3 Ways to Eat Healthy on a Budget!

by Tasha Turnbull, certified personal trainer

A typical excuse I hear from time to time is that it costs more to eat healthy; and thankfully, that is not true in most situations.  Subscribing to a healthier eating lifestyle can cost you the same amount, or less than what you previously paid for food.  There are several ways you can cut costs while eating healthy.  Therefore, we are providing 3 ways to help you realize eating healthy can save you money in your pocket, and hopefully less illness in the long run.  Check out our three affordable healthy eating tips:

1)      Meal Prep!  Planning is key when trying to achieve any goal in life; and it is especially important when trying to lose weight and save you a few bucks at the same time.  Planning your meals ahead of time saves you money since cooking at home often times is cheaper than purchasing a meal to go at a restaurant.  Also, since you have to do less driving to purchase a meal it saves you gas money.  Furthermore, your economic cost goes down; since you took a little extra time to prepare a couple of meals in advance, it reduces the amount of time you would have previously spent each day cooking your single meal.

2)      Buy in Bulk.  If you’re salad lover like we are, it’s more cost effective if you buy the 3 pack of romaine lettuce as opposed to already chopped up salad mix. We bought this 3 pack earlier today from Trader Joes at $2.99. Most places sell their romaine packs for  $2.99-$3.99. If you take the time to chop up your lettuce, you can easily get 6 servings of salad out of here as opposed to getting only 2 servings out of the already chopped mix. We also noticed that the 3 pack of romaine lettuce lasts longer than the chopped mix bags. These bags can usually last from 4-7 days. So we plan out what we’re going to do with the lettuce for the week: salads, tacos, nachos, lettuce wraps, sandwiches, etc. Save yourself some money and get more for your money by switching to the 3 pack. Regardless of what pack you get, you already have to chop up ur veggies to put on the salad, so you might as well take an extra 45 seconds to chop up your lettuce, right? 

3)      Visit your local farmer’s market.  Besides the fact that your fruit and veggies at your local farmer’s market will taste fresher than what is sitting at your grocery store they’re often times cheaper, as well.  Since the farmer is selling directly to the consumer; as opposed to the food being sent to the middleman, savings are often times passed on to you.  Plus, it is always a good idea to know exactly where your food comes from and support local business.

Tasha is a trainer in Hampton Roads, VA. She has her own fitness studio  in Virginia Beach, VA, and a line of fitness apparel.

Just Say, Thank You…

SomuchSomuchSomuchSo…. That’s what it feels like sometimes as we juggle the various challenges, duties and responsibilities in our lives. Work. Friends. Children. Partners. Work. Projects. Friends. Parents. Work….

No need to go on.

We’ve all either been there, or we’re going to be.

Or we’re in the midst of it right now.

So many things going on, so many things tugging at our time and tolerance that we come to resent them. We dread going to work. We hate to hear the phone ring. We loathe receive texts, even from someone we love because we know they want something.

We become short with our friends and even worse with our families. We short-shrift our co-workers and dismiss new opportunities because we simply can’t do anything else!

Well, here’s something we all should do: Say, thank you.

Every day. Really, three or four times a day.

It doesn’t take much time. And you can be anywhere.

But it does require you to put all those things down for just moment. Maybe close your eyes. Take a deep breath and just say, Thank you.

The challenges and duties and responsibilities and the people in our lives (okay, maybe not all of them…) are all blessings. If you’re healthy, life’s good. If you can pay your bills, life’s good. If you are being showered with opportunities to further your skills or advance your career, life’s good. If you can touch someone else’s life, life’s good.

Yes, it’s a lot. Yes, it’s daunting. Yes, at times it’s dug gum overwhelming.

But, thank you.

You’ll be amazed at how it makes you feel, how it gives you comfort to simple be grateful. How it will energize and strengthen you.

Thank you.

How it will lift you, and remind you that your “burdens” are not so much. Not too much – even when they seem to cloud everything else in your life.

Thank you.

None of it will go away. In fact, it’ll probably be blowing up your phone while you’re saying thank you. But when you thank someone, anyone, they’ll likely give you even more to be thankful for. They’re more likely to do something for you, and probably when you need it most.

Like right now.

One Fitness Solution for All? (Part I)

By Madison Chase

Is there really one health and wellness solution that benefits everyone? As Arsenio Hall would say: ” Hmmmm”.

