There are two particular groups of people that were part of my daily life pre-pandemic and played a bigger role in my motherhood than I’m sure they realize, and whose presence in my life and that of my kids (especially my youngest) I’ve dearly missed over the last year — this Valentine’s Day column is for them! 

I used to go to the grocery store three times a week, easily, not counting weekends. I have a few dear friends who work at the store and who have known most of the boys since they were in my belly. I’ve always enjoyed seeing them and catching up, and they’ve loved seeing how each of the boys has gotten bigger and then moved on to school, and new little guys were the ones accompanying me to the store. 

When in the trenches of intense motherhood with lots of little ones, these trips to the store were bright spots — a chance to talk with friends who made me laugh, gave me advice, and oohed and aahed over my babies. Since last March, I’ve switched to doing my grocery shopping at night so I can go alone, and I go only once a week. I miss seeing our friends, and I miss that they haven’t been able to watch my youngest turn from a baby into a toddler.

Another group I keenly miss are the people who own and work at the Triangle Diner — the wonderful Diggins Family and their wonderful employees. For years, my mom and I met once a week at the diner for breakfast, and I always had a baby with me. The baby has changed through the years, of course — the baby comes with us until he goes to nursery school, and then it’s the next baby’s turn to have a morning out with Mom and Nannie each week (with some overlap between the new baby’s birth and big brother starting school). I love that the people we see at the diner have seen my kids grow up. They remembered each boy’s order without me having to tell them (usually chicken tenders or scrambled eggs, shoestring fries [no toast], sometimes with a fruit cup), and they’ve surprised my boys with special muffins with whipped cream and sprinkles on their birthdays. Beyond my weekly breakfast with Mom, they’ve also seen me bring my big boys on days they were home from school (those same boys they saw come in weekly when they were little), and they’ve celebrated with my husband when he brought the little guys in for breakfast when I was in the hospital after having another baby.

I hate not seeing these people that have been such a part of my life, and I especially hate that my youngest has mostly missed out on this — on seeing and being seen by the people who have marked the passing of time in my motherhood along with me. When the shutdown went into effect, the baby barely had hair, and he wasn’t walking or talking — now he has a full head of hair that I’ve already had to cut twice, and not only is he walking and talking, but he’ll be going to nursery school in the fall. At his age, huge changes happen every day!

I’ve seen people with their children in the grocery store, and I know the diner is open for business, so in theory I could bring my little guy to both places, but we just aren’t comfortable doing so yet. I hope that changes soon. Even though my new weekly grocery schedule has been better for our budget, so I’m likely to keep doing it after the pandemic is over, and even though Mom and I always scheduled our diner day for one of the days the preschooler was in school because it’s so much easier to enjoy a meal without wrangling a child of that age, I will absolutely make a point to stop in the store with my little guy to say hi to our friends, and we’ll absolutely resume our diner dates on days when nursery school is not in session, so my youngest and I can make up for some of what we’ve lost before he goes off to Kindergarten. (Hannaford and Triangle Diner employees, we miss you!)

Are there people you haven’t seen since the pandemic started that you miss? Perhaps take the opportunity on Valentine’s Day to send them some love! Happy Valentine’s Day to you all!

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 6, and 2. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

It is the time of year when local high schools are putting on their (now virtual) college night programs.  Admissions officers from local colleges usually appear giving parents of college bound children useful advice on essays, extracurriculars – and perhaps most importantly – finances.

For most families, paying for college is accomplished with a mix of grants, loans, and savings.  529 plans are often a key component of college savings.  529 Plans have the distinct advantage of allowing you to save your funds in an account which grows income tax free and can be spent on qualified education expenses (like college tuition), without any income tax being paid when the funds are expended.

What is less known are the investment options offered by 529 plans. We will focus here on the NY 529 plan, because it is likely the most common plan in our area.

What are my investment options for a NY 529 plan?
There are two basic options for the NY 529 plan. The first choice is to develop your own custom investment strategy utilizing the funds available through the plan. The second choice is to select one of the plan’s age-based investing options.

What types of funds are available to invest in?
The NY 529 plan utilizes funds from the Vanguard Group, Inc.  Vanguard is a respected investment management company which was formed in 1975 and offers 425 low-cost funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs).  In the NY 529 plan, there are 13 different portfolios available.  A portfolio is an investment option made up of one or more individual funds. 

