2017

Live Happier & Healthier

The benefi ts of Zumba

Losing weight through better eating

Overcome issues in your marriage

ALSO INSIDE:Donating Blood / Making change

permanent / Cut back on your drinking / Recover fi nancially

from the holidays

>>>>

>>

Southside New You is published by the

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30 S. Water St., Ste. AFranklin, IN 46131

Losing weight through better eating ..................4Overcoming issues in your marriage .................5Making change permanent ..................................6Why donating blood is important ........................7Zumba a fun way to get fit ......................................8

Recover from your holiday spending ..............11Finding a route to happiness ................................12Have better talks with your kids ...........................13How to cut back on alcohol .................................14

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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7

5

4 8

13

The younew2017

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4 NEW YOU 2017

NUTRITION

If you have resolved to lose weight in the New

Year, don’t fall for the latest fad diet.

Instead, focusing on nutrition and imple-

menting healthier eating habits is the best

(and safest) bet for ensuring weight loss success and

overall better health, says Dr. Dana L. Lindsay, med-

ical director of weight loss and wellness at Johnson

Memorial Hospital.

Lindsay said her organization holds to the philos-

ophy that fad diets simply don’t work. Sure, you can

eat only grapefruit every day and you will lose

weight. But, odds are, you will tire of it quickly and

fall back into old habits.

“Don’t make changes you can’t do for the rest of

your life,” she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, an

estimated half of all American adults – nearly 117

million people – suffer from a chronic disease that

is preventable, and more than two-thirds are over-

weight or obese. Most chronic disease, such as Type

2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood

pressure, are preventable with proper exercise, but

more importantly with healthy eating habits, the

CDC says.

Adopting healthful eating habits doesn’t mean

you have to purge your fridge of everything and

start over. However, it is important to read labels.

So where and how can you start to implement

more healthy choices? Start with protein, Lindsay

said.

“The traditional teaching is 45 to 60 grams of

protein a day,” she said. “But I tell people if they

want to lose weight push for more like 60 to 80

grams a day.”

Making protein a priority essentially takes care of

the question about portion sizes.

Protein acts as an appetite suppressant. Say you

have a meal of chicken, mashed potatoes and green

beans. If you eat the chicken first, you are less likely

to go back for seconds on the potatoes, Lindsay

said, because the protein satisfies the hunger mak-

ing you less likely to overindulge.

Many fad diets shun carbohydrates and fats. But

it is important to remember that the body needs

these, too ... but in moderation. Too much of a

good thing can certainly become a bad thing.

When you’re actively trying to lose weight, get-

ting a full 60 to 80 grams of protein in 24 hours

can be a challenge. Great protein-filled snacks and

foods include any kind of beans, nuts, yogurt, tofu

and cheese, Lindsay said. To make it even easier to

reach your protein goal, Lindsay recommends incor-

porating a protein supplement, like whey powder.

Whatever you do, do not skip meals because

skipping meals actually slows your metabolism

down. Eating three meals a day and having a

healthy snack in between, such as a piece of cheese

or a handful of nuts, helps regulate the body and

keeps your metabolism going.

“Say you have breakfast at 7 a.m., and you’re

hungry by 10 a.m. before lunch, what that tells you

is your metabolism is working, and that’s a good

thing,” Lindsay said. “It tells you your body is burn-

ing calories, and that’s why you are hungry. Eating

two meals a day is the biggest mistake you can

make.”

Avoid processed foods. The more “back to nature”

you get, the better off you will be, Lindsay said.

So what about sweets? To start with, avoid artifi-

cial sweeteners. These traditional go-to staples of

dieting actually fuel hunger and encourage weight

gain, not loss, Lindsay said. If a product says it is

low calorie, odds are it contains some kind of artifi-

cial sweetener.

Instead of substituting with artificial sweetener,

work to unsweeten your diet, she recommends. If

you’re a fan of sweet tea, use a half teaspoon of real

Choose the right foods to help you lose weight

By Jennifer WillhiteCorrespondent

nutrition, page 15

“The traditional teaching is 45 to 60 grams of protein a day. But I tell people if they want to lose weight push for more like 60 to 80 grams a day.”

— Dr. Dana L. Lindsay, Johnson Memorial Hospital

Nutritionists suggest consuming plenty of protein is one way to get your stomach to feel full, thereby reducing your desire to eat./ISTOCK PHOTO

NEW YOU 2017 5

MA

RRIA

GE

Marriage can and probably should

be comfortable, especially after a

few years. However, complacency

can also lead to laziness, especially

when it comes to open communication and striving

to work together while confronting issues that will

inevitably emerge.

“Because of day-to-day stresses like parenting,

household issues, sex, work stress and Internet-

fueled distractions, combined with different person-

alities and underlying core beliefs, married couples

can get into gridlock over problems that may come

up,” said Debbie Dukate, a counselor at Kenosis

Franklin Counseling Center. “At those times, nega-

tive thoughts start to take over positive thoughts we

have for each other and we start to lose our sense of

closeness. Trust and commitment might even be

affected.

“I’ve been married for almost 40 years and I’ve

experienced these things myself.”

Beth Johnson, clinical director at Stillpoint

Consultants in Greenwood who works as a marriage

and family therapist, agrees.

“From what I see, 80 percent of the time, people

in long-term committed relationships say they feel

like they’ve lost themselves or lost something within

their marriage, and that’s a very sad thing,” Johnson

said. “We put a lot of our value on our own security

and sense of belonging, based on being married.

