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How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier

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Do you want to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner without having to worry about how fattening all the food is? Check out all of these ideas how to make your Thanksgiving healthier!

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier

You don’t have to dread eating Thanksgiving dinner anymore! Since we have to follow a heart healthy diet, I learned how to adapt our recipes to make them healthier. It’s awesome to still be able to eat our traditional Thanksgiving meal, and know it’s healthier! So, if we can do it, you can too!

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Turkey

A great way how to make your Thanksgiving healthier is by small changes to your meal.

My parents come over for Thanksgiving dinner, and my dad always likes to bring the turkey. In order to make it healthier, instead of bringing a whole turkey, he brings roasted turkey breasts. He usually buys a couple so that we have plenty for dinner and enough to freeze for another meal or two. He looks for fresh frozen turkey breasts to go on sale, starting in October. As it gets closer to Thanksgiving, the prices go up!

My dad says there’s lots of choices when you buy the turkey breasts. He prefers the fresh frozen boneless turkey breasts without any added basting sauce. He keeps them frozen until it’s time to defrost them for the big meal.

The turkey breasts can be cooked in an electric roaster or in the oven in a roasting pan. My dad likes to season the turkey with a little bit of salt and pepper before cooking. He doesn’t baste the turkey. Instead, he keeps an eye on it while it’s cooking. When the top starts to get brown, he covers it with a piece of loose aluminum foil. This keeps the turkey moist. He cooks it until it reaches the recommended temperature.

You’ll be amazed at how moist and delicious the turkey breasts turn out! We don’t miss having a whole turkey at all!

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Mashed Potatoes

I am famous for my mashed potatoes! My whole family loves them, but my uncle and my daughter can’t get enough of them! My uncle’s church had a potluck, and he wanted to bring mashed potatoes. So, he called me to find out how I make mine. His whole church loved them too! So see, healthy food can be delicious and enjoyed by lots of people!

Anyway, so how do I make my famous mashed potatoes? Well, I follow a recipe for almost everything, except these!

I peel the potatoes – we use the whole 10 pound bag of potatoes and sometimes even more. Luckily, the potatoes usually go on sale for about $1.98 for a 10 pound bag. I usually fill my huge 8 quart stock pot a little more than halfway full of potatoes. Then, I cover them with water. Once the water boils, I boil the potatoes for 25 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. By the way, I boil them with the lid tipped slightly, so it doesn’t boil over.

When they’re done, I drain them and then add them to my Kitchen Aid Mixer. Usually all of the potatoes don’t fit at once, so I mix them in 2 batches. I just use the regular mixing paddle that it comes with. I also have a pouring shield that I put on the mixing bowl. That keeps the potatoes from spilling out. While mixing, I add a little bit of nonfat milk and light margarine. After awhile, I take a little taste sample. When it seems like the right flavor and texture, they’re done!

The potatoes turn out delicious and creamy, and healthy!

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Stuffing

Thanksgiving stuffing

Stuffing is my absolute favorite part of Thanksgiving! Luckily, it’s pretty easy to make, and even some of the ones that come in a box are healthy.

I use the Mrs. Cubbison’s Herb Seasoned Cube Stuffing. It only has 1g of fat and 320mg of sodium! That all qualifies for a heart healthy diet! I usually prepare 2 boxes of stuffing so we have plenty for a couple of nights, for my parents and us.

I cook it according to the “oven casserole directions” on the back of the box, and just alter it a bit. First, I do spray my dish with non-stick spray, but I make sure to use canola oil cooking spray. Then, I saute the celery (we can’t use onions because my mom is allergic to them) in light margarine. I use reduced sodium chicken broth for the moisture.

By the way, some of the ingredients on the box have a * next to them. Under the ingredients, it shows the * with directions on how to make the stuffing for a “Light Recipe.” You can follow those directions to make your stuffing healthier.

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

In case you think sweet potatoes only come in a can, here is what they really look like. You’re going to use these to make your traditional glazed sweet potatoes.

The biggest difference in making your sweet potatoes healthier is using real sweet potatoes, instead of the ones from a can. They’re not hard to use. It’s very similar to making mashed potatoes. You just peel the potatoes and dice them. Boil them in water for about 25 minutes, or until tender.

