positive place- no negativity allowed.
3). Define your goals clearly- goals are what make life worth living. Think long and hard about what you want to accomplish and how you are going to get there. Make steps, include financial costs and put in as much detail as possible- the more defined your goals are, the easier they will be to achieve (and the more rewarding when you get there).
4) Push jealously aside- when you watch someone on a parallel path reaching their goals a lot sooner, it can be hard to sit back and be happy for them. But this is what you are going to have to do. Getting rid of this envy and resentment is a big hurdle in improving your self. But, once you overcome these feelings, you are a lot closer to reaching a state of Zen-like success.
5) Use visual reminders as boosters- being able to clearly see your goal can help motivate you and keep you focused on your game plan. Many people will post a picture of their ‘dream body’ on the fridge when they are trying to lose weight. Others will use their ‘dream car’ as their computer screen saver at work when those tough days get them down. A visual reminder can boost your motivation and drive to succeed.
6) See yourself at the end- as mentioned above, visualization is vital to reach your goal and improve your self. This is why it’s important to visualize yourself there. See yourself fitting into that size 10. Feel the breeze on your cheeks as you drive that sports car. Seeing is believing.
7) Use timelines- tracking your success can help you put your goal into perspective and see how far you’ve already come. It’s important for self-improvement that you recognize your feats and be proud of what you have doing, or are planning to do.
8) Reward yourself on the way- be happy with your progress. Whether your goal will take you twenty days or twenty years doesn’t matter- the important thing is that you are doing it. You are getting there. To keep yourself motivated every step of the way, you need to reward yourself with small treats. Be proud of how far you have come and prepare for the journey ahead.
9) Look for role models- look to those who are on the same path as you for inspiration. Perhaps this is a CEO of the company; perhaps this is your father. Try to immerse yourself in their life and ask questions. Their positive energy may just rub off on you. And, if not, at least you are learning from the experts how to get where you want to go.
10) Make room for failure- it can’t be a smooth road all the time- there has to be plenty of bumps along the way. In fact, it is these bumps that make the road worth traveling. Failure is a big part of our lives and we need to learn to live, love and laugh at failure rather than give in to it. Henry Ford once said that every failed attempt is just another opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. Failure is experience and experience is power.
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