By Abra Pappa for NutritiousAmerica.com

3000 miles, 8 days, and 500 bucks to get across the country. Could you do it?

Last week my business partner (and best friend), Karen, and I embarked on an adventure across the country to see if it was possible to eat healthy in as many states as we could for as little money as possible.

For nearly a decade Karen and I have been counseling clients on the benefits of a natural, organic, whole food diet. Our company, Nutritious America, works to inspire people around the country to lose weight and clear up various health problems by changing how and what they eat.

In our work we tend to hear a lot of the same “issues” from clients about their struggle to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Topping the list is, “It’s too expensive” and, “Healthy food is not convenient or readily available.” It was time Karen and I put these “issues” to the test.

We have both lived in large urban environments for over 15 years, where healthy food is readily available. I have a farmers market literally 3 blocks from my apartment, not to mention multiple juice bars, organic restaurants, and a Whole Foods Market all within walking distance. Is healthy food expensive? It depends on how you look at it. I spend money on food. I spend money on healthy food. I live by the philosophy, “pay the farmer today or the doctor tomorrow.” I choose to spend my money on food rather than expensive clothes, shoes, or bags. It’s a choice I make. However, I have always firmly believed that healthy food should be affordable for all people in this country. Is it possible to eat healthy and not break the bank? Is healthy food readily available in small towns across the country?

We wanted to find out. This was clearly just a small sampling. In 8 days we stopped in 8 different cities and had less than $30 per day per person for food.
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A traditional summer camp gives kids many more opportunities to be physically active than they have during the school year, but for some simply being active is only a part of what they hope to get out of camp. Each year, thousands of children are enrolled in summer weight loss camps, where they not only enjoy swimming, hiking and boating, but can also learn about healthy eating and weight management.

Picking the program that’s right for your child is key to a successful summer. Although there are few boot camp style programs that are aimed at children, it’s important to know a camp’s philosophy towards weight loss. “I know we’re bombarded with all kinds of fads and new plans,” says David Ettenberg, who founded Camp Shane along with his wife Ziporah Janowski. “Everyone is looking for something very easy, but the bottom line is eat less and exercise more.”

Camp Shane, the oldest co-ed weight loss camp in the United States, doesn’t eliminate particular foods from the menu, but works to teach kids about making better choices. “We try to deal with reality,” says Ettenberg.

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The benefits of yoga are vast, and can help the busiest of people unplug, unwind, and reconnect with themselves. It’s one of those activities you can do just about anywhere, be it home, gym, office, and now the airport.

Yesterday San Francisco International Airport (SFO) opened a dedicated yoga room within the concourse. It’s been deemed the first of its kind at any airport in the world. Located in terminal two near Virgin America, the yoga room has been well designed. The former storage closet offers a quiet, serene escape from the hustle of the terminal. Inside yogis will find chairs, yoga mats, and low dim lighting. The room cost SFO about $20,000, and they say their work isn’t done. There are plans to add felt-covered “rocks” to the room to inspire a Japanese Zen-garden ambiance later in the spring.
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If going on a vacation or traveling for work has one major drawback, it’s getting out of the healthy fitness habits we have worked so hard to maintain while at home. Nothing beats taking a trip to the beach or visiting a new city, but by the third day our bodies begin to feel like they have been left behind, neglected, and ultimately not part of the fun.

Being in a different environment, sitting or standing more than usual, wearing brand new work shoes or cheap vacation flip flops can all increase muscular stress on our bodies, especially if we’ve ditched the exercise routine. It is no wonder we often feel as if we need a vacation after a vacation; our bodies are stiff, tired and worn out from skipping our workouts.

Whether you practice yoga regularly or have yet to try it, these pose suggestions will help you at least save your lower back, hips and attitude from going south while you are away from the comforts of a healthy routine at home.

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