That’s how, in our culture, we fit in. When that

sense of security is threatened, people either

become angry and reactive or get scared and pull

away.”

According to Johnson, a wavering sense of securi-

ty can begin to occur when people start to see their

spouse for who that person actually is.

“When you get to a certain point in any relation-

ship, even with yourself, you may start to realize

everything isn’t exactly like you had imagined or

even hoped for,” she said. “It’s not weird, but we

have to understand that.”

Experts say a loss of security within a marriage

can easily result in other relationship pillars being

slowly whittled away.

“The main killers of a marriage generally have to

do with a loss of trust and commitment as well as a

loss of fondness and admiration,” Dukate said.

“We all have conflicts and issues but when those

go unresolved, they eat away at the marriage.”

Overcome the hurdles that can trip you up

By Greg SeiterCorrespondent

marriage, page 15

6 NEW YOU 2017

Before making big changes, it’s good to understand that there are

five stages involved in preparing for permanent change, accord-

ing to Seattle psychologist Nancy Goldov, who references a

landmark study of what’s called The Transtheoretical Model of Change.

Stage One, the study indicates, is the “Precontemplation Stage.”

“In this stage, we don’t quite know what the problem is that needs

our attention,” said Goldov, who also serves as public-education coor-

dinator for the Washington State Psychological Association. “Is it that

we need to lose weight or need to select more comfortable clothes, or

is it a problem having to do with our harshness toward ourselves and

how to find ways to be kinder?”

In Stage Two, the “Contemplation Stage,” we acknowledge there is

a problem and begin to think about possible solutions.

As we proceed through this stage, we begin to think about the

future and start to get excited about the possibility of change.

Stage Three is the “Preparation Stage” and this is a good place to be

at the beginning of the new year.

In the preparation stage, we begin to plan action, but we still feel

ambivalence and need encouragement, Goldov said.

Stage Four is the “Action Phase.”

“This is when we overtly modify our behavior and surroundings. At

this stage, if we are on a diet, we don’t have cookies in the cookie jar.

This stage takes the greatest commitment of time and energy, but the

change is more visible to ourselves and others, which is very reward-

ing,” Goldov said.

Stage Five is the “Maintenance Stage,” where we are in the middle

of a strong commitment to maintaining change. New routines have

been formed, though we sometimes feel “nostalgia for our less-desir-

able habits,” she said.

Goldov said she encourages adoption of the 80/20 rule for main-

taining resolutions, which means to accept “that I will be able to main-

tain my resolutions about 80 percent of the time, and so I am not dis-

appointed when I am living in the 20 percent zone and I accept the

fact that I am human and not perfect.”

For more tips from psychologists on how to keep resolutions, see

this advice from the American Psychological Association: www.apa.

org/helpcenter/resolution.aspx

The five stages of permanent changeBy Christine ClarridgeThe Seattle Times

RESOLUTIONS

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NEW YOU 2017 7

I need to give blood. It’s been too long — just

about a year, I think. I certainly have a pint to

spare, a pint whose red cells will be replenished

at the rate of 2 million every second.

Blood is so amazing, I swear. But getting back to

my point, I need to give, not just because I’m in the

mood or because it sounds like the right thing to

do. No, I need to give because lives are on the bal-

ance awaiting my donation. Lest that sound like my

blood is something special, it’s no more special than

yours or your sister’s or the blood of the guy sitting

on the bus with you.

But it’s blood, and it’s rich with possibility and

with life.

Admittedly, I write on a fairly regular basis about

the need to donate blood. That’s because it’s an

evergreen topic; just because the blood needs are

met one day doesn’t mean they go away for the

next. In fact, the Texas-based Carter BloodCare

folks tell me this in an email:

“The critical situation is such that during the

week between Christmas and New Year’s (December

26 through 31), the blood transfusion requirement

by hospitals, for their patients, was much greater

than anticipated, even for this time of year. This has

contributed to the already challenging seasonal

efforts for routine blood collections.”

Lest you think (as I used to think) that blood is pri-

marily used for accident victims or those undergoing

surgery, it isn’t. Oh, those people need blood desper-

ately, but so do a lot of people you might not suspect.

Namely, those who have undergone bone-marrow

transplants, organ transplants, burn treatments and

— one of the most common — cancer patients.

If you’re afraid to give blood, I quite understand.

I used to faint at the sight of it, which bothered the

daylights out of me. Then I went to a therapist,

who, among other techniques, advised me to learn

all I could about blood, which really helped. How

could I be totally ooked out by something that is so

… so lifesaving and can tell us so much about our-

selves?

If you’re afraid of pain, please try not to be. I

think the most painful part (which lasts about as

long as it takes to dot an “i”) is the finger-prick to

make sure your iron level is high enough. You prob-

ably won’t even feel when the needle goes into your

vein.

Also, the whole process — from filling out forms

to donating to sneaking a package of graham crack-

ers into your purse and walking out the door —

takes no more than an hour.

All that said, here are my quick tips for a smooth

donation:

Drink a lot of water beforehand, and be sure to

eat a healthy meal. Think iron-rich foods.

Don’t watch! As nice as the technicians are — and

I have never had one who wasn’t — no need to feel

compelled to look at them when they’re talking to

you.

Talk. I turn into quite the chatterbox when I give

blood, probably because it takes my mind off liquid

being siphoned from my veins. Bless the patient

technicians, whom I ask about their families, their

jobs, the weather …

Stay at the donation site as long as you need to.

