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How Cycling and Small Steps Led This National Senior Games Medalist to a Healthier Lifestyle

By U.S. News & World Report

My health journey began in the 1980s. I was in my 30s, often traveling for my work as a mechanical engineer for a major oil company. One day after weeks of traveling, I looked in the mirror and was shocked at the image staring back at me. At the time, I was 5-feet-10-inches and weighed over 225 pounds, which is considered overweight for my body type. The image shook me so much that I vowed to make a change in my life.

I started by changing my eating habits and created a strict diet to lower my calorie intake that I still follow today. I logged everything I ate and challenged myself to cut out the unhealthy high-calorie foods. As a result, I lost over 50 pounds and have been able to keep off the weight over the past 37 years.

[See: 10 Fun Kid Activities for Adult Bodies and Minds.]

By the summer of 1981, I was promoted to a highly stressful position that caused me to be very unpleasant. My wife recognized that I needed a way to release my stress and bought me a gym membership to a nearby YMCA with the caveat that I would work out every day before going home. I started by running the track inside the Y and slowly worked up to running a mile and then around my neighborhood. As time went on, I began running 10Ks on the weekends and ran my first 8-mile Turkey Trot that fall. Since then, I’ve run 10 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times and the New York City Marathon once.

My running days came to a halt after a skiing accident injured my knee. While I didn’t need surgery, I developed arthritis in my knee and could no longer run. I knew I needed to stay active and started cycling full-time. I had been cycling to cross-train for years in the summers to avoid running in the Dallas heat. Each summer I trained for the 100-mile Hotter ‘n Hell Hundred cycling event in Wichita Falls, Texas. I enjoyed cycling so much that I looked for more ways to challenge myself, and in 2007, a month after my 60th birthday, I participated in the Bicycle Tour of Colorado, a weeklong ride that does at least one major climb every riding day.

[See: Easy Ways to Protect Your Aging Brain.]

After hearing about the National Senior Games presented by Humana from a fellow cyclist, I registered to compete in the 2008 Houston Senior Games and the Texas Senior Games. I went on to compete in the National Senior Games in 2009, 2011 and 2013 in the 40K and 20K cycling road races and the 10K and 5K individual time trials. In 2016, I had a serious cycling accident that took me two months to heal from a series of broken ribs and collarbone. Once I got my strength back, I was back to my routine, and nothing could stop me from reaching my goal to stay healthy and active.

Before I competed in the senior games in Alabama in June — winning a silver and two bronze medals in my age group — I was selected as a Humana Game Changer for exemplifying healthy aging and providing encouragement, motivation and inspiration for all seniors to start with healthy. As a result, I am eager to inspire fellow seniors to get involved in athletics, get in shape or simply start on their health journeys.

[See: 12 Psychological Tricks to Get You Through a Workout or Race.]

My biggest piece of advice for seniors is to take their health journey one small step at a time. Anyone can start with healthy by changing one eating habit a day and incorporating exercise in their daily routines. As long as they take these small steps, great things will be ahead when their health is ready for them.

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How Cycling and Small Steps Led This National Senior Games Medalist to a Healthier Lifestyle originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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