Balance Newsletter - January 2009

Welcome to Balance in 2009!

Hi there, and Happy New Year from everyone at balanceaustin.com! 
   
It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the new millennium (remember how everyone was freaking out about computers not being able to read the 1999 to 2000 change?), yet here we are nearly a decade later and just about everything in our lives seems to have gone through major transformations; time demands, technology, workout routines, diet, etc.  As a result, now more than ever, we need balance in our lives.  We at balanceaustin.com hope to offer you insight and tips into a more stress-free and balanced new year.

With all of that said, we’re happy to unveil some new balance-centric themes for 2009, including a spotlight on two of our guest contributors to balanceaustin.com, Kim Stewart, morning show host from Majic 95.5, and Bridget Taylor, afternoon host on Mix 94.7.  Kim and Bridget have graciously agreed to help spread the message of Balance through their daily lives.  Read below for more information! 

Kim Stewart, Morning Show host on Majic 95.5

If you listen to Kim Stewart in the mornings during the week on Majic 95.5, then odds are you have heard her big news – she’s pregnant with her first baby!   Yep, she’s finally taken the plunge and has gone public with her news now that she is through her first trimester.   Kim is also a regular blogger on balanceaustin.com, so she brought us an idea that we thought was great for 2009 – tying in her pregnancy with staying balanced in 2009!  Look for her regular blog and offer feedback if you’re so inclined!

Bridget Taylor, Afternoon host on Mix 94.7

Perhaps you’ve heard about “Balance Buddies” during her show on Mix 94.7, but if not, with the help of Paul Carozza at RunTex, Mix 94.7 afternoon host, Bridget Taylor, has put together a fitness program that is beneficial to women of all ages.  It includes everything from yoga to drills working on strengthening your core, and of course, balance.  “Balance Buddies” also incorporates walking and/or running on Town Lake, breathing in the fresh air and connecting with other women who also have a desire to improve their overall well being!

The best part is that IT’S FREE, one day a week!  Every Thursday morning, from 9:30am to 11am at Auditorium Shores, Bridget welcomes anyone who wants to achieve balance through the outdoors.  The group  meets at the orange water coolers just west of the South 1st Street Bridge near Barton Springs Road  (across the lawn from The Long Center - see map).   If you’ve only got an hour, that’s okay, come by and join!  

Do you have a desire to make a life change?  Just show up the first time and, as a team, the group will help encourage and motivate you to create a life of balance!    Register here for free and they’ll see you on Thursdays! 

New Year’s Resolution Anyone?

The holidays have passed and now that your annual serving of black eyed peas has been consumed, how are you starting off your 2009?  Virtually everyone we know makes a New Year’s Resolution and studies show that 4 out of 10 of us vow to get healthy, lose weight, or get in shape.   We know we do… it seems like all of us at balanceaustin.com hang on to that one stylish pair of jeans that we were so smitten over 10 or 15 lbs. ago.  Will this be the year for you?  We found some good tips on getting started and keeping with a program. 

Mix it up!  One can only stand the hum of a treadmill for so long before losing interest, so keep your routine appealing.  Make this the year you try something you’ve never done.   If the gym isn’t for you, try yoga, hiking, or walking around Austin’s very own Town Lake. 

Make it a Family Affair!  Face it, we all could stand to be a bit more mobile.  Make a point of getting the family together a few times a week and exercise.  Take a walk or bike ride after dinner.  Play catch with the kids after work.  Each weekend, try to fold a day in the park into that oh-so-long to do list.  Your kids will appreciate the importance of fresh air and exercise, and it could be some much needed time with your family. 

Grab a Gal Pal!  One of the most common fitness resolution failures is we try to do it alone.  Find a friend with common goals and use each other as inspiration.  You read about Mix 94.7’s own Bridget Taylor forming Balance Buddies – this is exactly WHY she started the group, so she wouldn’t have to do it by herself.  

