Welcome to this month's edition of LifeBalance eAction! the monthly email newsletter of the LifeBalance Program.

You are a member of the LifeBalance Program . Each month, LifeBalance eAction! is delivered to provide program updates, encourage members to make active lifestyle choices, and to offer members savings with the top recreational, cultural and wellness businesses. Within this monthly newsletter you can read about businesses participating in your area, upcoming LifeBalance Member Events, special promotions from LifeBalance Providers, useful wellness tips and the chance to win LifeBalance prizes.

Want to learn more about using the LifeBalance Program? Read the LifeBalance Website Features section of this newsletter.

Shift Gears with LifeBalance: LifeBalance partners with a number of bicycle shops, cycling tour guides and more to help you get out and have fun on the open road or trail. Whether you are planning a vacation, trying to get more exercise, looking for an alternative form of commuting or just wanting to fix up an old bike, look to LifeBalance for all of your cycling needs.

For a complete listing of bicycle related LifeBalance Providers, visit the LifeBalance Cycling page.

Who Says Grown-Ups Have all the Fun: LifeBalance is proud to offer a wide variety of activities for children of all ages. Whether you are looking to help your kids blow off some steam, try out a new hobby or attend a summer camp, LifeBalance has many options for you.

For a complete listing of youth related LifeBalance Providers, visit the LifeBalance Youth Programs / Activities page.

Secrets to Staying Fit on the Road: You plan almost every aspect of your business trip or vacation. Do the same for exercise and you'll arrive home in top form. To ensure that your hard work at home doesn't go by the wayside on the road, there are a few simple steps that you can take to keep your waistline and calorie intake in check. Include Workouts in Your Travel Itinerary – Exercising on the road is just like working out at home, it requires planning and commitment. When we travel, we schedule. So why not schedule your workout like you do a meeting? Put it on your calendar and e-mail yourself a reminder so you don't forget. And if possible, exercise in the morning as if helps ensure success. Determine How You Will Exercise on Your Trip Before You Leave – Most hotels have gyms. Call ahead to determine the gym's hours and range of equipment. Once you know what the hotel offers, you can decide whether you will need to bring additional equipment, like exercise bands or a swimsuit if there's a pool. In addition, DVD players are readily accessible in hotel rooms or on laptops so bring along your own fitness DVD and do the routine in your hotel room. Don't Forget Your Workout Shoes – When you travel for business, you would never think of leaving your laptop or cell phone behind. The same should hold true for your shoes and workout gear. Just as your computer provides the tools you need for your work, your workout shoes offer a wealth of exercise possibilities. Don't Be Rigid When it Comes to Your Fitness Routine – When you travel, even the best-laid plans can be disrupted by flight delays, traffic snarls and scheduling changes. If you miss your "scheduled" workout, a short routine is better than nothing. Consider doing sit-ups or yoga stretches in your room, or running up and down the stairs in the hotel a few times. Even ten minutes of activity can make a difference. Or at the airport, if your plane is boarding at the farthest end of the concourse, you can skip the electronic walkways and power walk to the gate. And if you hate layovers, make the most of your time by taking a power walk around the airport. Every little bit helps. At the Very Least, Try Not to Lose Ground – If you know that you are going to eat more when you travel, make sure that you institute some type of daily exercise so that you balance the increase in calories with physical activity. While traveling for business offers some challenges to your exercise routine, a little creativity can go a long way to helping you stay fit at home and on the road. (Prevention)

Eating Out: Studies show that most people consume one third of their daily calories away from home. When dining out, don't forgo healthy nutritional practices. Ask the waiter to box up half of your meal in advance, ask for a side of veggies, drink water or unsweetened tea instead of soda, order your meal without the fattening extras (i.e. mayo, butter), ask for your entree grilled not deep-fried, etc. Remember, you're the paying customer and that close attention to the details makes a huge difference. (Global Fitness)

The LifeBalance Wellness Window offers members streamlined access to all things wellness related, including fitness and health club listings, personal coaches, massage practitioners, yoga and Pilates studios and more. The Wellness Window also offers members health and wellness related articles and content, including daily fitness tips, healthy recipes, motivational insight, fitness tools, health and wellness calculators and more.

The randomly drawn correct answer to this trivia question wins a LifeBalance Member Event gift certificate to an upcoming event.

Last month's trivia question, which asked members to identify a photograph of a LifeBalance provider was correctly answered by Arlyn Stevens. The correct answer was San Diego Zoo & Wildlife Park in San Diego, CA. Congratulations!

This month's question is in the form of a photograph. What Washington LifeBalance Vendor is visible in this picture?

To answer this month's trivia question, simply fill in the form below.

The correct answer to this month's question will be revealed in the next edition of eAction!

Start your own MyLifeBalance account today.

“The most important key to achieving great success is to decide upon your goal and launch, get started, take action, move!” – John Wooden.

