There are many ways to incorporate more exercise in your day.  Most of these are not new ideas, but reminders of ways you can increase fitness on a tight budget. Most importantly, it is very important to check in with your health care provider before starting any new exercise regimen. 

• Transportation - How do you get to work?  How do you run your errands?  This is an oft-repeated suggestion, because it is an important one. Riding a bike can save commute money if you already have the gear, and may be a good investment even if you don't have gear. Walking to run errands, if it is safe and feasible to do so, can also be a good way to include exercise in your day.  
• DVDs - You can check them out from local or college libraries.  Rent them from Netflix or stream them online.  If you find one that you particularly like, spending $20 to buy it can have huge payoffs!   Jillian Michaels, Women's Health, Self and Crunch Fitness are popular producers of workout DVDs.  
• The internet - Videos abound on the internet.  You can find virtually any exercise you could possibly desire on youtube or other website.  Interested in capoeira?  Tai chi? Tae kwon do? Salsa? Yoga? Pilates?  You can find it on youtube. Tara Stiles has a yoga channel on youtube with numerous different kinds of yoga exercises -  Or for a full-body 30-minute exercise routine check out .  Yoga Journal  http://www.yogajournal.com/podcast/, Self http://www.self.com/fitness, Fitness http://www.fitness.com/exercises/, and www.bodyrock.tv all offer exercise routines that you can do at home.
• Cable TV - Many cable networks have an on-demand exercise TV channel.  A popular video set is Jackie and Jillian's videos.
• iPhone or other smart phone - There are numerous, and probably hundreds of apps out there to help you reach your fitness goals.  Some ones to check out include iFitness, Yoga Stretch, and Fitness Builder.
• Community centers - Some offer pay-as-you-can dance or yoga classes, and some YMCAs or YWCAs offer scholarship programs for those in need.
• Hiking, walking and running - Once you have a good pair of shoes and the proper attire for the weather, it is free!  Recruit a friend to do this with you and make sure the area is safe. For those intimidated by the thought of running, there are programs like Couch to 5K that will slowly work you into 5K shape!
• Home equipment - Many of the inexpensive equipment like yoga mats, balance balls, weights and resistance bands come with instructional videos.  Large exercise equipment like stationary bikes or treadmills are not necessarily cheap, but they can be good investments in the long run.
• Low-impact ideas - For those with limitations due to joint pain or injuries, some excellent options are Tai Chi, swimming or yoga, but check with your health care provider first. 
• Wii fit - An additional idea that is not necessarily cheap, but if you can involve the whole family it can be an excellent deal!
• Community college PE classes - Many community colleges offer low-cost classes to the community, and you can learn explore that sport you have always wanted to learn: ballet, rock-climbing, basketball, etc.

Exercise is one of the best ways to save money on health costs in the long-term if done safely.  Finding an activity that you love is the best way to make exercise a habit that sticks and doesn't feel like a hassle or chore.

A recent study, though limited by its small number of participants, found an important link between sleep and adipose (fat) tissue. In the study all participants were reducing calories in an effort to lose weight. Participants who slept 8.5 hours per night lost significantly more fat tissue than those who slept 5.5 hours. The restricted sleep participants were more likely to lose muscle mass, have increased hunger, and have adapted to a reduced caloric intake than those who slept more.  

Sleep affects the levels of numerous hormones that circulate and control how your body responds to food.  Sleep deprivation drives up the amount of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, and decreases the level of leptin, a hormone that alerts the brain when one is full.  These are two of the numerous causes for this phenomenon.  

We live busy lives.  Few people seem to make adequate sleep a priority. Children, jobs, family, TV, hobbies, exercise, stress, obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, depression and anxiety can all get in the way of a good night's sleep. Figuring out a way to get 7-9 hours of sleep per night can mean making sacrifices, but can have a significant improvement in the way a person feels.  

Health care reform: the three words that seem to arouse so much emotion, particularly after the tragedy in Arizona. There seems to be a fair amount of confusion over what is included in this lengthy health care reform bill.  I admit, while there were portions that I understood, I also did not know the entirety of the bill. Kaiser Family Foundation is a great resource for non-profit nonpartisan information on health policies.  Whether you call it Obamacare, Health Care Reform or the Affordable Care Act, stepping away from the politicization of this issue is the only way to understand what the passage of this bill really entails. This is a video by the Kaiser Family Foundation that explains this confusing bill in an entertaining format. See http://www.kff.org/ for more information.