Set Attainable Goals!  Break it down to make it less intimidating. Rather than one big end goal, dissect it into smaller pieces.  And get rid of that scale!  Base your loss on how your clothes are fitting... now that is fun.  For example, rather than wanting to lose 60 lbs. this year...set goals of one dress size in the next 6 weeks.

Watch out jeans…here we come! 

"Genius without education is like silver in the mine" - Benjamin Franklin

Do you have an unusually curious kid or one who is full of ideas?  This year, mark January 17th on the calendar and celebrate Kid Inventors Day.  Kid Inventors Day is marked on the birth anniversary of Benjamin Franklin, who invented the first swim flippers almost 300 years ago at age 12! The day is meant to recognize past and present accomplishments of kid inventors and to encourage the creativity of future kid inventors.  If you have a potential inventor in your home, click here for a variety of sources to get you and your family started.  Who knows...maybe your son or daughter holds a key to the future!

Sunday Morning Balance Breakfast Hour

Sunday mornings at 8am on Majic 95.5 are the home of the Sunday Morning Balance Breakfast music feature, and it continues to generate playlists from you, our loyal balance audience – thanks for sending them in!  In December, special thanks to Emily Cotton for programming the Christmas edition.  For your efforts Emily, we're going to send you a Balance new year’s gift!

If you have a playlist that could set the tone for a relaxed morning, click here and submit five songs.  This is your chance to program music for the masses!  The next Sunday Morning Balance Breakfast Hour will be at 8am on January 18th, on Majic 95.5.

Balance Favorites

Get Organized!

Whether it’s for thehome, office, budget, or storage closets, we all fight the battle to become better organized.   www.lifeorganizers.com has a tip for ever y nook and cranny in your home, garage, office and more!

Featured Health Tip - Are You Paying Too Much for Health Insurance?

Often, finding balance in your life means finding a balanced budget. That’s why, if you think you’re paying too much for health insurance, you need to stop.  Insurance carriers like Scott & White Health Plan offer comprehensive coverage at an affordable price.  Compare your current plan with ours–or speak with a health insurance broker–to make sure you’re getting the best rates for the best service. Here are some additional tips to help keep your health care costs down:

1. Practice prevention. Keeping yourself healthy every day may significantly reduce the amount of money you need to spend on prescriptions, medical care and medical coverage. For example, rates are almost always lower for non-smokers, so quit!  And regular checkups may help prevent major costs in the future.  Also, participating in wellness programs may help you stay healthy, which could lower your health costs in the long run.

2. Check your medical bills. Doctors’ offices are busy places, and medical bills can sometimes carry mistakes.  Make sure to check carefully to see that you received all the care for which you were billed.  If not, contact the appropriate billing office to fix your information and billing.

3. Keep track of your medical expenses.  Along with diligence in checking your bills comes diligence in keeping them organized and in one place.  That way, when tax time comes around, you’ll be able to quickly see whether you can deduct some of your medical expenses.  Generally speaking, if your medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, you may be eligible for tax deductions.

4. Get to know your health insurance.  Your insurance may cover more than you think–particularly if you’re part of a comprehensive, quality plan like Scott & White Health Plan.  Talk to your representative and read through your coverage carefully.  You may not only receive benefits you didn’t know you had, but also discover you have coverage you don’t really need.  Eliminating this excess coverage is another way to keep costs down.

To learn more, log on to the Health and Wellness section at balanceaustin.com, brought to you by Scott & White Health Plan.

Balance Event's This Month

Unfortunately, January is a slow month as far as Balance events go, but February is shaping up to have a couple gems. Here’s a brief rundown of events where you will find the Balance team running around:

• Broadway Across America Presents: Legally Blonde The Musical – Feb. 3-8 at Bass Concert Hall at UTPAC
• Sesame Street Live – Elmo’s Green Thumb – Feb. 12-15, Frank Erwin Center

For details on these events and others visit the events pages at www.mix947.com and www.majic.com

Feedback

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