Load up on those graham crackers, the Powerade,

the little chocolate-chip cookies. If you feel light-

headed, tell someone.

Why it’s important to donate blood ASAP,

and how to make it a smooth donation

By Leslie BarkerThe Dallas Morning News

HELPING OUT

NY

xercise is good for you ... everyone knows that. The challenge, howev-

er, is finding a program you like and sticking with it, something fun

enough to motivate you to get up off the couch and go work out.

Zumba might be just the ticket. It’s a dance fitness program created by

Colombian dancer and choreographer Alberto “Beto” Perez during the 1990s. The

program involves dance and aerobic movements performed to energetic music. The

choreography incorporates hip-hop, soca, samba, salsa, merengue

and mambo. Squats and lunges are also included.

Promoters of Zumba often call it a “dance party” because

it’s not a dreary, repetitious exercise program. It’s fun.

It’s easy to find a program in Johnson County. It’s offered

through the parks and recreational departments in Franklin,

Greenwood and Edinburgh, as well as in area churches and for-

profit fitness centers. Most classes range from $4 to $7. According to zumba.com,

the program’s official website, 15 million people take a Zumba class. Classes are

offered in 200,000 locations in 180 countries.

“Zumba is designed first and foremost to be a fun, party-like atmosphere,

and is much less structured than the step-classes of the ’90s,” said Faith

Leininger, the instructor for the program at Greenwood Parks & Recreation.

“We begin every class by stating that there are no wrong moves in Zumba.

You let the music move you and as long as you keep moving, you will have an

excellent workout. It can take several classes to catch on to the individual

routines, but it is part of the fun, and nobody — not even the instructors — is

perfect all of the time.”

Angie Turnmire takes the morning class at Franklin Parks & Recreation

with her home-schooled daughters, Claire and Martina. Angie appreciates

having something to do in the morning to wake up the girls and get them

ready for a day of learning.

“I just turned 45, and I wanted to have something to do for me,” she said.

“I was invited by a friend and I was hooked. It’s a lot of fun and it’s easy to

teach when we get home. I also feel like I need to be a good role model,” she

added.

The daughters enjoy it, too.

“It’s kind of like a dance class,” Claire Turnmire said. “I took dance for

eight years. This keeps me healthy and I like doing it.”

Christa Martin, the instructor, said choreography for Zumba is more

involved than for aerobics, but students generally pick up the dance steps

after one class. She changes dances and music and adds new steps and rou-

tines to keep the class interesting. New students can join a class at any time

and follow along until they get the steps.

Leininger agreed.

“Show up anytime and know that the routines are designed for all experi-

ence levels and are quality, high intensity, easy to follow and fun. We have a

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8 NEW YOU 2017

Story and Photos By Amy MayStaff writer

FITNESS

Zumba allows you to dance yourself fit

“You let the music move you and as long as you keep moving, you will have an excellent workout.”

— Faith Leininger

E

Angie Turnmire takes the morning class at Franklin Parks & Recreation

with her home-schooled daughters, Claire and Martina. Angie appreciates

having something to do in the morning to wake up the girls and get them

ready for a day of learning.

“I just turned 45, and I wanted to have something to do for me,” she said.

“I was invited by a friend and I was hooked. It’s a lot of fun and it’s easy to

teach when we get home. I also feel like I need to be a good role model,” she

added.

The daughters enjoy it, too.

“It’s kind of like a dance class,” Claire Turnmire said. “I took dance for

eight years. This keeps me healthy and I like doing it.”

Christa Martin, the instructor, said choreography for Zumba is more

involved than for aerobics, but students generally pick up the dance steps

after one class. She changes dances and music and adds new steps and rou-

tines to keep the class interesting. New students can join a class at any time

and follow along until they get the steps.

Leininger agreed.

“Show up anytime and know that the routines are designed for all experi-

ence levels and are quality, high intensity, easy to follow and fun. We have a

100 percent judgement-free class and the only rules are to keep moving and

have fun,” she said.

No special clothing or equipment is required for the basic fitness class.

Most people wear sweat pants, shorts or yoga gear ... anything cool and loose

for easy movement. Wear athletic shoes that will allow you to move forward

and backward and side to side easily. Some students enjoy wearing belly

dancing hip scarves, which tie loosely around the waist. The shiny metal

coins make a jingly sound, which adds some fun and flash to the routine.

Dancing fits the bill as a fitness program, working the

calves, thighs and buttocks, core muscles and even the back

and arms. It also hones balance skills and agility. Martin said

doctors recommend cardiovascular exercise three times a

week for 20 minutes each session for good health and for

weight management.

“We go hard for an hour,” she said.

The Turnmires and Cindy Deal, another student, said they feel worked

out and sometimes a little muscle-sore after a class, but they also feel stronger

and fitter. It has even helped them maintain healthy habits outside of class.

Claire Turnmire said it helps her cut down on snacking.

“I will think, ‘I just worked so hard. Do I really want to eat that doughnut

now?’” she said.

Leininger, who also works in real estate, has been doing Zumba three to

five times a week for seven years.

“I have always loved music, and Zumba includes all genres of music. Zumba

allows a person to get a solid, full-body workout while having fun and laughing,

and it really doesn’t feel like a chore like many other types of exercise,” she said.

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NEW YOU 2017 9

Christa Martin teaches a Zumba class at Franklin Parks & Recreation.

