Eating Healthy On A Budget

Most people think that healthy eating requires a healthy bank account, too.  And it can seem that way if you always buy convenience foods or specialty products.

However, Sally Squires at The Washington Post recently completed a "food stamp" challenge.  She gave herself $120 (the maximum amount of food stamps a family of four can receive) for groceries and food items.

Her results: With a little planning and careful shopping, Sally found the budget challenging but not impossible.

If you’re trying to stretch your grocery budget–but you still want to eat healthy!–try these frugal tips:

Buy store brand!  When it comes to things like brown rice or oatmeal, you’ll get the same nutrition from the store brand at a fraction of the price.  Other good store brand choices include canned salmon and tuna, whole grain pasta and frozen veggies.

Buy in bags! Bagged fruit at your supermarket is likely less expensive than the individual fruits sold in the produce bin.  Look for inexpensive variety bags of apples and oranges for plenty of nutrition with a small price.

Buy at the end of the day! About thirty minutes before the meat counter closes, many supermarkets begin marking down the price of their fresh leftover meats.  This is a great way to score discounts on things like lean burger or pork.

Buy in bigger packages!  "Family packs" of chicken and pork tend to be less expensive than the smaller packages.  Once you get the meat home, you can repackage it into appropriate portions for your family and then freeze the surplus.

Buy elsewhere!  You may be able to find great deals on bulk spices or grains at your local health food co-op.  Your farmers market or produce stand might have bargains on summer produce, especially if you buy "seconds."  And ethnic stores often have cheaper prices on pasta, rice and/or seafood.

Watch Out For “SuperSize” Restaurant Portions

Most of us know that restaurants usually serve oversized portions to appeal to value-conscious patrons.  But can you guess how many servings are really on your plate at the local steakhouse?  According to a recent MSNBC.com article, many restaurants are serving up portions that are twice as large–or even larger–than the appropriate serving size.

Although "one serving" of steak is about 4 ounces, it’s not uncommon to find a 14 or 16 ounce steak on a menu.  In fact, one famous steakhouse serves a 22 ounce slab of beef, which means you’ll get more than 5 servings of red meat dished up on your plate!

But you don’t have to eschew restaurants if you’re watching your calories.  Just try these tips:

Pick the smaller portion. In the case of steak, you often have a choice of portion size.  Choose the petite cut or the smaller meal to automatically control your servings.

Get it boxed in the kitchen.  Ask your server to box up half your meal before bringing it to your table.  If it’s not on your plate, you won’t be tempted to eat it.

Share your plate. Sure, some restaurants charge $1 or so if you want to split your entrée with a dining companion.  But that extra cost is well worth the calories you’ll save.

Choose an appetizer instead. Appetizers, in general, tend to be smaller sizes than entrées.  So choose an appetizer for your meal, and supplement it with a green salad or broth-based soup.

Look for lighter fare.  Many restaurants offer a "light" or "healthy" menu.  Not only are these portions smaller, but the food is typically prepared in a diet-friendly manner.

Turn Off The TV To Lose Weight

Worried that your family watches too much TV?  You should be.  According to a MSNBC.com article, kids are seeing double the number of commercials for junk food compared to what they saw 30 years ago.

Moreover, other studies have suggested that time in front of the TV leads to weight gain for both kids and adults.

So turn off the television if you want to keep your family healthy!  Here are some other fun activities that can replace your TV time:

Play active video games:  Games such as Dance Dance Revolution let kids feel like they’re playing video games.  But they’ll also be burning calories and boosting their levels of fitness!

Play active outdoor games:  Take advantage of warm summer evenings with a family game of basketball, baseball or Capture the Flag. 

Have a dance:  Crank up the tunes and shake your booty in the living room!  Kids of all ages love to dance, and it’s lots of fun for adults, too.

Play board games:  Sure, you won’t burn a lot of extra calories.  But at least board games aren’t littered with ads for potato chips, fast food and candy!  If you want to keep your bodies moving, try a more active board game like Twister.

Plan a menu: Kids are a lot more likely to eat healthy foods if they take part in preparing the menu.  Read cookbooks together and plan a future meal that’s chock-full of nutrients.

Need some more suggestions?  Try…

•    Reading together
•    Playing cards
•    Watching a DVD (no commercials!)
•    Doing a craft
•    Playing with a favorite toy
•    Redecorating your child’s room
•    Drawing or painting
•    Knitting or crocheting

For more ideas, check out www.familyfun.com.

Set Personal Exercise Goals For Fitness Success

Many exercise regimes begin with unabashed enthusiasm, only to taper down to an occasional, half-hearted walk as the weeks progress.  And, in some cases, within a month or so our sneakers lay lonely and neglected in the corner of our closet.

But a recent study reported by The NY Times suggests that a walking exercise routine may be more effective and successful if it’s tailored to your individual needs.

