This Time I Mean It

Getting Past What Holds You Back with Baby Boomer Weight Loss Expert Scott 'Q' Marcus

  • Home
  • Change Habits
    • 21 Day Habit Change.com
  • Blog
    • Newspaper Column
    • Motivational Monday
  • Work With Scott
    • Meet Scott
    • Scott’s Powerful Fun Style
    • For Meeting Planners
    • Speaking Topics
    • What Conference Attendees Say
    • Book Scott to Speak
  • Shop
  • Meet Scott
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us
    • Sign up for the FREE ezine
You are here: Home / Archives for air travel

Letting Go of Old Baggage

October 26, 2016 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

When I was 12 years old, I bought my very first major electronic purchase: an AM clock radio.

At that time, it was the high-tech equivalent of today’s driver-less cars. (Okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration…) Until then, my alarm clock woke me to a concert of cacophony: a clanging, banging, rattling, ear-splitting blare. Now, due to this marvel of 1966 technology, I began my morning to “Boss Radio’s” Robert W. Morgan playing hits like Monday Monday and Ain’t Too Proud to Beg. If that wasn’t enough, another new-fangled benefit of this novel invention was the introduction of the snooze alarm. Life couldn’t get better than this.

How things change.

Arising late or missing an appointment these days is pret-near impossible due to the combination of alarms and text alerts omnipresent on anything that plugs into a wall or possesses a battery. If you overlooked your appointment, you just didn’t care.

To that end, while traveling, I utilize alerts with an addictive fervor, establishing reminders on my computer, which sync with my mobile device and watch. Not only I am aware of the status of my airplane, but also should the previous leg of the flight be canceled or delayed, I know that too. What can I say? I like to be prepared.

Last weekend I flew from Hartford to San Francisco, with a transfer in Denver scheduled to depart at 11:31.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Baby Boomers, Exercise, Gratitude, Health, Newspaper Column Tagged With: aging, air travel, diet, exercise, habit change, health, healthy heart, heart attacks, lifestyle change, quality of life, thankfulness, travel, weight loss

Worst Day Ever!

December 18, 2013 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Saturday sucked.

Our airport is to travelers what tar pits were to wooly mammoths.

Everything is Jim Dandy until you unsuspectingly enter it and find yourself condemned to spend eternity held in place in its “your-flight-has-been-canceled; please-see-the-attendant” inextricable goo.

I was to conduct a communication workshop for a Seattle agency on Monday, having reserved a flight for the previous Saturday, allowing me to attend a concert when I arrived. Sunday’s itinerary would consist of roaming the Emerald City and I would return home Monday evening, after leading the seminar.

It was going to be a good trip.

The operative word is “was.”

Two hours before take-off, a text message informed me that my flight was canceled due to our oft-times, unrelenting fog. Rebooked for a later flight, I was ominously primed,

“There’s no guarantee it will go either. Hope for the best.”

I am not a travel agent but I bet they agree that’s never a wise travel strategy.

After doing my part — hoping — and impatiently waiting through three more hours of delays, only to be canceled again, re-booked again was I for an evening flight, with arrival in the wee hours of the next morning. I’d obviously miss the concert but could still salvage my Sunday; this of course contingent on this latest itinerary actually falling into place, unlikely since the obstinate grey murkiness that blanketed the runway seemed fused to the blacktop.

Angry, frustrated, and now worried that I would lose my speaking fee and damage my reputation, I needed options.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Change, Happiness, Inspiration, Newspaper Column, Self Talk Tagged With: air travel, canceled fights, frustration, speaking, stress, travel

The First Step in Travelling Healthy

October 26, 2012 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

 Since the nature of a career of speaking to others about habit changes requires more than a fair amount of time “on the road,” it behooves me to master the skill of eating healthy while traveling. Else wise, surviving on the “100% muffin, cookie, and pretzel diet” offered in planes and airports would cause me to gain back my weight — resulting in the loss of my livelihood and taking with it any credibility I might have in writing this column.

As I put pen to paper (more accurately “keyboard to word processor”), I find myself determined finally to be successful in my travel and dieting endeavors.

“Failure to plan,” is “planning to fail.”

Therefore, utilizing all the marvels of the world wide web, I first researched which restaurants near my destination excel in “fit fare cuisine,” and printed out maps with walking directions from my hotel to said establishments. By forsaking taxicabs, I am ensuring that I will get the requisite activity level to prevent weight gain.

Furthermore, should my body be a temple, than notice is hereby given that only the pure shall henceforth be allowed passage.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Diet, humor, Newspaper Column, Weight Loss Tagged With: air travel, food diary, glycemic index, travel

Letting Go of Old Baggage

August 15, 2012 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

Despite its problems (and there are many), whenever I travel, I attempt to use our local airport.

