10 Ways to Save Money While Staying Healthy and Fit

Fancy home gym equipment, organic food and a wardrobe of the latest fitness apparel can be pricey, but consumer savings expert  Andrea Woroch says that doesn’t have to be the case. “As a young girl, I tagged along with my mom on shopping trips and learned that you don’t have to spend a lot to look good,” she explains.
 
Woroch herself ranks health as one of her top priorities (besides helping others save money), and loves bike riding, hiking, running, swimming and skiing—”anything and everything that gets me moving.”
 
So we asked Woroch to share her insider intel about how we all can keep our wallets happy while staying fit and looking and feeling great.
 
 
1. Subscribe. Group coupon emails offer deals for more than clothes shopping and restaurant meals! “Sites like LivingSocial and Dealeryoften offer discounts for health clubs, fitness studios and outdoor activities at up to 70 percent off,” Woroch says. Another plus? There’s no long-term commitment, so if you like, you can just continue trying new things based on what is offering a coupon!    

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Throw a Party Like a Pro

Editor's Note: Coach Nicole and I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jill Donenfeld, a cookbook author, caterer, and seasoned party expert. She was home in Cincinnati to promote Party Like a Culinista: Fresh Recipes, Bold Flavors, and Good Friends. Jill's mom is a fitness instructor (who has modeled for exercise demos on SparkPeople!), and every night the family cooked healthy meals together.

Jill's philosophy: "The Culinista way to party is all about celebrating with the best ingredients—minimally processed whole foods, lots of greens and grains, seasonal and local when you can—to create incredible health-minded dishes that will wow your guests without weighing them down. Jill and Josie have written detailed menus that make dinner parties stress-free with lots of tips for pre-party planning and easy multi-task cooking. They even include a break for that essential wardrobe change so you’ll be looking great and frazzle-free when hungry guests arrive." 
 
Today Jill is sharing her best entertaining tips, plus three recipes from Party Like a Culinista: Fresh Recipes, Bold Flavors, and Good Friends! She's also giving away three copies of the book. Take it away, Jill!
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Before you even begin grocery shopping, make sure your broiler, oven, and burners are working, if you are not in the habit of cooking. Prior to cooking, take out the garbage and make sure you’ve got enough room to trash odds and ends in the appropriate places (carrot tops in compost, tofu package in recycling, etc.) as you go. Be sure all of your dishes are clean. Get the place ready for cooking! It’ll only take a few minutes—you can do it!

As your guests start arriving, think about things from their point of view: They’re nibbly and could us a glass of wine after a hard day’s work. So, first things first: Put out some bites—our menus include some great appetizers—or prepare something simple such as popcorn or a cheese plate. Then, open a bottle of wine. Done!
Guests are taken care of for at least a half an hour. Now you can stop feeling like they are waiting for something. They’re not! They are here to see you, to plug in with friends, and to enjoy themselves. So you should, too!

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Surprising Reasons You're Always Tired

In 2001, Kim Rhyne gained 20 pounds in six weeks. Normally an energetic women’s ministry leader in Cleveland, she was suddenly so exhausted that she could barely drag herself out of bed. “I wasn’t eating a lot more or doing anything any differently than I had been before,” says Kim. “I had no idea what was going on with my body.”

Knowing that an underactive thyroid often causes these symptoms, Kim’s doctor gave her a blood test to check her thyroid function. When the results came back within the normal range—though just barely—he diagnosed her with depression and started her on antidepressants.

Nine months later and not feeling any better, Kim had her thyroid levels rechecked. This time her levels were higher, so her doctor diagnosed her with hypothyroidism and started her on the medication Synthroid, which is commonly used to treat the condition. The drug pushed her test results back into the normal range, but Kim still didn’t feel well. She even struggled to muster up the energy to go grocery shopping or chat with the congregants who frequently stopped by her home. “I would end up in bed before guests even left the house,” she recalls. Meanwhile, she was more irritable than ever, snapping at her husband for the littlest things.

