Let's Do Lunch
It seems that when you make a promise at a Shiva (or funeral), you must follow through. This is no mere "Let's do lunch." A shiva promise carries much more gravitas. Therefore, when fellow Loupers Jeff K. and Lance R. agreed to do a Burger Tour in December, a pact was made, and it was on!
We set up an itinerary of New York's great burger places, of which there are too many to name. The limiting factors were of course time and belly capacity. My initial attempt was 10 spots and we quickly curtailed it to 6. The ground rules were to eat a burger (or most of it) and drink a beer. We found the following observations:
For those of you who care, we created a consensus around the order from best to last:
1. Emily
2. Minetta Tavern
3. Bar Sardine
4. Corner Bistro
5. Spotted Pig
Of course, there are many other places we might have included on this tour, but these were all proximate to the West Village. We considered adding Lugers (only serve the celebrated burger at lunch), Don Wagyu (only serve lunch), Burger Joint (yum), and JG Melons (alas, too full and too often frequented by us).
1. Monday - Go on a Monday early so you can easily get into places that don't take reservations. We had no problem walking in, ordering, eating, and getting out in under 45 minutes.
2. Limit - Four Burgers are a lot of burgers for us mere mortals. I desperately tried to put down the fifth, but it was physically uncomfortable. As a result, there was no need to venture to the 6th spot that night. You might even consider eating less than the entire burger or sharing with your compatriots.
3. Order - I think order matters, just like birth order. While that first burger tastes amazing, the last one is difficult to put down. It is like trying cologne/perfume; after a while, they all begin to merge and are difficult to differentiate.
4. Beverages - I probably didn't need 5 beers. Who does? College boys. 5 tequilas, maybe, but beers add to the feeling of being stuffed! I imagine this distorted my judgment and didn't help my stomach (crazy next morning heartburn!).
Let's face it, the days are short, the weather is cold, and holidays are here for some and around the corner for others. This is the period where we bulk up without even knowing it. Well, I say, not this December and not me! In this week's Loupe, I introduce some tricks tools of the (burger-eating) trade to take care of yourself and maintain your beach bod.
Lyle
App
Known fact: I eat poorly during the Winter. So, why wait until New Year's to set dietary goals. Let's face it, most dietary programs are geared toward women. Lyle is the first AI-powered nutritional weight loss coach for men. It was founded by a former bodybuilder who noticed that men aren't being targeted and have different dietary needs then women The free version allows for an AI-powered chat, reminders about healthy habits, and makes suggestions for meals, including grocery lists and recipes. For a premium subscription, Lyle will develop a specialized program and even shop the ingredients for you.
ZocDoc
App, Website
You (ok, me) have been working so hard and running so fast toward vacation that you haven't had time to take care of yourself. You have lingering health issues that you must handle. Me too. I have been on the sidelines with a heretofore undiagnosed ankle issue that has prevented me from playing soccer and working out for the past few weeks. It is time to see a specialist. Sure you could inquire amongst your network for a connection or a great recommendation. However, for my ankle injury I searched for the following criteria: a foot and ankle specialist, a reputable practice/hospital affiliation, current availability, and in my network. To make things better, I didn't have to leave the comfort of my own home and did a video conference on my phone after only a 10-minute wait, much shorter than the commute and waiting room! This doctor helped me figure out a plan forward and only cost $50. Imagine if the whole world moved to this model. Enough said, take care of your body (you only get 1) this December!
CoachUp
Lifestyle
I generally avoid using a trainer. I find that I can motivate myself and it does not cost me a penny! However, the truth is that having a trainer forces you to commit, especially when they have no cancellation policy. I also realize that I get sick of doing the same routine day after day, week after week. If you're looking for variety, check out CoachUp. It allows you to find the right coach, or coaches, for your needs. You can choose by categories like Basketball, Tennis, Yoga, or even Mental Fitness. Then you can see who is available in your area, and you can learn about them via biography and other user comments. You can communicate with your prospective trainer through the app to determine if they are a good fit regarding what you want to accomplish and their availability relative to yours. What I like about this is no ho-hum workouts; keep them fresh and invigorating!
So, word from the wise: be careful before you make a promise at a shiva, and consider Lyle, ZocDoc, and CoachUp Found!