FITNESS

Zumba allows you to dance yourself fit

“You let the music move you and as long as you keep moving, you will have an excellent workout.”

— Faith Leininger

10 NEW YOU 2017You don’t need to be at a particular fitness level to participate.

Martin, who is also a personal trainer at Anytime Fitness, said

her students will generally adapt the dance moves to their own

needs and abilities. She recently had a student with knee problems

who was not able to do some of the hops. And it’s OK, Martin

said, to do what you are able.

“You can tone it down yourself or go as crazy nuts as you want

and jump around. I can also bring it down to a low-impact level,”

she said.

As the instructor, Martin also reaps the benefits of regular danc-

ing.

“I love to dance. When I was little I wanted to be a dance

instructor. I also taught Jazzercise for years. But this is pure dance

and very energetic. I love the Latin beats and steps. And I get my

cardio here,” she said.

Zumba has been adapted for new audiences since it was brought

to the United States in 1999.

“I teach Fitness Style Zumba, which is an hour of both very

intense cardio and strength work. I have specific songs that target

arms, abs, legs and some are simply cardio, designed to get your

heart rate up,” Leininger said.

For those who want to vary their workouts, Zumba Toning

incorporates weighted toning sticks that participants use like mara-

cas but function like dumbbells to act as resistance weights. This

class is also offered at Franklin Parks & Rec.

Zumba Step combines the Latin dance fun with the step aero-

bics, and Zumba Sentao uses a chair as a “dance partner” to add

more squats and bends. There is also Aqua Zumba, which is done

in a pool, and Zumba in the Circuit, which combines dance with

metabolism-boosting strength training for one complete workout.

For a less intense experience, there is Zumba Kids for the little

ones, Zumbini for toddlers and Zumba Gold and Zumba Gold

Toning for senior citizens.

Churches have also grabbed onto the fitness craze. Many church

lifestyle centers with fitness programs offer Zumba, although some

of them tone down the sexy hip movements and sometimes-sugges-

tive music. WholyFit, an exercise training and supplies program

available to churches, offers a similar version called “Baila,” which

is Spanish for “dance.” Other churches may call it Cardio Latin

dance.

Leininger teaches a Zumba class at the Gathering Place, which is

affiliated with Community Church of Greenwood.

“While I am mindful of some song choices, we don’t alter or

water down any routines or moves. Feeling the music, building

muscle, coordination and cardio stamina are all very empowering

things. I have seen women walk into class looking intimidated and

self-conscious. By the end of class they are swinging their hips with

their hands in the air and having a great time. Zumba helps people

feel free, gain fitness, and hopefully make some friends along the

way,” she said. NY

“This is pure dance and very energetic. I love the

Latin beats and steps. And I get my cardio here.”

— Christa Martin

Are you feeling worse for wear as a result of holi-

day overspending? You’re not alone.

In fact, more than one-half of consumers

say they spend too much during the holidays, according

to a 2016 survey by credit reporting company Experian.

“When the glow of New Year’s Eve wears off, many

of us wake up with the financial equivalent of a hang-

over,” said Carla Dearing, CEO of SUM180, an online

financial planning service. “We’ve spent too much over

the holidays and feel discouraged about our chances for

improving our finances in the new year.”

If you spent more than you expected, you might be

starting 2017 off in a financial hole. Don’t feel discour-

aged, though.

Here are several steps you can take to get your money

back on track.

ASSESS THE DAMAGE

Start by assessing the financial damage. “Look at

your credit card and bank statements to see where the

bleeding took place over the holidays,” said Brandon

Hayes, a certified financial planner with oXYGen

Financial. “Most financial institutions have reporting

tools on their website that allow for easy access to this

data to allow you to analyze your spending categories.”

If you’re married or have a significant other, your

partner should also examine his or her holiday spend-

ing. “If you didn’t set a holiday spending plan with your

spouse or family members, then it might be an eye-

opening exercise,” Hayes said.

Add up the total amount of credit card debt owed or

the amount drawn from savings. You could use software

such as Excel or even an online budgeting worksheet.

“Just gathering the data and seeing it in one place will

empower you to better align your spending to your pri-

orities and zero in on ways to save,” Dearing said.

CREATE A PLAN AND GET ORGANIZED

Next, it’s time to create a plan to pay down your debt,

rebuild savings or get back on track. You will need to

assess your overall money situation and what you would

like to improve in the new year, said Michael J. Hardy, a

financial planner with Mollot & Hardy.

“Many people don’t pay much attention at all to

what they are saving and spending — all the while, hop-

ing and dreaming for a stable financial future,” he said.

“This doesn’t happen without the proper financial

planning and follow-through, which all starts with sim-

ply being honest about where you stand financially.”

You can implement your plan by getting organized

with the help of technology. Hardy recommends using

free resources such as Mint.com or PersonalCapital.com

to get all of your financial data streaming to one easy-to-

read site. You can link financial accounts to these sites

to see how much money you have coming in, set a bud-

get and track spending.

“Use technology as your personal chief financial offi-

cer,” Hardy said. These sites will help you keep tabs on

your finances so you can reach your goals.

IDENTIFY EXPENSES YOU CAN CUT

To free up more cash to recover from holiday over-

spending and get your finances on track, Dearing rec-

ommends identifying two regular monthly expenses

that you can do without — and eliminating them. “For

one person, these may be premium cable and a too-gen-

erous data plan,” she said. “For another, they may be

extra spending on eating out. The point is to be mind-

ful and intentional about where your money is going.”