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I Tried It: 'Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition' Workout DVD

Editor's Note (Nicole Nichols): So many workout DVDs land on my desk, but since I only have so many hours in the day to work (and work out), I've started enlisting the help of my fellow SparkPeople employees to test them. I asked Teri, a new employee on SparkPeople's sales and marketing team, to try the first (and recently released) DVD by Chris Powell, trainer from the TV show "Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition." When I previewed the DVD, I liked what I saw: lots of encouragement, good modifications (plus tips to progress exercises), and workouts that seemed introductory and geared toward beginners and/or people who have a lot of weight to lose. I also loved seeing the real people doing the workouts along with Chris. The DVD includes three workouts (15 minutes, 25 minutes, and 30 minutes) that increase in intensity as you get fitter.
 
Teri is getting back into fitness since starting her job at SparkPeople two months ago, and her goal is to lose 25 pounds. Find out what she thought about this workout DVD!

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10 Ways to Sneak In a Workout

In a perfect world, we'd all have at least an hour a day to devote to our fitness. But in the real world, 24 hours a day doesn't seem like nearly enough time to fit in work, school, and family. Stop stressing! Here are 10 ways to sneak a workout into your super busy schedule.
 
Turn Your Commute into a Workout

On days that Monica Vazquez, 27, a master trainer for New York Sports Clubs in New York City, can't do her usual run, she stuffs her essentials -- keys, cash, credit card, phone, and ID -- into a fanny pack and jogs home from work instead. "Running is a great  workout, but it's also great transportation," she says. "Sometimes I get home even earlier than I normally do taking the subway."

Not a runner? Bike to work, get off your bus or train a few stops earlier, or park the car farther away to extend your walking  time. 

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90 Pounds Down, Jamie Shares 7 Tips for Sticking with Your Workouts

I’ve been going to the gym for a long time. I love to exercise and move my body while tuning out the world to the sound of Kanye West on my iPod.
 
But I wasn’t bred and conditioned by Herculean, health-nut parents who cycled on Saturdays or ran 5Ks for fun with their Spin class buddies. I learned to love exercise on my own.

I grew up in the suburbs of central Florida in a polished small town, where both popularity and athletic prowess escaped me. I was chubbier than most of my classmates and started wearing plus-size clothes at 16.

I hated P.E. class and exercise because I was insecure about being too big or not good enough. The summer before I turned 20, I decided, would be the summer that I would lose weight. I had moved away from that small town, and I was ready to flaunt the independence I had discovered in college.

It took a lot of courage, but I joined a local gym and was strategic about my choice.
I wasn't looking for the best deal or the biggest facility: I deliberately chose a gym that wasn’t popular or hip. I didn’t want to be spotted by the cool kids as I waddled on the treadmill in my size XL T- shirt or heaved through a set of lunges.
 
I chose a gym dominated by retirees who read newspapers or listened to books on tape on the stationary bike. It had TVs and an easy exit, too, in case someone I knew spotted me. I was sold.

Those first months and pounds were excruciating. But once I dropped my first 30 pounds, it became easier. After 40 pounds, it started to feel good.

Today, I'm 90 pounds lighter, I still go to the gym several times a week and I run outside on the weekends. It’s not always easy to stay motivated--even now. I get burned out and need breaks and lose motivation… like when it's 95 degrees or I've had a bad day and want to devour a plate of cookies. Still, even if I slip up, I don't give up.
 
Here's why--and how.

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2 Quick Tips to Improve Your Willpower

If you think you’re powerless to resist the dessert tray, hear this: “Research shows that willpower is like a muscle and can be strengthened,” says Roy Baumeister, social psychologist and author of Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength. A good way to do this is to take one small habit and override it, which then improves your self-control in other situations (such as losing weight or quitting smoking).

Try:

1. Using your nondominant hand (your left hand if you’re a righty) for everyday activities like brushing your teeth or holding your coffee cup.

2. Sitting up straight. Research shows that people who consciously worked on improving their posture for two weeks did better on self-control tests.

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Inspiring Woman: Triathlete and Two-Time Breast Cancer Survivor

Editor's Note (Nicole Nichols): I've had the pleasure of competing against Laurah Turner in multiple local races (and by "competing" I mean "watching her leave me in the dust"). I always found her athletic achievements admirable, her sheer speed enviable, and her personality contagious. Recently, I learned Laurah, an amazingly talented endurance athlete who appears to be the epitome of health and fitness, is a two-time breast cancer survivor—and she's only 29. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I asked Laurah to share her inspiring story of how breast cancer changed her and inspired both her career and her fitness goals.
 
