For years, my favorite weekly workout has been our old-guy pickup basketball game. Though I can get hotter than a habanero every once in a while, I am not very good (I have the vertical leap of a street curb,… read more
Ted Spiker
Ted Talks: Sole to Soul
On the 1–10 adventure scale (1 being snuggled in bed, 10 being an Everest attempt), I would probably rate myself at about a 4. Try new things? Yes. Do so when there is a high chance that you will plummet… read more
Ted Talks: One Small Switch Made All the Difference
For me, fall usually leads to a fail. Every year, it’s my busiest time at work, so three things typically happen: I let my schedule get in the way of my workouts, I let my stress talk me out of… read more
Ted Talks: Staying on Track: What are Your Best Tips for Sticking to Your Healthy Habits?
In my history of training, dieting and yo-yoing, my list of routine busters runs long. A sample: I’m stressed I’m tired I’m injured Taco Tuesday (and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday) Too many temptations Too many taps of the snooze… read more
Ted Talks: Quitting Time
I think I can put my gastrointestinal résumé up against most folks’. When I was 12, I ate 12 tacos out of a 20-shell family pack. I once ground through 76 ounces of steak in the name of journalism. My college nickname? Hoover, because of… read more
Ted Talks: In the Swing of Things (Why oh why did I take up this sport?)
One year ago, I stupidly decided to take up golf. I mean, I really hate like it. Because, you know, hitting balls into the water, sand traps, trees and everything except the hole is really so freaking bad for my… read more
Ted Talks: Blistering Pace
Health is hard enough—so it stinks when you make it even harder. “How far do you want to go?” my friend asked. “I’m game for 5,” I said. I mean, why the heck not? We were at the beach, the… read more
Can One Small Life Change Lead to Bigger Ones?
My ongoing list of “things I could do better” in the health department has filled these pages for years and my brain for decades. Often, I feel like I spend 17% of my waking life wrestling with habit-forming, decision-making, and… read more
Is a Deadline the Best Motivator?
Almost 10 years ago, I started a Facebook group for people who wanted to run a 5K under 30 minutes. The group—called the Sub-30 Club, which now has nearly 7,000 members—quickly changed its focus: We wouldn’t just center around 29:59.… read more
Ted Talks: Mission Impossible
Despite the inspirational words that come from motivational speakers and flashy Instagram quotes, sometimes you have to realize that certain fitness feats will never happen. I accept, for example, that I will never be able to dunk a basketball, qualify… read more
