What do “exercise” and Mocha, my English Springer Spaniel have in common?

Both can help me unleash a healthier life!

Walk Your Dog for Better Health

According to a Tufts University Health & Nutrition report, those who have---and walk---a dog tend to get more exercise and lose more weight than those on popular diet programs.

If exercising at least 30 minutes a day is one of your 2011 SSHW Challenges, let your “best friend” help you reach your goal.

Start a Walking Program (with or without a dog)

Mayo Clinic says walking is an ideal form of exercise:
safe, simple and no practice is required!                       
                                                                                     Mocha 
                                                                                My best friend!

Sign Up for the Winter 2011
        SSHW Challenge 

 “Register an Account” and start         walking for a healthier you---TODAY!

Patti Wooten Swanson, PHD
Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science Advisor 
University of California Cooperative Extension
San Diego County, CA

       
The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.  (Chinese proverb)                 

Small Step:Invest* $5 a day in a retirement account

When budgets are tight, how do YOU "find" the money to invest?

 Listen to the Lunch Hour Latte 

Investing for Your Future, a Rutgers Cooperative Extension self-study program, recommends 10 ways to "find" money to invest: 

1. Pay yourself first. Set up automatic contributions from your paycheck or checking account to a savings or investment plan. (You won’t miss it if you never see it!)

2. Save bonus money, or unexpected money, such as tax refunds, gift money, overtime pay, rebates, or refunds.

3. When you “save” money by shopping with coupons, deposit it in a savings account or money market mutual fund to invest.

4. After an installment loan is repaid, continue making the loan payments to yourself.

5. Collect your loose change daily and
periodically take it to the bank for deposit.

6. Pack your lunch and save the money you would have been spent eating out. 

7. Buy items on sale and save the difference in the original and sale prices.

 8. Plan a “Nothing” week or month—cut out all unnecessary spending and save the money you would have spent on eating out, entertainment, or other optional expenses.

9. Avoid interest and other charges for using credit; pay off credit cards monthly. If you have accounts with high interest charges, “save” by paying them off as quickly as possible.

10. Break expensive habits, or even reduce the frequency of purchase, to yield dollars to invest.

It all adds up...for a secure retirement.

Take the 6-Week Challenge:

Save a $1 (or more) every day
and put it in a can or jar.


This works for me:

1. Bottled water: Fill a reusable container with water and take it with you, instead of buying bottled water.

2. Coffee on the run: Buy regular coffee, rather than a coffee drink at your favorite java shop. (This has the added benefit of saving calories---a healthier choice!)

3. Movie rentals: Check out DVDs for free at your local library, instead of using a vending machine.  (Many libraries let you reserve them online.)

4.  Loose change: Save it at the end of each day---put it in a jar or box, and then deposit it once a month at your financial institution. .
(Don’t pay a machine to turn it into cash so you can spend it!)

5. Beverages: If you buy your lunch, drink water instead of buying soda, tea or coffee. (see Tip #1)

Looking for inspiration?

If saving  $1 a day--- just $30 a month doesn’t sound like it could really make a difference in your finances. Richard Jenkins, former edit-in-chief of MSN Money says you can turn $1 a day into $67,815

Sign up: 2011 SSHW Winter Challenge
"Register an Account" online for the free, 6 week challenge---for a better 2011.

Patti Wooten Swanson, PHD
Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science Advisor 
University of California Cooperative Extension
San Diego County, CA

Eat at least
4 cups of fruits & vegetables every day!

Now that's a challenge I can live with!

I like to focus on what I can eat---instead of what I can’t eat (some folks’ idea of what it means to eat better)

And some of us have bigger appetites than others. If that's the case for you, eating more fruits and vegetables will will fill you up---with great nutritional benefits. Today, let’s talk about fruit...

What’s in the fruit group?

Try raisins on your oatmeal, grapefruit for breakfast (citrus is a good choice in the winter), mango salsa on seafood, sugar-free fruit spread on your toast (find it with the preserves and jelly at the grocery store), and avocados --- guacamole for the Super Bowl anyone?

Serve fruit when you entertain with ideas from Produce for Better Health

Fresh, frozen, canned, or dried?
It's all good! According to the American Dietetics Association, research has shown that canned and frozen produce (fruits and vegetables) have the same nutritional value as fresh.                                          

What counts as a “cup” of fruit?

• 1 cup of cut-up fruit
• 1 cup 100% fruit juice
   (check the label to be sure it’s 100%)
• 1 whole fruit, such as an apple, banana, orange, or pear.
• ½ cup dried fruit ( great choice for winter months)

To help you visualize sizes and amounts of common fruits, go to Fruits Food Gallery Get details on What Counts as a Cup? Click on "chart".

It's not to late to sign up for 2011 SSHW Winter Challenge
"Register an Account" online for the free, 6 week challenge---for a better 2011.

Patti Wooten Swanson, PHD
Nutrition, Family, and Consumer Science Advisor 
University of California Cooperative Extension
San Diego County, CA