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Smart
OnfineSmart LADAN NEKOOMARAM
Find a “sitter” online j
Finding someone who can walk Fido 1
while you’re out of town should J
be as easy as booking a flight. At
least that's the philosophy be
hind Care.com, a website launched ®
in May that offers a variety of serv
ices for people in need.
Members of Care.com who
are looking for a groomer or
an in-home pet sitter can j
find “providers” in all 50 1
states. A sls registration I
fee and a monthly subscrip- *
tion fee are required to get
access to all the benefits. Fees
for services are worked out with the
individual providers. Having some
one feed, walk, groom and stay over
night with your pet may cost sls an
hour. Regular babysitters and tutors
Hi
Fit By JORGE CRUISE
Balance training 101
Chances are, if you
have picked up a fitness
magazine recently, you’ve seen some
thing about balance training. Rnm foam
rollers to stability and BOSU balls, bal
ance training is everywhere and its
benefits are numerous.
“Aside from the obvious benefit of
fall prevention, balance training im
proves posture, enhances movement
skills for sports and for daily living, as
well as increases confidence at a very
elemental level,” says David Week, who
invented the BOSU Balance Trainer.
“Balance training also requires you to
Contact Fit Smart columnist Jorge Cruise,
author of the upcoming fitness book The 12-
Second Sequence at Usecondsequence.com.
usaweekend.com
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4
USA WEEKEND - Sept 21 -23,2007
M
%|fk
|pp
r Care.com
features
providers in
k 50 states.
are available, too.
Care.corn's providers come with
background checks, references and
contact information for interviewing.
And the site soon will feature audio
recorded references.
be present, meaning it’s a
great way to improve mental focus." B
Whether you are looking for a K
great activity to make you alert in B
the morning, something to prepare s
you for an athletic event or a new
type of exercise, balance training
may be right for you.
TO START, try practicing a few
simple moves at home next to your
bed for stability. Week sug
gests taking your shoes and
socks off one at a time while standing
on one leg; or, if that’s too intimidat-
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To oak any USA WEEKEND columnist a quastion, visit usawookond.com.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
m
Managing Editor Brenda Turner Creative Manager: Casey Shaw
Senior Editors: Craigh Barboza, Carol Clurman, Constance Kurz. Lorrie Lynch,
Priscilla Totten Copy Chief: Jill Golden Copy Editor Ali Cybulski
Make A Difference Day Editor Pamela Brown Senior Writer: Dennis McCafferty
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Fact Checker Elena Keithley Design Director Leon Lawrence 111
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Travel Smart EVERETT POTTER
Grab a free airline seat
Why is it so difficult to get an airline seat
using frequent-flier miles? Because dur
ing heavy demand, it makes more finan
cial sense for the airlines to sell a seat
than to let it go to a passenger under a
travel award program. So how- can you
get a seat using those 25,000 miles? Plan
your flights about a year ahead of time;
most airlines announce them 330 days
before the actual flight Or book at the last
minute, no more than two weeks ahead,
when unsold seats are up for grabs. You
must be flexible; if you live in New York
and JFK has no seats, then try Newark or
LaGuardia. And get creative: There may
not be any room on a non-stop Delta flight
from, say, Boston to Salt Lake City, but
you may find seats on a pair of connect
ing flights to get you to
f* your destination.
ing, walk heel to toe along
X a line on the floor. He
also recommends that
you try certain activi
ties with your eyes
closed so you can bet
.■ J, tor focus on your move
y:;.:yyVßl ments. “Stand up from a
chair with your eyes closed and
jjlß compare that to when your eyes
IjgM are opened.” Week says. “Then,
to increase the challenge, raise
W your heels and stand on your tip
toes —first with your eyes open, and
then closed.”
OTHER MOVES: Stand on two ten
nis balls without letting your feet
touch the ground (use a wall or a chair
back for support at first). Or, if you’re
more advanced, “walk” on the tennis
balls as you roll them forward.
For balance training tips and other
sample moves, visit bosufitness.com.
Eat Smart jean carper
Fruity salad for fall
Use red-skinned pears to make this
salad colorful as well as nutritious. Pears
are a good source of vitamin C and
a very good source of fiber.
HONEYED PEARS ON GREENS
WITH BLUE CHEESE
3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbs. fresh lemon juice or to taste
2 tsps. honey
2 tsps. fresh thyme, plus extra for garnish
Dash of salt
2 ripe but firm pears, cored, unpeeled
and cut in chunks (about 6 pieces per
half pear)
3.5 ounces (5 cups) greens, such as baby
arugula
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
'A cup crushed honey-coated almonds
(optional)
In a small saucepan, combine oil, lemon
juice, honey, thyme and salt. Add pears,
while gently stirring, and bring to a rapid
boil. Simmer at high heat for 1 minute.
Pears should hold their shape and not be
mushy. Refrigerate until cool.
To assemble, divide greens on 4 plates.
Top with pears, including liquid. Add blue
cheese. Garnish with thyme and almonds.
SERVES 4 ■ PER SERVING (without alnonds):
259 calories, 7g protein, 19g carbohydrates,
19g fat (6.7 g saturated), 21 mg cholesterol,
3g fiber, 404 mg sodium C 3
Contributing Editors
Pam Anderson. Ken Bums, Jean Carper,
Stephen Covey, Jorge Cruise,
Steve Dale, Kenneth C. Davis,
Sharon Epperson, Dennie Hughes,
Walecia Konrad, Lisa Ling,
Lou Manfredini, Dr. Tedd Mitchell,
Ann Pleshette Murphy, Cokie Roberts,
Steve Roberts, Tavis Smiley,
Terry Stickels
BALANCING PM IMAGES. GETTY IMAGES, DOG MECKY/GETTY, SALAD BRIAN IEATAHT FOR USA WEEKEND
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Charlie Williams
Taaz Williams
Luci Day
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