If you have holiday debt, increase monthly credit

card payments by the amount you save from cutting

unnecessary expenses. Set up automatic payments for

the beginning of the month so the money comes out of

your checking account before you have a chance to

spend it on something else.

GET MONEY BACK

You might be able to recover some of the money you

spent during the holidays by taking advantage of retail-

ers’ return policies. “Did you make an impulse purchase

that you regretted?” Hayes said. “Try and return that

item if you bought it for yourself.”

Nearly 60 percent of consumers planned to make

purchases for themselves while holiday shopping in

2016 and spend an average of $139.61, according to the

National Retail Federation. Luckily, many retailers have

generous return policies that give consumers up to a

year to return items. Even if you don’t have a receipt,

some stores can track down purchases made by debit or

credit card and give you a refund.

Even if you don’t have items to return, you might be

able to get cash out of the holidays by selling any

unwanted gift cards you received. You can sell your gift

cards on sites such as Cardpool.com and get paid up to

92 percent of the card’s face value. Be sure to put any

money you get toward debt repayment or savings.

CUT UP CREDIT CARDS

THAT FUELED OVERSPENDING

To get out of holiday debt, make sure you don’t go

deeper into debt in the new year. “Cut up credit cards

or department store credit cards that may have caused

you to lose control of your holiday spending goals,”

Hayes said. “The less credit cards you use, the easier it

will be to track where your money is going.”

However, don’t close the accounts of the cards you

cut up if you pay them off because this could hurt your

credit score. Your score is based, in part, on your credit

utilization ratio — the percentage of your available credit

that you’ve used, according to myFICO.com, the con-

sumer division of credit scoring agency FICO. If you

close accounts, you lower the total amount of available

credit you have. That will work against you if you are

still carrying a balance on other cards because your cred-

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FINANCESHow to recover from holiday spending

By Cameron HuddlestonGOBankingRates.com

finances, page 14

I’ve often said my fireplace is one of the

things that gets me through winter, and now

I have an explanation for why:

Hygge.

Hygge is a Danish concept that roughly trans-

lates to a feeling of coziness and conviviality, and

it’s gaining traction far beyond Denmark’s bor-

ders. Apparently the rest of us are starting to rec-

ognize not only that savoring life’s little pleasures

makes us happy, but that being intentional about

that pursuit is important to our emotional health.

Hygge, pronounced HOO-gah, is derived from

a Norwegian word meaning well-being. It’s is a lit-

tle hard to explain, because it’s a feeling, a you’ll-

know-it-when-it-happens kind of experience.

It’s dressing in yoga pants and curling up with a

book and a cup of cocoa. It’s putting away the

electronic devices and enjoying comfort food with

good friends.

For me, it’s spending an evening in front of a

crackling fire, preferably with people I love.

The pursuit of hygge isn’t limited to winter, but

winter is the perfect time for it. Dreary weather

drives us to seek warmth and comfort, and that’s

largely what hygge is all about.

The Danes certainly aren’t alone in knowing

how to make themselves at ease, but they’ve ele-

vated it to a priority. The very fact that they’ve

given it a name shows the conscious effort they

make to seek out an atmosphere of togetherness

and comfort, said Meik Wiking, author of “The

Little Book of Hygge” (William Morrow, $19.99).

Wiking is also CEO of the Happiness Research

Institute, a think tank in Copenhagen that focus-

es on well-being and quality of life. He thinks

there’s no coincidence that hygge-obsessed Denmark is consistently

ranked among the happiest countries in the world, despite its cold,

dark winters.

Now, Wiking said, hygge is sparking interest in societies like

ours, where wealth hasn’t necessarily translated into well-being.

We’re trying to find satisfaction in stuff, when we should be focus-

ing on experiences.

“(Our) societies have become richer, but we as

people have not become happier … and therefore

people are looking for new sources of inspiration

to improve quality of life,” he said in an email

interview.

“Danes are not the only ones who can have

hygge or identify it, but what is unique for

Denmark when it comes to hygge is how much we

talk about it, focus on it, and consider it as a

defining feature of our cultural identity and

national DNA.”

His hope is that other people will start talking

about hygge the way the Danes do. “Our language

shapes our behavior,” he pointed out, “and our

behavior shapes our happiness.”

So how can we add a little hygge to our lives?

Wiking suggests starting by creating what the

Danes call a hyggekrog, a nook in your home spe-

cially designed for getting comfortable. It might

be a window seat filled with pillows or a cushy

corner of a sofa, a place where you’ll enjoy snug-

gling up in a blanket and maybe reading or watch-

ing the world go by.

Then make a point of sharing that cozy feeling

with your friends and family. Maybe arrange to

play board games together on the first Friday of

every month, or plan to prepare a simple meal

together. “Any meaningful activity that unites the

group will knit everyone more tightly together

over the years,” Wiking said.

Certain elements can help you set the stage for

hygge, such as candles or soft lamplight, a fire-

place and things made from wood or other natu-

ral items. Throw on some warm, comfortable

clothes, indulge in something delicious to eat or

drink, and enjoy that good feeling.

While you’re experiencing hygge, live in that

moment, Wiking advises. Be grateful for it. Gratitude, after all, is

linked to happiness.

And happiness is what hygge is all about.

