| Broadway through LifeBalance: The LifeBalance Program is pleased to offer members great seats at great prices to Broadway Across America performances in Anchorage, Portland, Seattle, 5th Ave. Theatre Seattle & Spokane
Anchorage, AK
Annie
Jesus Christ Superstar
Monty Python's Spamalot
Portland, OR
Grease
Movin' Out
Rent
The Color Purple
The Rat Pack
Wicked
Seattle, WA
Grease
Hello Dolly
Memphis
The Color Purple
The Drowsy Chaperone
Spokane, WA
Ain't Misbehavin'
Monty Python's Spamalot
The Color Purple
For a complete listing of other Performing Arts related LifeBalance Providers, visit the LifeBalance Performing Arts pages.
Alaska | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Utah | Washington
Kick Your Way to Fitness: Are you bored with your current fitness routine? It may be time to kick your way to one of the hottest workouts around. Kickboxing, also referred to as boxing aerobics and cardio kickboxing, is a hybrid of boxing, martial arts and aerobics that offers an intense cross-training and total-body workout. It blends a mixture of high-power exercise routines that strengthen the body and mind, decrease stress and hone reflexes while increasing endurance and cardiovascular power. While kickboxing's roots are in full-contact fighting, it has found a safe and very effective niche in the fitness community. Some estimates of kickboxing's calorie-burning potential have reached as high as 500 calories during a typical 50-minute class that consists of a warm-up, aerobic period and cool-down. There are important factors to consider before taking the first kick. What is your current fitness level - Keep in mind that many clubs may not offer classes that are based on progression. Even if your current routine features a hearty combination of cross-training workouts, you may want to take it easy at first, and then build as your body adapts. Familiarize yourself with the basics - Remember, adequate warm-up and close attention to proper technique are paramount. Classes should begin with basic stretches and a light cardiovascular warm-up such as pushups and jumping jacks. A typical aerobic kickboxing routine involves a series of repetitive punches alternating with hand strikes, kicks and then a combination of all three. The repetitions help participants focus on proper technique while engaging several muscles groups and getting a fierce cardiovascular workout. It may seem awkward at first, but the basic moves in a kickboxing class can be mastered with time, patience and practice. After the main section of the routine, stretches and floor exercises are commonly performed as a cool-down. Don't forget to wear loose clothing that allows freedom of movement during your kickboxing workout and drink plenty of water. Beginners beware - When attending your first class, try to avoid these common mistakes: Wearing weights or holding dumbbells when throwing punches, which puts your joints in danger of injury. Locking your joints when throwing kicks or punches. Over-extending kicks (Beginners should avoid high kicks until they get used to the routine and become more flexible.) Giving into group peer pressure and exercising beyond fatigue. And of course, you should ask your instructor about their training. Cardio kickboxing is a combination of martial arts and aerobics, and employs different techniques from a ''pure'' martial arts class. Many teachers may have boxing or martial arts training, but may not have the appropriate class experience or be properly certified. A prepared class will have mirrors, a punching or ''heavy'' bag and hit pads for participants to use. Once you understand the basics of this stress-relieving, total-body workout, you can kick your way to a new level of fitness. (ACE)
To keep track of your fitness progress, visit the LifeBalance Activity Tracker and Journal.
For a complete listing off fitness clubs, visit the LifeBalance Fitness Club pages.
Alaska | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Utah | Washington
Essential Weight Loss Foods: There are many fad diets that promise to help you lose weight in almost no time at all. After two or three weeks on the diet you find yourself losing enough to be able to brag to your family and friends about it, and you're so optimistic that this new lifestyle will be your ticket to a smaller waistline that you start to browse the stores for new clothes. You continue to lose weight for another couple of weeks, and then something happens: you start to feel sluggish, you begin craving something that your diet absolutely forbids you to have, or the general sense of optimism begins to transform itself into a feeling of constriction, frustration and even dietary imprisonment. The entire effort falls apart and you put the weight back on in practically no time at all. Does this scenario sound at all familiar? Diets are very hard, as is the feeling of being overweight. Many of these fad diets may promise instant and significant weight loss results, but most of them rely on depriving your body of certain nutrients and disrupting the natural function of your body's metabolism. Chinese medicine considers obesity to be partly the result of declining function of the metabolic fire of the kidney network and a diet that provides a well-balanced array of nutrients is the key to losing weight in a healthy way. What follows are foods that will help you restore your body's ability to use energy and help you become your healthy weight.
