Fast 5: Work off that Halloween Candy!
It’s November 1st, the day after Halloween. You may have eaten a few too many fun-sized treats last night and are still diving into the plastic pumpkin today. Below are a few infographics to give you an idea of how much exercise it takes to burn off each sweet treat. Click on each image to view larger in a new tab.
My personal favorite exercise off the list is the 4 minute Tabata. This equals only 1 round of Tabata, and I average about 13 Tabatas each Tabata Tuesday. Walk in the park for me!
What’s your favorite Halloween candy? Leave a comment below!
5 Ways to Stay Fit in Fall
The leaves are changing colors, and all you may want to do is curl up by the fireplace with your third pumpkin latte with extra whip of the day. Fight the urge to stay inside at home and go kick the calories instead! Here are a few inexpensive tips to stay fit this fall season and beyond:
1. Try out a local gym – Many gyms, fitness centers, health clubs, and the like offer free or low-cost trial memberships. Try out the weight floor, cardio equipment, or group fitness classes before you commit to a year-long membership at a place you dread! Look for a gym that is close to home. Find a fitness buddy so you can hold each other accountable for actually using your membership! Don’t get too pressured by the pushy salesman, it’s okay to shop around before you buy.
2. Play a sport for fun – Football season recently began, so why not get a hand on the pigskin yourself? Gather up family and/or friends for some friendly competition. If full-contact isn’t for you, consider touch or flag football. Losers have to make protein smoothies for everyone!
3. Sign up for a fun 5K – 3.1 miles may sound like a lot, but not to worry. Wear an inexpensive pedometer during your normal day to see how many miles you walk on average. Chances are, it’s more than you may think! Join a run/walk with your co-workers for a fun time outside of the office. Choose from Hot Chocolate 5Ks, Color Runs, Turkey Trots, and more.
4. Rake leaves – Remember how your arms were sore and you got blisters on your hands last year? That’s because you were doing serious work! Throw on a pair of work or gardening gloves and show the rake what you’ve got. If you have small kids (or you just want to have some fun yourself!), rake all the leaves into one big pile and jump in. Rake the leaves back up and repeat for some free fitness fun in your yard.
5. RUN – Yes, I said run. It doesn’t have to be fast. You don’t have to start by running a marathon. Just get outside and give it a shot. Set goals: try to run farther than last week, beat your personal record. Another perk: running is free! Keep this image in mind when you feel discouraged:
Image from One Crazy Penguin
Don’t get stuck with winter weight, beat it!
What will you do to stay fit this fall?
5 Places for Cheap Reads
Kung Fu High School by Ryan Gattis, the most recent book I finished
I openly admit to being a bookworm. I wish I had more time to sit down and read, but I do take the opportunity when I can. You probably know by now that I am a frugal person (even I can call myself cheap at times). I don’t want to pay full list price on books at the bookstore, so I find books at much more affordable prices. Here are a few tips on how to save major bucks on books:
- Free eBooks – I myself am a fan of paper books, but if you are into digital books look for free eBooks on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. Sometimes small authors offer their books to customers for free to build a following. Check back often for more great titles!
- Borrow a book from a friend – Ask a friend for a reading suggestion and offer up one of your own books in return. The best part is having someone to discuss all the juicy details and unexpected turns with!
- Book exchange – Organize a book exchange at school or work, where everyone brings in books they no longer want. Collect books ahead of time and give everyone a slip of paper with the number of books they brought in. When you hold the book exchange, each person can take home the same number of books they brought in, just to keep things fair. I’ve even seen a book exchange box on the counter of a a Panera Bread store!
- Garage sales – One of my favorite places to find books! I can’t keep myself away from the 25 cent crate of books, just my price. Plus, I don’t feel guilty about finding a bagful of new titles! When I’m done reading these books, I usually put them out at my own garage sale to pass them along to new readers.
- The library – Who could forget one of the original places to score a cheap read? Don’t forget your library card and tote bag! Find a bunch of titles for the whole family. The best part? They are all completely free to borrow!
Do you have a favorite place for cheap reads? Drop a comment below!
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