How does the age-based plan work?
The age-based plan has three basic options: Conservative, Moderate, and Aggressive.  Regardless of which option you choose, the mix of investments becomes more conservative as your prospective college student ages.  As you can see in the chart covering years 15-19, the Conservative option ends with 100% in short term reserves and the Aggressive option has 12.5% in stocks and 87.5% in bonds.

How does the custom strategy option work?
With the custom strategy, you pick your own mix of investment options among the 13 different Vanguard portfolios available.  The most conservative is the Interest Accumulation portfolio, which is 100% invested in short term reserves, and the most aggressive is the Aggressive Growth Portfolio, which is invested 100% in stocks. 

Can I change my investments over time?
Yes, but you can generally only do so two times each year.  The changes can be from one custom option to another, between custom options and age-based options, or between age-based options.

How do I know what to invest in?
There are a variety of online tools to help you research how to invest.  The NY 529 website also has a questionnaire that helps you determine what type of investor you are.  The best thing to do is to consult with an experienced financial advisor, who is familiar with planning for college and can give you good counsel on your options.

Saving for college can be daunting and confusing, but as with most life challenges – education is the key.  Take the time to develop a plan with a qualified advisor and take the additional time to review the plan and adjust accordingly.  Proper college savings planning is not a “set it and forget it” process.  If you keep a keen eye on plan and follow through on your objectives, you will be able to give your student his or her best shot at collegiate success.

Matthew J. Dorsey, Esq. is a Partner with O’Connell and Aronowitz, 1 Court St, Saratoga Springs, NY.  Over his 23 years of practice, he has focused in the areas of elder law, estate planning, and estate administration.  Mr. Dorsey can be reached at 518-584-5205, mdorsey@oalaw.com, and www.oalaw.com.

I am preparing for a presentation on strength training for seniors that I will be giving over the next several weeks at different locations in Saratoga County, and thought it would be a good idea to share the material I’m using for my talks in this article.

Aging is associated with a number of physiologic and functional declines that can contribute to increased disability, frailty, and falls. Over the last year I have started to taste the effects of age on recovery and it has given me a new appreciation and motivation for the value of lifting weights. 

I noticed over the summer that when I was getting off the floor I was doing this weird thing where I was trying to avoid using my knees. I have some old basketball injuries that are long since healed…but remind me time passes by for us all! 

One day getting off the floor, It occured to me, “Oh…this is how avoiding movements for fear of pain starts!”

I have talked to senior groups for years and talked specifically how important it was to “use it or lose it.” This slogan is specifically true with joints and muscles. For some reason we start to avoid movements that aren’t comfortable and as we do this we start to go down a bad spiral where we avoid more and more. Over the last several years I have read multiple research articles on the importance of movement for joint health and more recently about how important staying strong is for our muscles AND our joint health. 

One of the facts of life is the loss of muscle mass and strength as age increases. It happens to all of us. Current research has demonstrated over and over again that strength training exercises (i.e. specifically lifting weights) have the ability to counteract the weakness and frailty of ageing. 

Ideally, strength training will be done regularly (e.g., at least 2 to 3 days per week). Strength training has the ability to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and the signs and symptoms of numerous chronic diseases such as heart disease, arthritis, and type 2 diabetes, while also improving sleep and reducing depression. Lifting weights helps to build muscle strength, increase muscle mass and preserve bone density (especially important for osteoporosis) These benefits lead to more independence and vitality with age.

The U.S.Department of Health and Human Services recommends that “all adults do some type of strength training that hits all the major muscle groups at least two times per week.”

Despite this, around 80% of adults are not engaging in enough physical activity to reach prescribed guidelines. For seniors, inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are extremely dangerous. The risk of falling and recovering from a fall are greatly increased with a sedentary lifestyle. 

More and more research has shown that weightlifting is hugely beneficial but unfortunately the belief that light walking or recreational activity is “good enough” for seniors. I agree that something is most definitely better than nothing, but I also know that adding a couple days a week of lifting weights can not only help maintain a mild activity level, it can also enhance and improve your activity level. There is this old myth that older individuals should stay away from activities that can build strength like weightlifting. This is simply not true. The recommendation for “light activity” is a pet peeve of mine. We recommend, with good intentions, to reassure people they won’t get hurt if they take it easy, but as I mentioned earlier this is absolutely not true for joint health, muscle health, bone health, and overall function. When we don’t use it…we lose it! 

Our body was meant to move and be used to the greatest ability we are capable of, not the least amount we are capable of! AND it is NEVER too late to start!

Taking it easy, for some, is the very obstacle that stands in the way of a healthy life. And, unfortunately this myth of taking it easy, keeps people in the dark about the benefits of strength training. 