The recipe I use calls for 6 cups mashed sweet potatoes. When I looked up how many sweet potatoes it takes to equal 1 cup mashed, it said about 2 sweet potatoes. However, I’m sure it also depends on the size of the sweet potato.

After the potatoes are cooked, put them in the mixer. Add 1 cup nonfat milk, 6 tbsp. light margarine, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1 egg white, 1 -1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon and vanilla extract, 3/4 tsp. ground allspice, 1/4 tsp. salt and ground nutmeg. After mixing, put in a baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes. You can top with marshmallows and bake for another 5 – 10 minutes.

I have to admit, I do bake with the marshmallows, but then only eat a little bit of the marshmallow with my sweet potatoes. The kids enjoy the marshmallows and it’s okay to have a little bit once in awhile. Especially since you’re using fresh sweet potatoes, instead of canned.

Do you want to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner without worrying about the fattening food? Check out all of these ideas how to make your Thanksgiving healthier!Click To Tweet

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Vegetables

Vegetables

I know a lot of you probably have the traditional green bean casserole that I see on t.v. We just have whatever vegetables are on sale. However, I saw this picture and thought it looks like a pretty nice-looking vegetable dish.

It says it’s green beans, cauliflower, peas and carrots. It looks very pretty. You could either boil them or steam them and maybe add a tbsp. of margarine and 1/4 tsp. dill to give them a nice flavor.

If you’re going to stick to the traditional green bean dish, make sure to use fresh or frozen green beans. Also, use Healthy Request (or low fat, low cholesterol) cream of mushroom soup. Make sure you use nonfat milk and low sodium soy sauce instead of the regular kind.

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Rolls

Rolls

Rolls are pretty easy to make healthier! Especially if you buy them already made from the store. There are some really delicious rolls that come out around this time of the year, that are really easy to stick in the oven and bake for just a few minutes. To make them healthier, make sure you look for the 100% whole wheat rolls. They’re still just as delicious and are much better for you.

If you make your own bread or rolls, just substitute some of the ingredients. Instead of shortening, use light margarine. Instead of whole eggs, use egg whites or whole omega 3 eggs. Also, use nonfat milk, instead of whole milk.

If you look at your bread recipe and would like some help in knowing what to substitute, leave a comment and I’ll help you figure it out.

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier – Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin Pie

It’s much healthier to make your own pumpkin pie. It’s not hard to do and you can make it the night before.

Make sure you use pure pumpkin in your pie. It comes in a can, and it’s great because there’s no added sugar or anything. It’s just pure pumpkin.

You can buy an unbaked pastry shell, so you don’t have to make the crust yourself.

When you make the pie, use egg whites or omega 3 eggs, instead of regular eggs. Instead of whole milk, use nonfat milk. Luckily, pumpkin pie is also made with evaporated milk. That kind of milk is fine to use, it’s the condensed that you shouldn’t use.

If you usually serve your pie with whipped cream (cool whip) like we do,make sure you get the light version.

Making these small substitutions to make your pumpkin pie healthier, will still result in a delicious pie! If you don’t mention these changes to anyone, I bet no one will be able to even tell the difference.

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier & Happier – Go for a Walk

Family Walk

A great way to make your Thanksgiving healthier & happier is to go for a walk! You can go before the meal, after the meal, or both!

Where we live, there’s a Thanksgiving tradition to go on the Turkey Trot Thanksgiving morning. It’s a walk downtown near the beach. It’s fun for the whole family, and it even benefits the local schools. We participated in it for the first time last year and had so much fun! It’s a 3 mile walk or run. My husband ran with my youngest son, and my daughter ran it herself. I walked it by myself, although I did start off with a friend from church. Before the race started, we saw my son’s teacher and some classmates, so we took pictures together. It was such a fun way to start the day!

You should see if you have something like that in your community that your whole family can do together. If not, why not  just go for a walk around your neighborhood together in the morning? It’s a nice, refreshing way to start the day before all the cooking begins. Plus, you’ve burned some calories before you eat!

Also, after Thanksgiving dinner is over and the dishes are all done, why not suggest everyone go for a walk? All of your family and friends can join in! You can walk around your neighborhood, enjoying the scenery, and having nice discussions with each other. Walking is a nice way to relax after dinner, plus everyone will feel better having walked off a little bit of that food. Especially if anyone ate too much!

