NatNews

In recent years, health challenges have become more popular among many individuals, including those in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Beginning in 2009, the Whole30 diet became a way for people to change their eating habits. It consists of a 30-day elimination period, followed by a 10-day reintroduction phase, and it has become a common method individuals, couples, and families use when seeking health resets or changes in eating habits.

Dallas resident and tax director Laura Hays completed her first Whole30 challenge in 2017 and has been taking part at the start of every year since. She said that, while she loves the results of feeling healthier and her clothes fitting better, difficulties present themselves in the form of social gatherings and a busy schedule.

“Sticking to the rules requires planning and preparing most meals yourself, while avoiding temptations of what others are eating around you,” Hays said. “However, I have found some go-to places for meals out with friends or grabbing something quick when I’m in a hurry. Origin Kitchen, Malibu Poke, HG Sply, Zoe’s (if you can find one still open), and Chipotle have Whole30-compliant menus.”

A number of other self-improvement challenges followed suit in ensuing years. Created in 2019 by entrepreneur Andy Frisella, a podcaster and CEO of the supplement company 1st Phorm, the 75 Hard Challenge is, according to the program’s website, a “transformative mental toughness program” that seeks to improve individuals’ confidence, self-esteem, perseverance, self-worth, self-belief, fortitude, and grittiness. Dallas resident and White Rock Running Co-op member Becca Finke and her husband, Jonathan, decided to take part in this challenge to start off the 2023 year.

“Jonathan and I had a pretty ‘bingey’ holiday with loads of food and alcoholic beverages,” she said. “We felt pretty gross after that and had heard about 75 Hard from our friend Paige Ryder. We decided we’d try it together and told a few friends we were doing it. Now they’ve decided to do it, too, and we have a 75 Hard accountability group together.”

Dallas-area resident and school librarian Ashley Hill completed the 75 Hard Challenge in the fall of 2022 in order to make some overall improvements to her day-to-day lifestyle.

“I decided to take on the 75 Hard Challenge because I had friends tell me how accomplished they felt when they had finished it, and I thought it would be a way for me to set some better habits for myself,” she said.

Hill was able to complete the challenge successfully, never missing a requirement for any of the 75 consecutive days, though it was no easy feat.

“The most difficult part for me was getting in two 45-min workouts a day, one outside,” she said. “It took a lot of discipline and setting a good routine and schedule each week to accomplish this.”

For Finke, the challenge isn’t so much in the workouts but more in the required fluid intake.

“Drinking a gallon of water a day is harder than one would think,” she said. “I’m running to the bathroom more often than my 8-month pregnant coworker. That’s been the toughest so far.”

Many individuals, including Hill, express overall satisfaction after completing the 75 Hard Challenge, as it allows them to make lasting changes and improvements to their self-confidence that become noticeable in their daily lives.

“The biggest benefit was the way I felt,” she said. “I felt like I was doing something beneficial for my overall health, and it made me feel proud of myself each day when I had accomplished each task.”

Attorney Jonathan Finke, who said that getting in two workouts per day requires a great deal of discipline because of his work schedule and social commitments, has also noticed such an advantage so far in his 75 Hard experience.

“My favorite thing is how I feel,” he said. “No alcohol and drinking a gallon of water a day really makes your body feel great.”

Though the requirements of the 75 Hard Challenge—which consist of a strict alcohol-free diet, two 45-minute workouts per day, a daily progress picture, drinking one gallon of water each day, and reading 10 pages of a book every day—can seem daunting (especially since you must start over if you fail to meet all of the requirements on any given day), Hill said that self-discipline can help one accomplish the goal of completing the challenge in its entirety.

“The advice I would give is to set yourself up for success,” Hill said. “Don’t put yourself in situations in which you might be tempted to cheat. An example of how I did this was to avoid social settings with my friends for a while so that I wasn’t tempted to eat bad or drink alcohol.”

The roar of a lion can be heard up to 5 miles away.

With streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu becoming dominant ways that individuals consume television and movies, the movie-going experience has drastically changed in the last 16 years. According to global media company Comscore, as of early December 2022, there were only 66 movies in wide release, down more than a third from the same time in 2019. Many films released in theaters were only available in such a viewing setting for a week or so.

For some individuals, streaming services have made movie watching much more comfortable and enjoyable. Dallas-area resident Bill Stier is one of those who would rather watch from his sofa than in a theater.

“[I prefer] at home, but you can’t beat the popcorn in the theater,” he said. “Sadly, I find the movie theaters and people to be disrespectful, making the experience unenjoyable.”

Dallas resident and avid movie watcher Kevin Roberts also loves watching movies in his home, though he believes that the theater experience is sometimes necessary.

“I love movies, so I like both in and out,” he said. “Some movies—like Top Gun: Maverick—are much better on the big screen. I guess my preference, though, is home so that I can make my own snacks and pause if needed.”

Dallas resident Scott Magdziak agrees that, while watching movies at home is more convenient, certain Blockbuster films require a trip to the theater. He and his girlfriend are also fans of seeing older films on the big screen when they are available.

“Deirdre and I enjoy going to the Angelika and watching old Hitchcock movies,” Magdziak said. “We went to a few during the theater’s Hitchcocktober. Otherwise, punching up a movie is easy, and the comforts of home are always a plus.”

Some people even find that movies that were enjoyed in the cinematic experience seem like they are of much less quality when viewed in a home setting.

“I think for action movies, you can only really watch them in the theater,” Dallas resident Alexis Derrow said. “You can watch dialogue-driven, thinking movies at home, but I watched Twister on TV once, and it was one of the worst movies I’ve seen, but I loved it in the theater.”

Derrow believes that, aside from the actual film, there are certain aspects of the theater experience that cannot be replicated to the same extent when one is in his or her own home.

“Nothing can replace the joy or sadness of a collective catharsis, such as when everyone gasps, cries, or cheers,” she said.

In spite of missing out on those shared emotional reactions, people are continuing to turn to streaming services to watch movies. In 2022, 83 percent of consumers in the U.S. used subscription video-on-demand services—an increase of nearly 20 percent in five years.

“We live in a microwave society,” Stier said. “People want what they want when they want it, making binging popular and far more convenient on these platforms. However, linear TV for sports is still a must. Amazon Thursday football is no bueno, with the exception of Al Michaels.”

And with so many choices available in an instant, Magdziak said it’s important to make up your mind on what you want to watch.

“Basically, it’s easy to sit on your couch and choose from a million options,” he said. “But you have to choose and commit or risk endlessly searching.

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

WRRC members meet every Wednesday at Lake House Bar & Grill for the

weekly social run

Thursday, January 12: King George—A Tribute to George Strait at Arlington Music Hall
Friday, January 13: Emerald City Band + Dueling Pianos at The Revel
Saturday, January 14: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint
Sunday, January 15: National Bagel Day