It is also common for people to be afraid of starting a program for fear about “doing the right thing” and making sure they are “doing the technique correctly.” In addition there are a lot of older people with specific injuries and/or limitations due to old injuries. These are reasonable concerns and my staff and I have been working with the office of the ageing to offer a strength training program that will address these specific issues and provide a safe environment for strength training. 

In the meantime, as a PT, I think it is wise to get an assessment to see what limitations you may have, and how to address them in a way that is unique to your individual issues. Learning what to do can ensure you safely start a program instead of using your injuries or old injuries can become an excuse to “wait until I feel better” to get started. The sad truth is that waiting can make you more susceptible to injuries. 

Inactivity can make you more susceptible to falls and make it more difficult to recover after falling. Research shows that resistance exercise helps improve your balance and it can even reduce your risk of falls by up to 50%. We know that stronger muscles help us walk better, transition from sitting to standing better, climb stairs better and perform normal activities around the home and community better. In addition, “if” we fall, strength training has been shown to help us recover better and resume our normal life activities. 

In addition to the benefits to the musculoskeletal system, weight training also has a positive effect on other chronic conditions that are common for older individuals. Strength training has been shown to help people with high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, depression, and sleep. 

Some of the benefits of lifting weights are indirect. For example, building more muscle will help to control our weight because our resting metabolism is higher with more muscle mass. More muscle also helps control blood sugar levels which in turn is beneficial for people dealing with diabetes. In addition, more muscle helps with controlling weight gain which in turn helps our overall heart health.

Strength training has also been shown to help in areas that we wouldn’t necessarily think they could, like our mental health. Lifting weights seems to improve mood while reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. These effects, in turn have also been shown to help with sleep and overall mental well-being. Exercise is one of the best things we can do for our brain health as well!

The more research I did into the benefits of strength training the more clear the picture became…it helps in more ways than I have time to write about. There were even studies done on severely impaired individuals with the same type of results…improvement in physical function, overall health and mental health. 

Building strength is important for people of ALL ages and can improve quality of life for ALL ages. At GPT we work with you by assessing your individual needs and impairments due to ageing and/or injury. We focus on education, ensuring good form for you (as opposed to a generic version of good form) and progress you safely. If you have any questions or would like help getting started please give us a call at 518-306-6894 or email me directly at goodemotept@gmail.com. Thanks for reading!!

2020 may be over but, for many of us, the books are not completely closed. Last year was an extremely difficult year for many, so it’s important to revisit some tax strategies that could help you keep more of your hard-earned money.

You may not realize but you may be able to make contributions to your Roth IRA for 2020 up until the earlier of your tax filing date, or April 15th.  If eligible, the contribution limit is $6,000 ($7,000 for those age 50+), but don’t be discouraged if you are not able to fully fund your account for the year. Every bit you can save will help provide for your lifestyle in retirement, so a partial contribution is better than no contribution at all. 

Just because one spouse may be a homemaker or already retired, doesn’t mean that they can’t take advantage of a Roth IRA.  IRS rules also allow for contributions to an account for a homemaker or retired spouse, as long as the working spouse has sufficient earned income, even if the spouse is older than 70 ½.

Since Roth IRAs can provide tax-free distributions and are not subject to Required Minimum Distributions at age 70 ½, they can be an extremely beneficial retirement funding option!

If you’re looking for a tax deduction today, consider contributing to a Traditional IRA instead. The limits are the same, and your contribution can be tax-free for 2020. 

Anyone whose earned income is reported to them on a form 1099, K1, or other similar non-employee form, may be eligible to establish and fund a retirement plan for 2020. The IRS rules allow this to be done up until the filing deadline (including extensions) for the previous year. Popular plan options include a SEP IRA and Individual 401k.

For those who are self-employed, and don’t have access to a retirement plan through an employer, you may think you’re being disadvantaged when it comes to saving for retirement. The opposite, however, may be true. As a self-employed person, you could have the options of contributing up to $57,000 to a retirement plan for 2020, and deducting the full contribution! 

A SEP IRA can allow you to contribute up to 25% of your income with a maximum contribution of $57,000, and can be appropriate for workers with high income and no employees. Because of the 25% limitation, your income would need to exceed $228,000 in order to fully contribute.

An Individual 401k has the same funding limit of $57,000 for 2020, however there is not a 25% limitation. In other words, a self-employed worker (with no employees) earning $57,000 may be eligible to contribute all of their income to an Individual 401k without being limited by the 25% cap. So, if you have a working spouse, or other means of making ends meet, an individual 401k may be a great option for supercharging your family’s retirement savings! Those over age 50 could contribute an additional $6,500.

Individual 401ks require more in the way of record keeping and compliance, so they can be more expensive and cumbersome than a SEP IRA. Remember, you don’t have to be able to fully fund a plan for it to still make sense. Don’t rule out an Individual 401k because you can “only” afford to contribute $30,000 to it.

The mail this year has been notoriously slow so, while you may be tempted to run out and file right away, be sure to double check that you’ve received all of your expected tax documents. Also be sure to check that none of the documents you’ve received are marked “DRAFT.” 

As a point of disclosure: Your circumstances are unique and tax regulations can be very complex. Before implementing any tax strategy, we recommend working closely with your independent financial advisor and tax preparer to determine eligibility and funding limits, and to ensure your retirement funding and tax strategies comply with all appropriate regulations. 

Stephen Kyne, CFP is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs, and Rhinebeck. 

Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, or Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., SEC registered investment advisors. Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret Grant are separate entities.

The surging pandemic and recent attack on the United States Capitol has increased the levels of discomfort, stress and anxiety felt by so many in our country. In fact, 78% of adults in the U.S. site the pandemic as a major stressor and 60% found the increasing number of stressors affecting Americans overwhelming in 2020 according to the American Psychological Association.

While recent data shows that Saratoga County residents’ mental health has improved over the past few years, this trend is likely changing. As civil unrest continues to unfold and the pandemic worsens, many are finding their day-to-day lives disrupted by uncertainty. Additionally, the winter months have brought shorter and colder days, limiting people’s time spent outside coupled with increased levels of stress and loneliness from isolation. While 2021 brings new hope of a COVID-19 vaccine, its slow distribution has made many people weary and look to new ways to cope. 

As a mental health professional, I regularly recommend coping mechanisms and mindfulness practices for stressful and uncertain times like these. For those in Saratoga County and across the state, there are four tips that are key to coping with stress, feelings of depression, and anxiety:

1. GET LOTS OF SLEEP
Anxiety and stress can keep our minds racing throughout the night. Before going to bed, choose a regular time to turn off all electronics and allow yourself to unwind prior to falling asleep. This should help to leave you feeling refreshed the next day. 

2. LIMIT YOUR CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL INTAKE
Caffeine can cause restlessness at night or jitters during the day, while alcohol tends to heighten emotions. Ditch these beverages and replace them with water. When you are stressed or sad, you tend to sweat more and cry. Both these responses can lower your hydration levels, so it is important to drink more water to replenish your system.

3. DO THINGS THAT BRING YOU JOY
Every day, dedicate some time to a leisure activity or a hobby that makes you happy. Step outside, exercise, spend time with those in your immediate household, listen to music, or watch a light-hearted TV show or a movie. Often the best way to combat stress and sadness is by occupying your mind with other activities. 

4. VIDEO CHAT OR CALL YOUR LOVED ONES
Schedule time to speak with those closest to you. For a more personal connection, utilize video chat. While this will not replace seeing friends and family in-person, it will offer comfort and an opportunity to catch up with those you are not seeing on a regular basis. 

During times of uncertainty, it is important to find time for self-care. Be sure to prioritize your physical and mental health. By practicing these four self-care routines daily, you can decrease stress and increase your health, which will trickle into other aspects of your life.   

If you need more support or if you are having thoughts of hurting yourself, reach out to your primary care provider, mental health professional, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) or NY Project Hope’s Emotional Support Helpline (1-844-863-9314). 

Additionally, if you are an MVP Health Care member, you can book a same-day appointment with a health professional through Gia at GoAskGia.com or mvphealthcare.com/goaskgia. Members can also call 1-877-GoAskGia (1-877-462-7544) or the MVP Customer Care Center at the phone number listed on the back of the MVP Member ID card.

IMAGE GALLERY
Photo 1: The Great Equipoise at Saratoga
Photo 2: John Hay “Jock” Whitney and his wife Liz.
Photo 3: William Collins Whitney
Photo 4: Cornelius Vanderbilt “Sonny” Whitney in classic riding attire.
Photos provided.

This week we will take a look at two members of the fabulous Whitney family who made Saratoga their August playground.

Their names were John Hay Whitney, known to his friends as Jock, and Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney who was called Sonny. They were scions of the Whitney line in an era when the two cousins were among the wealthiest individuals in the entire country.