It’s usually more expensive than driving to San Francisco and flying from there. However, I prefer to support our local economy, and upon totaling the added time and expenses of driving six hours, a higher price for long-term parking, as well as the possibility of a night in a hotel, it usually turns out to be equivalent. Yet, when the flight is $840 from here and $325 from SFO, do the math.

After returning to SFO from Houston (delayed of course), we took the bus to long-term parking. I strapped my suitcases together using the “clickable” belt attached to one, fastening my computer case on the handle of the case nearest me. We walked to the car, my short “suitcase train” in tow. At the vehicle, I unclicked the luggage, put my computer in the trunk and, by the time I turned around, one bag had vanished. Imagine going to the grocery store and putting a sack in your car, turning to get a second one — and there’s nothing there. It was that rapid.

Due to the speed of the incident, my initial thought was that I left a suitcase on the shuttle, or it fell off somewhere between the bus stop and the car. We returned to the bus but it was not there. We contacted security; nothing was reported. I felt like I had lost my mind and began wondering if I had imagined two suitcases. Should my traveling partner (and the bus driver) not confirm that they saw me with two cases; I would have doubted my sanity.

It gradually became apparent that someone walked by, snatched it and continued on his merry way.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Change, Inspiration, mental health, Newspaper Column, Relationships Tagged With: acceptance, air travel, airport parking lot, change, crime, lessons, letting go, luggage, possessions, stealing, suitcase, theft, travel, travelers

Drowning at 35,000 feet: The Problem With Staying Hydrated While on an Airplane

October 13, 2011 by Scott "Q" Marcus Leave a Comment

A healthy daily amount of water consumption is 48 ounces or more. Lately, I had been neglecting that requirement; the result being I was feeling a scooch “bulky.” Therefore, be it resolved that while on my recent travels, I would drink eight glasses of water a day.

Whether in restaurants, at meetings, or on airplanes, I opted for the clear stuff. I am certain coffee and soda companies the country over were feeling a hit in their profits, but I felt proud for taking care of myself.

The downside about drinking so much water is the more one drinks; the more one’s body needs to drink. After a short period of hydration, one’s innards feel like desert sand if he goes a short time without water. The upshot is I began feeling antsy if I didn’t have a water bottle within reach 24/7. Of course, another byproduct of so much water is an excessive need to visit the restroom (or as I refer to it, “The Weight Reduction Cubicle”).

With that as back-story, I boarded a three-hour flight to Houston.

Immediately upon reaching cruising altitude, I rose to use the lavatory, traversing the entire plane to get to its aft location. Upon returning, I

recognized I was already thirsty and requested a new bottle of water, which did well to quench my thirst… and re-trigger the urge. Being near the front of the plane, each repetition of “the long walk,” meant that I passed all the other passengers, leading me to feel self-conscious.

I was convinced they were whispering to seat mates, “What’s up with this guy? You think he’s got a thing about airplane bathrooms?”

Vanity and negative self-talk overruled by biology, I again unclicked my seat belt and strode back to the lavatory, trying to avoid eye contact with the rows of flyers that had seen me parade the aisle twice moments earlier. The attendant smiled as if we were old friends, and opened the door for me as I approached.

Again, back to my seat, feeling parched. I resisted the urge for more refreshment, thinking if camels could traverse the vast expanses of dunes in North Africa, I could sit in a 737 for a couple of hours.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: humor, Newspaper Column, Weight Loss Tagged With: air travel, humor, hydration, refreshment, seat belt, thirst, travel, water bottle, water consumption, weight loss, weight reduction

Search the Site

Search Products

Blog Categories

Recent Posts

  • Scared of my Shadow
  • You are not who you think you were
  • Who are you? Are you sure?
  • Exasperating – the verb
  • Change your thinking, change your life.

Book An Appointment With Scott

Get a free coaching call by following this link. No obligation.

Contact Us Today

Scott "Q" Marcus
707 834.4090
scottq@thistimeimeanit.com
======
Join Scott's mailing list at http://eepurl.com/LsSIX

Product Categories

  • Accessories
  • Books
  • Coaching Programs
  • DVDs and CDs
  • Instant Downloads
  • Kindle Books
  • Seminars
  • Shirts
  • Site Advertising
  • subscription
  • Uncategorized

Book An Appointment

Recent Posts

  • Scared of my Shadow
  • You are not who you think you were
  • Who are you? Are you sure?
  • Exasperating – the verb
  • Change your thinking, change your life.

This Time I Mean It Copyright © 2023 · All rights reserved · Log in