That's Fit

Dribble. Pass. Shoot. That's what Danny learned at his first soccer practice on Saturday. Armed with his shin guards, knee-high socks, soccer shoes, and size three soccer ball, my four-year-old made his debut performance on an organized, YMCA-sponsored sports team.

Armed with our matching red canvas chairs, a small cooler filled with water and fruit, and a big brother by our side, we parents watched proudly as Danny did just as Coach Joe told him to do. He was willing, able, and excited. His head was in the game. And besides his one shout out to us -- "I don't want to play anymore" -- Danny remained focused for his hour-long commitment.

"Was I so great at soccer?" Danny asked all day on Saturday. We assured him he was a superstar. He assured us he had fun.

Next Saturday we go back for practice #2. Six weeks of games will follow. And then maybe a lifetime of athletic competition. Or maybe not. It's up to Danny. We'll provide the exposure. He can determine if sports are his thing or not. I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

Want to know what experts say about kids and soccer? Click here.

Part of the reason that I don't belong to a gym is because I live in a city devoid of them. There's a handful of them here, but they are small, have limited equipment, and no childcare. They also all charge more per month than I paid for a membership at a large, well-equipped center when I lived in a large nearby city. But two things have changed recently that may bring me back to my gym-going ways. The first is an exciting new fitness center going in across town. The second is a brand new YMCA that's nearing completion.

YMCA has been around for over 100 years, and in many communities (like my own), it's the go-to place for affordable fitness memberships. The association is stepping up their commitment to physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits with a new program that targets people who want to make exercise a part of their daily lives. Activate America isn't just an additional program, instead, YMCAs across the country are redesigning, retraining, and restructuring to help make physical fitness accessible to the average American.

Pretty exciting, huh? You can read more about Activate America here.

Who'd have ever thought you'd find an article on weight management in the financial section? A recent article from Bankrate.com on MSN Money notes just how expensive it is to lose weight, in the United States, anyway. With all the fitness trends, fad diets, dieting books and dieting systems (the Zone, the Atkins Diet, Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are a few) out there, it's easy to get caught up in the latest new weight-loss product--especially considering how notorious Americans are for being overweight.

A closer look at the article reveals that all these weight loss gimmicks and schemes are shrinking our wallets, not necessarily our waistlines. What may seem like a few dollars here and there can really add up, especially for those of us with more than a few pounds to drop.

I've always been a big fan of the outdoors. I'm an even bigger proponent of being thrifty. In fact, one of the main reasons my husband and I dropped our gym membership was to save money. Although our combined membership at our local YMCA was only around $80 a month, that was still over $1,000 a year we were spending that could be better used elsewhere...like a 401(k). We figured that by running around our local park, which was approximately 3.5 miles in diameter, even if we spent money on proper running attire we'd still be saving around $800 a year.