Happy New Year. Welcome to this month's newly formatted 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 and cultural businesses. Within this monthly email newsletter you will read about recreational and cultural 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.

On the Road with LifeBalance: Planning a vacation? Look to LifeBalance to help lessen the load on your wallet. LifeBalance offers members savings at a variety of specialty hotels, bed & breakfasts, vacation rentals and more in locations throughout Oregon, Washington, Alaska as well as outside service areas.

For a complete listing of lodging related LifeBalance Providers, visit the LifeBalance Destination Lodging / Vacation Rentals page.

Exercising in the Cold: When the temperature goes down outside, your urge to follow your exercise program may cool off too. Facing the cold, wind, rain and snow is unappealing to even the most dedicated athlete. Follow these tips to be safe and to make the most of a winter workout. Stick to your routine. Discipline often is the best encouragement for winter exercising. Set aside certain times during the week to put on those gloves and go outside. Stretch before and after. Do some light warm-up and cool-down stretching exercises before and after your workout. Stretching is especially important in the winter months when it's easier to cramp up or pull a cold muscle. Moisturize. Put a moisturizer on your lips, face, hands or any other area that may be susceptible to the drying effects of cold air. Watch out for snow and ice. Be more careful when exercising in winter conditions. If you're going through snow or ice patches, slow down, shorten your stride a bit and be alert. Notify someone of your whereabouts. Slick sidewalks, cold temperatures and shorter days make winter activities more dangerous. Carry a cell phone with you and tell someone where you're going and how long you'll be gone. Get warm once you're done. After your workout, get warm as soon as possible and trade your wet clothes for dry ones. Make time for extra rest. Because you use more energy when you exercise in the winter, get plenty of sleep. This will also help you fend off wintertime colds and other illnesses. Drink plenty of water. It's as easy to become dehydrated during the cold months, as it is in the scorching summer heat, so carry a water bottle with you and drink plenty of fluids after your workout. Dress appropriately. Wear light layers to keep in warmth while still allowing for movement. Also, don't forget your hat and mittens. Exercising in the winter can be just as much fun as doing so in the summer and it burns more calories. Plus, there will be fewer crowds and insects to bother you! (SolarBlur)

Supercharge Your Diet: Lose weight if you need to. Make this a huge health priority. Every extra pound puts you at greater risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and arthritis. Don't sit around. Get 45 minutes of activity a day if you're trying to lose weight or keep it off and that includes just about every adult in the US. Eat tons of fruits and vegetables. If you could go to a cancer research conference, you would see all the scientists with lunch plates heaped with veggies and fruit. Eat nine servings a day; it's easier than you think! Get more "good" fats. That means monounsaturated fats in olive oil, nuts, and peanut butter, and omega-3 fats in walnuts, canola oil, flaxseed, and fatty fish such as salmon. Avoid saturated fat (as in cheeseburgers). Cut way back on sugar. Every day, we eat an average of 21 teaspoons of added sugars. For starters, trade your soft drinks for iced tea, plain or sweetened with just a touch of honey. Switch to whole grains now. Evidence is mounting that we're eating far too much refined starch (white flour foods) for our own good. For example, women who eat mostly "white bread" diets have more breast cancer and diabetes. If you drink alcohol, drink only a little. You know the rule about one drink a day for women, two drinks for men? Even that may be too much. A recent study of more than 40,000 adults found that people with the lowest risk of dying were women who averaged less than one drink a day and men who averaged less than two drinks a day. (Prevention)

The randomly drawn correct answer to this Northwest trivia question wins a LifeBalance Member Event gift certificate or tickets to an upcoming Member Event. This month's question is: "What are the names of the kings in a deck of cards? Hint: Each represent a great king from history."

Last month's trivia question: What is Alaska Day was correctly answered by Laura Oddson. At the instigation of U.S. Secretary of Sate, William Seward, the United States Senate approved the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7,200,000 (approximately $90,750,000 in 2005 dollars, adjusted for inflation) on April 9, 1867, and the United States flag was raised on October 18 of that same year (now called Alaska Day). Coincident with the ownership change, the de facto International Date Line was moved westward, and Alaska changed from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Therefore, for residents, Friday, October 6, 1867 was followed by Friday, October 18, 1867; two Fridays in a row because of the date line shift.

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!

LifeBalance Partners with Jenny Craig:

Just in time for your New Years resolution, LifeBalance has partnered with Jenny Craig to help you accomplish your weight loss goals. Through LifeBalance you can now receive special discounted rates on memberships at participating Jenny Craig Weight-loss Centres and Jenny Direct at home program. Jenny Craig features a scientifically sound approach to weight loss. Jenny Craig consultants develop personalized programs to help you achieve and maintain your desired weight. You can get a FREE 30-day TuneUp trial membership or receive 20% savings on the full retail price of the OnTrack 6-month program. Offers do not include the cost of food and apply to participating Centres only. 

To receive the Jenny Craig discount, please click on The LifeBalance Jenny Craig page and register for your personalized coupon. LifeBalance members must print the special coupon to access benefits at Jenny Craig. Discounts are not available without printout. Members may also contact LifeBalance customer service to access this benefit.

"I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it." - Thomas Jefferson.

Workplace Circus: Do you ever feel like your office has turned into a circus? Some people are clowning around and not taking anything seriously while others are shouting out the days events through a megaphone. Like the circus, life in business can be chaotic, but it really is about serving the audience. What can you do this month that would help you clearly see the service that you provide your clients and coworkers and how could you help them enjoy the experience of your services? (Brought to you by Jason Stein Coaching)

Insects do not make noises with their voices. The noise of bees, mosquitoes and other buzzing insects is caused by rapidly moving their wings. The cockroach is the fastest animal on 6 legs covering a meter a second. A hippopotamus can run faster than a man. The only 2 animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot. A snail can sleep for 3 years. (Amazing Facts)

Paying the Price: For anything worth having, anything of value, there is a price to pay. If there were no price, there would be no value. The price is not arbitrarily imposed on the thing of value. The price is in fact a big part of what gives it the value. If diamonds were scattered around on the ground everywhere, they would be worth no more than pieces of gravel. The rarity of diamonds, and the resulting price that must be paid to obtain them, are what make them so valuable. Trying to obtain something of value without paying the price will only lead to frustration and disappointment. Much of the misery in the world today is the result of such misguided quests. For anything of value, be willing to pay the price. Because without the price to pay, there is nothing of value. (Global Fitness)

Workplace Talk: Profanity in the workplace is on the rise. While studies show that tolerance for profanity is also on the rise, using profane language at work can diminish the character of the person speaking in the eyes of the listener, whether that is a client or a co-worker. Use discretion when speaking at work and keep it professional. (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 1,500 recreational & cultural businesses throughout Alaska, Oregon and Washington. The LifeBalance Program Provider Network gives members the opportunity to quickly search for specific recreational and cultural 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. LifeBalance offers members hundreds 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 and more. Visit the LifeBalance Events Calendar for a complete listing and select the event that interests you and then complete your registration.

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 Customer 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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