by Roy S. Johnson

This is the hardest column I’ve ever had to write. Two weeks ago today, my wife suffered a major stroke, leaving her without the use of her right arm or leg and unable to speak. She is now in rehab, taking baby steps in a marathon in which no one knows the ultimate length of the race. My family has been buoyed by prayers and wishes from people throughout the world—some we know and others we’ve never met—and by the innumerable acts of kindness from friends, neighbors, colleagues, and many others.

There are new challenges for me, as well. Some practical (she handled our kids’ after-school schedules, for instance … yikes!), some physical (“Take care of yourself,” everyone tells me), some emotional. One constant challenge is to avoid thinking too far ahead, to resist the urge to believe my wife’s condition today is how she’ll be in a month, six months, a year, or forever.

So every day, and usually many times a day, I say quietly to myself: Today is not tomorrow.

Our current circumstance—no matter how grim or painful—is not a life sentence. It’s not even a “day” sentence, unless we allow it to be. Each dawn announces an opportunity for new progress, for new moments, new strength.

I’ve heard from numerous people who’ve had strokes or from friends and relatives of stroke victims, and their stories have all been the same: Your wife can be restored. With time, patience, hard work, and a positive attitude, today will be a memory.

We’ve all suffered setbacks. On the job. In our relationships. Our bodies have let us down.

Setbacks do not discriminate. They happen to the nicest people. To the strongest guy in the gym. To the seemingly happiest couple. To you.

But they’re only temporary. Bodies heal. Hearts mend. Careers turn around.

Though not by themselves. And not if you believe today will be tomorrow, if you let today prevent you from taking the steps—baby steps, if that’s all you can take— toward a renewed tomorrow.

Rather than wallowing in your current unfortunate circumstances, set a short-term goal that moves you out of it, then devise a strategy for getting there. In the gym it may be as simple as following our workouts rather than those stale routines you’ve been using for years. It may be taking a class in something that has always interested you, something that will broaden your skill set. It may be following the doctor’s orders.

Whatever the challenge, take steps toward a better tomorrow: A better job. A better relationship. A better workout. A better life.

I heard someone say today that a setback is just an opportunity for a comeback. Now that’s a tomorrow to believe in.

Onward,
Roy S. Johnson
Men’s Fitness
Editor In Chief

GET A MOVE ON!

By Trinity Wheeler, Health and Fitness Contributor

The American Obesity Association reports that 64% of adults over the age of 20 are overweight and 30% are obese. Studies also show that 16% of teenagers are considered overweight. With these continually growing statistics and the current healthcare battle in Washington, I would like to present a truly free option to public healthcare – prevention.

Technology has taken a major toll on the health status of the American people. Playing catch in the backyard and the weekend neighborhood football game has been replaced with computers, video games and texting. The youth population’s daily activity levels are dwindling and the rate of illness due to obesity are on the rise. Obesity carries an annual healthcare cost of $100 billion each year and is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths in the United States.

In order to reverse this trend for future generations, we must get active and encourage our youth to do the same. The best answer to public healthcare is preventing health issues before they start through exercise and nutrition. With an active lifestyle, you feel more energized, focused and your body is more equipped to fight illness and disease. For youth, studies have shown better performance in school and an improved general disposition for those involved in physical education programs and afterschool activities. It’s time for kids to trade the cell phone and game controller for the soccer ball and baseball bat. If you are not interested in sports, try a dance class or literally anything that will keep you and your kids moving.

Many organizations have joined forces to help combat the epidemic of childhood obesity. The National Football League has launched a program called NFL Play 60 which encourages kids to get active with 60 minutes of exercise daily. The United Way started Kids Get Fit which provides resources to parents for helping kids make positive nutritional and behavioral choices. Information about these organizations can be found at www.NFLRush.com and www.kidsgetfit.com.

Prevention by staying fit is my prescription for American healthcare reform. Instilling this concept in our youth will be vital to our future and for generations to come. Activity equals good health. Good health equals improved performance in school. Improved performance in school equals superior education. Superior education equals a stronger workforce. A stronger workforce equals a solid economy. A solid economy equals a better United States.