One way to personalize your fitness program is to simply create goals that are meaningful to you and your specific health needs.  Here are some examples.

Do you exercise to improve your health?
Set goals that measure health indicators, such as blood pressure or cholesterol levels.  If your current blood pressure is through the roof, for example, set a goal of obtaining a blood pressure of 180/20 by your next doctor appointment.

Do you exercise to boost fitness?
Choose goals that measure athletic performance.  You might set the goal of running a 5k, or you might strive to run a 5k in a certain amount of time.  You may even set a goal of achieving a certain resting heart rate, which can be a general measure of fitness.

Do you exercise to lose weight?
Measurable weight loss milestones include losing a certain number of pounds or a certain percentage of body fat.  You might also choose a clothing size or a certain BMI as your goal.

Do you exercise for many reasons?
You don’t have to limit yourself to one goal!  As long as a goal is meaningful to you, it will help keep you motivated to stick with your exercise routine.

The Weekly Tip

Play ball!  Today’s a great day for father’s and kids to be active together!  Play basketball, toss a football or just take a walk!  Even mental exercises–like card games or checkers–will help improve your health.

Health Tidbits

•    Be safe when you mow your lawn.  Link 

•    Exercise can help keep high blood pressure under control.  Link 

•    Diabetes shaves 8 years off your life.  Link 

•    Heart disease may be linked to Alzheimer’s.  Link 

•    Kellogg promises to make kids’ food healthier.  Link 

•    How does your state rank when it comes to health care?  Link 

Health Tidbits

•    Be safe when you mow your lawn.  Link 

•    Exercise can help keep high blood pressure under control.  Link 

•    Diabetes shaves 8 years off your life.  Link 

•    Heart disease may be linked to Alzheimer’s.  Link 

•    Kellogg promises to make kids’ food healthier.  Link 

•    How does your state rank when it comes to health care?  Link 

Health Tidbits

•    Be safe when you mow your lawn.  Link 

•    Exercise can help keep high blood pressure under control.  Link 

•    Diabetes shaves 8 years off your life.  Link 

•    Heart disease may be linked to Alzheimer’s.  Link 

•    Kellogg promises to make kids’ food healthier.  Link 

•    How does your state rank when it comes to health care?  Link 

Healthy Summertime Treats For Kids

Now that the kids are out of school for the summer, they’re probably clamoring for summertime treats like ice cream, popsicles and hot dogs.  But all those extra calories, chemicals and sugar can be unhealthy for growing children!

A recent NY Times article offered some book suggestions and tips for feeding your kids a healthy diet during summer months.  Here are a few ideas for healthy and kid-friendly hot weather treats:

•    Serve fruit smoothies instead of milkshakes.
•    Keep fresh fruit clean and chopped so it’s easy to grab as a snack.
•    Sweeten veggies like celery and carrots with a dab of all-natural peanut butter.
•    Make naturally sweet peach crisp by baking sliced peaches topped with oatmeal, cinnamon and a dash of sugar.
•    Mix fresh blueberries with yogurt for a creamy snack.
•    Add black beans to hamburgers for a healthier picnic.
•    Serve salsa instead of sour cream with tacos and burritos.
•    Cucumbers dipped in hummus make a fun and tasty snack.
•    Dip bananas in melted chocolate and freeze for a "monkey popsicle."
•    Make salads interesting with an Asian-inspired ginger sesame dressing.
•    Cut apple slices or sweet potato slices into fun, kid-friendly shapes.
•    Add extra fruit to gelatin desserts.

Whittle Your Waistline By Eating MORE Food!

Imagine someone told you that you can lose your extra weight while eating more food than you do right now.  Well, the "Volumetrics" diet, created by Barbara Rolls, claims to do just that.  And research recently reported by WebMD.com suggests that these claims are true.

The foods that are eaten in the "Volumetrics" diet tend to be low calorie because they’re rich in water and fiber.  Dieters can eat larger portions for fewer calories, which helps curb cravings and satisfy the appetite–but without damaging their low calorie diet!

So what kind of foods should you add to your diet if you want to eat more and still lose weight?  Try…

Fruit: Packed with water and fiber, fruit can also satisfy a sweet tooth.  Great choices include apples, watermelon and kiwi.

Vegetables:  Many veggies are loaded with nutrients but low on calories, so they’re a great addition to any diet.  Good choices are raw spinach, cucumbers and green beans.

Beans:  Chock full of fiber, these antioxidant powerhouses may even help reduce your risk of some cancers.  Try eating more black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas.

Whole grains: Although not always low-calorie, whole grains are a healthy way to get some added fiber in your diet.  Try brown rice, oatmeal and quinoa.

Soup: Broth-based soups–especially when they’re packed with veggies–are both satisfying and low calorie.  But avoid creamy soups, which are loaded with calories.