Welcome to Weekend Wellness!  Each Friday I share tips, ideas or knowledge on four of my favorite F-words – finance, fitness, food & fun – feature some great posts from around the web and offer a new recipe, homemade trail mix this week.

The Four F’s

Finance – $25 Challenge – Right now take $25 and either invest it or use it to pay down debt. Yep, just go into your bank account right now and automatically transfer an extra $25 to pay down that credit card balance, student or auto loan. If you’ve no consumer debt (congratulations!), then transfer that $25 to your IRA, investment or savings account, or towards your mortgage.  Last week I sent an additional $25 to our savings account and this week I decided to bump our automatic savings transfer amount by $25 per week to continue this challenge.

Fitness – Physical activity may be the closest thing to being the fountain of youth. Regular exercise strengthens your muscles and improves heart and lung function. It also can, reduce your risk of illness and disease, stimulate the growth of new brain cells, and add years to your life.

Studies show that just 30 minutes of physical activity on most days is all that’s required to reap significant benefits. It’s best to mix up your routine and incorporate a variety of workouts including; strength, cardio, and intervals. If you’re just beginning, don’t worry about this quite yet. Just get moving with something you find doable. You can add in variety in 3-4 weeks.

Food – Stay Prepared – Summertime often equals ‘Go Time.’ And that often means eating on the go. Take a few steps to keep it healthy. Never leave the house without food if you’ll be gone for more than 2 hours. Remember, eating healthy foods on a regular basis will help you avoid unhealthy choices. Prepare some homemade trail mix (recipe below) avoiding ready-made trail mix as most of them have hydrogenated oils and other undesirable, processed ingredients. You may also want to bring a small cooler in the car for healthy snacks and drinks, to always be prepared.

Fun – Free Concerts – During the summer months in Michigan, many towns and small cities offer free concerts ‘in the park.’ Most offer a new act each week, and various types of music are featured throughout the season. Check your town’s or a neighboring town’s website to see what they offer.  Expose yourself to different music genres, meet new people, and enjoy free entertainment. Remember to take some chairs or a blanket, and your healthy homemade trail mix. Nothing beats live music!

Feature

There are many great blogs on the internet, and I enjoy reading quite a few. Here are two good articles I discovered recently:

Ruth at Fruclassity, asks “Is it possible to strike a healthy balance between striving and contentment?“

Dad, at DadsDollarsDebts, takes a look at something we could all probably be better at – negotiating. I’m challenging myself to improve in this area. How about you?

I hope you take some time this weekend to save more, move more, and get yourself prepared for times on the go.

Be Well,

Amy

Homemade Trail Mix

16 - 1/4 cup servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup natural shelled pecan halves

1/2 cup natural shelled walnuts

1/2 cup dried cherries, raisins or dried cranberries (or 1/4 cup of two different dried fruits)

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1 cup brazil nuts

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.

 

Notes

Easy to scale up or down to make smaller or larger batches.

Note: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is provided to educate you about nutrition, exercise, and personal finance, and as a self-help tool for your own use. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment. For my full Disclaimer, please view here.