Eating at home is undeniably more economical and is also a better way to control the health quality of your meal. But, if you're like me, you enjoy going out to eat once in a while. During these penny-pinching times, does eating out need to be cut from your budget entirely? Not at all. Just follow these healthful tips for eating out on a budget:

• Order water. Forget about ordering wine, or soda, or fancy bottled waters. Just stick to plain old tap water. It's free in cost and calories.
• Skip the specials. When your server announces the day's specials, just disregard them. They're usually more expensive and, when it's not on the menu, you may not pay as much attention to how it's prepared -- you don't want to be surprised by high-calorie sauces or other unhealthful additions you weren't expecting.
• Ask about extras. Make sure you get what you paid for and order whatever healthful sides come with your meal. Remember, even if the only sides listed are high in calories, you can scour the menu for lighter options; most restaurants are happy to substitute sides.
  
• Doggie bag it. Be sure to bring home leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
• Skip dessert. You don't need the extra calories or the extra cost. If you must indulge, consider splitting a dessert with someone else.

Even in these difficult economic times, do remember to tip your server appropriately -- they need to make a living, too. Do you have any other tips for eating out on a budget?

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Women who are overweight face many health risks, such as heart disease and type II diabetes. And Martha recently told us how overweight women tend to be more impulsive. But overweight women face some risks you might not expect:

• Being fired. Could it be because people who are overweight have a higher rate of absenteeism? Or is it because of a prejudice? It's hard to pinpoint the reasons why, but medical research shows that overweight women run a higher risk of losing their jobs.
• Being the victim of a crime. Overweight women run a greater risk of being victims of crimes. They're also more likely to become criminals.
• Financial woes. Overweight women are more likely to find themselves broke.

It's a chicken and the egg situation, really. Is a woman's weight causing these negative life events or are the negative events causing stress that leads to overeating and obesity?

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In today's economy, not everyone can afford a gym membership. But fitness isn't just for the wealthy. Parks and other public access areas can help bridge the gap between those whose wallets bulge and those who just have wallets.

Research has long shown that living near green spaces -- parks, manicured boulevards, gardens, etc. -- can improve health. Recent research shows the benefits of green spaces are greater than originally thought. The open spaces help residents release stress, and they promote physical activity.

If you're feeling the budget crunch, a local park might be just the place to score some free fitness opportunities. You may be lucky enough to have a local park that has areas specifically designed for fitness. If not, there's still plenty you can do. Check out this post for ideas.

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Stress is a part of life, but it seems like lately with the economy in the state it's in (and gas prices skyrocketing to record high after record high), it's getting to be more than just a part of life -- for some of us, stress has downright taken over our lives.

Stress is bad, there's no doubt about that. Sure, in the case of meeting a bear in the woods, stress might help you run faster (or are you supposed stand still?) but in a civilized society, stress doesn't do much more than make us sick. Chronic mental illnesses like depression and anxiety are often directly linked to stress, as are physical conditions like high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, insomnia, and obesity, to name just a few from an ever growing list.

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Are you more worried about your portfolio and pocketbook than your health? After a year full of consumer credit crunches, mortgage foreclosures and a raft if home loans with higher payments from goofy loan terms, many Americans are set to be more concerned with their finances compared to their own health, according to a new study.

Countrywide Bank, which is in the throes of the subprime mortgage mess itself, said that 67 percent of surveyed adults nationally admitted to wanting to improve how financially fit they are in 2008, with just 57 percent saying that becoming physically fit is the main goal next year.

Who says you can't do both? Nothing does, and as long as you don't make hasty, uninformed decisions about your money or your health, you can do just fine.

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Now that we're right smack in the thick of the holiday season it's as important as ever to balance your enjoyment of holiday goodies with maintenance of your waistline. Although holiday weight gain is generally very small (as little as 1 pound per year) the problem is that it is also generally very resilient and doesn't go away. And all those individual pounds are piling up not only on our bodies but in the bills we owe -- they're flat out costing us money. Here's an idea of just how much obesity costs us:

• $800 per person for missed work
• $275 million in jet fuel costs from carrying the extra weight
• $7.72 per meal in costs accrued from super-sizing fast food dinners
• $180 per year in taxes
• Unhealthy foods (sweets and fats) have gotten 14% cheaper, but healthy ones (produce and dairy) have gone up by more than 50% since 1980
  

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I'm a big fan of the occasional cheat day, but of course blowing your diet can be hard on your health depending how often and how majorly you mess up. But when thinking about what you'll have to deal with when "falling of the dieting wagon," there might be more to consider than just the cost in "pounds gained" or "efforts wasted." What about financial impacts? What about harm to your wallet and an unpleasant dent in your shopping budget?

Okay, so this chart of costs is a little over-the-top, but it gets its point across. If, for whatever reason, your health isn't enough motivation to get you through a rough patch and keep you on track, maybe focusing on a financial angle will work instead. They came up with $3538.44 in additional costs incrued by giving in to temptation, and you better believe I can think of much better ways to spend that kind of dough than on extra doctor visits and prescriptions!

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