How to Make Your Thanksgiving Healthier & Happier 

So, as you can see, there are lots of ways to make your Thanksgiving healthier! You just have to make small changes to the traditional recipes that you use. You’ll feel much happier knowing you’re helping keep your family healthy! Also, add a new tradition of going for a walk in the morning and even after dinner. Your family will enjoy the change and have a much happier and enjoyable time together.

If you use any kind of recipe I didn’t mention and would like some help figuring out how to make it healthier, just leave a comment. I will gladly help you figure it out!

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If you enjoyed this post, please pin the image below or the one at the top of the post and share it with your followers. Thanks!

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How to Eat Healthy On a Budget

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Do you want to eat healthy, but think it’s going to be way too expensive? Come see how to eat healthy on a budget! You’ll be amazed at how you can still save money while eating healthy.

How to Eat Healthy On a Budget

It’s too bad that so many people think that eating healthy is out of their reach. When we switched to a heart healthy diet, I was already following a plan to save money at the grocery store. The good news is, that plan didn’t have to change! It’s definitely possible to eat healthy while still saving money.

I’ve already written several posts on how to do that, so I decided it would be easier for you if I summed them all up in one place. Of course, you can click on the links to the posts if you want to read more detailed information about that topic.

How to Eat Healthy On a Budget When Buying Meat

There are 5 different ways to save money when buying meat.

1. Buy meat when it’s on sale or after the holidays. Look for sales in the weekly store circulars and stock up on meat when it goes on sale. The days after holidays are a great time to shop for sales on meat. On the day after Thanksgiving, you can find great sales on turkey; and after Easter and Christmas, you’ll find great sales on ham.

2. Stretch the meat. Eat the proper portions of meat. That is a size of a deck of cards for lean meat or poultry, and the size of a checkbook for fish. Also, eating leftovers or using the meat for making more than one dinner/lunch is another way to help stretch the meat and your money.

3. Finding deals on meat. Many stores will mark down meat that will expire soon. As long as you freeze it or cook it before the expiration date, it’s fine.

4. Save money by how you prepare meat. When a recipe calls for cooked diced chicken, instead of buying pre-cut, pre-cooked chicken, just cook a couple of chicken breasts, and cut them up yourself to use in your recipe.

5. Buy meat at a wholesale club. Fresh and frozen meat is cheaper and higher grade at a wholesale club. I’m able to find lower % fat ground beef there, than I can find in the store. I also buy my chicken breasts, salmon, and tilapia there. I like it because they’re frozen individually so I only have to thaw out what we’re going to eat.

How to Eat Healthy On a Budget When Buying Produce

There are 4 different ways to save money when buying produce.

1. Prep your own produce. It’s so tempting to just pick up a bag of ready-to-eat salad, but it’s much cheaper and tastier to make a salad yourself. Buying pre-cut celery, apples, baby carrots, etc. also adds up. So, it’s much cheaper to buy whole produce in bulk and cut it up yourself.

2. Tips for selecting produce. Purchase the produce that’s in season.  It’s nice and fresh because it’s from a local source. I always plan what vegetables I’m going to make, according to what’s on sale in that week’s store circulars. If you can eat the amount of produce sold in bulk bags, it’s much cheaper. I always buy a 10 pound bag of potatoes when it’s on sale and then use it in multiple recipes throughout the month.

3. How to avoid wasting your produce. When you make your grocery shopping list, think about how many of each produce your family will consume for that time period, and only buy that amount. Look at your produce drawer before making your grocery list and see what you already have. Then, plan your list accordingly.

4. Grow your own produce. We have several fruit trees: oranges, apples, apricots and nectarines. We also grow grapes. In the past, we’ve grown zucchini, green beans, and tomatoes. Nothing beats the taste of homegrown produce! Plus, buying a seed or starter plant is much cheaper than buying the produce in the store.

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Here are some products to help you save money on meat and produce:


Do you want to eat healthy, but think it's going to be way too expensive? Come see how to eat healthy on a budget! You can save money while eating healthy!Click To Tweet

How to Eat Healthy On a Budget When Buying Dairy Products

There are 5 different ways to save money when buying dairy products.

1. Save money on milk. We’ve found that Costco has the best tasting milk, and Walmart is second. Costco milk is much cheaper because 2 gallons cost the same amount as one gallon at most other stores. Look for the milk that won’t expire for awhile, so it won’t go bad before you can use it.

