inexpensive-related stories
Bye bye green hair!
Healthy Habits, Natural Beauty, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements
My five year old daughter's beautiful light blond hair has turned the most not-so-beautiful shade of green. Ugh! We swim a lot. We live in Florida, and that's what we do almost every day during the summer. Her hair has been pretty green for about two weeks now, and for about the same amount of time I've been looking for the special swimming shampoo that's supposed to get the green out. I checked three pharmacies, one Walmart, and two grocery stores with no success. How frustrating!
Fortunately, today I stumbled across the ultimate score in 'get the green out' shampoos at Target.. Suave has a cute little kids line of hair and body products that are tear-free, smell great, and sell for less than two dollars. And! They've recently added a special shampoo to the line which is designed to remove chlorine from cute little heads of green hair. It's called Suave Swim and Sport Flippin' Citrus 2 in 1 Shampoo for Kids. We've already used it, and we love it! So....if you are Going Green in a way that has nothing to do with the environment......give this stuff a try!
Handy fitness gadget: The exercise band
Don't know what to do with it? Check out this video from one of Ford Model's fitness beauties, in which she shows you just what to do with that band to target your trouble areas.
Can the 'trailer-trash workout' save your summer figure?
Although summertime is friendlier for outdoor sports and physical activity for many people than winter is, it's also full of hot lazy days, fattening BBQ meals, and vacations. All too often people start off in the spring with big plans to lose weight and get in shape, only to let themselves get derailed by mid-summer holiday plans. The great thing about summer holidays, though, is that they lend themselves fairly easily to fitness if you're willing to make the effort. The "trailer trash workout" (named by the trainer who created it) was designed to be easy, quick, and nearly equipment-free -- all great qualities in a summer travel exercise routine.Fitz's Cool Tools: Tubing fans rejoice! The FITSTRAP makes your training easier!
Diet & Weight Loss, Reviews & Products, Motivation
The FITSTRAP annoys me. Why? Because I didn't invent it myself. I've been training with tubes for at least 15 years and have gone crazy hooking them to the weirdest things in order to anchor them at different heights. I've hooked my tubes to couch legs, door nobs, refridgerators and more. I've even drilled holes to place hooks up and down my walls! Why didn't I invent the FITSTRAP? Why? Why? Why??
I love tubes. Tubes are inexpensive, lightweight, can be enormously challenging, and capable of assisting you to work every muscle in your body. They're perfect for travel, training at home, at the office, for therapy, and cool workouts in the gym. I love tubes! I should have thought of the FITSTRAP. Arrrghh!!
Apparently though, this guy Frank Rotella is just cooler than I am. He invented the FITSTRAP and as soon I get done resenting him.......I'll be grateful he did. The FITSTRAP basically allows any door to serve as a cable machine. It's a long black strap with little loops sewn into it, and a clip on the end so it can be fastened tight around the length of any door. Once it is in place, you place your tube through a loop at a height where you want it to be and get to work.
Ask Fitz! Your Fitness Questions Answered
Healthy Aging, Healthy Habits, Womens Health, Ask Fitz!, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answer. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose two per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.
Q.
How much does age play a factor in fitness? I understand that the older I get, the harder I may have to work to keep my figure. But is it possible to have the body of my 20s again, without working out being my career! Janice.
A. Hola chica, great question! There are a few factors that change you body as you age, but I see no reason you couldn't have an even better body than you had in your 20s. For the most part, you are what you are, and your structure only varies slightly over the years. . Hips may widen during pregnancy, but for some girls that may be a lovely thing! Skin may change do your environmental choices and elasticity loss, but your body is what it is.
If you're looking to be thinner, you'll always have the ability to burn more calories and consume less. If you're looking to be more curvy or strong, you can always strength train. Stretching is a great option for creating super posture. I love my job as a fitness trainer, because as I tell my clients, "short of crushing bones...there's nothing we can't accomplish". You too, can create your best body once again. Working out does not have to be your life, but if you want to look great it has to be a priority. Let me know how it goes! Fitz
Q. Dear Fitz. I can't afford to buy a treadmill or even a weight set to get in shape at home. Can I use stuff around the house as a substitute? Not a lot of cash but a lot of commitment. Dave
Dieting on the cheap
I fall into the group of people with the impression that dieting and eating healthy is expensive. But when you actually make the effort, and look around at your options, it really doesn't have to be. Dining in, for example, can be cheaper and healthier than ordering out all the time -- even fast food meals really add up if you do it regularly. Other money saving ideas include buying in bulk when it makes sense (nonperishable items and things that freeze well can be divided into smaller portions and stored for months at a time) and buying the generic store-brand instead of automatically reaching for the commercial brand every time.