- Millet: A well-balanced diet should consist of whole grains instead of refined grains like white rice and pasta, and millet is a beneficial and delicious staple of this category of food. This non-glutinous grain is over 10-percent protein, has high amounts of fiber and B-complex vitamins, and because it isn't an acid forming food, is easy to digest.
- Asparagus: When losing weight, it's important to favor chlorophyll-rich foods, including asparagus. Asparagus is a nutrient-rich vegetable packed with vitamins A, C, and K, and fiber. Asparagus also contains a carbohydrate known as inulin (not to be confused with insulin) that promotes healthy bacteria in the large intestine, which in turn promotes a healthier digestive function.
- Pomegranates: Eating a balanced diet to lose weight should include eating fresh fruits, and pomegranates are a wonderful example of a healthy, nutritious fruit that has antioxidant properties and will help prevent cancer. While the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice have gained a lot of attention recently, you will be more likely to lose weight by eating the fruit fresh to increase your fiber intake and keep the calories down.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees and are considered an essential ingredient in the tasty Italian mixture pesto. Chinese medicine uses pine nuts to improve gastrointestinal tract and digestive functions, and pine nut oil is even used for appetite suppression.
- Green Tea: It has been found that consuming large amounts of coffee and caffeine can lead to food cravings, increase one's appetite, and induce stress-related eating. Green tea is a wonderful alternative to coffee in that it does provide a little caffeine but also contains beneficial antioxidants.
A healthy diet also includes lean proteins like chicken breast, legumes such as lentils, and other whole grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables. While fad diets may promise a large amount of weight loss in a short period of time, there's almost a guarantee that you will put that weight back on, and then some! Eat five smaller meals a day, avoid processed foods, chew more slowly, and incorporate more healthy foods into your diet. (FoodFit)
To keep track of what you eat and more, visit the LifeBalance Food Tracker & Journal.
For complete listings, please visit the LifeBalance Weight Management pages.
Alaska | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Utah | Washington
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 Vendor was
correctly answered by Bob Terrazas. The correct answer was the Baranov Museum. Congratulations!
This
month's question is in the form of a photograph from a LifeBalance Vendor in Washington. Who is this LifeBalance Provider?
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!
 The randomly drawn correct answer to this trivia question wins a $10 certificate from LifeBalance Partner CNCA. Remember, LifeBalance members receive special savings from CNCA. Visit the LifeBalance / CNCA page for details.
Last month's trivia question, which asked about fiber was correctly answered by Rebecca Fanucchi. The correct answer was Calcium. Congratulations!
This month's question: Saw Palmetto is an herb that may provide the following benefits:
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More Events, Less Time: LifeBalance has streamlined the Events Calendar, making it easier than ever to find events that interest you.
Stretch more than your Dollar with Yoga and Pilates: Improve your fitness, flexibility, core strength and mental well-being by attending a Yoga or Pilates class. LifeBalance has a large number of studios, instructors and classes to get you started today.
For a complete listing of Yoga / Pilates related LifeBalance Providers, visit the LifeBalance Yoga / Pilates pages.
Alaska | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Utah | Washington
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 choice is yours. You hold the tiller. You can steer the course you choose in the direction of where you want to be…today, tomorrow or in a distant time to come." - W Clement Stone.