2. Save money on yogurt. Yogurt often goes on sale and has coupons, so always look out for that. Almost every week, either my youngest son’s yogurt, or mine has coupons in the Sunday paper or online.

3. Save money on cheese. Buy cheese from the dairy case rather than the deli or gourmet section. The same exact cheese is much cheaper in the dairy case, sometimes up to 63% less! Block cheese is usually less expensive than shredded cheese. Sometimes shredded cheese even costs double what a block of cheese does! Just grate it yourself, or use a food processor.

4. Save money on eggs. Eggs can go on sale for a really low price, so keep your eye out on the sales. Even the omega-3 eggs that I buy at Sprouts, goes on sale every few weeks, so I always make sure and buy some then. Eggs last for 3 to 5 weeks after you buy them, so you’re sure to use them by then.

5. Save money by buying store brand. It’s okay to buy store brand dairy products. Both brand-name and store-brand products have to meet USDA requirements. So, there’s no reason to spend extra money for the brand-name when the products are almost exactly the same.

How to Eat Healthy On a Budget When Buying Treats

There are 5 different ways to save money when buying treats.

1. Choose healthier treats. Fruits and vegetables are inexpensive, especially when you purchase them when they’re on sale. Pretzels and popcorn kernels are already priced pretty inexpensively. Crackers are usually on sale for $1.69 and when there’s a coupon for $1.00 off 2, that means each box of crackers is only $1.19 each. Rice cakes usually go on sale for $0.99.

2. Make your own treats. It’s cheaper, and healthier to make your own cookies, brownies, ice pops, popsicles, or smoothies. You can modify the recipes to make them healthier. You can also make your own tortilla chips and pita chips.  I also make my own hummus to go along with them.

3. Compare brand names vs. store names. Store name crackers, pretzels, graham crackers, chips, vanilla wafers and cookies can be less than half the cost of the brand names. When the brand name crackers go on sale, and I can combine the sale with a coupon, I will buy the name brand because with that combination of deals, they’re lower than the store brand.

4. Don’t buy the 100-calorie packs. I know it’s tempting because they’re just the right size and they’re convenient, but they are much more expensive! It can cost 4 times as much! You can buy a regular box of crackers, pretzels, chips, etc. and portion out the amount yourself. You can make enough for the whole week in a short amount of time.

5. Save on beverages. Cutting down on the amount of sodas and juice that you drink is a good way to save money on beverages, and better for your health too. 100% fruit juice goes on sale often. If there aren’t sales on juice, then the frozen concentrate is the most cost effective choice. It doesn’t take very long to make and your kids can even help stir it. It’s also much cheaper to just drink tap/filtered water from home, rather than buying water bottles.

Here are some products to help you save money on dairy products and treats:


It’s great to know there are so many ways to help you eat healthy on a budget. You just need to look for sales, make some items yourself, be willing to buy store brands, and use reusable items to help you save as much as you can on your grocery bill.

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The Best Ways to Eat Healthy On a Budget

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20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats for Kids

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Are you looking for alternatives to hand out to the kids that come to your door on Halloween? Check out these 20 non-candy Halloween treats for kids that I found!

20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats for Kids

You might be afraid to hand out something to the neighborhood kids that isn’t candy. However, it’s okay, because they’ll get tons of candy from all your other neighbors. Believe it or not, the kids will actually be happy to get something other than candy. They’ll be able to bring it to school in their lunch, or as a snack, to show off to their friends. They won’t be able to do that with candy. Of course, you’ll make the parents happy to have non-candy Halloween treats.

All of these ideas would also be ideal for handing out in your kids’ classrooms.

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

Food for Non-Candy Halloween Treats

1. Rice Krispies Treats 60 mini squares

This is something my kids would love to get for Halloween! The treats are just the right size and don’t have as much sugar as candy.

2. Garden Veggie Chips – Limited Time Halloween Treat Bags – Shapes of Ghosts & Bats – Sea Salt Flavored Extra Large Bonus Buy of 40 – .5 Oz Bags

These are such a cute idea! Kids can have a healthy addition to their lunch in fun Halloween shapes.

