Diet and Health Articels

With 2008 fresh upon us, it's important to look at all the fitness options available to you and your family. I know a lot of families, though, that are looking for great fitness options at a great fitness price and it's not always easy to afford the fees at some gyms. (I know one that charges $125 a month for one person, it is closer to $200 for two people and you're looking at $250 to $300 for a family membership.)

So What Do We Do?

I like working out in gyms, but I prefer to work out at home. It's more convenient for me. A gym membership is also an expense that I'd rather avoid if I could. The YMCA can help out families who enjoy the gym atmosphere and are looking for physical outlets for all members of the family from the toddler to the child to the teenager and the adults in the family.

The great thing about the YMCA is that you can get a family membership at a relatively inexpensive price and at least two of the YMCA's in this area have indoor pools, which means you can swim all year long. Does your daughter enjoy softball, art or physical activity? The YMCA has something for everyone, whether it's working out or playing.

Healthy Habits

During this season, one of our local YMCA's is offering a healthy eating habits course for kids and family. It's not just for overweight kids, but for all of them. My daughter's school offers a health class now, twice a week (she's 7) and they emphasize the importance of choosing vegetables over sweets for snacks.

We keep carrots in the drawer of the refrigerator and more and more over the last year, my daughter has been reaching for those instead of the candied nuts, chocolate candies or Halloween treats that are left over. This past holiday season, we elected to just eat the apples rather than cut them up for apple pie.

The YMCA For You and For Me

There's a lot to do at the YMCA including aquatics, arts and humanities, sports, fitness classes, summer camps, winter camps and so much more. Interested in checking out what your local YMCA has to offer? Now would be a great time!

January 1, 2008. January 1, 2008. January 1, 2008. Can it really be 2008 already? Seriously? Yep. Here we are. It is 2008, in Hollywood, the writer's strike continues at full swing and my daily viewing for my workouts is severely hampered. Closer to home, my little girl turned 7 and my husband and I celebrated 8 years of marriage and we're looking 12 years together total.

2007 was the Year of a Million Dreams at Disney. It was the year of overexposure for Paris and Britney. 2007 started out with my husband recovering from an emergency appendectomy and I learned that I might have the big C. My mother confronted cancer in 2007. My youngest nephew had to have reconstructive surgery on his hand. My oldest nephew had his hand slit and is completely bandaged up (this just happened) after he was playing on a treadmill and got his hand caught.

Yes folks, treadmills are not for small children to play on nor should you ever let them use it without adequate supervision. There's also the small matter of the safety key that should always be used. We're going to talk about fitness equipment safety at home and the gym this year.

2007 was the year of the Nintendo Wii. They launched during the Christmas season of 2006, but bloggers, gamers and fitness enthusiasts quickly discovered that the Nintendo Wii, unlike other game systems, got your butt out of the chair and on your feet. One blogger even reported losing more than 10 pounds in the first couple of months he played on it.

2007, we gave our daughter a Nintendo Wii and do I have a lot to tell you after just 6 days spent with it.

2007, we salute you. It was an eventful year. Let's make 2008 even better! Happy New Year!

So come back and check out our best of 2007, what to look forward to in 2008, why we don't like New Year's resolutions, Body for Life challenges and so much more!