Noah Aberlin (Singer/Actor/Dancer) is a Brooklyn, NY native and a BFA graduate of Syracuse University. NY productions include Candide with NYC Opera, NYMF’s The Happy Embalmer, Marathon 33 with The Abingdon Theatre, OK! at HERE Artspace and Guys and Dolls at St. Bart’s. He has toured the US and Canada in three productions: The Wizard of Oz (Scarecrow), The Producers (Ensemble, u/s Leo) and Contact (DC/Swing). Regional credits include: Carnival at Paper Mill; Damn Yankees, The Producers and Contact at North Shore and Grease at KS Starlight.

1: Take My Hand – Dido
2: I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
3: Lisztomania – Phoenix
4: Is It Medicine – The Knife
5: 4 My People – Missy Elliott
6: Take A Bow – Muse
7: Don’t Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go) – Noisettes
8: Empire State of Mind – Jay-Z & Alicia Keys
9: Kicking and Screaming – The Presets
10: Viva la Vida – Coldplay

Please send your Top 10 Gym Tunes to trinity@trinitywheeleronline.com.

I was born on April 7, 1980 in Tyler, Texas. Shortly after I was born, my parents divorced and my mother moved us to Henderson, Texas where I was raised. I attended Montgomery Elementary School then Northside Elementary School in Henderson. When 5th grade started, we moved back to Tyler and I was enrolled at All Saints Episcopal School.

Growing up in East Texas, country music was a major influence during my childhood. I remember locking myself in my room and singing the hits of the day at the top of my lungs. I had a special affinity for any Garth Brooks song. Also, I loved to put on shows for my family. My grandmother would make costumes and I would sing for anyone who would listen. I remember one special 4th of July when I did an outside show for family and friends during a party. I had just learned “Standing Outside the Fire”, a major Garth Brooks hit at the time, and had arranged for my cousins to shoot fireworks behind me to add spectacle to the number. This seemed like a good idea until one big rocket landed on the roof and almost burned the house down. I remember my grandfather and uncle running for the water hose. I always had the ability to add drama to any situation.

When I was 12 years old, I was asked to sing the National Anthem at a local rodeo and my singing career took its first real step. I continued singing at rodeos, fairs and country/western dancehalls well into my teens. WhenI was 16, a trip to London’s West End introduced me to musical theatre. While my love for country music remained strong, a deep passion for theatre began to develop. I appeared in numerous plays and musicals throughout high school at local theatres in East Texas.

After graduating, I auditioned and was cast as a featured singer/skater in the National Tour of A Holiday Spectacular on Ice. This was a major step for me and opened many doors to continue growing as an artist. My performing career continued with tours of Damn Yankees and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. While on the road, I became interested in the management and producing aspects of live theatre. As a Stage Manager, Company Manager and Associate Producer my credits include the National Tours of Oklahoma!, The Wedding Singer, The Producers, The Wizard of Oz, Titanic, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Crazy for You, West Side Story, Mame and Camelot. I’m currently the Stage Manager for Rent – The Broadway Tour starring original cast members Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp.

Written by the late Jonathan Larson and directed by Michael Greif, Rent opened at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre on April 29, 1996, following a sold-out, extended limited engagement at Off-Broadway’s New York Theatre Workshop. The musical went on to win every major best musical award, including the Tony Award as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Larson did not live to see the show’s success. He died of an undiagnosed heart ailment — later determined to be Marfan Syndrome — on the eve of the musical’s Off-Broadway debut. Working on Rent has been amazing especially since members of the original company are involved. While my love for theatre is strong, I also have another equally important love – health and fitness.

My involvement in health and fitness came as a surprise to me. Since I was a child, my main enjoyment in life has been entertaining people. From my early years in country music to 10 years with various Broadway touring productions as a performer and stage manager, entertainment defined me. While on tour and juggling busy performance schedules, maintaining a healthy lifestyle proved challenging. For years, I would sleep late, chomp on pizza after the show, stay out all night in the local dives and my main source of exercise was lifting the remote to change the TV channel. I was having a good time but my body was slowing unraveling.