3. Utz Halloween Snack Pack Bags-18 Individual Cheddar Cheese Curls or 40 Individual Pretzel Treats (18 Count Cheddar Cheese Curls, 1 Bag)

Another cute thing the kids can bring in their lunch box. Since the cheese curls are baked, they’re healthier than regular cheese curls.

4. Stauffer’s Halloween Snack Packs, 0.50 oz. Bags (Set of 40) (Animal Crackers)

Everyone likes animal crackers!

5. Halloween Welch’s Fruit Snacks Mixed Fruit Bag

Fruit snacks are a great alternative to candy. This brand has one of the lowest sugar count that we’ve found!

6. Frito-Lay Baked & Popped Mix Green Variety Pack, 20 Count

This mix is great because it’s low fat and low sugar! Something parents will love. The kids will like them too because they taste great!

7. Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers Halloween Snack Packs, Cheddar, 0.75 Ounces (Pack of 24)

Kids of all ages will enjoy these for a healthy snack or as part of their lunch.

8. Annies Organic Halloween Fruit Snack Packs – Healthier Alternative to Candy – Vegan, Gelatin and Gluten Free – 6.0oz Box (15 Pouches/Box) (Pack of 1)

For those of you that prefer to hand out organic snacks, here’s a cute idea!

9. Cheez-It Baked Snack Cheese Crackers,0.38oz 70 Count (Halloween Fun Packs)

Lots of kids love Cheezits, so this would be perfect!

10. Nabisco Savory Crackers Mix, Variety Pack with Cheese Nips, Mini Ritz, Ritz Sour Cream & Onion Chips, and Wheat Thins, 20 Count Individual Snack Bags

Although these don’t have cute Halloween packaging, they’re still the perfect size for passing out to trick-or-treaters.

Are you looking for alternatives to hand out to the kids that come to your door on Halloween? Check out these 20 non-candy Halloween treats for kids that I found!Click To Tweet

Toys for Non-Candy Halloween Treats

1. 50 Pieces Halloween Assorted Stamps Kids Self-Ink Stamps

Kids absolutely love stamps! They have so much fun making different things with them. The younger ones can just stamp like crazy all over a scratch piece of paper. The older kids can use the stamps to help them tell a story. My son used to write a story and then add in a stamp in between. It’s like one of those fun rebus books!

2. Halloween Mega Toy Novelty Assortment

This assortment is so cute! There are plenty of different toys to please everyone. There are 12 different ducks, character bubbles, and crayons. Also, there’s 36 glitter tattoos. That’s 72 different toys!

3. Play-Doh Halloween Trick or Treat Bag, 80 Fun-size cans

This is my favorite idea! The people who purchased it on Amazon agree too, because it got 5 stars! My kids and I loved playing with Play-Doh! I think any kid would be so happy to get this.

4. 200-Pack Glow Stick Bracelets

Kids and parents would love this! The kids could wear it immediately and have a fun accessory to add to their costume. The parents would love it because it would make their kids safer since they’d be easier to see.

5. Sticky Hands

Sticky hands are so fun for kids! They’ll love getting these to play with. I know at school, that’s what a lot of kids pick from the prize box.

6. Mini Toy Figures

Boys and girls nowadays both love playing legos. So, these toy figures would definitely be something they would enjoy. They have boy and girl figurines, so there’s something for everyone!

7. Halloween Character Finger Puppets

Kids love putting on their own puppet show for their parents or friends!

8. Fun Express Halloween Foam Glider Assortment Airplane Vehicle (Pack of 48)

This is definitely something unique that the kids would enjoy! These would be fun to play with and the kids will get their exercise chasing them around!

9. 100 Prism Pumpkin Stickers Roll

This is super affordable to hand out, plus kids love stickers!

10. JOYIN Over 600 Pieces Halloween Craft Assortment Kit Including Halloween Temporary Tattoos Halloween Stickers, Halloween Stampers Foam Stickers for Halloween Party Favors Halloween Craft Supplies

This is a huge assortment at an awesome price! You’ll be able to hand out a few of each to all the kids!

All of these are the best non-candy Halloween treats for kids that I could find. The kids will enjoy getting something unique. The parents will like that their kids have a treat that’s not candy.

Is there any treat on here you think you would like to hand out? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to hear about it.

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20 Non-Candy Halloween Treats Kids Will Like

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How to Get Exercise at the Mall

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Are you looking for a fun way to exercise and get healthy? Check out these simple ideas for how to get exercise at the mall! Who knew shopping could also be healthy?

