Daylight Savings Time isn’t just about changing the time on clocks, it brings many advantages for us, too.

We are so used to coming home to a dark home that during the first few days of daylight savings, we are pleasantly surprised when we come home to a home full of sunshine—a reminder that spring is near.

Since warmer weather is around the corner, we can turn our thermostats down and take advantage of the natural light and heat, which means less expensive electric bills.

With longer daylight hours, we have a better chance to make it to the beach or mountains before the sun goes down to see spectacular and breathtaking sunsets.

Studies have shown that there are fewer traffic accidents after Daylight Savings Time, which means smoother and quicker commutes with less backups on the interstate.

Daylight Savings Time was created for reasons other than to warm our houses, watch beautiful sunsets and reducing traffic accidents. There are many insights as to how and why daylight savings started—some of the insights include; Congress wanting more outdoor playtime for children, Benjamin Franklin wanted shopkeepers to save more money on candles and during World War 1-Germany wanted to conserve fuel.

Regardless of the reason, we set our clocks ahead one hour at 2 a.m. every second Sunday in March and set our clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. every first Sunday in November—Except for most of Arizona. Most of Arizona stays on Standard Time because the last thing they want is extra daylight. Because of the hot climate, adding an extra hour of daylight would cause more of an energy crunch with air conditioning working longer and harder.

So, don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour, if they don’t automatically do it, at 2 a.m. on Sunday and bask in the extra hour of daylight until November.

Although most exercises are recommended with good intentions, fitness is not an area in which it’s the thought that counts. What has worked for one person may not work for you. You need a workout plan that is designed to target your problem areas specifically. To truly succeed, you need to know WHY an exercise was chosen for you, and to be shown HOW to perform it correctly. With knowledge of the benefits and how to attain them, it’s a whole lot easier to maintain focus and make consistent progress, while avoiding unnecessary injury caused by improper technique.

To help weed out the obsolete and unnecessary in your program, here are some questions to ask of each exercise:

• Why do you do it? What are the specific benefits of this exercise, for you?
• Does the exercise take into account your personal needs or specific injuries?
• Do you feel like you’re performing the exercise correctly? Can you feel it working?
• Do you think there’s an exercise you could be doing that would be a better use of your time?

If you decide that some (or all!) of your exercise routine could be improved on, don’t be afraid to approach an employee at your fitness club for a re-haul. It’s what they’re there for, and as long as they’re not busy with a client they should be more than happy to help, free of charge. Once you’ve found a willing trainer ask him or her to break down the benefits of each exercise. Stay on the exercise until you understand what makes it a good exercise, how to perform it with correct form and where you should feel it. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

If you’re not comfortable approaching a gym employee or you don’t go to a gym, feel free to leave your questions here. I’ll be happy to talk you through individual exercises or suggest alternatives. You can also email me directly at Ralph@enrgfitnesschicago.com.



J.K. Rowling Speaks at Harvard Commencement from Harvard Magazine on Vimeo.

I’ve worked in my share of restaurants where countless times you’ll see a large group, mostly business diners, seated and presented a wine list.  If they aren’t wise, they will hand the list to an individual (it should always be place in the center of the table), and it almost always ends up in the hands of a man.  Though it doesn’t really mesh with current civil rights standards, it is unfortunately very normal and customary.  Now ladies- this is only one of many reasons why you should empower yourselves with wine knowledge and snatch that menu out of the hands of men!

Being able to order wine for a table can be construed as a courtesy, but it also demonstrates knowledge, position and power.  First off, you can display your knowledge of wine and impress your coworkers.  Secondly, you can show that you either deserve your current position or a better one because you can take charge.  Lastly, you can empower yourself, dissolve stereotypes, and order the wine that your group will enjoy.  Now let’s get to some things you should know before you grab that list:

