Blog
Moving as a Family
In our blog series this month, we are sharing about some of our favorite ways to be active. Last week Jody shared about her favorites on the blog. Jody is a hard act to follow because she is a physical activity pro. Check out our physical activity videos on the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website for proof. I am not a pro at being active, but I try to move my body most days of the week. For me, being active is important because it gives me more energy, it improves my mood, and it helps me sleep better at night. Some of my time spent being active is alone, but I also enjoy being active with my kids. I have noticed that they experience the same benefits of being active as I do. Below are some tips I have learned over the years of us being active together.
My Go-To Ways to Stay Active
As the weather warms-up and the days get longer here in Iowa, I am looking forward to being active outside more. Over the past couple of years, one of my favorite ways to be active outdoors is going on bike rides. Last year was my first time riding a day of RAGBRAI. I rode with my colleague and fellow Spend Smart. Eat Smart. blogger, Justine Hoover. If you haven’t heard about RAGBRAI before, it’s a week-long bike ride across Iowa with overnight stops in different towns. Find out more at ragbrai.com. I like that it’s not a race and all ages and abilities participate. We had a lot of fun last year and are planning to ride another day this year. To prepare, I’ll spend some time on my bike on local trails.
Can Processed Foods be Good for You?
As Heart Health month comes to an end, let’s talk about processed foods. We often hear that processed foods are bad for us. So, are there any benefits to processed foods?
Reading Your Way to a Healthy Heart
With February focusing on heart health, it’s a great time to take a closer look at the foods we enjoy and how they support our personal health goals. As Justine shared last week, the choices we make each day play an important role in caring for our bodies and hearts.
Show Your Heart Some Love
February is American Heart Month. As you may expect, at Spend Smart. Eat Smart. we usually focus in on our diet and physical activity during heart month. But did you know there are many other ways to show your heart some love? Here are a few:
Be Mindful of Holiday Debt This Season and Beyond
Holiday spending can sneak up on us—gifts, travel, meals, and more. If you followed Barb Wollan’s recent 4-step plan to map out your holiday budget, you are already ahead. Now, take it a step further by using resources from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Utah State Extension, to stay mindful and in control of your personal finances this holiday season and beyond!
