This month, skip the gym and get active outdoors instead.

Go local.

To beat the routine of exercise, play a sport; here are some ideas: basketball, softball, tennis, flag football, American handball, pickleball, racquetball, ultimate frisbee, roller-blading, fencing, climbing, and golf (walking, not carting). To find people to play sports with, search for your particular sport or just type in “sports league” at www.yelp.com or www.meetup.com. Also try contacting your city recreation department or local YMCA. Or use Kaiser’s website to find a class.

Pack your snacks.

Plan ahead for healthy munching by bringing along fruits, nuts, and other light treats. Check out this link for ideas on snacks made with real food, not processed junk.

Make a splash with Easy Drinks.

A couple of $2 colas or sports drinks every day sets you back almost
$1,500 a year. Here are some ideas for staying hydrated with easy,
healthy drinks on the cheap:

• Six Second Soda Add a splash of fruit juice to a glass (about a 1-second pour). Fill the rest of the glass with seltzer water (about a 5-second pour). It’s great with orange, apple, grape, cranberry, grapefruit, or any fruit juice.
• Fruit Infusion Add berries or slices of any fruit to the bottom of a glass. Press them a little with a tablespoon. Fill the glass with tap water (and ice) and stir it up for delicious infused water. Try whole strawberries and raspberries or slices of apple, orange, lemon, pear, watermelon, or any combination thereof. Surprisingly, slices of cucumber make a refreshing infusion. Instead of drinking soda at a restaurant, ask for seltzer water with a lemon or lime slice—it’s usually free.
• Easy Tea No boiling water necessary. Just put your favorite tea bag in the bottom of a glass, fill with water, and let it sit a few minutes before drinking for a lightly-flavored beverage. Try black and green tea, as well as herb tea like peppermint or chai. Red zinger is especially good. You can use one teabag to flavor many glasses of water each day.

Take off a few.

Your weight is more than a number on a scale — it’s how you feel every day, inside and out.

Maintaining a healthy weight means making small changes that add up to big success.

No matter what your goal is — to lose weight for a special event, boost your confidence, fit into your favorite jeans, get your family’s weight on track, or prevent health problems — Kaiser’s got the information and tools to help you succeed.