1. Have basic wine knowledge.  No one is saying you should know if Chateau Leoville-Barton is better than Chateau Pouget or the difference in vintages of Batard-Montrachet, but you should know the difference between Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.  Know that you basically start with a sparkling wine with appetizers, whites with many soups and salads, and a deep red if everyone is going with steak.
2. Order enough.  Every “regular” wine bottle contains 750 ml- good enough for 5-6 people to get about one glass.  If your table is larger than 6, you have a couple options: order more than one bottle or go large.  Many restaurants carry bottles in larger formats (1.5 liters or more) which are perfect for large groups and cost less than purchasing two regular bottles.
3. Navigation.  Generally, wine lists are structured the same in regards to bottle selection.  They normally start with sparkling and white wines and then move onto reds.  These can then be subdivided by country (France, Italy, Australia), region (Burgundy, Tuscany, Napa), varietal (Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot), or style (dry whites, fruity reds, full bodied).  Get your basic knowledge areas in all of these and you can navigate any list.
4. Ask for help.  Even the biggest wine afficionado asks for recommendations from their server or sommelier.  Make sure to give them as much info as possible: what you like, how much you prefer to spend, and what everyone plans on ordering.  Never hesitate to ask questions- it’s your experience and your money (or your company’s) so make sure you’re getting what you want!  Also, remember that the wait staff works with the list daily and the sommelier tastes and orders all the wine- trust that they know what they’re doing!
5. Find value.  If you’re worried about overpaying for wine, you are in the wrong place.  Restaurants typically markup their wine 2.5 to 4.5 times the wholesale price in Chicago.  Knowing that, you have to pick the wines that are priced best wholesale.  These are typically off-varietals (Carignan, Pinot Gris, Zinfandel), off -regions (Rogue Valley, Sicily, Montsant), or value countries/continents (South America, South Africa, Spain).  You’ll not only find good wines but good prices as well.

So start studying ladies!  Grab your Wine 101 books, surf the web (windycitywineguy.com!) and research.  Get that basic knowledge, take charge at the dinner table and at the workplace!

image c/o Flickr

Well, the time has come. After 10 weeks, I head back to the office tomorrow after having my little Liljana. I've been asked how I'm feeling and if it seems odd to go back to work already. Yes, it's going to be interesting being away from my little girl for a hefty majority of the day. Will working again seem odd? Not really. Since being on leave, I've kept up with my RSS feeds here and there, since I'm in love with the web. I actually enjoy my job and looking forward to going back to the grind of thinking about digital strategy.

I'm also feeling good going back to work full time because I did my corporate homework. Another perk that me and the hubby decided on pre-birth? One of us would try to work from home during the day and watch our little one. Since the hubby can consult from home, this set-up worked for us.

Many of you ask me about keeping a full-time corporate job, while wanting a child. As you think about this amazing life decision, it's important to do your homework. Yes, homework. Before I went back to work full-time, I wanted to find a place that was family friendly. At my company, I learned that two women held Executive level positions - good signs. In addition, the office was full of working moms with flexible schedules - another good sign. I knew that if I wanted a family, my position would be respected, both as a mother, but also as a working corporate gal.

If you work for a company whose top brass has little to no women and those women that DO have kids seem stressed out all the time, this may not be the environment for you. You have to choose what's important for you and your family.

I had no idea I'd get pregnant so darn quick. My Manager and HR were more than wonderful during the whole process. I also got approval to work from home one day a week and if the little one is sick, I know I'll be able to work from home and see about her care.

On the flip side, I will be away from my little girl during the day. I may travel overnight on business and not get a chance to kiss her good night all the time. These are the pieces of motherhood and corporate life that will give. This is OK for what me and the hubby decided months ago - it works for us. 

If you ladies EVER have questions about getting ready to have a baby when the time is right, you know who to ask!:)

Late April.

Details coming as soon as we get them, but of course, it's going to be dope!

Specific labeling distinctions on breads and cereals can be confusing, especially when it comes to whether the product is whole grain, multi grain, 5 grain, whole wheat, has fiber, omega 3 or any other bits and pieces added. Twice in as many weeks I’ve sat down with people in an attempt to clear the air on this subject. One was curious as to the difference between multi and whole grain foods. The other had read that she should be eating whole grains, but still wasn’t sure exactly why. Since the two questions are related, I thought I’d take a minute to address both here.

A good starting point is to look at the main differences between processed and whole grains. Processed grains (like white or refined flour) have had the bran and germ removed, leaving just the ground endosperm, which is mostly starch, a simple kind of carbohydrate. Whole grains (also known as whole meal or whole wheat) include the starchy endosperm, but also pack in the bran and germ, which are loaded with fiber, vitamins (like B & E), minerals (including zinc and iron), antioxidants and various other nutritional goodies.

