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Wright Way: Find a Health Mentor

By WTOP Staff

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Editor’s Note: This sponsored health and fitness column is written by Ginny Wright, founder of BbG Fitness, which offers group fitness classes around Arlington. Sign up for a free class today.

Like it or not, this body is the only one you get!

How’s that going for you? Are you feeling good? Lots of energy most days, clear and focused, no aches and pains, pretty happy?

No? Feeling fatigued most of the time, experiencing brain fog more often than not, overweight with sore joints, generally unhappy with the way you feel and look?

Without oversimplifying or sounding too annoying, the message I want to share is this: you can change… you have a choice and I have a solution for you!

None of us have 100 percent control over our health of course, but we make hundreds of daily decisions that hugely impact how we feel.

OK (you might be saying)… I’d love to feel and look better, but I just don’t know where to start. I don’t like being overweight and I’m tired of feeling tired, but I love to eat and I hate to exercise. I’ll never be able to change.

YES YOU CAN!

I’ve seen (and helped) lots of people do it. I’ve watched people go from barely able to run to the end of the street to running laps around everyone else in the group. I’ve witnessed people go from 230 pounds to 190 pounds in a matter of months. And I’ve heard so many people tell me how great they feel — mentally and physically — since they started exercising and eating better.

You don’t have to go it alone. Get some help!

Think about the last time you started a new job. You didn’t just begin knowing exactly what to do, right? You probably had a mentor who showed you the ropes and checked in with you on a regular basis.

Your mentor helped you figure it all out and once you did, you went forward with confidence.

Think of your health transformation as a new job. Since you don’t know exactly how to proceed at the beginning, find someone who’s already an expert at the job of health transformations and let them help you learn the ropes.

There are lots of health coaches and mentors out there who specialize in helping people achieve wellness. They can help you eat for optimal energy — so you won’t be tired all the time — and weight loss. They’ll show you how to plan fitness into your daily schedule and can explain in simple terms what foods to eat and how to prepare them yourself.

Do yourself a favor and stop putting your health on the back burner. You can do it! You deserve to feel better. Your one and only body deserves to be healthy!

Do a web search for “Health Coaches, Arlington, VA“ and a long list of names will pop up. Or contact me and I can refer you to some great health and wellness mentors I’ve worked with personally.

Resolve today to take care of your body — it has to last a lifetime!

Ginny Wright has been a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor for more than 10 years. She received her Health Coaching certification through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York in 2007. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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