The Time for Pumpkins and Cider: Yeah Fall! Yes, this is my favorite season. With the change of colors, and the cool air moving in, I get a warm thrill of unpacking my long sleeve shirts and smelling the crispness of the morning air. With perfect temperatures that aren't too hot and aren't too cold, I do not have any excuses not to get outside, take long walks and enjoy all that the area has to offer. This month notice the change of the seasons and make some time to get outside and enjoy the natural beauty that is all around us. (Brought to you by Jason
Stein Coaching)
Massage: The history of massage reveals how this ancient healing practice has withstood the test of time. Massage therapy has been touted as one of the oldest forms of medical treatment. First recorded in China during the second century B.C., massage was recommended for the treatment of certain ailments. In India, the traditional healing system of Ayurvedic medicine also prescribed massage for a variety of medical conditions. Physicians of ancient Greece and Rome utilized massage as one of the primary methods to treat pain. In the West, during the fifth century B.C., Hippocrates also instructed his fellow physicians on the many benefits of rubbing. It would seem that the impulse to rub a hurt was quite instinctual, but up until the early 1800s, there were few advances in the actual massage techniques until Swedish massage was developed. Over the years, massage therapy had been used for many medical and psychiatric ailments. During the 1960s, a wave of interest in natural healing revitalized the practice of massage and has continued to be a very popular method of dealing with stress, ailments and pain. Today, massage has become mainstream as another form of treatment available in the quest for good health.
For a complete listing of massage related providers, please visit the LifeBalance Massage / Spa / Relaxation pages.
Alaska | Idaho | Montana | Oregon | Utah | Washington
Each month, Boone Bridge Books features a different title for LifeBalance members. This month's title is:
Tosca Reno is not only a health and fitness expert, but also a fabulous cook. Who better to write a stunning cookbook that everyone will love? Featuring
- 150 beautiful food photographs
- Delectable low-fat beef, pork, chicken and fish dinners
- Protein-rich meat-free recipes
- Gluten-free meals
- Tips on eating clean in difficult situations
- Timesaving one-dish meals for busy moms
- Great recipes on the go
- How to prepare an elegant clean-eating event
LifeBalance members save 35% on this title!
Buy This Title Now from Boone Bridge Books
Boone Bridge Books offers members at least 25% savings on all titles (excluding textbooks) ordered from their website.
Action in its Place: It is easy to make up excuses to tell to yourself. For you can choose to believe anything you say to yourself. But what do those excuses accomplish? Where do they take you? It's easy to use your thinking to rationalize your way out of taking action. Without much effort, you can think of plenty of good, believable reasons for not making the effort. At some point, though, you must ask yourself this question. Do you want your life to be filled with excuses or with accomplishment? In fact, each time you catch yourself thinking up an excuse or rationalization, ask yourself that question. Challenge yourself to consciously choose whether or not you wish to accomplish. When you force yourself to look at it that way, the excuses will begin to look pretty silly and useless. The more you remind yourself of the value of accomplishment, the more you will take action instead of making up excuses. And the more you take action, the more you will achieve. (Daily Motivator)
New Model of Workplace Benefits: Ever have a really bad break up? Was it the kind that made you want to sit on the couch in your pajamas and bathrobe and your only solace a box of Kleenex and a pint of Ben and Jerry’s? We’ve all been there. But there aren’t many of us that can take “heartache leave” from work. A Japanese marketing firm offers their heartbroken employees one to three days off work to mend their broken hearts. The same firm also offers their employees two mornings off twice a year as "sales shopping leave" to participate in some serious shopping therapy. The race to provide more attractive benefits that appeal to employees seems to be prompting employers to become increasingly creative in their benefit programs. A recent poll on compensating employees found that the most common employee benefits offered by small businesses are: paid vacations, health insurance, paid sick leave, disability insurance, education reimbursement, pension plans, life insurance, work/life & wellness programs (such as LifeBalance) and dental insurance. Additional, more unusual, benefits included “spent tents,” rest areas with blankets, pillows, a mat and alarm clock set aside for employees to recoup and recover from all-nighters spent working. Many companies offer their employees regular pay for hours they spend performing community service activities in the interest of benefiting the community and inspiring the employee. Other employers find their no-interest computer financing program benefit their employees both at home and in their work as they become more comfortable users and ultimately spend less time at work surfing the Internet. So what’s next in the world of benefits? (Brought to you by Xenium)
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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 thousands of recreational, cultural & wellness related businesses throughout Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah 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 thousands of 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, sporting events, ski resorts, museums and more. Visit
the LifeBalance Events Calendar and the LifeBalance Ticket Window for a complete listing and select the listing 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 the 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, cultural and wellness 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
Privacy: Rest assured that the LifeBalance Program will
not share your email address or any other private
information with any third parties. Your info is
safe with us!
Subscribe
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