Ted Spiker

Ted Talks: How Do You Measure Strength?

Strength —like beauty and perfect guac— is in the eye of the beholder. After all, one person’s strong is another person’s weak. Sure, there are universal standards for some medical categories (blood pressure, cholesterol and the like), and those benchmarks… read more

Ted Talks: An Epic Question

I have already sketched out some doable benchmarks this year that involve running, yoga-ing and whittling down the whiskey, I am missing something big. A challenge that will really push me. A challenge that makes me uncomfortable. A challenge whereI… read more

New Year New You

Ted Talks: New Year, New You

The season of resolutions usually brings about mantras of motivation and fist-pounding declarations that this year — THIS YEAR! — will be the one in which we [stop smoking/lose 25 pounds/give up bacon-cheese fries]. For good reason, too. Coming off… read more

Ted Talks: Hobby Shopping

Typically, I like to make decisions thoughtfully and quickly. I don’t hesitate over simple choices (tonight it shall be merlot!), I try to use a mix of logic and emotion to come to conclusions, and I don’t like to linger… read more

Ted Talks: Is it time to ditch the workout tips?

In my role as a health writer, I’ve read, researched, and/or written hundreds—maybe thousands—of wellness tips. Do this. Do that. Don’t do this. Don’t, for the love of guacamole, ever eat 11 mashed avocados in 43 seconds! Tricks. Strategies. Actions.… read more

Time to Flex

Ted Talks: Time to Flex and Stretch

Of my many bodily deficiencies (see Pants, Tight), one has been protesting louder lately. I’m creaky. I’m tight. I’m about as flexible as a granite countertop. I can feel it when I walk, when I run, when I wake up… read more

Person running on the beach

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