Jock and Sonny were entrepreneurs, political figures, collectors of art, and philanthropists of the highest order. The two cousins were sportsman, superb polo players and stewards of their favorite past time, The Sport of Kings.

THE LINEAGE
The Patriarch of the Whitney family was John Whitney. He came to America from England in 1635. His descendant William Collins Whitney was the first Whitney to leave his mark on Saratoga. A mega successful businessman and political figure of the late Nineteenth Century, his true passion was horse racing. He owned and operated Westbury Stable, taking the name from Old Westbury, New York, a town known for its Who’s Who of American aristocracy. He resided there along with the Phippses, DuPonts, and Vanderbilts. With Whitney’s guidance, Westbury  became one of the leading racing stables in the country.

At the turn of the Twentieth Century Saratoga Racetrack was in a downhill spiral. Whitney saw an opportunity to purchase the track. He and a contingent of investors set on a path to modernize the stands, lengthen the oval and beautify the grounds. It can be said that without the intervention of William Whitney, enthusiasts of the sport would be relegated to read about horse racing at the Spa as a casualty of a bygone era.

Among William Whitney’s offspring were two sons whose love of the sport were on a par with their esteemed father. Harry Payne answered to his given name Harry. William Payne was known by his middle name Payne.

In 1904, Harry inherited his father’s racing stable taking it to greater fame. His stock won an astounding ten Triple Crown events. Of note, in 1915 his filly Regret became the first of the fairer sex to win the Kentucky Derby. His brother Payne established Greentree Stables in 1914. The name was derived from the family estate in Old Westbury. The Greentree brand would become synonymous with horse racing on a grand scale.

ENTER SONNY AND JOCK
The name Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney is as regal as it sounds. His breeding was as impeccable as that of the racehorses he would own. He was born in 1899 to Harry Payne Whitney and his wife Gertrude Vanderbilt. The melding of the families gave Sonny claim to two of the most highly regarded dynasty’s on the hemisphere. 

Five years later Payne Whitney and his wife Helen Hay gave birth to a son, John Hay Whitney. Not to be overshadowed by his cousin, Jock, Whitney’s lineage on the maternal side included his grandfather, a great American Statesman, John Hay. Hay counted among his successes the privilege of being Abraham Lincoln’s Private Secretary, as well  as serving as Secretary of State under both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

The Union of the two families created the ideal marriage of the business and political worlds.

The Whitney cousins took the same educational journey. They both completed their pre college studies at Groton, one of America’s foremost private prep schools. Fellow alumni included Franklin Roosevelt, Henry DuPont, Averill Harriman and Theodore Roosevelt Jr. Then it was on to a family tradition of graduating from Yale University, an Ivy League Institution dating back to 1701.

FORTUNES AND THE SPORT OF KINGS
Payne Whitney passed away In 1927. He was only 51 years old. With that, his wealth passed into the hands of Jock and his sister Joan. The estate valued at nearly 200 million dollars was at the time the largest fortune entered into probate in the history of the United States.

Upon their mother Helen’s death Greentree Stable became a joint venture of the siblings that would last until Jocks  death four decades later. The property that housed the Greentree stock during the Saratoga racing season sits adjacent to Claire Court on Nelson Avenue. The sprawling grounds also served as Jock’s summer residence.

Joan Whitney Payson later became well known in the baseball world as the original owner of the New York Mets. Under her direction The Amazing’s went from the worst team in the history of the sport to a World Championship seven years later.

Mrs. Payson, as she was fondly known, made Saratoga her August home for much of her adult life. The residence at the end of Phila St. intersecting Nelson Ave. is a marvel of Queen Anne Victorian architecture. 

1927 was also an important year for Sonny Whitney. Charles Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic Ocean, landing his aircraft at Le Bourget Airport outside of Paris. Aviation was entering a new phase, Sonny always ahead of the curve, envisioned the future of it. Later that year along with Juan Trippe, an aviation pioneer and fellow Yale alumni, he formed Pan American Airlines. The investment proved to be a grand slam home run. Pan Am led the way in almost every aspect of air travel for the next half century.

Harry Payne Whitney’s life came to an end in 1930. With that Sonny took ownership of his late fathers stable. Sonny would race the horses under his own name, C. V. Whitney.

Sonny was an immediate success as a race horse owner. His colt Equipoise became one of the all time greats. He was considered the best horse in training for both 1932 and 1933. 

The Whitney Stakes was inaugurated in 1928 to memorialize the Whitney families contributions to the sport. The 1932 version, here at the Spa was a special event for Sonny. His great champion Equipoise took the race wire to wire. With it came the first of his four coveted Whitney Stakes trophies.

