Contents

• 7 Calorie-Free Splurges That You Deserve
• 5 Tips for Healthy Skin
• Customer Recipe: Mandy's Black Bean Soup

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.
I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty,
believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

�Louisa May Alcott

"The rat race." "The daily grind." "The rollercoaster." However you put it, day-to-day life in the new millennium isn't easy. Sometimes it feels like you're on an obstacle course—and when you come through unscathed and more or less on time, it's only natural to want to reward yourself. After all, you deserve it.

Back in the old days, you probably treated yourself to a few chocolates, an ice-cream sundae, a nice French dinner on the weekend, or perhaps a night full of cocktails. Now all those things are no-nos. (Sigh.) But look on the bright side! Since you're not spending your "fun money" on food and drinks, you can splurge in other areas. Here are a few of our favorite ways to treat yourself without busting your calorie count for the day:

1. A bubble bath. Nothing soothes body and soul like a long, hot soak in the tub. Light a few candles, burn incense, play your favorite mellow music in the background . . . and in no time at all, you'll relax and forget all the day's worries. A great way to unwind after a workout—and at a cost of just around $10 if you splurge on bubble bath and scented candles—this is the least expensive way to (pun intended) splash out.

2. Pedicure. Your tootsies put up with a lot. Whether you're running errands or running on the treadmill, trying to keep up with your kids or trying to keep up with Tony Horton, they bear much of the strain. So why not pamper 'em a little bit? A pedicure starts at around $20 and leaves your feet flower-fresh, callous-free, and sandal-ready.

3. Massage. Therapeutic massage isn't just for athletes and health spa clients anymore. These days, it's as common to have a CMT (certified massage therapist) as it was to have a shrink in the '80s. Cheaper, too. You can get a massage starting at about $40 an hour, and many of these trained professionals have their own table and will travel to you.

4. CDs or books. Don't sit at home wishing you had a box of bonbons or a tub of Ben & Jerry's. Head out to the mall and pick up some mind candy or bubblegum pop. At the big stores, you can easily spend a couple of hours hogging a cushy chair or a listening station, browsing and sampling and deciding exactly what titles are worth your $20. Singing along to Kelly Clarkson's latest at top volume or burying your nose in a celebrity tell-all bio will give you the same silly endorphin rush as chowing down on chocolate—and you won't have to feel guilty about it later.

5. "Us time." Quality time with your friends or your spouse is precious these days. But who says you've got to wait for a special occasion? Turn an ordinary evening into an unforgettable night on the town. Get dressed up and head out for a night of dancing, great conversation, or heck. . . even bingo! Spend $30 on a sitter, have a healthy snack before you go, and keep your food-and-drink budget low, low, low. If you don't bring extra money, you won't be as tempted to cheat on your diet.

6. Buy yourself flowers. Okay, maybe it's a little corny, but it's a fact. A big, colorful, glorious bunch of blooms can put a smile on almost any face and brighten up any room. They're in every grocery store display case, and even if you're stuck at a desk all day, they're only a few clicks or a phone call away. So why wait till Valentine's Day?

7. Workout wear. When you started your fitness program, your workout clothes probably consisted of an old pair of sweats and a T-shirt. That's fine, as long as you're doing your entire program in your bedroom with the shades pulled. But once you become more confident—and especially once your results start to show—you'll want to toss those saggy, graying duds and pick out something fitted and flattering. What better way to introduce the new, slim-and-trim you to the world?

Back to top.

Our skin is our barrier to the outside world, and its primary role is to protect us from the outside environment. It also synthesizes vitamin D, which is important for calcification of bones and growth. It also helps us retain moisture and regulate our body temperature. The skin performs so many functions, yet most of us don't give much thought to keeping this vital organ healthy. We just care about how it looks! Well, okay, that sounds fair. So here are 5 tips to help your skin function well and look great.

1. Drink water. The body is composed of between 60 and 70 percent water. Water plays a huge role in helping purify and heal our bodies. You should drink 6 to 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Juice and soda don't count—just plain water.
   
   
2. Eat healthy fats. Have you heard about omega-3 fatty acids? They are found in abundance in fish, flaxseeds, hempseeds, and avocados. Fatty acids keep the membrane of the skin cell healthy, which allows waste to pass out more easily and nutrients to enter the cell. If you don't eat these foods, try a supplement.
   
   
3. Eat your veggies. More vegetables in our diet can help balance our system and combat the effects of eating processed foods. They are a good source of antioxidants, which help protect our systems from environmental toxins and normal byproducts of metabolism, and they help rejuvenate our skin.
   
   
4. Proper cleansing. Every day we are exposed to harmful elements, including sun, dirt, and environmental toxins. Wash your skin daily with a soap-free cleanser. Follow with a rinse in lukewarm or cool water, which is less drying to the skin than hot water.
   
   
5. Exfoliation. Sometimes your skin needs a more rigorous cleaning, called exfoliation. This employs friction from micro-beads in the cleanser, or a more abrasive cloth (or a loofah) to slough off dead skin cells to reveal a fresh layer of skin.

When Mandy B. wrote us a couple weeks ago, she was livid. "I have sent you two or three recipes now, really tasty and low fat," she seethed, "yet so far no T-shirt
to show for it!"

Well, it looks like third or fourth time is the charm, because you've hit pay dirt with this yummy black bean soup recipe! It sounds delish over brown rice. Nice work, Mandy. We're glad you and your free Beachbody T-shirt will finally be united.

Ingredients
8 cups combined water and/or chicken broth
3 cups black beans (soaked overnight)
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 tsp. or more red pepper
Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin

Cook beans in stock for about an hour. Add all remaining ingredients and cook for another hour. Put 3/4 of soup through blender, then return to saucepan. Serve
with a splash of Tabasco sauce if desired. Suggested serving size is one cup.