LIVING ROOM

READING CORNER

Book recommendations from That’s editorial team.

Sam Wu is Not Afraid of Ghosts

By Katie and Kevin Tsang Ages 6-12

This fun romp is told in the first person by a young boy who is intent on disproving the notion that he is, as was said by his peers, a ‘scaredy-cat.’ This book is the first in a series concerning all the things that Sam Wu is not afraid of, ranging from sharks to zombies to the dark. Sam Wu reminds us that it’s natural to have reservations about the unknown, but we can overcome our fears and build confidence in the process.

The Night Diary

By Vera Hiranandani Ages 11-17

After her mother passes away, Nisha continues writing letters to her in her diary. Although heart-wrenching, this story teaches us courage and about the complexity of an international world as the half-Muslim, half-Hindu protagonist navigates a newly partitioned India. This book won the Newbery Honor in 2019 and is perfect for a young reader just slightly too innocent for Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner.

CLASS CLOWN

Superfluous Screen Time

A mother in Shenyang took her 10-year-old daughter to the hospital for an eyesight exam. It was revealed that the girl’s myopia, nearsightedness caused by an abnormality of the shape of the eye, had devolved beyond 200 degrees. The girl’s doctor asserted that it was a result of long-term online classes and holding her face too close to the screen. On Weibo, the hashtag concerning the girl’s rapid myopia has been read 73 million times. Reading books and looking at a computer or phone screen are both considered ‘near work’ and have been linked to eyestrain and subsequent conditions. However, virtually everyone regularly does some form of ‘near-work’ but only a small group of the population develops nearsightedness.

ECO HOME

Ice Ice Baby

Instead of walking all the way downstairs to get a free bag of ice from the begrudging bubble tea barista, why not buy your very own countertop ice machine. Cool off and stay hydrated with a virgin vodka water at any time of day. Elevate your highball game with a Hicon ice machine that makes a tray of cubes in just six minutes. Gone are the days of asking the Family Mart cashiers, who have never drank a cold beverage in their lives lest they fall mortally ill, if the bags of ice on offer are made for human consumption.

Burning Fat While Juggling Life

How to Stay in Peak Mental and Physical Health, While Handling Everything Else That Life Throws at You

By Kara Wutzke

As the years go by we get busier and busier; we work more, have families and try and see friends. It’s easy for exercise to get put on the back burner. Being an adult with all these responsibilities is hard. Being too busy has sadly become the norm.

So how do we take care of all of our responsibilities and our physical and mental health? Well, that’s the key right there.

Understand that your health is one of your responsibilities and make it a priority.

With over 20 years of coaching experience, Kara Wutzke knows that most people want to make some health, body and mind changes. Her objective is to help you reach your goals and understand that it doesn’t take hours of sweating in the gym seven days a week. With just 30 minutes a day, you too can get moving in the right direction.

Below is a list of easy habits you can make to start seeing the changes you want and make sure looking after yourself stays at the top of your list.

Schedule It In Schedule exercise into your calendar or put it on a daily to-do list. Schedules and lists help us stay on top of important tasks. Ticking things off also gives us a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Split Training Workouts Splitting up your muscle groups lets you focus on one thing at a time, and helps with rest and recovery between training sessions. This gives you an advantage by keeping your daily routine short, with higher intensity, better focus, more energy and increased strength.

Drink Up, Buttercup! Sadly, not sugary drinks and alcohol, but water and lots of it. The human body is about 60-70% water. Muscles alone are 70% water. Your body’s ability to digest, transport and absorb nutrients relies on proper fluid intake. It’s important to stay hydrated.

Follow the 80/20 Rule No more yo-yo dieting. Restrictive diets are limiting and once you go off these ‘miracle weight loss diets’ you quickly gain back the weight you lost. Choose healthy, clean foods 80% of the time. You can indulge in a few “not-so-great” choices 20% of the time. The 80/20 rule is a good way to move forward that allows some leeway and flexibility. Get Your Sleep Ideally keep the time you sleep and wake up the same. Seven hours a night is a good sweet spot to aim for. Without sufficient sleep, cognitive performance decreases and alertness and decision-making skills are affected. This can have adverse effects on work, family and make it almost impossible to stick to choosing the right foods.

Get Grounded Relax, take it easy! We all need time-outs. No, you don’t have to sit in the corner and think about what you’ve done. But make sure you’re including time to de-stress and take away all the noise that surrounds you. Take your shoes off, lock yourself in a quiet room or just have a coffee outside.

Spend Time With Loved Ones Last but definitely not least, we need our friends and our fun times. The next time you are spending time with close friends or family, put the devices down and be present. By spending time with friends, family or even pets, you are supporting the human need for community and social interaction.

Kara Wutzke is giving away her book for free to all Thats readers! Head to the website to get yours now. www.10weekbodytransformation.com