Because they lack the bran and germ, processed flours have significantly reduced levels of all of these nutrients, in many cases up to 70% less. So, to summarize:

Processed/white=Lacking nutritional value

Whole=Loaded with nutritional value

So what about multi grain? Isn’t it just another word for whole grain? Well actually no, it’s not. The distinction between multi grain and whole grain is often made hazy as a marketing attempt to play the two off as being similar, but if you look closely you’ll see a clear difference. A label claiming to be “multi grain” is referring to the different TYPES or grain being used—like wheat, barley or corn—so although you’re getting multiple grain sources, they aren’t necessarily whole! As mentioned above, whole grain labeling guarantees the inclusion of all three parts of the grain’s kernel (bran, germ and endosperm). Multi grain labeled products may look and taste “healthy”, but whole grain is superior in terms of nutritional benefit.

So what exactly are the benefits?

Well, the huge disparity in fiber content is probably the most widely recognized benefit of eating whole grains. The fiber in whole grains helps strengthen your digestion (think of it as working out, for your tummy!) and slows down the metabolism of calories, so you stay satisfied for longer. But the extra vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants provide a range of benefits too, from increasing metabolism to healthier skin and reduced risk of certain cancers.  

So why not give whole grains a try? Your body will thank you for making the switch, and you might even prefer the nuttier taste and chewier texture of whole grains anyway! You’ll find whole grain versions of breakfast cereal, bread and pasta in almost any local supermarket.

You can learn more about the benefits of whole grains here and here. Image provided courtesy of wikipedia.

Got more questions or comments about grains or food labels? Post about them below and I’ll have a crack at answering them for you.



I can't help but to remind you of the importance of looking out for yourself when traveling solo. Here are some tips to follow when getting in a cab.

1) GG Writer, Marisol, found this fabulous service, RideMagic, enabling you to book your cab ahead of time. I like this because there is a recorded history of the cab you used. (this service isn't available for all cities)

2) As SOON as you get in that car, do NOT let the cabbie pull away until you've located the number for the cab, and, if possible, the last name of the driver. If the cab driver refuses you doing this, get out of the cab.

3) Place the number of the taxi cab in your phone and also text this cab number to a close friend. This will ensure that there is a timestamp of your whereabouts, along with ID of the cab.

4) Always, always, always keep track of the route in which your cab driver is going. Many of us may think that being a bit tipsy allows for not keeping track of the road. Wrong.

5) Have your cash/credit card ready before the cab comes to a stop. This way, you can hand over your payment and not give the cabbie a chance to do something out of sorts.

Anything else anyone has to add from experience?

I've given up on the socks that mysteriously disappear from the dryer. That's a lost cause. And don't even get me started on money. That just flies out of my wallet on a daily basis. Today I'd like to focus on lost earrings. You start the day off with two, you think, but then someone mentions that you're missing one, or you just happen to touch your ears a lot and it's gone. It happens. A lot. But instead of throwing away a perfectly good, and adorable, earring, why not make the best of it?

If you've been reading Real Simple, you probably already know about this trick. A clever way to repurpose an everyday item is one of my favorite parts of RS. They help you cope with the loss of an earring by turning the one you have left into a decoraive push-pin. I've started doing this and I have to admit that my corkboard looks ten times cuter now.

So don't fret! Just repurpose! And if you aren't checking out Real Simple on a monthly basis, well, you're missing out, just sayin'. (No Real Simple didn't tell me to say that.)

As I pore over my hundreds of pictures (lots of photo-links in this article), loads of flyers, and copious notes from my trip, I've definitely come across some standouts, which I'll share with you all this weekend. But a clear pattern is also becoming visible through my "research": manufacturers are almost all concerned with moving toward make their vehichles greener, environmentally progressive, or simply more-miles-per-gallon. What's maybe most fascinating – even exciting – is that they aren't doing this for love of the planet or convern over global warming (though a Suzuki rep did blame the odd Chicago earthquake, and the snow, on global warming, only half-joking to a large crowd). Company leaders from Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, and others stated clearly that they're pushing toward greeness and fuel economy because consumers are demanding it. And while I'd love it if companies were good to the earth just because, I think the idea of an American populus that demands enviro-consciousness is pretty cool.

Nearly every manufacturer present offered some sort of alternative fuel vehicles: