Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Remembering Robert Newhouse

Anyone who has met or talked to Robert Newhouse for more than a minute has a story about the man whose halfback option pass to Golden Richards resulted in a touchdown in Super Bowl XII. It helped the Cowboys beat the Broncos 27-10 for their second Lombardi Trophy.

He was a part of Cowboys history. But for many of us, he was so much more. He was a man we were lucky enough to call a friend.


From revisiting the fields at Cal Lutheran College and reminiscing about Cowboys training camp in the 1970's to simply chatting with him in the hallways of Valley Ranch, House (as we all called him) was always willing to answer questions or offer a kind word.

Not Wanting To Let Down Coach Landry
Hearing him describe Cowboys training camp at Cal Lutheran College remains a highlight of my professional career. For a story for Cowboys TV in the early 2000's, I along with House, the late John Chang and Chris Behm visited CLC to get his impression of the Cowboys training camp home two decades later.

We walked the path House and his teammates took day after day from the dorms to the practice fields. He admitted that the path seemed longer and hotter during those training camp days in the 1970's than it actually was. We toured the exact dorm he shared with teammates. We saw the desk where he studied his playbook.

He described the pain his body felt during camp as he tried to get back in shape for the season. It was the soreness so many of us feel after pushing ourselves. He wouldn't let that pain stop him. He didn't want to be the player who let down Coach Landry by being a step slow in practice. He reiterated that "not disappointing Coach Landry concept" a number of times during our tour of CLC.

I am not sure that matters to many players today.

One Last Visit
The last time I saw Robert Newhouse was about two years ago. He suffered a stroke in 2010. He was not the strong man with those powerful running back's thighs we all grew to love. He didn't have the strength to be that man, yet he was true to who he was: kind, warm and generous.

Understanding this could be one of our final visits, I selfishly reminded him of some of the sillier experiences we've had: a random dinner with John and Chris at El Pollo Loco, coffee with a certain Pro Football Hall of Famer at the Beverly Hills Hotel along with countless Valley Ranch visits dominated by me pestering him about aspects of the game. He has helped me understand more about the NFL than I ever deserved to know.

It's so easy to romanticize those Cowboys players of the 1970's. I have had the good fortune of meeting most of them. They're all great guys. Robert Newhouse, though, was perhaps one of the best: a genuine man who cared. A person who made an impression. An impression that lasts a lifetime.
Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Tory Burch X FitBit Collaboration

Tory Burch FitBit Cuff
Tory Burch X FitBit Cuff
Users wax poetic about their FitBits. David Sedaris, anyone? The Nike FuelBand is a different story (I have one and never use it).  Now fashionable FitBit users will be waxing even more with the Tory Burch x FitBit collaboration.

The designer has produced a chic geometric cuff ($195) and pendant ($175) that can help you stay stylish while tracking your movement.

Tory Burch x FitBit Pendant
Tory Burch X FitBit Pendant/Image via ToryBurch.com
The cuff can go anywhere and will look great stacked with other bracelets on your arm while the pendant adds an elegant Art Deco look to a number of outfits. I think the gold and black contrast is beautiful.

To use these, simply snap the tracker out of a FitBit Flex bracelet and place it into the cuff or pendant. It will track your steps, distance traveled and calories burned just like the original piece of equipment. You can snap the tracker back into the FitBit Flex to track your sleep patterns.

These are available for pre-order at Tory Burch and will ship no later than 8/31, according to the website. For those people that love all things Tory, this is something that hits the right note for the Tory Burch fan who is also a fitness fanatic.

I think it's a chic way to track your daily activity. What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Will jewelry have you using your FitBit more?

Browse The Tory Burch x FitBit Collaboration

Monday, July 7, 2014

Motivation Monday: How to get your diet back on track After an Indulgent Weekend

exercise motivation, go to the gym pillow
This WILL be happening today.
I hope you had a great July 4th weekend. I was supposed to be on a Mediterranean cruise right now but had to postpone it to a later date. Instead I spent a relaxing weekend at a friend's lake house. It was a weekend of indulgence for which I am trying to balance out today with diet and exercise.

I had a green smoothie for breakfast the last two days made of simply kale, a banana, fresh peaches from Ham's Orchard, water and a splash of coconut water. It's delicious. Here are more smoothie recipes. I like to eat fiber-rich foods like watermelon or cauliflower after an indulgent weekend. It's filling without providing too many calories. Try this Buffalo Cauliflower Bites recipe from Mind Over Munch. Amazeballs!

Here's some diet and fitness news to help kickstart your week and get you back on track if you overdid it this weekend.

 Diet And Fitness News You Need To Know 
If you ate or drank too much this weekend don't worry. Eat a produce-heavy diet, drink plenty of water and exercise the next few days. Consume too much salt? Again, load up on water. Drink too much booze? Drink coconut water, Emergen-C (I love both of these) or some other electrolyte replacement beverage and eat a potassium-rich food like a banana. Here are more ways to help you fix bad diet decisions.

