NatNews

Meal planning has long been associated with a healthier diet and less obesity. The International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity revealed a study in which approximately half of the more than 100,000 participants indicated that they meal prep at least occasionally.

Dallas-area resident Ivan Alonzo said he opts to prepare his meals for the week for a number of reasons, including convenience, routine, and making sure that he eats well throughout the week.

“I’m a creature of habit and have meal prepped for years,” he said. “The idea of having to step out for lunch regularly would likely lead to me eating the same fast food places week after week.”

Dallas-area resident Jenna Hutt works in education full-time and has two young daughters, so she prepares her lunches and snacks for the week on Sunday night.

“It makes the week so much easier and is one less thing I have to do when getting my kids and myself ready for school/work,” she said. “It also ensures that my food for the week doesn’t get eaten by my kids throughout the week, leaving me with nothing on Friday. I don’t like to go to the store during the week.”

Dallas-area resident Katy Flynn said she usually cooks enough food for a few meals for the week because it allows her to have healthy options and switch up the flavors so that she doesn’t eat the same thing every day. She said she only eats out a couple of times each week, typically on the weekends when she’s out with friends. Even then, she ensures that she makes wise choices in terms of nutrition.

“I will be the first to pull up the menu to see what options are on there that would be on the healthier side,” she said. “Consistency is important when you are trying to eat healthy and train.”

Alonzo also said he averages eating out only twice a week, though during his kids’ spring and fall sports seasons, that sometimes become three or four times because of busy schedules not allowing for enough time to cook at home. For the most part, though, he said he still factors in health and nutrition when choosing where to eat and what to order off the menu.

“As an athlete, I have to be mindful of the foods I eat,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I often enjoy pizza, burgers, beer, etc., but I’ve learned to find a good balance. I’m also conscious of the eating habits I’m trying to instill in my kids. I want to teach them that it’s OK to indulge while not overdoing things.”

Hutt said she and her family typically make healthier choices when they eat at home, as they are more conscious of what they eat and try to keep it more balanced. After all, as a parent, she’s learned that sometimes convenience becomes the dominant factor when opting where to eat when dining out.

“We go somewhere close or somewhere we know our kids will eat without complaining,” she said.

Flynn also finds it easier to select healthier meals when she is preparing them herself, but she said there are valid reasons not to do so all of the time.

“It will always be better to eat at home over going out because you have complete control over what is going into your meal,” she said. “But it’s way more fun to eat out.”

Salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that it was sometimes used as a form of money to pay soldiers. In fact, the Latin word for salt is sal, which is where we get the word “salary.”

Although dating apps have taken away much of the more organic nature of people meeting while they’re out and about, there are certainly still opportunities for individuals to connect and for sparks to fly when they meet in ways that don’t involve profile pics and swiping. However, not everyone is comfortable approaching people they don’t know but might be interested in getting to know better, and situations can often become awkward and uncomfortable if not handled well.

Dallas-area resident Josh Odegard said he would not be creeped out if a woman walked over and struck up a conversation with him first, and he would appreciate it if she took the initiative to do so.

“I think most people would prefer to have someone approach them first because it takes the stress off a little,” he said. “It’s always easier to talk to someone who comes to talk to you than it is to have the courage to just walk up to a stranger and start chatting them up—at least for me.”

Alexis Derrow also doesn’t feel uneasy if a guy approaches her and seems interested and has a simple way to escape the conversation if she decides early on that he doesn’t strike her fancy.

“If I’m not interested, I make a few minutes of small talk, say it was nice to meet him, and move on,” she said. “I don’t mind it. Shoot your shot. Also, how else are people supposed to meet me in real life? There are very few formal introductions these days.”

Dallas-area resident Morgan Fritz, however, is a bit more selective in terms of whether or not she feels comfortable with someone she doesn’t know approaching her when in a social setting.

“I would be creeped out if I didn’t think he was cute, but if I thought he was cute, I could be flattered,” she said.

But Fritz said she typically struggles to get a man’s attention if she spots him while she’s out with friends and wants to learn more about him.

“This is my problem—I don’t,” she said. “And I avoid eye contact, haha. If I were braver, I would look at him/make eye contact.”

And eye contact is something that has helped Derrow turn looks from across the room into conversations and eventually into dates.

“Smile, look away, smile,” she said. “If he’s interested, he’ll take the hint; if not, not.”

For Odegard, the best strategy is to take a lighthearted approach when initiating conversations with women to help make the situation more comfortable and personable.

“I think jokes are the perfect way to start talking to someone new because it’s a great ice breaker,” he said. “Jokes—as long as they’re funny—make people laugh and take off any guard they might have up.”

Once the conversation continues, it’s not uncommon for one of the parties involved to want to ask for the other’s phone number. Fritz said she doesn’t mind a man asking to get her number, though it depends on the circumstances.

“I feel like guys should only ask for my number if we’re in a location that’s conducive to that and we’ve been talking,” she said. “Someone walked up to me at the mall one day and asked for my number, and that was a little creepy.”

Dallas resident Drew Mbiam said getting the phone number is critical, especially if he wants to show the woman that he’s truly interested in getting to know her more.

“Contact information is like a receipt—proof you’re not a total creeping Tom,” he said.

And Mbiam said he would certainly give his number to a woman if she lives up to his expectations.

“[I would] if she meets my high standards of being able to hold a conversation and be interesting,” he said. “She may even get my Social Security number if she plays her cards right and agrees to be my emergency contact.”

Derrow also said she will willingly give out her number to guys who approach her and seem interested in pursuing her. After all, it’s a key component to the next step in the process.

“I have and I will,” she said. “It’s how I get dates.”

WEEKLY PHOTO OP

Murphy, the newest addition to the Lanaux family, is an entire mood

Tuesday, August 15: The Smashing Pumpkins at Dos Equis Pavilion
Wednesday, August 16: National Tell a Joke Day
Thursday, August 17: Dallasites101 August Speed Dating at Hero
Friday, August 18: Metallica at AT&T Stadium
Saturday, August 19: WRRC Saturday run at Taco Joint