Energy Express by Marilynn Preston

The Healthy Lifestyle Movement has long revolved around raucous celebrations of Earth Day, and this April 22 only reminds us how far we've come. It's 2009, "Hair" is back on Broadway getting raves, and we have the greenest prez in the White House planting organic gardens, healing global wounds, and doing the peace-and-rainbow thing whenever he can.

What plans have you made for your Earth Day celebration? Your mind and your body will connect and blossom if you do something active and special to honor the spirit of this day; the day when we collectively realized that this tiny thumbnail of a planet (as seen from outer space) is fragile and one thing, and shared with many who are learning to care for her.

Clean up a neighborhood dump? Help build a playground? Run a 5K in the name of some terra-affirming cause? Earth Day 2009 also reminds us of the planetary shift in our own axis. Everything's been turned upside down. The markets have tumbled, Gibraltar has stumbled along with most of the countries of the world, and suddenly, we find ourselves doing things we've never thought of doing before.

Like saving money. Eating at home instead of eating out. Riding a bike, bus or train instead of taking the car. Buying the frozen salmon instead fresh. Postponing Paris and planning to go camping in the Smokies. Cutting out the cola.

Yes, dear readers, Thrift is the new black, and to be prudent is to be cool. At the same time, generosity is called for in all its forms, and so are hard work and high hopes.

And on that note of optimism, let me offer up some down-to-Earth Day advice about ways you can save money, cut costs and still stay on the rock-and-rolling path to a healthier, happier lifestyle:

— DON'T GIVE UP EXERCISING! A friend recently called on me for moral support. The worst thing was about to happen: Her 86-year-old mother was going to give up her Pilates classes. She'd been going two to three times a week for 30 years, but she'd taken a big hit financially, and she felt she couldn't afford Pilates anymore. Wrong! Pilates was keeping her strong, flexible and engaged in ways that are core to her health and well being.

This is true of your exercise routine, too, whether it be running, tennis or cardio work. Give up pedicures before you give up the gym! And yet, actively search for ways to economize. In the case of the 86-year-old mother, a compromise was worked out. She went from privates to classes. If there's a will, there's a way.

— OVERCOME ALL OBSTACLES. Be fearless about negotiating with your club, your trainer, your fitness equipment dealer, for a better deal. You don't know if you don't ask. Make an offer. See what happens. And be creative. Can you persuade your company to outfit an on-site gym? To cut your trainer/teacher costs in half, share the time with a friend. Also, think barter. Offer up a skill you have — free plumbing work, baby-sitting, piano lessons, dog-walking, chore-tending — in exchange for what you need to continue working out, having fun and staying sane. In times of stress and change, your continuing strength and flexibility is a priority.

— ENJOY WORKOUT DVDs. There are some amazing workout DVDs and videos out there, costing no more than $10 or $15 dollars a pop, the cost of a single yoga class. Check out the Internet, too. Free classes abound. If you miss the social interaction, ask some friends to join you for your home session, and put the $10 you each save into a drawer, and a few months later, you have hundreds of dollars to share.

— BE FLUID ABOUT YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE. Living a sedentary lifestyle is the most costly decision you can make. If you don't find time to exercise and eat real food, you increase your risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and a wide range of preventable problems. Save money by switching to lower-cost fitness activities. Really! Walking is free. So is jumping rope. Climbing stairs. Running. Biking around town running errands, using no gas, is the best bargain in the world.

Energy Express-O! What On Earth Is The Link?

"It is well understood that humans ultimately depend on the health of the planet for their well being." — Peter Garrett

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com. To find out more about Preston and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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