Join host Mike “Sleeves” Sliwa as he sits down with Kelsea Thompson, Tournament Director of PickleCon 2025, for an inspiring conversation about passion, pickleball, and one of the sport’s most anticipated events.

In this engaging episode, Kelsea shares her personal journey into the world of pickleball – from her first time picking up a paddle to becoming the driving force behind PickleCon’s tournament operations. Discover how her love for the sport evolved and what led her to take on the massive responsibility of organizing tournaments for thousands of players.

Kelsea provides an insider’s look at PickleCon 2025, taking place August 7-10 in Kansas City, Missouri. Learn about this all-inclusive pickleball paradise that transforms 400,000 square feet of convention space into the ultimate destination for players of every skill level. From competitive tournaments and pro clinics to glow-in-the-dark matches and social events, PickleCon truly offers something for everyone in the pickleball community.

Whether you’re a competitive player, casual enthusiast, skill-building learner, industry professional, or simply a pickleball fan, this episode will give you the inside scoop on what makes PickleCon a must-attend event. Kelsea discusses the unique challenges of organizing such a comprehensive event and shares her vision for creating an unforgettable experience that celebrates everything we love about pickleball.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from one of the key figures making PickleCon 2025 possible – and start planning your trip to Kansas City this August!

PickleCon 2025: August 7-10, Kansas City, MO

Learn more: https://www.picklecon.com

Get the latest updates and information on the rapidly growing sport of pickleball, specifically designed for the senior community aged 50+. Check out Sleeve’s Senior Pickleball Report on YouTube to stay informed and up-to-date with the ever-changing world of pickleball. Join the community and stay ahead of the game. 

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(Family Features) For many people who wish to work toward a healthier weight, one of the greatest obstacles is figuring out where to begin.

These tips from SlimFast consultant and registered dietitian Maryann Walsh show it doesn’t take a drastic lifestyle overhaul to make an impact.

Eat Mindfully
Many people who struggle with their weight benefit from being more conscious about what they’re eating and why. For example, consider your eating habits, such as eating even when you’re not hungry whether that’s because it’s mealtime and you think you should eat, you’re satisfying a craving or using a tasty snack to cope with stress.

Recognizing why you’re eating is an important step toward correcting destructive eating patterns, but so is paying attention to the other details of the eating experience, including what you eat and how it makes you feel. Ultimately, this may allow you to choose healthier foods that nourish your body for the long-term, rather than the brief satisfaction that comes with less nutritious choices.

Consider Intermittent Fasting
One weight-loss method many people find success using is intermittent fasting, which involves abstaining from all food and beverages for a specified time period each day or week. While going too long without food can sometimes lead to excess hunger then overeating later, in shorter, controlled fasting timeframes one can often more easily achieve a caloric deficit, which is required for weight loss.

Prepare for your fasting phase by choosing foods that support satiety. Options like SlimFast’s Intermittent Fasting line of meal bars and protein shakes can help avoid a sense of deprivation with tasty flavors like the Vanilla Cupcake Snack Shake Mix and Vanilla Almond Crunch Complete Meal Bar. The shake mixes deliver 15 grams of slow-digesting protein, compared to whey protein, to help curb hunger, along with more than 20 vitamins and minerals. The meal bars clock in with 15 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.

Manage Stress
When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol, which also raises insulin and can drive hunger and trigger cravings for comfort foods. In fact, that’s the very reason people tend to overeat when they’re under pressure. Light exercise and meditative practices can help you manage your mental strain. You might also consider talk therapy with a friend or professional or spend time unwinding with a book or music.

Get Proper Sleep
Poor sleep habits affect your weight in numerous ways. One is that when you’re feeling tired, your hunger and satiety hormones, ghrelin and leptin, can be affected, leading to an increase in caloric intake and subsequent weight gain. Additionally, when you’re tired, you’re more likely to take shortcuts like skipping workouts or opting for unhealthy convenience foods. All are reasons to make better rest a bigger priority.

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Track Eating and Exercise
When you’re not paying attention to what you eat and how you move, you may not even realize how your habits are affecting your health. Logging what you eat, especially if you use a tool like an app that helps you see the nutrition breakdown, may give you a clearer idea of the quality and quantity of your intake. Similarly, when you’re specifically writing down the time you’re committing to physical activity, you’ll find it easier to identify patterns and pinpoint where you can make adjustments to increase your exercise.

Visit SlimFast.com to find more resources on weight management and intermittent fasting.