How to Get Exercise at the Mall

Whether it’s hot or cold outside, it’s a great time to go exercising at the mall! If it’s hot, you can go to the mall for their air conditioning and stay cool. If it’s cold, the warm mall is a great place to escape the rain and snow! It’s also just a fun thing to do with your kids. When my kids were little, I’d take them in the stroller and walk around the mall. They liked it because there’s plenty of stuff to look at. I liked it because I was around other people, not just lonely at home. Plus, I was able to exercise by walking around the mall!

I found a lot of great exercise ideas from a magazine (I ripped the page crooked and can’t see the magazine name) and also some health websites.

Just Starting Out Getting Exercise at the Mall

If you’re just starting out and want to try getting exercise at the mall, it’s okay to take it slow. (Of course always check with your doctor before starting any exercise routine.) This great article from the National Institute on Aging gives great tips and explains the benefits of mall walking: https://go4life.nia.nih.gov/exercise/mall-walking/.

One of their suggestions is to start out at your own pace. “As you get used to walking, increase the frequency, intensity, and/or duration of your walk to improve your fitness. Try taking the stairs to the second level instead of the escalator.”

Fun Routine to Get Exercise at the Mall

If you’re ready to pick up the pace and start walking a little faster, there are different routines you can try out. Here’s a great routine from a magazine that’s by Soraya Knight-Doherty, a fitness instructor.

  • Do a 5 minute warm-up. Just start walking the mall and looking around, enjoying yourself. As you start to warm up a little, increase the pace. After about 5 minutes, briskly walk to the food court.
  • Power-walk the food court. Go around the perimeter of the food court twice, while power-walking. (You’re going to make all of those people sitting there eating their sugar and fat filled cinnamon rolls inspired to get up and walk instead.) Then, walk briskly to the nearest set of stairs or escalator.
  • Walk up and down the stairs or escalator. Walk up and down the stairs or escalator three times. If there are people on the elevator, they’ll usually scoot over to the side if they hear you coming. Then, continue walking briskly around the mall.
  • Pick a shoe store or your favorite retailer. Once you pass either a shoe store or your favorite retailer, pick up the pace each time you pass it.
  • Repeat these three things. For 20 minutes, repeat those three things. Power walk the food court, walk up and down the stairs or escalator, and pick up the pace around a store.
  • Cool down the last 5 minutes. When 20 minutes is up, you can slow your pace and just walk at a normal pace until your heart rate returns to normal.

That’s it! You just got 30 minutes of exercise!

By the way, it’s a good idea to go to the mall early in the day, so that there aren’t too many people around while you’re walking.

When I used to do this with my kids, I would let them play in the kids’ play area when I was done with my walk. It was a nice reward for them for being so good while I exercised.

Get Exercise at the Mall by Walking with Friends

You don’t have to walk alone! There are exercise programs specifically for walking the mall! I used to see them when I walked with my kids and always wanted to join one. I don’t know why I never did.

Anyway, I found a great mall walking guide from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/downloads/mallwalking-guide.pdf. It’s a huge resource; it’s 56 pages! It tells you the benefits of mall walking and how to start a mall walking program.

Starting on page 16, it gives you some examples of mall walking programs you can join. There’s some in Alaska, Illinois, Missouri, Washington, and West Virginia. If your mall or area isn’t listed, you can just ask the information desk in your mall and see if they have one. They also list other walking programs, like at zoos and ice rinks! Those would both be fun things to do.

According to the Very Well Fit website, “Some mall walking programs provide weights and exercise stations so you can also enjoy a strength workout after your walk.” That would add some great strength training into your workout too!

A side benefit of mall walking programs, is the malls often have discounts available for people who are part of the program. So, besides getting your exercise, you can also shop and save money!

Walking with a friend or group is a great way to keep you motivated. You won’t be tempted to stay at home because you know someone else is holding you accountable and counting on you to show up. It also makes the time pass by quicker because you’re enjoying talking with your friends.

Are you looking for a fun way to exercise and get healthy? Check out these simple ideas for how to get exercise by walking around the mall! Who knew shopping could also be healthy?Click To Tweet

Some Ways to Increase Your Exercise at the Mall

*This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience (This means if you make a purchase after clicking a link, I will earn a small commission, but it won’t cost you a penny more)! Click here to read my full disclosure policy.