It's scientifically proven that exercise improves your life. It sharpens your memory, speeds your metabolism, helps you sleep better and reduces stress. Need more evidence? Read the rest from a recent study by Cleveland State University here.

Heading to the beach this summer? A) Don't forget sunscreen! B) Take a few minutes to exercise. From sand lunges and beach crawling to simple jogging or skipping, here are the best exercises to do at the beach.

SO, it turns there is such a thing as a negative calorie food. Sorta. It's ice. Think about it. Ice requires heat from your body AKA calories to warm it and burn it. Of course, there's a diet book to go with this.

You should drink coffee before you workout. It improves circulation and increases muscle fuel. Find out the other reasons why coffee is the BOMB here.

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Monday Motivation: When In Doubt Work Out

When in doubt work out pillow
TRUTH!
I hope you had a great weekend and are looking forward to enjoying a long holiday weekend. I found this "When In Doubt Work Out" pillow and couldn't help but smile. It's pretty solid advice. 

Think of exercise as a reward, not punishment. That approach will change your life. 

Here's some healthy living news to help you win your week:

Make it a great week!
Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Update Your Workout Game With 1 Of These Great Pieces

Outline the SKy, Dallas, T-Shirt, Workout CLothes
Outline The Sky Dallas T-Shirt AKA My Gym Uniform Tuesday Night

Wearing cute workout wear can sometimes be motivation to get you in the mood to fight through your exercise session. At least it did that for me Tuesday night.

Stylish activewear is having a moment. Like team-inspired gear for women, this segment is growing.

Don't believe me? Tory Burch is launching its Tory Burch Sport line in 2015 with yoga, golf, tennis and other athletic fashions. This speaks to the behavior of so many real women like me who wear workout clothes to the gym and throughout the rest of the day.

Here are some stylish, activewear looks that work both in and out of the gym:

1 (only $15!) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 78 | 9 | 10 (great for July 4th)

The great thing about these pieces is that they can generally found at a nice price point.  Each of them can work in the gym and for errands or even a casual lunch afterwards. Simply throw on a light jacket or sweater if you're worried about being too cold.

Click On Photos Below To Shop The Post

Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour, Episode 12

Me, Mickey Spagnola and Cowboys first round draft pick Zack Martin
Mickey Spagnola and I are back for Mickey & Miller's Cowboys Hour TODAY at 1pm.

We're wrapping up the Cowboys offseason workouts, looking ahead to training camp and taking your questions.

How do you join us? Easy!

Watch here.

Or simply hang out and watch in the video box below.


Monday, June 23, 2014

How To Sweatproof Your Makeup For Summer Baseball Games

Texas Rangers Pre-Game Show
Doing a Rangers pre-game show with Mark McLemore & Blue Man Group
With the weather warming up, if you're heading to a game at Globe Life Park or any baseball stadium sometime soon, there's a good chance you'll leave drenched. And I'm not talking Emily Jones drenched. I mean drenched in sweat from the heat.

If you're a fellow sports girl, that doesn't mean your makeup has to melt and fade as the temperatures approach triple digits.

I have spent 12-hour days in August heat in Arlington and had to go on TV at the END of the work day. Despite sweating my ass off, my makeup was still somewhat fresh. Yours can be, too, by incorporating a few simple tricks. 
Prime Your Face
You should be wearing primer on most occasions. It's an outstanding way to help your makeup last. I don't go full-face-makeup without three primers I refer to as my secret weapons:
Protect Your Face and Body
Wear sunscreen on your face and body. That goes without saying but there are certain sunscreens that just work better than others for your face. I like Elta MD's UV Daily with SPF 40 or L'Oreal Revitalift with SPF 30. If I'm going to wear simply a BB cream or tinted moisturizer, Hydroxatone BB Cream with SPF 40 is my personal favorite. Laura Mercier also does an outstanding one with SPF 20. 

Wear Less Makeup
This is the biggest thing. In the oppressive summer heat, less is more. Don't wear a ton of heavy products. Use a BB cream instead of foundation and perhaps a nice lip gloss instead of thick lipstick. 

Mac FLUID line, mac gel eyeliner
MAC Fluidline
Also, don't wear eyeliner on your lower lid. It is guaranteed to run and give you raccoon face. If you need eyeliner, use a gel liner like MAC's Fluidline or Lancome's Long Wear Gel Liner. 

In fact, go a step further and forgo mascara on the lower lash line, too. I went on TV all the time without eyeliner and mascara on the lower lash line. It's fine, no one will notice. 
MAC Blot Powder
MAC Blot Powder
Also, don't reapply powder with a sponge. Instead use a retractable brush with a hint of translucent powder (I love MAC Blot Powder) and simply run that over your face when your feeling oily. Even better, use blotting paper. A number of TV personalities, both male and female, use these to control oil and shine. 

Get The Secret Weapons Featured In This Story