So … half the office commits to abstaining from food for 10 days and the other half says no way. If this sounds like the makings of a good reality TV show, especially at lunchtime, then you’d be mistaken.

Let me explain.

David Sandoval, (transformationenrollment.com), a client of ours, is a nutritionist for a number of celebrities. When the office got word that he has a healthy method for losing 5 to 15 pounds in 10 days, our interest was piqued. That could make quick work of our New Year’s resolutions!

His program is tailored for celebrities who need to quickly shed pounds for acting roles, awards ceremonies, beauty pageants and the like. The diet, which is loaded with anti-oxidants, also helps his clients maintain the dewy look of youth long after they should be looking like the rest of us.

At our office, six of us started the diet on the same day. We worried the hardest part would be watching (and smelling) as our non-dieting co-workers scarfed their lunchtime chicken nuggets and sandwiches. As it turned out, that wasn’t a problem. David’s green shakes kept us feeling full, and with group fasting, you have a great support system.

That’s not to say it was a piece of cake (chocolate or otherwise). By the night of Day 3, I was having food dreams. By Day 7, I needed a hamburger. So I had one.

Although I strayed a bit, I continue to substitute one meal a day with Sandoval’s healthy shake and amino acids – and we’re well past the 10-day period.

Why would any sane person choose to cut out what are arguably the most enjoyable moments of the day?

• Leadership: Before offering the challenge to others, our company’s founder and CEO Marsha Friedman took the plunge first. Seeing the slimming and revitalizing effects on Marsha gave those of us who were willing that extra vote of confidence. Yes, this can be done, and it will be good for us.
• Going big: For some people, making small inroads toward accomplishing a goal just is not sexy; some of us need an Apollo-style moon mission to get us motivated. Big challenges mean more than little ones, not to mention the fact that they’re terrific PR!
• Health: Simply not eating is not a good health plan. Sandoval’s program includes nutritious shakes, amino acid pills, detox supplements, a fiber shake and condensed cherry syrup that’s packed with vitamins. It also includes small portions of “flex” foods three times a day, including a banana, half an apple, half an avocado or a cucumber. The schedule keeps you busy, and the philosophy behind the diet is that you get the nutrition you need without the avalanche of calories that usually come with it.
• The reset button: Each of us had our individual goals in the challenge. Everyone lost weight – Alex Hinojosa, our Vice President of Media Operations, lost the most with 14 pounds. But we also quit caffeine and alcohol, and the smokers drastically cut their nicotine intake.

As we introduce regular meals into our lives again, I take with me a valued lesson –  the reason I participated in this challenge – temperance. I want to be more aware of my food choices, and to enjoy every bite of healthy living.

For all the fanfare, we haven’t learned much from the latest presidential election.

We already knew that there were two Americas in terms of political philosophy. We also already knew that only a handful of states truly decide the election. But one predictable outcome was interesting due to unprecedented circumstances: the insane amount of money spent this election cycle, enabled by super PACs.
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With “The Expendables 2” set to open Aug. 17, some geeks are clamoring about whether or not the old action hero is dead.

Sure, the budding action series is getting good use of what’s left of names like Schwarzenegger, Stallone, Norris, Van Damme, Lundgren and company. But like all recyclable material, the final retirement date on these actors is fast approaching, despite the men’s hair dye, hormone injections, low-carb diets and erectile dysfunction jokes.
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The 1984 movie Revenge of the Nerds was much more premonitory than anyone thought. Sure – the average ’80s dweller could abstract a bright future for computer dorks. But deep down we all knew the real cool guy in the movie was Stan Gable, the pleasantly tanned quarterback with all the right friends and the prettiest cheerleader.

Since then the tables have turned on “cool.” Now, cheerleaders are sorta quaint, football is for those who don’t mind brain injury and tanning is nearly synonymous with skin cancer. Now, it is better – cooler, more impressive and nobler – to be versed in computer programming and Batman story arcs than vested in certain college football programs. Of course, ROTN predicted the revolution, evidenced in the movie’s final act, as the nerds upstage the jocks’ pep rally, and nerd leader Lewis Skolnick steals away Gable’s girlfriend.
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As it became clear that the internet wasn’t going anywhere, and that it would inevitably feast on newspapers in large chunks, I heard the following from a professor while in college:
“If you want a career in newspapers, I’d say you’ve got a few decades left.”

“Don’t worry – there will be a gradual transition from hard copies to digital content,” said a techie friend of mine a decade ago. “But the work will be there.”

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