As you get used to whatever mall walking routine you choose to do, you can start increasing your time, distance, speed, intensity, and how often you go.

Also, you can park a little bit farther away from the entrance each time, so that your walk before and after is a little longer.

Everydayhealth.com has a great article with ways to exercise at the mall. One of the suggestions is adding strength training by using the benches at the mall. “You can make up fun routines like walking each level and hitting every other bench or every third bench for dips and push-ups.”

They also suggest adding some weights while you walk. “Walking weights are small investments with a huge return because they allow you to work multiple muscle groups at once,” says Woods. “You can do bicep curls, shoulder presses, lateral raises, and triceps extensions while walking and lunging.” Here are some great weights you can use:


You can also set goals for yourself, similar to the workout example I mentioned earlier. For example, you can lunge until you reach the next store. You can do bicep curls until you find the next accessories store. Do tricep extensions until you reach the next video game store. Setting these goals will keep you motivated to accomplish them and it helps knowing there’s an end in site!

It’s Easy and Beneficial to Start Getting Exercise at the Mall

The great thing about getting exercise at the mall is it’s free! You also don’t need any special exercise equipment, so you don’t have to buy a lot of things. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes, like these:


 

If you have any mall walking tips, I’d love to hear them!

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A Fun Way to Exercise at the Mall

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14 Easy Ways to Help You Live Healthier

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Do you want to live healthier, but wish it was easier? Check out these 14 easy health hacks that can help you live healthier and feel better!

14 Easy Ways to Help You Live Healthier

I was recently reading my Weight Watchers magazine (March/April 2018), that I got for free by the way from freebizmag.com. I read an article that I really liked about 31 health hacks. It was written by Jessica Cassity. (By the way, I’m not a member of Weight Watchers, I just figured I could get some good healthy living tips from the magazine.)

Jessica mentions 31 different health hacks that can help you feel fantastic. I just chose 14 of them that seemed like something most people would enjoy doing.

14 Easy Ways to Help You Live Healthier

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1. Try Dancing. Dancing is good for your brain and your physical health. It can help make your brain younger, according to a brain health researcher, Marc Milstein, PhD. You also get a good physical workout from dancing. (If you’ve ever been a dance mom like me, you know how hard those girls work!) Your brain gets the most workout from learning something new, so learn a new dance. There’s lots of Youtube videos that will teach you how to dance. It’s even something fun that you and your kids can learn together!

2. Eat more at breakfast. I’m sure you’ve always heard how important it is to eat your breakfast! Well, it’s actually true. In the article it talks about a 2013 study that the journal Obesity did. They found “that women who ate the majority of their calories for breakfast lost more weight and felt more full than women who consumed most of their calories at dinner.” Wow, sounds like it’s worth the try! Here’s some healthy options:


3. Eat Mediterranean food. My doctor even suggested this to me just recently at my latest physical. This diet is full of healthy fats that have lots of health benefits. One thing it talks about in the article is that it can help relieve acid reflux. Scientists from The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and New York Medical College did a study on this. They gave people an acid reflux medicine and had others follow the Mediterranean diet. Amazingly, following the diet worked as well as the medicine. That’s awesome! Especially for someone like me who’s allergic to lots of medicines! This is a great way to live healthier! Here’s some examples of what to eat on a Mediterranean diet:


4. Exercise to your favorite song. This one sounds like something I would love to do! You already know listening to your favorite song can make you feel happier. Well, it can also make working out easier. Personal trainer, Katie Dunlop, suggests, “Start up the song you just love and challenge yourself to do a specific exercise until it ends. I often do this with squats, seeing how many I can do and trying to add more each time.” Since I like to walk, I think I would see how far I can walk during the song. Then, challenege myself to walk further the next time.

5. Don’t just sit there while waiting for your dinner reservation to be called. When you get to a restaurant and have to put your name on the list, don’t just look for the nearest place to sit down. A lot of places have pagers now that they give you when you put your name in. So, you’re not tied to staying in the restaurant. So, go outside and take a walk! You are burning calories and building up your appetite for dinner. Plus, you get a chance to have a nice conversation with your dinner companions without having to shout over everyone else in the restaurant.