Making small efforts can pay off bigger than you expect, without necessarily sacrificing good taste.
Bouncy house keeps kids off the couch
Healthy Habits, Healthy Home, Healthy Products and Reviews, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements
Today I'm so excited and feeling a tad genius because of the spectacular new gift I bought for my daughter's fourth birthday and son's second. A bounce house. My kids have always loved to bounce, jump and flip. They've both grown up in my gym and have spent countless hours on BOSUs and mini-trampolines. They've also spent hours each week playing at the local gymnastics school, so purchasing this bounce house seemed like a great idea. It only cost $200 to own, and the one day rental on the huge bouncers was $150.
Here's my genius move though. I made my husband blow it up inside our home! Sadly enough, we don't actually own official dining room furniture yet. It's only been four years since we built this house, and all of our money has been poured into these two little people since. Fancy dinner furniture has not yet made its way. Nonetheless! The 9 X 12 X 6 foot bounce house fit perfectly! They love it, and they use it all day. The benefits are endless. They leave me alone for a while. They get plenty of exercise. They leave me alone. They don't fight over toys. They leave me alone. They screech and laugh a ton. They leave me alone. They conk out for naps and night time easily and sleep like logs. And did I mention they leave me alone? Kids adore these things, and they make much better babysitters than any DVD. :) For more ideas on keeping kids fit visit KidsHealth.Org.
How to eat healthy, on a budget
Healthy Recipes, Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
This one hits home for me because I've always had a horrible time eating right on a tight grocery budget, but apparently it can be done:
Tip #1: Substitute frozen vegetables for fresh because they're cheaper and will keep longer. Okay...this might work sometimes, but not all frozen vegetables taste the same as fresh ones! The article's answer to this is to buy fresh produce when it's in season.
Tip#2: (I think this is a good one) Canned tuna and salmon make great add-ins for whole grain brown rice and pasta, and they're almost always inexpensive.
Tip#3: Substitute ground turkey for ground beef in your favorite meals.
Like anything, not all tips will work for all people. There's more in the article on eDiets.com, including some yummy and quick chicken and pasta recipes.
Jumpstart Your Fitness: By jumping rope!
If you're looking for a fast and efficient way to get in shape that needs little space and equipment, then consider indulging your inner child by taking up jump roping.
Even though it's most commonly thought of as a kid's activity, jump roping has long been used in training by boxers. And in recent years it has been gaining popularity for training in all kinds of other sports, including basketball and tennis, because of its awesome total-body benefits. Jumping rope for only 15 minutes will burn around 200 calories, and it will strength your heart, muscles and bones. Jumping rope also promotes agility and balance, and improves coordination, rhythm, and timing. A nice list of "features" for an exercise to have! And jumping rope doesn't necessarily deserve it's negative reputation as being hard on the knees and hips -- it's actually easier on your body than running (due to the fact that you land on the balls of your feet and can better absorb the impact).
Getting started jump roping is definitely inexpensive -- all you need is a good pair of cross trainers and a rope. When shopping for a jump rope there is no right or wrong: plain rope or beaded, thick or thin -- it's really just a matter of personal taste as far as weight of the rope and the sound it makes as you use it. If you're really cheap you can even pull down a piece of clothesline from the backyard! But whatever kind of rope you choose, one important thing to get right is the length: when you step in the middle of the rope and hold up both ends they should just reach your armpits/chest area.
As far as form goes, make sure you warm-up and stretch first. Then make sure you stand up straight while jumping with your head held high, keeping your shoulders relaxed and your elbows to your sides. Jump low and avoid hard surfaces like concrete to minimize the impact on your joints, and like any physical activity you should consult your doctor before getting started.
Jump roping is not for everyone, but it definitely deserves a look to see if it's for you. It's so easy and burns calories so quickly it might be just the thing to help you liven up your routine if you're bored, or help break through a nasty fitness plateau.






