I grew up a type A personally. I tended toward routine, was obnoxiously punctual and saw the entire world through Excel spreadsheets and lists. In fact, I was so married to my routines that I even developed the quickest and most efficient way to prepare the perfect pot of coffee. Every morning, I woke up and immediately dove for my coffee pot. I employed a specific set of procedures which resulted in the first bold, sweet, creamy sip of caffeinated heaven rushing over my palate within 3 minutes and 40 seconds, and never deviated from this ritual.
 
July 25, 2004 was no different than any other morning, but somehow during my distribution of  six leveled scoops of Folgers into the coffee filter, my fingertips found themselves palpating a large lump on my right breast instead of steadying  the canister of grounds as they usually would. Was it that? I didn’t have this lump yesterday.  Suddenly a wave of panic engulfed my body.  Had the lump been there yesterday? A week ago?

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10 Ways to Protect Against Breast Cancer

As a writer who’s focused on women’s health for the last 17 years, I know all too well the many myths and misperceptions that persist about breast cancer. Even a friend of mine who works in healthcare won’t wear an underwire bra or use antiperspirants because she’s afraid they’ll increase her risk of breast cancer—but she’s never had a mammogram. And that’s just the issue: Misinformation can make us concerned about the wrong things.

“Women often focus on claims that wearing underwire bras or using antiperspirants causes breast cancer, even though there’s zero evidence that they do,” says Victoria Seewaldt, MD, director of the breast cancer prevention program and professor of medicine at Duke University. Meanwhile, too many women (like my friend) are delaying screenings such as mammograms that can help catch the disease in its earliest, most treatable stages.

Another misperception is that the news is only bad when it comes to breast cancer. The truth is, survival rates are higher today than ever before, and there are steps you can take to shift the odds in your favor even more. The key is to arm yourself with solid, reliable information. Fortunately, the country’s top breast cancer experts are here to tell you how to protect yourself.


1. Self-exams are no longer officially recommended—but do them anyway.

Familiarizing yourself with the look and feel of your breasts is still a smart move, since some breast cancers aren’t picked up by mammograms and others can develop between annual mammograms. “The fastest-growing, most aggressive tumors are often the ones that often crop up between screenings,” says Anne M. Wallace, MD, professor of clinical surgery and team leader at the University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center Breast Program.
You don’t necessarily have to examine your breasts in a certain pattern or do it on the exact same day every month, but you should check them often enough to be able to distinguish a worrisome change from your usual lumps and bumps. If you notice anything odd, don’t panic (many lumps are completely benign), but call your doc right away to get it checked out.

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Healthy (Fun) Foods for Classroom Parties

Eating healthier can be hard enough for us adults, but when our kids want those fun and colorful packaged foods that are low in nutrition and high in calories, it can be hard to say no to them (and keep our own fingers out of the box once it arrives home). In our home, my husband and I make a conscious effort to keep the snacks we buy as natural and nutrient-packed as possible. Of course there are always times when we allow our sons to have “special" (mom-speak for junky) treats, but we try to limit those to truly special occasions, and not let them become a daily habit.
 
At our kids' school, many well intending parents bring in packaged treats and sweets to share with their child's classmates on birthdays and other special occasions. Much of what is shared are the kinds of foods that we choose not to give our children (sugary, high-cal snack foods with other additives and preservatives). While celebratory foods and sweets are OK in moderation, it seems like almost every day is someone else's birthday, which means these treats are anything but occasional.  So I am on a quest to encourage parents to bring in healthier alternatives that the kids will still enjoy.
 
I've created a list of 17 foods that are fun for kids, yet quick and easy for busy parents and teachers to pick up or assemble.

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Youth Sports Safety 101

Millions of young athletes get broken bones, sprains and other injuries each year. Here's what you need to know to keep them safe.