6. Get encouragement from someone else. This doesn’t have to do with healthy eating or exercise, but it’s still very important to living healthier! If you’re feeling down, get in touch with someone who can offer you encouragement. This can be through a phone call, text, social media, etc. The article suggests asking, “What’s the best thing about this week?” or “What’s the coolest thing you heard today?” Then, when they tell you their answer, you’ll feel better and more positive too!

7. Listen to a book while you walk. This was suggested in the article by personal trainer, Erin Oprea. She suggests, “Download a book you know you’re not going to want to put down. Then, only listen to it during your walk.” That way, you’re bound to keep walking because you don’t want to stop before you get to the end of a chapter. Plus, you’ll want to walk again the next day, because you want to know what happens in the next chapter.


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8. Try a HIIT workout. HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. Kari Saitowitz, founder of Fhitting Room, explains how to do a HIIT workout.

  • For 20 seconds, do an intense power move such as burpees, squats, or sit-ups with all-out efort.
  • Rest for 10 seconds.
  • Repeat the 20/10 cycle 8 times. In four minutes, you’re done!

The article says if you do these kinds of exercises regularly, it can give you similar benefits as doing a moderate 20 minute workout. That’s amazing that you can only work out for 4 minutes! If you don’t have much time, this sounds like something you might try. If your dr. approves, of course.

9. You can exercise while you watch t.v. You don’t have to give up watching your favorite t.v. show! James Shapiro, founder of Primal Power Fitness in New York City gives a great suggestion. He says, “As the opening and closing credits of each episode roll, hold a plank for as long as you can.” If you’ve never done a plank before, you can put your hands on the back of the seat or sofa.

Also, I think if you can’t do a plank, just do something else that you can do during the opening and closing, or even the commercials. Maybe walk around the living room, do some leg raises, arm lifts, etc. Anything you can do in those few minutes will help you live healthier.

10. Make sure you drink enough water. In the article, holistic health coach MaryAnn Jones suggests, “Choose a beautiful glass or bottle for your water then add in a rainbow of fruit, veggies and herbs.” It will be so pretty, that you’ll want to drink it! I talk more about this in Step #4 in this post: 7 Easy Tips on How to Lose Weight Under 40

11. Make cleaning fun! Instead of dreading cleaning, turn it into something fun to do. You can set your timer for 4 minutes. Katherine Corp, co-owner of Pilates on Fifth in NYC suggests, “then make it a game to see how much you can run around and clean in that amount of time. You’ll be amazed how tidy your house looks.” If you can get in 30 minutes of cleaning, you’ll even burn some calories! If you’re 165 lbs, you can burn 112 calories in that amount of time!

I think this would be a fun way to get your kids to help you with the cleaning too! You can have a contest to see who can complete their cleaning task before the timer goes off. Or, who got the most cleaning done in the 4 minutes! Here’s some things to get you started:


12. Workout with a friend. It’s so much more motivating to workout with someone else. It can make the time pass much quicker if you’re walking with a friend, enjoying the conversation. Plus, for those of you that say you don’t have time to exercise, yet you have time for coffee with your friend, why not do both? You can walk to your local coffee shop with your friend, and enjoy a cup of coffee. Then, walk back together.

13. Salmon has lots of health benefits. There’s lots of healthy food trends that are popular for a moment, but then fade away. However, salmon is something that has always stood the test of time. It’s really good for your heart because of its omega-3 fatty acids. I talk about this in my post, How to Shop for Heart Healthy Meat and Nuts.

14. Bike to work. More and more people are biking to work nowadays to live healthier. When I would take my daughter to the train in the mornings on her way to her college classes, we saw people arriving on their bikes. In fact, one of the ladies that works at her college, bikes to work. She leaves it at the train station and then rides home. Other people take their bike with them on the train. Even buses have bike racks on the front of them now.

Also, if your work is within biking distance, you can just bike all the way to work. Before the school year ended, they had a bike to school day, and some teachers even participated.

The article mentions that if you pass a gym while you’re on the way to work and feel guilty about not working out, here’s a solution! You can still get your exercise in and the health benefits from it “without adding another item to your to-do list. In a recent study, people who biked to work lost just as much fat as car commuters who did high intensity exercise at the gym.”

So, as you can see, no matter what you’re doing, you can find a way to get some health benefits into your day.

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14 Easy Health Hacks to Help You Feel Better

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