Jock and his sister Joan were also off to the races. Although at the time Greentree was still owned by their mother, the two were heavily involved with the operation.

The Greentree response to Equipose was a colt named Twenty Grand. He had a remarkable career. Separated from the 1931 Triple Crown by just a length and half loss in the Preakness Stakes, he went on to take the coveted Travers here at Saratoga. The year 1931 belonged to Twenty Grand. In 1957 both Equipoise and Twenty Grand were inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame here on Union Avenue.

The cousins were riding high in the horse racing world. Next, they moved in on Hollywood.

GONE WITH THE WIND
The movie industry was in its infancy. Both Jock and Sonny were quick to grab a piece of the action. Motion pictures in the early 1930s were filmed in black and white. The cousins bought into a new technology  known as technicolor. They invested what amounted to a fifteen percent stake in an invention that would change the face of the movie industry.

Then they set their eyes on the production of motion pictures. Gone With The Wind, to this day considered the greatest movie of all time, had the Whitney name written all over it. The cousins financed the making of the masterpiece. Jock, in fact held the title of Chairman of the Board of Selznick International when the movie was filmed in 1939.

The decade also saw the first of two marriages for Jock. In 1930 he wed one of the notable socialites of the era, Elizabeth Altemus. She was tough, brassy and beautiful. Although they divorced after ten years, Liz branched out and raced quality horses of her own until her death in 1988. She owned the champion Porterhouse, along with many major stakes winners. Liz also kept a residence here. Her horse farm located on Fitch Road, is now the site of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.

The thirties were over. A new decade was about to begin. A World War was on the horizon.

Next week we will take a look at the cousins’ contributions to the war effort and their leap into government service. Then we will see how they brought their brand of horse racing to a higher level. We will follow Sonny and his bride Mary Lou as they lead the way in the Renaissance of Saratoga, “The August Place To Be.” Stay tuned. 

For most people, a new year symbolizes a fresh start and an opportunity to implement some resolutions for new habits.

One of the most popular New Year’s Resolution every year is to get in better shape. 
If you are one of the many people embarking on a new fitness routine, here are some tips to ensure your do so in a safe manor.

1. Pace yourself:
• Especially if you are just starting out, it is important to set realistic, attainable goals.Start small and gradually increase the intensity of each workout. Consult with your doctor to determine if a new exercise program is appropriate for your current fitness levels and if any modifications or precautions need to be taken. 

2. Hydrate:
• The key is to be properly hydrated before you even begin your workout, and then continue to replenish your fluid levels during and after your workout.

3. Don’t forget to warm up/cool down:
• This is a very important, yet often neglected part of every workout.  Stretching and gently going through the basic motions of your planned activity can help loosen up joints, warm up the muscles, and prevent potential injuries. 

4. Mix it up:
• Your fitness goals may be more specific like “get a six-pack.”  But that doesn’t mean you should do only ab exercises. Over-strengthening one muscle group and neglecting the rest can lead to major imbalances which can lead to injuries.  And mixing up your routine will help prevent boredom and make it easier to stick to your new habits.

5. Do it right:
• Set yourself up for success by having the right gear and making sure it fits/works properly.
• It is also important to make sure you are using the proper form while exercising.  If you’re not sure what that is, or if you’re doing it properly, seek help.  Most gyms have trainers on hand that can help get you on the right track.

6. Listen to your body:
• Don’t push through the pain. Rarely does a “no pain, no gain” mindset actually end up working in anybody’s favor.  Know your limits and honor them. If something doesn’t feel right go get it checked out by your doctor.

Dr. Kevy Smith Minogue is a chiropractor in Saratoga Springs providing non-surgical treatment of spinal disorders and sports-related injuries. For more information, please visit MySaratogaChiropractor.com or call 518-587-2064.

As we head into a New Year after facing a year full of uncertainty, stress and unprecedented times in every way, we may feel the pressure to commit to making big changes in our health emotionally, physically and spiritually.

While it is always important to establish a blueprint of goals and specific steps in reaching your goals, it’s equally important to set your goals in a way that guarantees you success and forward momentum.

I am guilty of the all or nothing method in goal setting, especially following almost a year of being out of the normal every-day routine due to pandemic living.

What I have found, through trial and error, to be the most effective and rewarding way to meet long-term goals on the daily basis is what I call the ten-minute method.

For example, often times on my list for the day is to exercise, meditate, organize home and office space and keep up with cleaning. In the all or nothing method we usually set up unrealistic expectations for ourselves causing burnout and failure.