1. Get a pre-participation physical exam. Taking your child for a checkup before the sports season is essential. “Basically a ‘well-child’ checkup, this is especially important for kids who play sports, because exerting the body during a game or practice may cause a previously undetected problem—like a heart condition—to crop up,” explains Stephen Daniels, MD, PhD, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Make sure the doctor reviews your child’s medical history and thoroughly examines him, including measuring his blood pressure and listening to his heart. The doctor should also make sure that your child’s muscles and joints are in good shape.

2. Encourage kids to cross-train. “Overuse injuries, such as stress fractures, occur because you’re repetitively using one body part, which doesn’t give it the downtime to repair itself,” says Margot Putukian, MD, a team physician at Princeton University and a spokeswoman for the American College of Sports Medicine. If your child is very focused on one sport, make sure that her training also incorporates activities that work different muscles. For example, if your daughter runs track, urge her to add swimming to her regimen.

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'I'm Less Than Half My Size!' *

Ashley Caudill (ASHLEYCAUDILL) lost 151 pounds--and then went on to become a personal trainer! Find out how she did it in this month's issue of Health magazine.

* Weight loss results will vary from person to person. No individual result should be seen as a typical result of following the SparkPeople program.

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The Wellness Beat: Are We TECHing Our Way To Despair?

As a psychotherapist and interfaith minister, my specialty is helping clients uncover a state of deep well-being, and most importantly, one that is deeper and more reliable than the likability of their current circumstances.  

Ironically, deep well-being is not a state we need to create but rather one that we need to rediscover within ourselves.  It is a state of being that is here when we are born and is indeed always here, and yet it is a state that we lose touch with as we "grow up."  

Sadly, we are taught to believe that well-being lives outside of us, in other people and other things.  In truth, well-being is always inside us, patiently awaiting our own attention.  Deep well-being comes from being able to meet this moment, as it is, even as it is constantly changing.  Well-being means being able to ask "what is here?" rather than to demand that this moment give us something that we want.  The often overlooked fact however is that we need to spend time nurturing and nourishing our inherent well-being.  Simply put, we need to pay attention to our own well-being.  Well-being will not fall out of a tree and into our lap.  We need to practice returning home, to what is right here, right now, in this moment.  When we focus on what is here, we find the state of being which is eternally okay, content and well.  We find ourselves.
 
Setting out into the world as an investigator of well-being, I have begun to examine our current culture and ask: What in our society is eroding our attention to and relationship with this deeper sense of well-being?  What is obstructing our access to the well-being within us, deterring us from our inherent spiritual, emotional, and physical health.  What are the poisons to our state of deep well-being?  And what are the nutrients, those elements that reacquaint us with how well we really are?  This question brings me (quickly) to a discussion of technology...

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Sweatiquette: Answers to Common Exercise Etiquette Questions

Have you ever wondered about how to handle sticky situations at the gym, in yoga class, or when exercising outdoors? We got expert advice on questions about how to deal with sticky workout situations.

 

Weighty Talk

Q. "My friend gloats about her recent weight loss. How do I shut her up?"
A. She may be boasting because she feels insecure, but it's annoying to hear about it over and over. Steer the conversation in a new direction: Acknowledge her success, then change the subject by asking "How's your family?" or "What's new at work?" suggests Judith Matz, a clinical social worker and coauthor of The Diet Survivor's Handbook. If she circles back to weight talk, be up-front and tell her it's getting tedious, Matz says. Explain that you're glad she's proud of herself but you would rather talk about other things, like the great yoga class you just took. 

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Help Spread the Word for National School Lunch Week

In recognition of National School Lunch Week (NSLW) 2011, we’ve created an infographic about the childhood obesity epidemic.  It’s important that we help students understand where food comes from and the nutritional benefits that go along with the food they consume. During this week, the School Nutrition Association, as well as teachers, parents, community members and educators around the country will help highlight to students the benefit that school lunch can provide for kids to grow strong and healthy.

In an effort to support this year’s National School Lunch Week theme,
“School Lunch – Let’s Grow Healthy” we have created an infographic, “The
Childhood Obesity Epidemic” with statistics sharing lifestyle, nutritional,
activity-related and consequential facts relating to children.

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