While on tour in 2008, I received news from home that my best friend had passed away in a tragic car accident. This took an immediate toll on me and dealing with his loss seemed incomprehensible. I started to look at my own life and quickly realized how much I took it for granted by not taking care of myself physically despite my busy schedule. Losing him so unexpectedly showed me that each day is a gift and I could no longer live my life being complacent about my health. A colleague on tour introduced me to the gym and a fire was lit inside of me. From that day forward, working out and eating right has defined the “new” me. While I enjoyed the obvious physical changes to my body, the physiological rewards were astounding. My confidence and determination skyrocketed and continues to do so today. I learned that working out makes you realize your current limitations. As you grow stronger, barriers are broken and you surpass the limitations that once stood in the way. Last year, I got my personal training certification and it’s my goal to help others improve their quality of life through health and fitness. Whether the goal is to lose a few pounds or totally reshape your body, anything is possible with a little sweat and a lot of determination. In early 2010, I will launch a new web site, Trinity Wheeler Fitness, that will be aimed at staying fit while you travel. For business travelers or performers on tour, the site will include gym reviews from across the country, a fitness blog and inspirational stories of people from all backgrounds who have overcome challenges through health and fitness.

When not on the road with a show, I live in Fort Lauderdale, FL. I love the beach and the year-round warm weather. When Rent closes in February, I will spend the summer in Lauderdale prior to another tour next fall. In March, I will return to East Texas to direct a very special event. 12 years ago, I directed A Piece of My Heart at Henderson Civic Theatre in Henderson. The show proved to be a major success for the theatre and was an incredible experience. The cast was exceptional and a strong bond was formed between us while working on the project. To this day I have never forgotten the times we shared together. A Piece of My Heart is a powerful, true drama of six women who went to Vietnam – five nurses and a country-western singer booked by an unscrupulous agent to entertain the troops. The play portrays each young woman before, during and after her tour in the war-torn jungle and ends as each leaves a personal token at The Wall in Washington. The entire original cast has agreed to come backand do a staged reading of the piece as a fundraiser for Henderson Civic Theatre. I am so excited to direct the show again and it is sure to be an unforgettable experience. For more information, please contact Henderson Civic Theatre.

Visit The Texan at www.thetexanonline.com.

Adam Pascal (Singer/Actor) In 1996, Adam auditioned for the then unknown, off-Broadway production of Rent. He landed the role of Roger Davis–one which he would reprise a few years later in London, in the 2005 movie version, and again 11 years later for a limited run on Broadway during the summer of 2007. He was nominated for a 1996 Tony Award as Best Actor for that role. In 2000, Adam appeared as Radames in Elton John and Tim Rice’s new Broadway musical Aida, and he co-produced the hit off-Broadway play Fully Committed with fellow former Rent cast member, Jesse L. Martin. In October 2003, Adam once again visited the Broadway stage, this time, as the Emcee in the Sam Mendes/Rob Marshall production of Cabaret at Studio 54, as part of the closing cast. Most recently, Adam played Freddie Trumper in the Tim Rice/Abba Musical Chess, alongside Josh Groban and Idina Menzel, for two sold-out performances at The Royal Albert Hall in London. Chess is available now on CD and DVD. Adam has three solo CDs “Model Prisoner”; “Civilian”; and “Blinding Light” with his band “Me and Larry”. In 2007, Adam guest starred on the popular children’s show “The Backyardigans”. Look for Adam in the upcoming theatrical releases, Fallen Star and American Primitive, at a theater near you. Learn more about Adam at www.adampascalmusic.com.

1: The Mob Rules – Black Sabbath

2: Like Suicide – Soundgarden

3: Vertigo – U2

4: Bitch of Living – Spring Awakening

5: Got to Get You into My Life – The Beatles

6: All Nightmare Long – Metallica

7: Unchained – Van Halen

8: Tom Sawyer – Rush

9: Roundabout – Yes

10: Ramble On – Led Zepplin

Please send your Top 10 Gym Tunes to trinity@trinitywheeleronline.com.

• Indicates fish high in heart-healthy omega-3s and low in contaminants.

OK CHOICES
Basa/swai/tra/Vietnamese catfish
Clams (wild)
Cod, Pacific (trawl)
• Crab, blue
Crab, king (U.S.)
Crab, snow/tanner
Flounder/sole (Pacific)
Haddock (hook-and-line)
Herring, Atlantic
Lobster, American/Maine
Mahimahi (U.S. longline)
• Oysters (wild)
Sablefish/black cod (CA, OR, WA)
• Salmon (Washington wild)
Scallops, sea (Canada, U.S.)
Shrimp (U.S. wild)
Shrimp, northern (Canada, U.S.)
Squid (except U.S. longfin)
• Swordfish (U.S.)
Tilapia (Latin America)
Tuna, yellowfin (U.S. longline)
Tuna, canned light
• Tuna, canned white/albacore

