Speaking of Recession - Gym Membership vs Home Gym

If you are anything like the average gym member, hundreds of your dollars are wasted every year on unused gym time. That is not even considering the hassle of sign-up fees, long term contracts, and "extras" that all gyms charge for. Let's face it, gym memberships are expensive and unless you are disciplined enough to consistently hit the weights and join in on the crowded classes, not worth your time and money.

Our recommendation is that you save your hard earned money and set-up a home gym for a fraction of the price. "Home Gym" – these two dirty words, without a doubt, conjure up images in your mind of a giant apparatus taking up half of your living room. Have no fear, we are not recommending you set out this weekend and spend thousands of dollars on a hard to use glorified jungle gym that will just end up as a place to hang your shirts in a couple months. (Don’t feel bad, we have all fallen victim to the optimistic/unrealistic workout equipment purchase.)

We are talking about a cheap and simple Home Gym. Most, if not all, of the components you need for a total body workout can be found at garage sales, Ross, Craigslist, and thrift stores. And best of all, these cheap items can be stashed in small spaces when company comes over.

1) Dumbbells – Either one set of adjustable weight or a couple different weight ranges. This is the most versatile piece of equipment you can purchase and will make hundreds of exercises possible.
2) Exercise Ball – A one size fits all piece of equipment that will allow you to change angles and work many muscle groups.
3) Exercise Band – An easy way to change resistance levels and take your exercises on the road.
4) Medicine Ball – A great way to target your "core muscles." It is especially good for athletes and those working out with a partner.
5) Exercise Mat – For those of you without a carpeted room, exercise mats are cheap and provide a perfect spot to do your floor exercises.

These simple pieces of equipment - coupled with a little bit of know-how, accountability, and motivation - will provide you with more than enough to get a consistently great total body workout – without the long term time and monetary commitment!

Recession Proof Health – Part 1

The money may be gone but your health does not have to leave with it. It is no surprise in today’s economy that people are trying to cut back on exercise and food expenses. We are here to give you some strategies that prove that good health does not have to come with a big price tag!

Did you know that McDonalds’ US sales grew 5 percent last quarter? Which raises another question: Just because it is labeled “fast” and they offer “value meals” are you really saving money?

“Eating In” vs. “Eating Out”

As an experiment conducted by www.getrichslowly.org , Rob Cockerham spent all of one month “eating in”, consuming only food from grocery stores. He calculated that he spent $11.55 per day on food and drink. (If you subtract alcohol, he spent $8.65 per day.) He spent 48 minutes per day preparing food.

The next month, Cockerham ate all of his meals in restaurants. He spent an average of $20.08 per day. (He also left just over $1 per day in tips.) But it didn’t just cost more money to eat out:

“The big surprise, for me, was how long it took to eat out. It was easy, when I was eating in, to whip up many meals in less than 8 minutes, but it was almost impossible to get my food that fast when eating out.”

“Eating In” is not only cheaper, but it is also healthier. The typical response to this fact is, “time is money and the time and effort it takes to plan and shop for meals does not make it worth it”. Following are a couple tips on ways to get the most bang for your food buck:

1) Buy bulk…if you will eat it - Take a look at the bottom shelves of your local grocery store – chances are that you will find some great deals on bulk brown rice and beans (both are healthy and cheap for a growing family)

2) Eat more fiber – Whole grains and Seasonal Vegetables will leave you satisfied for longer after a meal and you will eat less overall.

3) Stretch the meat – Plan meals that will allow the pricey meat you buy to work for you. Casseroles, Salads, and Stir Frys are great ways for your family to get the protein they need without overeating on the most expensive portion of the meal.

4) Stop buying prepared food - Not only do they contain harmful preservatives, but ounce for ounce, they are much more expensive.

5) Buy skim milk - It is usually about 10% cheaper than 2% milk…and lower in fat. If you are not sold on skim milk, you may consider giving up milk largely or entirely. Rice milk can be kept unopened on your shelf, unrefrigerated, which allows you to buy in bulk.

"Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food."~ Hippocrates

Why wait until the economy forces you to make stark changes to your lifestyle? Isn't be better to make choices now that give you and your family more money to save for a rainy day? Also keep in mind that healthy eating, resulting in saving money and combined with exercising sensibly, will help reduce your stress levels during the recession. But, this blog post is just the tip of the iceberg of how pursuing greater health can help you weather these rough economic waters.... stay tuned for Part 2!