12 NEW YOU 2017

By Mary Beth BreckenridgeAkron Beacon Journal

CONTENTMENTDanish concept of hygge a cozy route to happiness

“(Our) societies have become richer, but we as people have not become happier.”

— Meik Wiking, author

NY

It’s a conversation we’ve all participated in, as a

parent, a child or both.

Parent: “How was your day?”

Child: “Fine.”

Parent: “What did you do today?”

Child: “Nothing.”

Kat Rowan is a talker. She wasn’t settling for one-

word answers from her two daughters. So she sent

them to school each day — elementary through high

school — with a handwritten note tucked in their

lunches. Each would pose a question Rowan would

use as a starting point for an individual conversa-

tion with the girls later in the day.

On Monday, Sept. 19, 2005, daughter Maurah

Steinmetz was asked: “How was your weekend?

What made it special? Did it feel like the best week-

end of the season?”

In all, Rowan, 51, a single mother and former

high school math teacher, penned 4,160 cards. They

now form the basis for TiffinTalk, a business she

cofounded with another former teacher living in

the Philadelphia region, Michael Friesen, 50, that

produces sets of cards intended to help users build

stronger relationships through face-to-face conversa-

tions.

That’s right. No texting. No cellphones. Or, as

TiffinTalk’s tag line puts it, “Tech Off. Talk On.”

Tiffin is a British and Indian term for lunch pail.

“We were brazen enough to believe we could be a

global company,” Rowan said of the business name.

In fact, TiffinTalk has been contacted by a dis-

tributor asking whether the company is interested

in doing business overseas. But right now, the

emphasis is on reaching its initial U.S. target mar-

ket — parents, young children, teenagers and adult

children as well as mental-health professionals and

their clients — and meeting the domestic requests

for other subsets of cards. The most pressing

demand is for a line designed for teachers, which is

coming soon, Rowan and Friesen said.

Others under consideration would help couples,

adult siblings, and businesses interested in improv-

ing communication among young employees —

“Millennials don’t talk, they text,” Rowan said.

Yet to expand its offerings, TiffinTalk needs to

build sales, said Rowan, who has spent close to

$80,000 in retirement funds as startup capital. The

company has not had luck attracting investors, who

are looking for opportunities in pharmaceuticals,

technology and biotech, Rowan said.

Since launching in March at the Psychotherapy

Networker Symposium in Washington — the largest

gathering of mental-health professionals on the East

Coast, where TiffinTalk got an enthusiastic

response — the company has sold a few hundred

boxes of conversation cards. Designed to last a sea-

son, a box includes 65 daily cards for $60. Refills

are $50. The full line can be found at www.tiffin-

talk.com

Much time between conception and launch went

into designing the cards, said Rowan, chief execu-

tive and creative director. Each includes space for

personal notes. And, in the case of the parent-child

line, they are designed by grade level, with vocabu-

lary that is appropriate for each stage and a differ-

ent theme each week.

For instance, a question for a preschooler might

be: “Can you make a sentence with the rhyming

words cap, map and tap?”

For a high school student, the theme one week

was “What can you offer the world?” One day’s card

included this statement by Chris Guillebeau, an

entrepreneur best known for the Art of Non-

Conforming blog: “Invest in people.” And the

TiffinTalk questions: “Why? How can you do this?

What’s in it for you? Can your investing in people

affect the world at large?”

Even the cards themselves are meant to stimu-

late. For the parent-child line, the card for each day

of the week includes one puzzle piece, with the full

picture exposed on the final day. The backs of the

cards are “no-parent zones,” filled with interesting

facts — the difference between penguins and puf-

fins, for instance — or fun challenges (Name words

ending in scopes.)

For the time-constrained, daily use is not manda-

tory, of course.

“The magic is what the card enables, and that’s

the conversation,” whenever it happens, said

Friesen, director of operations and technology.

Alicia Carey, a high school English teacher is so

impressed with what TiffinTalk has inspired in her

6-year-old daughter that when a friend asked what

she could get Dori for Christmas, “I said, ‘Would

you mind buying us the next set of TiffinTalk

cards?’”

Dori looks forward to pulling out the cards each

night at dinner. To her mother’s delight, “dinner-

times have gotten longer,” Alicia Carey said.

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NEW YOU 2017 13

PARENTINGHave better talks with your children

By Diane MastrullThe Philadelphia Inquirer

NY

it utilization will increase if you lower your available credit.

MAKE DOUBLE PAYMENTS ON CREDIT CARDS

The Experian survey found that nearly one-third of consumers who had

unexpected expenses in the holidays racked up debt as a result. Whether

you have holiday debt or other debt, it can keep you from building savings

and improving your finances, Dearing said.

To tackle it quickly, she recommends setting a goal to make double pay-

ments on your credit cards for four months. “You may have to sacrifice

small luxuries to do it, but you’ll make a big dent in your credit card debt,”

she said. “It will feel amazing, and you’ll see money being freed up for other

things — like increasing your 401(k) contribution.”

REBUILD YOUR EMERGENCY FUND

A survey by T. Rowe Price found that 14 percent of parents have used

emergency funds to pay for holiday spending. However, the purpose of an

emergency fund is to have cash to cover unexpected expenses — and the hol-

idays are far from unexpected. If you tapped your fund, you’ll need to quick-

ly rebuild it so you don’t have to rely on credit if a real emergency occurs.

“Your goal should be to have six months’ worth of expenses in a readily

accessible account for unexpected expenses,” Dearing said. “Start by quickly

replenishing at least two months’ worth of expenses.”

