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Save money and your body - Go outside!

I told myself after recently reviewing my latest Visa bill and cursing, for the last time, that $59 Health Club charge. 

I never use the Health Club, or at least haven't for well over a year now - so why have I continued to allow the monthly charges? Wishful thinking, unpaid promises (wait, those are PAID promises!), sheer laziness?

In this economic crunch, this monthly charge was the LAST extra perk I really needed (the $4 lattes will be removed next. I promise!).

Since I had to drive to the billing department of the Health Club to declare face-to-face (they just want to make you feel THAT much more guilt!), I cracked open the windows and smelled that delicious decaying scent us Midwesterners are so familiar with.

I didn't let the shiny nylon jogging suit of the manager foil my plans to keep my 30-something bod in shape! As I sat there, signing all the papers which would soon end my 14 year "relationship" with the Health Club, I smirked to myself. I had plans, and they were big, expansive, liberating...and FREE!

Lucky enough to live near dozens of Forest Preserve trails winding along an old river, I pulled into the lot (granted, worried about what the many single men in their cars were doing aside from hopefully eating lunch), stepped into a crunchy pile of leaves and made my way, purse across shoulders like a satchel, to "the trail".

What a beautiful and liberating walk! Amidst wildlife, a vast array of trees, an ever-changing river (sadly with garbage, this IS the suburbs of Chicago after all), falling leaves and YES - it's FREE!

ENJOY!