What do you think? What have you tried?  They’re on television, in magazines and all over the Internet –  misleading stories that try to make us believe the once-size (or product)-fits-all hype. According to them there are:

1)     sprinkles that you add to your food that cut the fat

2)     shoes that actually tone your legs

3)     shakes that totally cleanse or heal your body and make you lose weight

4)     a workout DVD that helps you shed loads of pounds in 90 days and completely tone your body

I’ve appeared in more than 400 fitness DVDs and infomercials; I know what happens behind the scenes and what eventually ends up in the consumer’s hand. That’s one reason articles and ads promoting these and other easy-fit products and fitness solutions make me nervous. So let’s set the record straight!

Let’s start with cleansing. Many are two-, five-, seven- or 14-day products that promise to cleanse, heal, or detox your body - once and for all!

Think about that for a second. There are 365 days in a year, right? (Unless we are doing a Porscha Coleman year, then it would be 265 days.  Now, for the record, I’m a huge Porscha Coleman supporter–I think she’s the new Jessica Simpson of reality television. I just couldn’t pass that up.)

So let’s go with 365 days a year. If you are over the age of 21, let’s do the math.

365 days X 21years = 7,665 days

7,665 days x 2 meals per day = 15,330 meals

7,665 days x 3 meals per day = 22,995 meals

Now, how would three days, seven days or even 14 days of digesting a shake balance 15, 330 or 22,995 days eating?

It may be tempting to fall prey to the latest cleanse products but ask yourself, are its promises realistic? This is not to say that a cleanse will not work but it has to be done with a natural and certified organic product, and it must be used for an extended period of time. Like maybe the rest of your life.

So, if you are considering a cleanse, read the label and study the ingredients. Finding a long-term fit to achieve fitness is more effective than digesting a one-size-fits-all trend.

With more than 27 years in Health and Wellness, Madison Chase has studied classical ballet with the prestigious Julliard and prominent School of American Ballet. She’s also a three-time Ms. Fitness ESPN Champion, certified personal trainer, group fitness instructor and author.  Catch her on…

The Web : www.madisonchasefitness.com.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/madisonchasefit

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/1madchase

Avoid the Cracks in your Life

When I go running (which is rarely, I confess; angry knees) I like to do so with my head up, looking ahead and enjoying the scenery. Recently, however, I ran on an aging sidewalk and found myself staring at the ground to ensure I didn’t tumble over a crack in the cement.

No matter my pace, I kept my eyes on each crack I confronted, ensuring to my best ability that I lifted my feet and strode high enough to prevent an ugly mishap.

I enjoyed the run, so much so I went longer than I originally planned. (Don’t get it twisted; it was still only a couple of miles!) At times I even almost got lost in the joy of the run and started to raise my head, but each time I caught myself and kept my eyes on the cracks.

Our run through life is littered with cracks, too – some almost imperceptible. It’s easy to overlook them–easy to get so caught up in the euphoria (or the dramady) of life that we stop paying attention. Until we tumble.

If we’re lucky, we catch ourselves before we hit the ground, stumbling only momentarily, and barely lose our stride.

Yet sometimes we  fall forward, face first, or with all our weight landing on our wrists. All because we didn’t watch for the cracks.

Avoidable cracks. Avoidable people.

Avoidable because they never should have been in our lives. Negative people. People looking to trip us up, rather than run alongside with encouragement and support.

You don’t need that kind of training partner. The run is hard enough. Each stride can be fulfilling, or it can send you crashing to the ground.

Enjoy the run, but keep an eye on the cracks in your life and lift yourself above them.

Create Your Own Boot Camp

Boot camps are all the rage, and that’s great. With its mix of heart-driving cardio, strength-building moves and weight-training, they’re challenging all-around workouts–though not for the faint of heart.

Many fitness enthusiasts like boot camps because an instructor is pushing them further than they might push themselves.

But if you’re even remotely self-motivated, you can create your own bootcamp – combining a menu of moves and doing them pretty much with little to no rest for, say, 40-45 minutes.

The key is to create a series of exercises that touch your entire body (from legs to core to upper body, including shoulders) and keep your heart-rate high. Here’s our favorite self-made boot camp:

Begin with a 12-15 minute moderate-to-vigorous cardio warmup on either a stationary bicycle or elliptical machine.

Then do three circuits of the following exercises:

* Pushups (15-25, depending on your fitness level)

* Pullups (12 on the first set, then 10 and 8)

* Swiss ball crunches (conventional, with hands at ears, on first set; then alternating elbow across body; then full trunk rotation with an 8-12 lb medicine ball

* Ladder drill (3 times up and back) (For numerous variations, click here)

* Kettle-Bell alternating shoulder presses

* Barbell clean and press, curls and shoulder shrugs while on inverted Bosu (do sets of 15 each, then 12, 10)

* Suicides (on basketball court, sprint from baseline to first free-throw line, then back to baseline; to mid court, then back to baseline; to the far free-throw line, then back to baseline; then to far baseline and back.)