The key to reaching this goal is setting up automatic transfers from check-

ing to savings so you’re not scrambling at the end of the month to figure out

how to come up with extra money to set aside. “You may be surprised by

how doable this is,” Dearing said. “And you’ll feel a lot better, knowing

you’re prepared to handle an unexpected expense.”

BOOST RETIREMENT CONTRIBUTIONS

The T. Rowe Price survey found that 11 percent of parents have tapped

retirement savings for the holidays. Withdrawing money from a retirement

account will hit you with a triple whammy: a tax bill, a 10 percent penalty

on the early withdrawal and loss of compounding interest on those funds.

Even a withdrawal of a few hundred dollars could result in thousands less in

savings at retirement, according to T. Rowe Price.

To bounce back, you need to boost retirement account contributions in

2017. In fact, those who didn’t raid their 401(k) for holiday spending also

should boost savings. “Most of us are not maxing out our contributions, but

it’s the simplest and most painless way to save for retirement,” Dearing said.

“If your contribution increases your employer match, that will be basically

free money. Don’t miss out.”

The majority of employers that offer 401(k) plans will match employees’

contributions — typically $1 for every $1 the employee contributes, up to 6

percent of the employee’s annual income, according to Financial Engines.

But one-fourth of employees don’t contribute enough to receive their full

match and, as a result, leave an average $1,336 of free money on the table.

Increase your retirement account contribution in 2017 to get your

employer’s full match — if one is offered — to rebuild savings and secure

your financial future.

START SAVING FOR THE 2017 HOLIDAYS NOW

To avoid ending up with another financial hangover in 2018, use your

holiday spending data from 2016 to plan ahead for the 2017 holidays, Hayes

said.

“Agree well in advance on a maximum dollar amount for your spouse so

you aren’t trying to one up each other,” he said. “Decide on a dollar

amount for each family member, or better yet, pick a family member to

shop for so you aren’t stuck buying 10 gifts. More families today are experi-

encing the stress of the holidays so don’t be shy of bringing this topic up

with the rest of your family.”

If you know how much you plan to spend for the 2017 holidays now, you

can start setting aside a little each month in savings. Then, you’ll have

enough cash by the time the holidays roll around that you won’t have to

rack up debt or wreck your finances again to cover spending.

14 NEW YOU 2017

financescontinued from page 11

NY

Maybe your 2016 ended with a bang of

booze. If you nursed a holiday hang-

over, perhaps it’s time for a change.

Whether your family has an addiction history

that’s prompting a rethinking, or you are simply

questioning whether a cocktail should accompany

every night’s dinner as an appetizer, it never hurts

to re-evaluate health choices.

Dr. Indra Cidambi, psychiatrist and medical director

for the Center for Network Therapy in New Jersey,

which helps guide patients through detox, provided

some insight on the topic.

One clue it might be time for a change? If you

find yourself explaining that your alcohol intake is

a reasonable amount, whether to yourself or others.

“When we don’t want to do something, as

human beings, we justify,” she said.

This interview has been condensed.

Q: So, New Year’s resolution season. Is January a

good time to cut back?

A: It’s not a good idea to do something because

of the season, because that’s not why you should do

it. You want to really look at the whole bigger pic-

ture. Do I really want to do it? And if so, you need

to jot down at least three reasons.

Q: How do you decide if it’s time to drink less?

A: If I feel that my drinking has been impacting

my day-to-day life, other people are pointing out to

me, “You’re drinking too much.” That means the

functioning of that individual is being jeopardized.

The question is, should I be drinking, should I be

cutting down, or should I quit drinking?

Drinking alcohol in moderation or not drinking

at all would be the question.

Q: What is drinking in moderation?

A: The guideline is, one drink a day for women

of all ages and men older than 65 years of age. If it

is a man (65 or younger), up to two drinks a day.

Having said that, that kind of moderate alcohol

use is really unheard of.

Q: What is considered more than drinking in

moderation?

A: More than three drinks a day, or more than

seven drinks a week, for women and men over 65.

Four drinks a day or more than 14 drinks a week

for (younger) men.

Q: What are the pros and cons of going cold tur-

key?

A: (For addicts) cold turkey is very dangerous. You

really want to cut down mindfully, depending on

about how much and how long the person has been

drinking. Go to the primary care doctor. Be honest

about how many drinks a day you’ve been drinking.

For regular drinkers, if somebody is drinking

three to four drinks a day, they cut the drinking to

two drinks a day, one drink a day. Bring it down.

Say, “Today, maybe I will not drink. Let me try to

kind of quit my evening drink as soon as I walk into

the house.” Instead of going three times a week to

parties, cutting down and going once.

Q: Is it helpful to cut out one thing, like beer or

liquor?

A: One drink is one drink. People will say, “I no

longer want to drink hard liquor, I’ll only do red

wine or white wine.” It’s really the justification

again.

By Alison BowenChicago Tribune

ADDICTIONSYou’re drinking too much. How to cut back

NY

NEW YOU 2017 15

sugar and gradually decrease how much you use

over time. It can be done, Lindsay said. Believe it or

not, your taste buds can change over time no matter

your age.

“What I tell people is I would rather see them

put a half teaspoon of real sugar in their tea and

gradually decrease rather than use artificial sweeten-

ers,” she said.

If you love your Hershey bars, that’s OK. You can

still have them, but this is a good example of where

moderation comes into play. When you focus on

healthy foods first, you will tend to eat less of the

junk food in the interim.