WORST CHOICES
Caviar/sturgeon (imported wild)
• Chilean seabass
Cod, Atlantic
Crab, king (imported)
Crawfish (China)
Flounder/sole (Atlantic)
• Grouper
Haddock (trawl)
Halibut, Atlantic
Mahimahi (imported longline)
Monkfish
• Orange roughy
Rockfish (Pacific trawl)
• Salmon, farmed or Atlantic
• Shark
Shrimp/prawns (imported)
Skate
Snapper, red or imported
• Swordfish (imported)
Tilapia (Asia)
• Tuna, bigeye (longline)
• Tuna, yellowfin (imported longline)
• Tuna, bluefin

• Indicates fish high in mercury or PCBs.

The same kind of fish may appear on more than one list of choices, depending on where it comes from, whether it was caught or farmed, and the type of fishing gear used. To learn more about choosing ocean-friendly fish, visit www.edf.org/seafood.

Olin Eargle (Singer/Actor) was born and raised in South Carolina and after moving to North Carolina for college he received a BA in Communication Advertising with a minor and concentration in Theatre Arts from Appalachian State University. To begin his professional career, he moved to Chicago in 2005 and began working in publicity at Harpo Studios with “The Oprah Winfrey Show”. Currently in real estate, Olin is a realtor with Classic Realty and specializes in residential home sales. He has been seen in Miss Saigon, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Phantom of the Opera and in Chicago’s own “Who’s That Girl?”. Growing up in the church, he developed a love for gospel music and was also in the Appalachian State Gospel Choir. In Chicago, he is on his churches praise team as well as the theatre ministry. Visit Chicago Cabaret Project at www.chicagocabaretproject.com.

1: Jai Ho! – A.R. Rahman

2: Dance Floor – T-Pain

3: Diva – Beyonce

4: Pass that Dutch – Missy Elliott

5: Paper Planes – M.I.A.

6: Crank That – Soulja Boy

7: Don’t Stop the Music – Rihanna

8: Wind it Up – Gwen Stefani

9: 4 Minutes – JT and Madonna

10: Gimme More – Britney

Please send your Top 10 Gym Tunes to trinity@trinitywheeleronline.com.

-Trinity

We all possess our own figurative window, too. Like the glass version, it stands between us and the world, offering a view. We see what we want and ignore what we want.

Your view shapes your perspective, your attitude about the world outside. It determines how you treat others, how you approach the challenges of each day. It also shapes how you see yourself and how you perceive your own prospects for the day, the week— for your life. When you don’t like what you see outside, it drags down your attitude, your personality, your spirit. It drags down you.

It makes you resentful and critical, of even the smallest things. It makes you look for flaws everywhere—at work, at home, and even in people you first meet. Makes you frown at every encounter. Makes you perceive every challenge or opportunity as yet another chance to fail. It drains your confidence. In a word, it makes you miserable.

No matter your goals—for today, tomorrow, or for the rest of your life—they’re unattainable when your view is clouded, gloomy, and critical. Misery loves company, not success.

Think about the miserable people around you every day—people who are always critical, always mumbling and blaming someone else for their frustrations or their setbacks of the moment. If you’re waking up each morning with a critical, resentful attitude, waking up mad at this person, mad at that situation, mad at work, just plain mad, try this: Clean your window.

That’s right. Scrub off the soot of past failures. Hose away the dinginess of broken relationships. Take some elbow grease to the splotches of betrayals, losses, and bad breaks.

Then, take a look. Suddenly, the world outside looks much different. Things are clearer, brighter. It’s almost as if there’s no window there at all.

You might even decide to throw the sucker open and step outside, where your perspective can now be shaped by fresh air, fresh aromas, fresh opportunities.

I once knew someone whom I just dreaded seeing because no matter the topic, she had something negative to say about it. This woman could have spoiled a kid’s birthday party. I said “once knew” because ultimately I had to wipe her out of my life because simply being around her was affecting my own view. I had to clean her off the window.

Progress begins with a positive attitude. No one ever got anywhere by saying they couldn’t. Dreams are not made from dread.

The smudges and stains from your past will only cloud your future if you don’t wipe them away. Today.

Onward,
Roy S. Johnson
Men’s Fitness
Editor In Chief