That’s one “round.” After resting for 2 minutes, begin second round. Do three rounds overall.

Challenge yourself!

Why Anti-Inflammatory Foods Matter

It does not sound sexy at all. Not one iota. Anti-inflammatory foods. Yuk. Why?

Well, bear with us for a few moments. The body relies on its inflammation abilities to heal wounds. It attacks areas of disrepair and nourishes them. That’s the good inflammation.

Bad inflammation causes problems. It can attack healthy tissue, weakening the body, making it vulnerable to various diseases – from hay fever, even cancer.

Bad inflammation (typically referred to as chronic inflammation) can result from a number of causes – from burns and frostbite to stress and toxins. And obesity, researchers recently found, which can lead to numerous cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

So…how to control inflammation? Well, one way is by eating foods known to possess anti-inflammatory agents. In a report highlighted in ScienceDaily.com, Lauren Whitt, Ph.D., Employee Wellness director at the University of Alabama-Birmingham and an adjunct professor of personal health, said: ”I encourage people to focus on eating whole foods and foods that are high in fiber.”

Among the foods she cites are citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, tomatoes and wild-caught salmon. Now, if you’re a regular  reader of this blog (and you follow at least some of our advice), you’ve probably already incorporated those foods into your diet.

Nutritionist Karen Lamphere, featured on the site sheknows.com, adds sardines, herring, anchovies, flaxseed, hempseed and walnuts to the list because they’re high in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Fighting inflammation might not be the first reason you should adopt healthy-eating habits (second or third, either, for that matter). But it’s comforting to know it’s not only helping you to look and feel better; it’s keeping your body healthy too.

Fast Food Will Kill Your Kids! (But Only If You Allow It)

FAST FOOD IS KILLING OUR KIDS!!

Okay, that was a bit over the top. But so was the report this week that the nation’s fast-food chains should receive an “F” when it comes to the nutritional value of their kids’ meals.

You might find that declaration a bit surprising coming from us, the proponents of healthy eating  -  for every member of the family. And frankly, when we first read the headlines that blared earlier this week (“Kids Meals Flunk Nutrition Test, says Consumer Group!) we thought, Great, more fodder to persuade parents to spend less time at fast-food restaurants.

But then I read deeper: The consumer advocacy group the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), released a report stating that only 3% of the nation’s kids’ meals at the 50 fast-food restaurants it surveyed met its nutritional standards. What are those standards? A meal must not have more than 430 calories, plus no more than 35% of calories from fat, or more than 10% of calories from saturated plus trans-fat. Additionally, no more than 35% can be added sugars by weight; and no more than 770 milligrams of salt. That’s not all. Meals must include at least a half a serving of a fruit or vegetable, including something that has 51% or more whole grain, or certain levels of fiber or vitamins.

Jeez. I’m not sure if most home-cooked meals meet those standards!

While there’s no doubt any meal that meets CSPI standards is “healthy.” But are those standards realistic for everyday people trying to eat healthier? Not in our view. We try to meet people where they are, then educate and encourage them to make small, healthier options each day.

For many Americans, fast foods are part of their almost everyday diet, not a “treat,” as it may have been in our youth. That’s not going to change overnight.

In the meantime, we must admit that while the unhealthier options at the most popular fast-food chains still give us the creeps, most establishments have  made efforts to offer customers healthier options. In fact, McDonald’s nutritionist didn’t let the CSPI news go unanswered, saying: “We’re making nutrition more mainstream at McDonald’s today…. [We listened] to moms in particular and [recognized] people are becoming more mindful about what they’re putting in their mouth.”

So what does it mean for us? In my view, it’s simple:

The key word: Balance. If you have kids you are going to pull into a fast-food restaurant. That’s a fact. The key is not to do it too often. According to reports more and more families are utilizing fast-food restaurants as, well, their personal chefs.

Going “fast” every couple of weeks is not going to turn your child in a candidate for an obesity poster (as long as you’re preparing healthy meals and they’re getting at least a modicum of exercise regularly). So no matter the nutritional value of whatever kids meal you choose, having one sporadically won’t kill them. Doing so regularly (like three times a week), however, just might send them down the path of All Bad.

Most fast-food chains have worked hard to respond to the national call for healthier meal options, especially for children (Thanks FLOTUS!). In fact when  CPSI conducted the same survey in 2008, only 1% of the nation’s fast-foot restaurants met its standard.

So there has been progress. There can always be more, of course. But no matter what the fast-food restaurants put on their menu, the ultimate responsibility lies with parents to make healthier choices, and to not allow the chains to take their place as their child’s primary chef.