It is common knowledge that water is at the top

of the list of good-for-you beverages, but coffee isn’t

bad for you either. But if you’re a fan of designer

javas, like cappuccino, you don’t necessarily have to

give it up. Simply save it as a reward for yourself on

the weekends instead of consuming it every day.

Essential to any healthy lifestyle, and to also

ensure you keep your metabolism motivated, it’s

important to keep moving. Exercise is basically

“icing on the cake” of healthful living, Lindsay said.

“Exercise is good and will help with weight loss,”

she said, “but what’s most important is what is

going in your mouth.”

nutritioncontinued from page 4

WWW.DAILYJOURNAL.NET

NY

Johnson believes that initial expectations for a

given relationship are at least partially based on

what she refers to as each person’s “A parts.”

“These are on display for all to see; and they’re

wonderful,” she said. “I’m talking about loyalty,

dependability, how we care for others and the fact

that we work like dogs.”

Conversely, “B parts,” as described by Johnson,

may be less desirable, accidentally or purposely hid-

den away and might not even emerge until a few

years down the road.

“B parts often include insecurity, a sense of being

judged, feeling responsible for something or maybe

even being scared,” she said. “It’s bad enough that

we don’t know the B parts of the person we marry

right upfront, but sometimes we don’t truly even

understand our own B parts.”

However, sooner or later, Johnson said, life will

intervene, and each individual’s B parts will rise to

the surface, sometimes following a traumatic event

like a death in the family, the loss of a job, or even a

child being born into or leaving the family. That,

she said, is when inner conflict begins to develop.

“Your A parts are saying that you need to talk to

one another, go out on a date and spend time togeth-

er while your B parts are saying ‘forget it,’ Johnson

continued. “At one point, the B parts felt safe. But

now they have more information and feel dicey about

things. So each person must become responsible for

feeling his or her own sorrow and frustration while

learning how to talk, trust and feel. Then, the A parts

can go out to dinner and have a marvelous time.”

Feelings of betrayal can also doom a relationship.

“We usually think of sexual betrayal in a marriage but

that’s just one aspect,” Dukate said. “It could involve

siding with parents, children or even friends instead of a

mate. A sense of betrayal could even be brought about

by the breaking of significant promises, feelings of being

disrespected, a lack of listening or criticism.

“Everybody has a lot of the same stuff going on,

so the question is whether a couple will work as a

team against the stresses of life or will they each do

their own thing.”

In short, Dukate and Johnson believe that in the

majority of cases, hard core, physical issues between

a couple that begin to arise after a few years together

aren’t necessarily the root of the ever present prob-

lem.

“Sure, sometimes something like money can be a

control factor, but it’s not really the issue. It’s what the

issue represents to each individual. So you have to

know what those issues strategically mean to people,”

Johnson said. “Money might really mean control to

one person while it means vulnerability to another.”

How can a couple prevent or minimize the

impact of hurdles that will inevitably pop up after a

few years of togetherness?

Johnson believes “courageous conversation” is

the key.

“Everybody has a public side and a private side,

and the private side may cause a person to do mean

stuff under the table,” she said. “In an argument

about buying a new flat screen television, the coura-

geous side must show up and realize that the argu-

ment might not be about the television but rather,

some other issue all together.

“People need to ask one another what they’re

feeling and reassure that other person that they can

be trusted. Each person needs to show up with their

whole heart and be willing to turn around and take

another view.”

Dukate agrees. She suggests doing the following

right from the start:

• Set aside time to talk about things that you like

and want to do together.

• Make a list of things you admire about your

partner.

• Say you’re sorry and mean it because there has

to be a lot of forgiveness in a marriage.

• Keep in close contact with each other and

understand it’s a warning sign when you find your-

self not even wanting to talk with the other person

in order to avoid a fight.

• Continuously work on your marriage and if

something gets gridlocked, go to counseling.

• Don’t give up. Most marriages can be fixed.

marriagecontinued from page 5

“People need to ask one another what they’re feeling and reassure that other person

that they can be trusted.”

— Debbie Dukate, counselor at Kenosis Franklin Counseling Center

NY

Jessica N. Gillespie, MDJaime M. Ranieri, MD

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the weight off. The problem now is a lot of loose, sagging skin around my belly. Is surgery the only option to correct this?A: Congratulations on the weight loss. After years of dealing with extra weight, it can be a frustrating result of your accomplishment to now face the matter of excess skin. You’re not alone though. Anyone who experiences substantial weight loss will find that the skin and underlying tissues lack the elasticity to adapt to a smaller body size.

Building up muscle can help somewhat, but there is no magic formula that will put everything back in place. If you are not satisfied with simply covering up the extra skin, surgery is the best option. Surgical body contouring will eliminate excess skin and fat while correcting the shape of underlying support tissue. Common body contouring locations are the belly, thighs, arms, and male chest. Usually only one or two of these locations will be treated at one time to reduce the risk of surgical complications.

Generally, the results of body contouring are long-lasting if you maintain a stable weight and general fitness level. As your body continues to age, it is normal to lose some firmness but most of the surgical improvement should be relatively permanent.

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A NOTE ABOUT OUR DOCTORS

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To meet with Dr. Gillespie or Dr. Ranieri for a consult or appointment please call (317) 528-7650. For more information visit IndyCosmeticSurgery.com or FranciscanDocs.org.

PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY