September 2013 Vol. 4 Issue 2
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7 A Weight Loss Journey Comments or Suggestions? info@adahub.com (580) 421-7874 A rticles and advertisements in the Ada Hub do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the magazine or Twelve Media Group, Inc. Twelve Media Group, Inc. does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. The acceptance of advertising by Ada Hub does not constitute endorsement of the products, services or information. We do not knowingly present any product or service that is fraudulent or misleading in nature. Ada Hub assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials.
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Healthy Living
At-Home Wild Card Workout
recipe
Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños by: Star Edwards
Optimal nutrition and exercise are equally important for health and fitness results. This month, I’m focusing on exercise; and since I’m a nutrition expert, I’ve called on my husband, Arron Edwards (NSCACPT), a fitness expert, to provide a few pointers for those of you who can’t make it to the gym to work out. Time is the number one reason most people don’t work out. Making it to the gym is out of the question for some, and getting a workout in at home is sometimes the only option for exercise. If you have no equipment at home and don’t want to follow a video, you may not know where to start on programming a workout.
Ingredients 12 Jalapeños halved and seeded 1 cup of cream cheese 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 24 slices of bacon BBQ Sauce 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp salt 1 cup big red soda 1 cup of water 1 cup of ketchup
First, you need to decide how many days you will work out each week and how long you can commit to each workout. Second, you will need to decide which exercises you will do. You will want to do a push, pull, squat/deadlift/lunge and core movement. Here are some examples: • Push – pushup or shoulder press • Pull – pull ups, chin-ups, rows • Squat/deadlift/lunge – goblet squat or walking lunges • Core – plank or side plank Third, grab a deck of cards and assign each suit a movement. For instance: • Diamonds – core • Clubs – pull • Spades – push • Hearts – squat/deadlift/lunge Set the amount of time you’ve designated for the workout on the clock and flip over the first card. The number on the card represents the number of reps you will perform (face cards are 12, aces are 15), and the suit will determine the movement. Flip through the cards and do as much work as possible in the time frame.
Directions (BBQ SAUCE) Add all of the bbq sauce ingredients in a sauce pan except for the big red soda and bring it all to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to about medium and let the sauce reduce and get thick (about 25-30 min). At the very end, add the big red soda and then let the sauce rest in the pan or cool it in the refrigerator. Take the jalapeños and split them right down the middle and seed them or they will be very, very spicy. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese and the shredded cheddar cheese. Stuff the jalapeños with the cheese mixture and then wrap them each with one piece of bacon. There are two ways to cook these--one is in the oven at 350 Degrees for 20 min or until bacon is crisp. (Place them on a sheet pan with a wire rack so the bacon fat can drain away as it cooks.) The other, and more tasty way, is to place them on the grill on medium heat and just cook them until bacon is crisp, turning them about every 4-5 minutes. Brush them with the bbq sauce at the very end to add a little char grill flavor. Enjoy!
Bodyweight exercises will be fine for a few weeks, but you’ll need to add resistance to keep seeing results. Resistance can be anything from dumbbells and kettlebells to water jugs, ropes or a basket full of clothes. Use your imagination! Be sure to change your program every four weeks to keep your body guessing! Once you’ve mastered the at-home workout, you may need to visit your favorite local gym for even more effective training.
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A Weight Loss Journey
by: Sunnie Dawn Smith
Imagine living your life in total fear. Every day when you got up, fear was the first thing in your mind. And every step you took, every small journey you made, intensify this fear until you were to the point of despair and paranoia. This was the life of Alisa Golden, who had been obese since she was a small child. No matter what she did, she couldn’t lose weight and just kept gaining until she reached 477 pounds. Now, however, thanks to a lot of hard work, determination, and courage, Alisa has finally found the right path for her and has lost 170 pounds and counting. Her life has changed in amazing ways. “Life before was always a struggle,” she says. “Fear was the common denomination.” For instance, if a friend planned on taking her somewhere, every part of the experience would be fraught with fear. Would she be able to fit in their car? Would the seat belt fit around her? In her own car she had to use two seat belt extensions. Would she be able to walk through the door? Once she got through the door, would there be a chair large and sturdy enough for her? And not only would she have to deal with all of these practical questions, but she would have to deal with people as well, and people are not always the kindest to someone as large as she was. In fact, it was a traumatic event with people that finally gave Alisa the big push to get the kind of help she needed. She had gone to Branson with her family on vacation. Included was her seven-year-old nephew who adored her. When the family went to shows, though, Alisa had to stay in the motel room; the chairs wouldn’t be big enough for her. When they went walking around town and
shopping, she had to stay in the car; she walked with a cane and that was difficult enough. Finally, though, they were going to Silver Dollar City and she was excited. They had a motorized scooter that she could use to get around the park. Her nephew was also excited since his aunt could finally take part in the fun. As they were waiting to embark on their adventure, however, two young boys with their parents were walking by. They stopped and started mocking Alisa, laughing and pointing at her. She hoped and prayed that her nephew didn’t see, but he did. And she watched in horror as he looked back and forth to the boys then to her then back to them. She realized then that something had to change. She started eating what she thought was a healthy meal and lost a little bit. She had another nephew that was selling Herbalife. He tried multiple times to convince her to take it and she kept saying no. Finally she gave in and was pleasantly surprised to start losing weight faster. She knew that that was not enough though. She used food for comfort, so she went to a psychologist that specialized in weight loss. He thought it was more about her body than her mind and so she went through some testing and then to a dietician. It turns out that her Resting Metabolic Rate was as low as they had seen. She was elated at this. There was finally a reason for her weight issues; her body had been working against her. After this, things sped up tremendously. They put her on a high protein low carb diet and would just tweak it a little every time she came in. In 7 months she lost about 70 pounds. Then another nephew started selling
Herbalife and wanted her to do a weight loss challenge with him. She added walking to her regimen. In the beginning she could only walk less than a block. However, in a 2 month period she was going a mile and a half and no longer needed her cane. She had also lost 17 pounds and 10 inches. Alisa no longer uses a seatbelt extension and has a smaller car. She doesn’t use her cane. And, for the first time in her life, pessimism has been replaced by optimism. Her life is no longer controlled by fear, but rather ruled by hope. She has also found a new passion and purpose for her life. She wants to help other morbidly obese people, especially women, realize that they don’t have to live their lives in hopelessness and fear. She wants to help them lose weight, but also just be an ear for them as somebody who has been there and come through the other side. If you or anyone you know fits this description, contact Alisa Golden on facebook, by telephone at 3203250, or by email, reshapingtomorrow@ hotmail.com. She finally sees hope and wants to share it with the world. ■
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Service. Style. Satisfaction. the hive: Modern Salon When you first walk in to the Hive, you are welcomed into a spacious, modern environment—minimal yet comfortable. It is a modernist vision of silver and glass, black and white. Shelves line the walls, displaying different hair care products and two long black leather benches sit back to back, separated by a rose colored counter, also displaying products. Though there is a lot to see, they manage to arrange it without clutter, inviting you to examine their lines of all natural hair care products. When you enter you are instantly greeted by one of their two receptionists, who asks how she can help you and also offers you a beverage. Customer service is of paramount importance at the Hive. All the stylists and nail techs will also do their best to make sure you leave happy. The Hive is a full service salon, for men, women, and children. Of course they offer services like haircuts and color, including up styles for weddings, proms, or other special occasions. You can also get extensions for both your hair and your eyelashes, waxing, facials in a private room for total relaxation, and air brush
makeup for that red carpet look. The nail techs will give you a manicure or pedicure and offer solar nails, sculpted nails, and gel polish that will last two weeks and doesn’t chip. One of the things that makes them different from other salons is the type of products they use. They only use products that are made from natural ingredients and are safe for the consumer and the environment. Anything that touches your skin seeps into your body, including the harsh chemicals included in many hair treatments. You won’t have to deal with this at The Hive. They use Aveda, Davines, and Moroccan Oil, which is particularly good for dry hair. This is not just limited to shampoo and conditioner, though. They use Aveda, and some Davines, hair color which is non-damaging and gives the hair a good shine. Davines Flamboyage is used for highlighting, giving natural looking highlights that doesn’t leave a growth line. Even their perms are natural; Aveda perms don’t burn your hair like other perms do. All of these product lines can also be purchased in the store. Right now
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Davines is 20% off so that people can try it and become acquainted with the line. Not only does Davines contain only natural ingredients, but the bottles are made of biodegradable plastic and the company participates in reforestation in order to offset the damage done through packaging and shipping. They are a company with a great product that also cares about the planet. In addition to these great hair care products, you can also find the Paul Mitchell styling tools. That is what they use in the salon and also what is available to the public. So come on in to The Hive, either for their service or their products. Their stylists, Megan Ingram, DJ Baxter, Angie Robison, Kristina English, Norma Ruiz, Ce Phillips, Neicole Thompson, Isabel Villarreal, Megan James, Stephanie Weaver, and Sam Ward, will be more than happy to help you, as will their nail techs, Amy Ingram and Khristi Smith. They are open from 8:30-8:00 Monday-Saturday at 1407 N. Country Club Rd., Suite C., right on the Walmart parking lot. You can also call them at 272-0078 or find them on facebook. They’ll be happy to see you and you’ll be happy you went. ■
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Allene Warren, PhD | 116 East Main Ada, OK | 580-279-1798 www.adahub.com • 11
Country Princess by: Adam Flanagan
Joei Whisenant was born in Lawton Oklahoma in 1997. Her parents, Chris and Patricia, decided to move their family back to Ada just several months later. Joei started off in public school and then became a homeschool student when she began her third grade year. This decision proved useful in many ways, especially when Joei decided that she would enter Miss Ada’s Outstanding Teen pageant for 2013. Joei signed up for the pageant when she heard some of her friends talking about it. She thought it would be a fun experience and didn’t really know what it was all about. It didn’t take long for her to learn all the benefits of being involved in such an activity. Joei grew a bond with the other girls entered in the pageant and they really developed good, positive friendships. “It’s different than what the TV portrays a pageant to be. It is more about how you can serve your community, the beauty of your heart and how to be a good role model for the younger kids who look up to you,” Joei expressed with a big grin. There is a lot that goes into preparing for the day of a pageant. The categories for the Miss Ada Outstanding Teen are Interview, Evening Gown with on-stage question, Active Wear and Talent. You must shop for all your different outfits, you have to rehearse and fine tune your talent, and if that’s not enough, you have to learn how to walk all over again. Contestants must also come up with a platform that they are passionate about. Joei’s platform was “The Adoption Aid”. She spent time helping families that were involved in the adoption process. She helped make meals for them, she helped them with getting clothes for their families and she also interviewed couples to learn more about the adoption process. The day of the pageant came and the first step of the competition was the dreaded interview. Joei was nervous about this portion, so she enlisted friends and family members to mock interview her in the weeks leading up to the event. “I remember walking into the room and one of the board members was just sitting in the back flashing me a big smile. It made me feel so comfortable and I wasn’t nervous anymore,” Joei said as she reflected back on the big day. She made it through the interview and there was some rest time and more practicing for the opening number and talent portion. The pageant kicked off at 7:00 with a big opening number and went straight into Active Wear. Talent was next, so Joei strapped on a guitar and sang her heart out to one of her favorite tunes. Her performance won first place in the talent portion of the pageant. The night continued with Evening Gown and the On-Stage question, when Joei was asked who inspires her
most. Her response was, “My mom. She is always there for me. She is very encouraging and always pushing me to reach my dreams”. It was finally time for all the contestants to come out on stage and wait for the winner to be announced. Joei remembers thinking, “Well, if anything, this has been a great experience”. First Runner-Up. Joei’s name had not yet been called, so she thought it was over with. Then it happened. “I just couldn’t believe it when they called my name as the winner. It was one of the greatest moments I have ever experienced,” Joei recalled. Her mother Patricia said, “I knew she had done really well and I was so excited for her. I also began to think of the great things she would be doing over the next year.” After performing the chariots of fire stance while they placed the crown on her head, Joei went back stage where she was congratulated by friends and family. She was ready to get out of the uncomfortable dress and put on some comfy clothes. Afterwords, as she was sitting at home, her two brothers came in and asked her if she was ready. “Ready for what,” Joei said hesitantly. After a few persuasion techniques that brothers often implement to sway their siblings decisions, Joei was out the door in the pouring rain, pageant hair still adorning her head. In one moment she was on stage being crowned Miss Ada’s Outstanding Teen, and in the next, she was off to the woods to camp with her brothers. Joei expresses her thoughts about that event in these words, “I went from princess to country girl can survive”. I forgot to mention that Joei also likes riding four wheelers, wake boarding and skiing. She’s not all pageant girl. Joei carried out her “Queenly Duties” by reading books to kids, speaking to groups about purity in relationships and focusing on being a mentor to young children in the community. She even came up with the idea of S.W.A.P. It to get her point across when talking to kids about purity. S=set standards. W=wait. A=avoid dangerous situations. P=purify. “This is not something every girl gets to do. I just have to keep reminding myself how blessed I have been to get this opportunity”, Joei said. The winner of Miss Ada’s Outstanding Teen also gets an opportunity to compete at the state pageant. Joei just thought she was busy preparing for the local competition. She began her journey six months in advance with more shopping, vocal training, a customized fitness plan and round table discussions with the pageant board members. Her vocal coach, Shari Townes, helped her pick out a new song to sing in the talent portion along with tips on how to maximize her singing ability. She also remembers
her telling her to “talk like a disney princess all the time”. Joei then went through a phase where she spoke this way in her daily life. Trainers at Whiterock Fitness came up with the “Pageant Plan” so she could gain the muscle definition to dominate the active wear portion of the competition. Along with 33 other girls from around the state, Joei arrived at the Mabee Center in Tulsa to prepare for the Miss Oklahoma Outstanding Teen Pageant. There was a huge choreographed opening number and the stage there was much bigger. The interview questions were deeper and much more difficult. However, the on-stage question was fun. “What TV Series would you say you relate to the most?” Joei responded, “Duck Dynasty. My family is just like them, minus the beards.” The pageant went on and Joei made it to the Top 10, then later to the Top 5. When they called fourth runner-up and it was not her name, she was stunned. The announcer called Joei Whisenant as the Third Runner Up and she was happy, happy, happy. She also tied for first place in the Active Wear portion of the pageant as well as Outstanding Rookie. Joei recently competed at the Edmond Liberty Fest Outstanding Teen and won First Place there. As she pondered over the last year she said, “I thought it would be a one-time thing, but after going to state I have realized how it really changes each girl who is involved. It is such a tool to help young girls prepare for life. It has taught me about inward beauty, given me a sense of who I am as I become a woman and it teaches girls how to succeed no matter what. I feel like I am prepared to be a leader in my community”. Joei plans to keep being involved in pageants and is getting ready for the state pageant in June of 2014. Before that, she will be passing on the crown to a new outstanding teen, right here in Ada at the McSwain Theatre on September 28. The current Miss Ada, Brooke Hamilton, will also be passing on her crown to the next deserving young woman. Young women 1317 years old are encouraged to apply for the Ada’s Miss Outstanding Teen and girls 17-24 are welcome to apply for the Miss Ada pageant. The pageant is limited, so you must apply quickly. You can learn more about how to apply at www.missadapageant. com. So, whether you are a country girl who likes four-wheeling or feel more at home with your hair up and sporting an evening gown (or maybe you’re a combination of the two), you might just be pageant material. ■
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60 Seconds With by: George Snyder
Mayor Greg McCortney
AH: From your perspective as mayor of Ada, what are the most pressing issues now facing the city? GM: Two of the major issues are water and housing. We have some major upgrades to our city water system that need to be addressed in the next few years. This comes with a price tag somewhere in the neighborhood of $26 million. That alone makes this a huge issue for the city. How we make those upgrades, where the money comes from and how we accomplish this undertaking is something we’re dealing with right now. Supply and production of water is a major issue for most towns in America. Ada, the “City of Pure Spring Water,” is well positioned in terms of the supply of water. But with some of our pipes (infrastructure) as much as 100 years old, the production and delivery of that water is the concern. Our second issue is housing. Currently, there is a substantial segment of our workforce that drives in and out of the city each day, in great part I believe because they are unable to find adequate housing in the city. While there is a good supply of rental property, it’s the “starter home” market that we lack. I believe when we can add more starter homes (in the range of $90-100,000), the city will grow even more and our workforce will be enhanced. AH: What do you consider our key strengths as a city and as a community? GM: One of our major issues is also one of our greatest assets. It’s water. For every community there are production costs associated with water. But many cities also have significant costs for obtaining water. We’re fortunate in that our water literally bubbles up out of the ground and runs down pipes by gravity (not pumping) into town. And because it’s pure spring water, there is only limited treatment necessary before we send to our consumers. Most cities can only dream of this kind of water asset. Consider the issues facing other communities, like Oklahoma City. They have to fight just for the right to access some of their water. We don’t have that problem, but as community stewards, we do need to secure our water assets and to use this resource wisely. Another key strength for Ada is our workforce. For a town our size, we have an amazingly diverse workforce. Many towns our size have a few major employers and the workforce is limited to the skills
Greg McCortney is serving his second term as Mayor for the City of Ada (first elected in 2011) and as the city’s at-large council member. Mayor McCortney is an Ada native and a third generation small business owner. He is the founder and president of two companies, McCortney Family Hospice and McCortney Family Live in Care. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary and a B.A in Religion from Oklahoma City University. He is married to Ashley McCortney.