We may commit to an hour-long workout, doing all the laundry at once, spending a day cleaning the house, and adding on some spiritual care at the very end of the day which tends to get forgotten and put off.

The ten-minute method works because it’s short and sweet. I always remind myself: ten minutes is better than 0 minutes. So, what that looks like day-to-day is ten minutes in the morning of organizing my space, (pick up, put laundry in, wipe down a surface, take out the trash). 

I then may decide to do a ten-minute bike ride, walk around the neighborhood or a quick yoga session. Those ten minutes of movement refresh and refocus my energy.

I then may use any time in the car when I am alone to do some meditation. Obviously, I don’t close my eyes, but I use the time and space to just enjoy the silence or do some affirmations and prayer to ground myself for the day.

I have learned that blocking off large chunks of time to get things done, including self-care, ends up getting put off or by the time I show up for the time slot I am drained and exhausted and self-care looks like detachment and exhaustion.

We need to learn how to work smarter, not harder. This means plugging in for each day taking small windows of time to make us feel like we run our day in a proactive, thoughtful way versus reactive, anxious and stressed out.

2020 taught us all so many lessons; perhaps as we begin 2021, we can commit to showing up for each day in the way we need to feel healthy and strong in every area of our lives. That starts with identifying what you need each and every day to feel balanced and energized. That list is different for everyone. You may need some quiet, alone time daily while your family members may need time to connect with loved ones or friends daily. There is no right or wrong when it comes to identifying what you need daily.

Take some time to think about what really matters to you day-to-day and use ten- minute blocks to frame your day in a way that works for you.

YOU ARE WORTH IT!

Meghan Fritz is a psychotherapist practicing at Fritz, Stanger & Associates. For more information visit www.fritzstanger.com

Despite the fact that I am thrilled (ecstatic! overjoyed! jubilant!) that 2020 is over, my joy is tempered by the fact that it’s January.

January has always been a rough month for me. December has Christmas and February is short and holds the promise of spring, but January is just dark and cold and long. It wasn’t so bad when I was younger — in school, or afterward, when I was working outside the house — but being home with small children amplifies all the worst parts of January: the lack of daylight (so many hours between sunset and bedtime), the requirement for layers of dry winter clothes (how do you all dry the wet snow clothes? Ours are in piles near the heaters, taking up space in the dryer, and presenting tripping hazards in the entryway, and they never fully dry out anyway), and the cabin fever (the yard is covered in slush or ice and/or it’s bitterly cold outside, so we mostly just stay in the house). It’s a struggle, every year. 

This year, we’re facing a January in which they predict “the worst is yet to come,” virus-wise, and as of this writing, the numbers are proving them right. The things I usually do to help alleviate the darkness, like visiting with family and friends and going out for a date night or two out of the house, are being strongly cautioned against. The school basketball games that I always look forward to are currently paused. My kids, who have been so great over the last year about adjusting to the realities of the pandemic, are starting to have a harder time. I’ve really been trying to come up with ways to keep us as mentally healthy as possible for the next four weeks (I’m so hoping February will be better), and thought my ideas might be helpful to you as well.

Having things to look forward to has always been a good strategy for me in hard times, and they don’t have to be big things—just things that are fun or different than the norm, or improve your quality of life. For example:

• Ordering in for dinner 
We tried to do this once a week back in the spring, both as a way of looking forward to something and to support local restaurants. We’re going to get back into it this month — it’s fun for the whole family to look forward to nice food, and great for me and my husband to not have to worry about cooking dinner. 

• Getting out of the house
My kids are in school, so they already have this; for me, putting the baby in the stroller or van and going for a walk or taking a drive can break the day up nicely. On really bad days, only a ride in the van and getting coffee at a drive-through will do (preferably with good songs on the radio that I can sing to as I drive).

• Planning to watch a particular movie or show
This one has lost some impact with the availability of anything you want to watch at any time through streaming services, but if you can have the self-control to hold off on watching a particular thing until Friday night, for example, it might provide a nice light at the end of the tunnel each week. This is great for adults, and my boys also love looking forward to Family Movie Night — the best is when we can find a fun and appropriate movie they haven’t yet seen, and have fun food to go with it (even just popcorn).

• Doing a cleaning- or home improvement project
Taking advantage of being home most of the time by knocking off some things on your to-do list can expend some of that cabin-fever energy (for you and the kids) and prevent the walls from feeling like they’re closing in.

