SoapBlog 3: CASH AND KITCHEN CHALLENGE

A few weeks ago I had dinner with some friends.  One couple lives in a huge house that looks like a museum.  Those of us at dinner joked that if the economy got bad enough, we could all live communally in that big, beautiful house and weather our financial storms together.    This is not a bad idea if you really think about it.  We live in an era where more and more people are stepping up to the plate to take in needy family members and friends, or changing their living situations to incorporate renters or boarders in order to make ends meet.  Those who are blessed to be in a position of plenty are revisiting the kindergarten code of sharing what they have with others.   So while living in a commune with five or six of your closest friends might be fun for a while, (insert favorite college memories here), it is probably not be a viable option for most of us.  However, there are less drastic changes we can make on a regular basis that will impact our greater good.    

About a year ago I sat with a different group of friends and we challenged each other to quit using credit cards except in emergencies, and employ cash for all purchases over a period of six weeks.  This experiment was more difficult than I expected.  I began looking at everything I bought in a whole new way.  Did I really need what I set out to buy or did I just want it?  This new method of thinking caused me to slash impulsive clothing purchases, (and not miss the excess), discover very good, less expensive varieties of wine, save and use all my loose change instead of tossing it into a seldom used “coin pile,” and combine my trips to save gas money.  But the hardest part for me was at the grocery store.  I am a very health-conscious eater and cook with a renegade creative edge.  That means there are many items in my kitchen that to my creative mind are can’t-live-without staples. (Doesn’t everyone always have fresh cardamom pods on hand?)    My ultimate test in paying for groceries in cash was to determine what items were truly necessary and to find ways to exhaust the basic goods that were already in my kitchen with an innovative approach.  
I learned a few things in the process.  First, I spent less money and still ate healthy, nutritious meals.  In some ways I ate even better.  For example, canned chicken is much more expensive than fresh, so if I took the time  to roast an entire (less costly), fresh chicken it could be used in a variety of ways a few times during the week while cutting down on the large quantities of sodium found in most canned and processed foods.  I also began utilizing my own herbs to make the basic foods in my pantry taste more interesting. The freshness of the ingredients was amazing.  If you live in a place with even one window you can also grow a wide variety of herbs in small clay pots and see for yourself.  (Please note that if you have a cat your herbs may sport a few teeth marks!)

This experience reminded me how to live within my means and to how to focus on what I have rather than what I do not have.  In fact, if anyone has the means to conduct a cash and kitchen challenge, they most likely have enough to share.   This concept truly will impact our greater good, the good of others and may teach us something new along the way.

Christy Zerges is the Director of Corporate Wellness at The Gym at Carew Tower, 513-651-1442.

SoapBlog 2: Spirit of St. Patrick

I’ve heard it said that everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s day.  But since Cincinnati has uniquely strong Germanic roots I am baffled by the number of people in our city who don green and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with abandon.  And they celebrate ALL day.  Before, during and after work.   Since I have maybe one Irish bone in my body I never paid much attention to the history of all this merry-making.   I asked my husband (who isn’t Irish either, but at least had a lot of Irish-Catholic friends growing up), who St. Patrick was and why all the hoopla.  He told me that it had something to do with the man driving snakes out of Ireland which somehow elevated him to saintly status.  Now I can understand somebody becoming a Saint for driving out spiders, but I digress.

My point is that for this day, everyone was friends with the person next to them.  Most everyone was laughing and smiling, (or maybe it was their Irish eyes?)  But our community - regardless of race, age, gender, lifestyle, income level - was all united in their Irishness for 24 hours.  Let us stop to consider what a great lesson we can learn from this.  How would the world look if we lived every day as though it were St. Patrick’s day?  Ok, maybe we would have to cut out the partying before and during work, but the attitude would remain the same.  

First, we would begin each day as if it were a celebration.  Every day would be worth commemorating in a special way though maybe a little differently from the day before.  There would still be issues to deal with in life, but we would be able put those issues in perspective in order to honor the day.  

Second, we might sit with total strangers and strike up a friendly conversation.  Utilizing the “everyone is Irish” mentality we would have no hidden agendas, no reason to be rude and no need to focus on our differences.  Rather, we would revel in our similarities and build upon them.  

How does this look in reality?  Well, if we live or work in Greater Cincinnati then we are all too some degree Cincinnatians.   We may live on the east side or the west side, but our downtown is still the same.  Some may prefer Skyline over Gold Star, but we can usually agree on liking chili in general.   Baseball or football?   College basketball?  There is something for everyone.  And of course, nobody can dispute that there is always excellent ice cream to be had in this town!

So herein lies the challenge:  pretend that tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day and live accordingly.  Treat your fellow Cincinnatians with cheer and respect.  Talk with someone new during lunch.  And for goodness sake, eat some ice cream and don’t forget to and laugh.  


Christy Zerges is the Director of Corporate Wellness at The Gym
at Carew Tower, 513-651-1442.

SoapBlog 1: Unexpected Surprises

Every now and then you get an unexpected surprise that turns out so well it changes your perspective on certain things forever. For example, I love to cook.  In fact you might say cooking is one of my passions.  This is quite a switch from my college days where the kitchen was used mostly for nuking canned goods and tossing out food wrappers. While I am by no means a gourmet chef now, I do like to take chances with dish preparation and often substitute or add ingredients that I think might work well.  My husband, who is not quite so daring with his taste buds, will wait to see what I think of my creation before he tries a bite.  This is probably to his credit, since there have been a few crash-and-burn attempts.   Occasionally though, the end result is delicious, complex and something that stays in the regular rotation of foods for years to come.   These new tasty treats would have been missed without assuming a little risk, (albeit a not-so-scary one), and attempting something new.

So then, if I told you that there is a full-service gym in the lower level of the Carew Tower, would you be unexpectedly surprised?  The Gym at Carew Tower has been in operation since the early '80s and remains quietly tucked away underneath the Tower's arcade level.  Once inside there are more good things to discover.  Consider these:

1.  Unintimidating atmosphere.  The clientele consists of downtown residents and employees: co-workers and friends who encourage one another.  These "real" people create a welcoming atmosphere since they are all simply incorporating fitness into their workdays and remain fit despite kids, commutes and job pressure.   They are friendly too!  

2.  The Gym is a perfect place to network.  Because of the corporate clientele, there are opportunities to meet people from companies you might not otherwise get to know.  Many have even developed long-term friendships.   And let us not ignore the fact that when everyone dressed in shorts and a t-shirts it acts as a great social equalizer.  People are casual and relaxed while sharing a common goal of living healthier lifestyles.

3.  Staff members have interesting life stories to tell.  For example, General Manager Craig Neace spent 13 years in the fashion industry.  Trainer Stephanie Castellucio is the reigning champion of numerous regional women's body building competitions.  Trainer Daryl DeMoss is a fitness coach by day and musician by night, and can frequently be seen performing locally.  Both members of our sales staff have also graced a few stages in town – one with jazz standards and the other with a mean Mick Jagger impersonation!

4.  The Gym is committed to the health of the community.  Staff members have been teaching seminars on fitness and nutrition basics, strength training, and recipe makeovers for several downtown companies over the past year-and-a-half.  The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber recently completed a very successful 12-week Extreme Self Makeover competition among its employees.  Organizations such as the Cincinnati Bar Association and River Society currently partner with The Gym to secure additional benefits for their members.  

Taking a chance on a new healthy habit just might change your perspective on healthy living.  And who knows?  You may be unexpectedly surprised enough to create a lifestyle that remains in your rotation for years to come!

Christy Zerges is the Director of Corporate Wellness at The Gym
at Carew Tower, 513-651-1442.