Fueling Our Lives: Did you know that there is a McDonalds 8 minutes away from almost all urban locations? Health trends are reporting that 1 in 2 people are overweight and 1 in 3 people are diabetic. As our lives and businesses bring more and increasing demands upon us, it is vital that we bring awareness to our life balance and specifically the food we are using to sustain our intense workdays. This month, plan ahead for the times that you will be ‘on the run’. Place some healthy snacks in your car and at your desk. A little bit of preparedness will positively impact your health, well-being and vitality, as well as your productivity. (Brought to you by Jason Stein Coaching)

Whether your goal is to achieve weight loss, weight control, burn fat or just improve your health, becoming physically active is a step in the right direction. Below are some tips that will help make your exercise program both fun and productive at the same time! Set goals – Set short-term and long-term weight loss goals and celebrate every success. Track progress – Keep an activity log to track your progress. Note when you worked out, what activity you did, how long you did the activity, and how you felt during your workout. Choose a variety of physical activities – To help you meet your weight loss goals, burn fat, prevent boredom and keep your mind and body challenged. Listen to your body – Stop exercising and consult your health care provider if you experience chest discomfort or pain, dizziness, severe headache, or other unusual symptoms while you work out. Don't overdo it. If you are feeling fatigued or sick, take time off from your routine to rest. You can ease back into your exercise program when you start feeling better. Eat nutritious foods – Choose a variety of nutritious foods every day. Remember that your weight loss success and weight control depends on both your exercise program and diet and nutrition. Get support – Encourage your family and friends to support you and join you in your activities. Form walking groups with coworkers, play with your children outside, or take a dance class with friends. A structured exercise program will help you feel, move and look better. Take advantage of the health benefits of a physical activity and exercise program. Make them a part of your life!

Growing Past Disappointment: Each disappointment in your life will continue to weigh you down only until you learn and accept what it has to teach you. The moment a disappointment becomes a learning and growing experience is the moment in which it is transformed into a triumph. The chance to learn from your shortcomings and grow out of your disappointments is one of the richest opportunities you can ever experience. Adversity is a thorough, effective and highly personalized teacher. The powerful lessons learned in the midst of disappointment will stay with you always. When you can bring yourself to be grateful for your problems you'll begin to harvest their positive value. Life is difficult; out of that difficulty grows meaning and beauty. In each disappointment is the seed of fulfillment. Learn what it has to teach and you'll be moving yourself forward. (Global Fitness)

Protect Your Identity: Not sure where to turn to protect your identity? Follow these three easy steps to lock up your data and keep tabs on your credit. Step 1: Eliminate junk mail. Thieves’ use your pre-approved credit card offers to open accounts in your name, which is the hardest type of ID theft to detect. Opt out of receiving junk mail by calling 888-567-8688, a service run by the credit bureaus. Select option three to permanently remove your name from marketing lists (you can always opt in later). Step 2: Go paperless. Shredding will eliminate your paper trail. Even easier is to receive and pay your bills online, which ensures that info can’t be lifted from stolen mail. Step 3: Watch over your credit. You can request a free credit report once a year from one of the three credit bureaus Equifax, Experian or Trans Union. Having a clean credit report is important. Negative information in your credit report will lower your credit score, which in turn increases your interest rate on future borrowings, or even results in credit denial. (Brought to you by Xenium Resources)

For a complete overview of the LifeBalance Program website, visit the About LifeBalance section of the site and take a guided tour.

Find exclusive LifeBalance savings at over 2,000 recreational, cultural & wellness related businesses throughout Alaska, Oregon and Washington. The LifeBalance Program Vendor Network gives members the opportunity to quickly search for specific recreational, cultural and wellness providers by geographic region and category, or by business name, through the LifeBalance Search for Savings.

You can use our secure server to make payments online for many LifeBalance Member Events and Tickets. LifeBalance offers members over 1,000 special events at reduced rates with the top vendors, instructors, and venues. LifeBalance also has your ticket to the arts, including theater, dance, musical performances and more. Visit the LifeBalance Events Calendar and the LifeBalance Ticket Window for a complete listing and select the event that interests you and then complete your registration.

The LifeBalance Wellness Window offers members food and fitness tips, wellness calculators, information about community events and more. MyLifeBalance is a new component of the LifeBalance Program that includes personalized wellness tools, customized content and more.

You can also easily print the LifeBalance Program materials and this newsletter by visiting the Printable Materials section of the site.

The LifeBalance Program always welcomes your feedback! Complete the LifeBalance Survey and let us know about new recreational and cultural businesses that you would like to see added to our existing network of benefit providers, new member events, suggestions for the LifeBalance website or even suggestions for this online newsletter.  If you would like to speak to a member of the LifeBalance Member Service Team, please call 503.234.1375 or 888.754.5433.

The LifeBalance Program
Absolute Recreation Management, Inc.
503.234.1375 / 888.754.5433
www.LifeBalanceProgram.com / info@LifeBalanceProgram.com

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