• Focusing on good health 
January’s the perfect month to start eating better and exercising more, both of which can be done at home. Having a “project” like figuring out a better eating plan and implementing it is the kind of thing that distracts me nicely. I was just encouraging my boys to focus on weight lifting and using the pull-up bar to prepare for when sports resume. It’s fun to look forward to reentering society in the spring (fingers crossed!) as a healthier version of yourself.

The next time you hear from me, it’ll be February — I’m so looking forward to it. Have a safe and speedy January!

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 16, 14, 12, 10, 9, 6, and 2. Follow her at www.facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

There is an old curse that reads, “May you live in interesting times.”

I think we can all agree that we are certainly in interesting times. From the pandemic and the economy, to the political climate, 2020 (and so far, 2021) will long be remembered as a consequential year. The question now: where do we go from here?

2020 was a tale of two economies. Small businesses experienced a very different reality last year than large businesses. We all know local business owners who are struggling, or who have gone out of business, altogether. We know service sector workers whose financial lives are in complete collapse. Yet, on the other side, many large national businesses are booming. It’s a travesty, and our hearts go out to those suffering. 

Things will get better.

For investors who stayed invested during 2020, it turned out to be a surprisingly positive year, especially in the technology sector. 

This pandemic would have been untenable without recent technological innovations. Not only has technology allowed us to stay connected to loved ones during shutdowns, it has also allowed more people to work productively from home than ever before. As a result, non-tech companies, their employees and customers, have been direct beneficiaries since these companies have not had to shut down, could retain their employees, and consumers could still gain access to products and services which are essential to modern life. Imagine how much worse things would be if this had struck in the ‘90s!

What do we see for 2021?

For all of the relative insanity we’ve experienced so far this year, there are some reasons to be optimistic about the next twelve months. 

Technological innovations will continue to revolutionize the way we function in our everyday lives, and will do so at an ever-increasing pace. This is because we have all now been conditioned to accept new technologies when we otherwise might have been hesitant. We expect technology, as a sector, to continue to do well. 

Fun fact: The Moderna vaccine had already been designed by January 13, 2020, just two days after the Covid gene sequence had been made public! It will end up saving millions of lives – possibly yours – and we have technology to thank for it. 

As more become vaccinated, and shutdowns end, we expect the greater economy to begin to normalize. It may take well into the second quarter, but it is an eventuality. This, of course, bodes well for the private sector, but will also help the public sector as states and municipalities regain their financial footing. 

Some are worried about what a single-party-controlled Federal government means, so let’s address that. 

Markets typically like gridlock, because it is easier for businesses to plan if they know the rules are not going to change. Normally a sweep by either party would be cause for concern, but this year, markets are reacting positively. This is largely because there is only a technical majority in the Senate, with the Vice President acting as the tie-breaker. This will force compromise, which is ultimately beneficial.

One thing that will almost certainly pass in the next few weeks is additional stimulus and relief for the American public, which markets are applauding as well. Expect another round of direct payments (checks), as well as a delay in initiatives to raise taxes on anyone, rich or poor. In fact, we expect a repeal of the cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions, which would actually, disproportionately, benefit the wealthy. 

It is also very conceivable that Congress extends provisions of the CARES act in 2021, including an elimination of early withdrawal penalties for hardship withdrawals, and another break on required minimum distributions. To that end, if you do not need your required minimum distributions in order to maintain your cash flow, you may want to wait to take them in case Congress eliminates them for 2021, as it did in 2020.

Here’s an interesting idea for any high school seniors graduating this year. Freshman applications and admissions are down more than 20% at some schools, leaving schools in a position to have to compete aggressively for students to fill their rolls. Couple that with the fact that most students don’t have SAT/ACT scores to report, and you may find that the dream school you thought was scholastically unattainable is suddenly an option!

In summary, as the pandemic comes under control and our lives are allowed to regain some semblance of normalcy, we expect the economy to continue to improve. With that, we expect the broader US stock indices to grow by 10-15% in 2021. We also believe that technology will again continue to be a driver of growth.

As always our forecast contains forward-looking statements which may be revised at any time. Stay focused on fundamentals in the coming year, and work closely with your financial advisor to help ensure your investments remain appropriate for your needs and market conditions. 

Stephen Kyne, CFP is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs, and Rhinebeck. Securities offered through Cadaret, Grant & Co., Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Sterling Manor Financial, LLC, or Cadaret Grant & Co., Inc., SEC registered investment advisors. Sterling Manor Financial and Cadaret Grant are separate entities.