3 Tips for Intermittent Fasting

If you’re new to the idea of intermittent fasting, these tips can help you find greater success so you can see results.

1. Pace yourself. Make a gradual transition so your body gets used to going without food for shorter periods of time before you work up to extended fasting periods.
2. Stay hydrated. Avoid confusing thirst for hunger by upping your fluid intake. Staying hydrated and energized while you fast helps keep fatigue and brain fog at bay. Options like fruit-flavored SlimFast Intermittent Fasting Energizing Hydration Supplement Drink Mix won’t break your fast and can help you add variety as a flavorful alternative to water. They can provide the energy and focus you need between meals and are perfect for those who feel groggy or run-down while fasting.
3. Set goals. Know what you want to achieve and why, so your “why” can keep motivating you to follow your intermittent fasting plan even when you’re tempted to quit.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman and man exercising)

SOURCE:
SlimFast

(Family Features) Committing to getting fit and actually doing it aren’t always one and the same but relying on tech devices can be an effective way to tackle your fitness goals.

From watches and phones to earbuds and virtual reality headsets, technology can make it easier to track your progress and create a more enjoyable workout experience. See how some of the latest technology is fueling new devices ideal for amping up your workouts this winter with these trendy ideas.

Find more inspiration to energize your fitness regimen at Qualcomm.com.

Wellness You Can Watch

Powered by the Snapdragon 4100+ Wear Platform, the Fossil 6 Wellness Edition watch provides the speed, power and performance you need to efficiently track your health, all with extended battery life, Bluetooth 5.0 LE connectivity, rapid charging and more features to elevate your experience. The watch detects movement and starts a workout for you. In addition, not only does it allow you to monitor how hard your heart is working and provide estimated blood oxygen measurements so you can see how well your body is circulating oxygen, but it also measures your cardiorespiratory fitness, allowing you to track the amount of oxygen your body utilizes during exercise. In addition to keeping tabs on your active hours, the watch also helps you understand more about your sleep habits, including sleep quality and history, restfulness and progress against sleep goals.

A Smart Workout Buddy

If he’s like most golfers, chances are your dad spends a few minutes each round searching for his ball after a wayward tee shot. Save him some precious time on the course with the extra golf balls he needs so he doesn’t have to worry about leaving one (or two or three) in the woods. Even amateur players sometimes prefer a certain ball, so don’t be afraid to sneak to the garage and check his current supply so you can put his favorite brand in your cart.

Sound to Motivate More Movement

An energizing workout requires a soundtrack to get you pumped up and moving. Enhance your listening experience with LG Tone Free T90 wireless earbuds, which feature Dolby Head Tracking and Snapdragon Sound. These earbuds identify the location of sound as you turn your head, recalibrating to enable a more natural sound experience so you’re always in the center of the scene. The speaker driver is made of a strong, lightweight material that delivers better overall audio clarity and reduced vibration so you can hear every sound come alive. Exceptional audio combines with superior connectivity for music, movies, crystal-clear voice calls, gaming and a low latency fit for aptX Adaptive compatible devices.

Play Your Way to Fitness

If your workout regimen needs an infusion of playful fun, the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset may be just the ticket. This VR headset is your ticket to the metaverse (and so much more), whether you’re working out, gaming, meeting up with friends or going on a virtual field trip. Industry-leading graphics and immersive audio put you in the middle of the action. The portable device is ideal for workouts on the go, and you’ll find a wide range of apps that let you work out amid stunning scenery, compete against friends and participate in challenges. The immersive experiences break up the monotony of a boring, basic workout, making exercise fun and playful.

Music to Power Your Workout

Enjoy stereo-quality sound wherever your workout takes you with a state-of-the-art smartphone like the Motorola Edge+ Gen 2, powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Mobile Platform. Giving you up to two full days of power, lightning-fast speeds and pro-quality features for doing more of what you love, this smartphone can provide music that motivates you regardless of your exercise style. When it’s time to rest and recover, you can enjoy days of entertainment on a beautiful display that wraps around the edges.

Track Your Progress

Setting fitness goals starts with a plan and achieving them requires strong work ethic and, just as importantly, the ability to track progress so you can enjoy the success. The ultimate expression of ultra-portability and versatility, the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook is powered by the Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 Compute Platform. Slim and sleek, this 2-in-1 features a detachable keyboard to transform from a tablet to a laptop so you can keep an eye on your fitness goals whether you’re working out at home or on the go, and 15 hours of battery life means you can enjoy usage from day to night.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman on treadmill)

SOURCE:
Qualcomm