represented by those industry and business sectors. But here in Ada we have a diverse workforce thanks to employers like: Dart Container, Holcim, Inc., Chickasaw Nation, East Central University, etc. With the continued growth of the Chickasaw Nation and expansion of East Central University, we’re seeing more and more opportunity. This growth is not only increasing the diversity of the workforce, but it’s increasing our “talent” base, which is so important in economic development. The Pontotoc Technology Center adds another layer of support in our ability to train and improve the skills of our workforce. AH: Why did you want to become an elected official and the city’s mayor? GM: For a number of years I was involved in the Ada Chamber of Commerce, including serving as Chairman of the Board for the organization. Over a period time I began to realize that if we were to accomplish what was best for the city, the Ada Chamber of Commerce, the Ada Jobs Foundation and the city administration would need to be on the same page. At the time it didn’t seem as if we were pulling on the same rope. It seemed to me we were not communicating as well as we could. I thought if I could use the skills I’d learned in business in the municipal (city) setting, I could help to make a difference. I don’t mind saying, it’s been a larger task than I imagined, but it’s also been a great opportunity for service. I was born and raised in Ada and I really do believe this is a special place. We have great opportunities ahead of us and I do what I do because I want to help encourage and develop those opportunities. AH: Now that you’re in your second term as mayor, what have you learned about the position that you were not aware of when you became mayor? GM: Keep in mind, the position as mayor is primarily ceremonial. As mayor I have no more authority than any of the other city council member. Speaking for myself, if not all the council members, I’d say one the major surprises associated with the position is the phenomenal amount of information and paperwork. Contracts for city work, such as a road work project, can be documents of up to 500 pages. The detail in arranging projects like this is
amazing and sometimes overwhelming. In my second term on the council, I’ve develop such a high level of respect for the Ada city staff and what they do to make things happen. I’ve also learned there’s a huge difference between being an entrepreneur who runs his or her own business and being an elected official for a city. As the owner of a business I can decide to do something and do it. The city doesn’t work that way. There are so many hoops (regulations) you have jump through, it’s surprising how much we are able to accomplish. Often bureaucratic gridlock and data overload work against each other and we have to find a way to work through both. AH: What are your past times (hobbies)? GM: I suppose you could say my biggest “hobby” (or avocation) is the city. The mayoral position, like the city council positions, is voluntary. In addition, my wife and I have three children: 10, 8 and 7 year-olds. So between owning and running two companies, being a volunteer mayor, being a little league coach and a dad, I don’t have a lot of extra time. I love to fish more than I get to. AH: Is there an acclimation, slogan or scripture that has been a guiding influence in your life? GM: During my sophomore year in high school I was struck by the Biblical passage: 1 Timothy 4:12. “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” That has motivated me ever since. There were times in my life when people told me to wait for something until I got older. It didn’t make sense to me. It’s always seemed to me: you’re only here for so long, so you should make as much of it as you can. That scripture has been a guide to try to do everything I can and to do it as well as I can. It also suggests that we become an example. There’s a whole lot of hard work in that. Some people don’t do things because they feel they don’t know enough, but I believe the best way to learn is just to do it and do it the best you can. By one definition, an entrepreneur is “a normal person who lacks the healthy fear of failure.” Thankfully, I never seemed to develop that healthy fear of failure. ■
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