Planning a holiday party or meal?

A restaurant that is new to our portfolio of Exchange Restaurants is Boston Market. Boston Market offers a wide variety of catered holiday solutions for those of us who don’t have time to cook or choose not to cook for the holidays. There’s a meal option for any size family from a whole roasted turkey meal with all the fixings that serves 12 to a half boneless glazed ham meal that serves up to six.

If you are looking for an option with a little more kick, you could also cater from one of our Popeye’s locations. Popeye’s Cajun turkeys are a big hit again this year. Last year, the demand for Cajun turkeys was off the charts: Exchange Popeye’s locations sold out of the 3,156 turkeys ordered for the holiday season. This year we bought more turkeys to support the holiday season and even started taking Cajun turkey orders in October. We have sold more than 7,250 Cajun turkeys so far this year, which is a 129.9% increase over the previous year.

Breakfast, anyone?
That’s right! Many of our Exchange Restaurants have a variety of menu options including breakfast offerings. Kick off your office brunch or team meeting with Starbucks coffee, Burger King breakfast sandwiches and/or bagels from Einstein Bros.

Hosting a big game party?

The Exchange has a number of different food options available to help plan your big game day party. How about pizza delivered from Pizza Hut or Domino’s or some delicious buffalo wings from Wing Zone? And don’t forget to order the sandwich party tray from Subway. Take game day to the next level with Exchange catering.

Why place your catering order here at the Exchange? 

• Get a $10 Exchange Restaurant gift card for any catering purchase of $50 or more

• Save 10% on your catering purchase when you use your MILITARY STAR card

• Earn 2 points per $1 spent using your MILITARY STAR card

• 100% of earnings support soldiers, airmen and their families through quality-of-life program funding and improved facilities

No matter the occasion or the time of day, Exchange Restaurant catering options are here to serve you.

After the wrapping paper and ribbons settle, the post-holiday break is filled with clean up, thank-you notes and paying those holiday bills. MILITARY STAR can help with one of those. Each of the last two years, MILITARY STAR has paid off the holiday bills for some of our deserving service members and their families with the annual “Your Holiday Bill Is on Us!” sweepstakes. Since 2014, more than 70 customers have had all or part of their MILITARY STAR balance paid through the contest – over $68,000 in total.

This year’s contest will again have three grand prize winners who will have their entire MILITARY STAR bills paid, while 10 second place winners will receive a $1,000 statement credit, and 25 third place winners will receive $500 statement credits. All winners are randomly selected.

Winning the sweepstakes brings more than just a financial windfall – it can bring peace of mind, and Texas Army National Guardsman Sgt. Clayton Anders can testify to that. Anders had his $3,735 MILITARY STAR account paid in full in the 2015 sweepstakes, which came at just the right time as he prepared for deployment. “Winning this prize means my family will be better prepared when I deploy to Kuwait,” Anders said. He had used his MILITARY STAR card for holiday expenses, including buying presents for his daughters.

Retired Air Force Chief Master Sgt. James Jones echoed Anders’ sentiments. “Having this bill paid does take a load off my mind,” he said of his winnings. Jones, a veteran of the Vietnam War, had his $2,339 MILITARY STAR balance wiped clean and, since the minimum prize is $2,500, he also received a statement credit. Jones and Anders are primary examples of the exceptional service members the Exchange and MILITARY STAR have the honor of serving every day.

MILITARY STAR seeks to offer peace of mind to cardholders like Anders and Jones year-round by offering generous credit terms like one low APR and no back-interest when 0% promotions expire. As part of its commitment to providing affordable and responsible credit solutions, MILITARY STAR also offers exclusive savings and discounts to military members and their families, like everyday discounts at Exchange food courts and fuel stations.

For those who do not already have a MILITARY STAR card, the holidays are a great time to sign up at the local Exchange or MyECP.com to receive access to exclusive MILITARY STAR holiday deals. Some of these current offers include special financing on fine jewelry purchases of $999 or more, and 24 months special financing on Ashley or Serta purchases of $999 or more. And, with the MILITARY STAR Rewards Program, customers will earn at least 1,998 points with both offers and automatically receive a $20 rewards card with 2,000 points. Visit MyECP.com for more details and to view other exclusive offers.

It’s also a great time to shop because whenever customers take advantage of these deals or make any other purchases with MILITARY STAR between November 1 and December 31, 2016, they’re automatically earning another chance to have their entire holiday bill paid with the MILITARY STAR sweepstakes. There’s no limit to the number of entries customers can receive, and entries are earned at all Exchange facilities and online at shop my exchange.com .

You could be one of more than 30 winners this year to have part or all of your balance paid off. Use your MILITARY STAR card every time you shop the Exchange, and you could be the next to hear, “Your holiday bill is on us!” 

The Exchange is more than just stores on posts and bases. We are Family Serving Family. 85% of Exchange associates have a personal connection to the military. We are Veterans, spouses, sons and daughters, nephews, nieces, uncles, aunts and grandparents.

We love our Soldiers and Airmen. We volunteer to serve alongside them in remote and hostile conditions. Since 9/11, 4,558 associates have voluntarily deployed to provide the necessities and comforts of home to troops serving around the world. In 2015, we outfitted 1.5M troops with combat uniforms, ensuring they were properly fitted for duty.

100% of Exchange earnings support Soldiers, Airmen and their Families. In the last 10 years, the Exchange returned $2.4B in earnings to the Army and Air Force to fund important Quality-of-Life programs on installations and to improve the shopping experience in Exchange facilities.

For the third year in a row, the Exchange has been named a “Best for Vets” employer. 12% of Exchange associates are Veterans and nearly 6,000 military spouses are able to take their Exchange career with them as they move with their Soldier or Airman to new duty stations. 

Overseas, we operate 7 plants to deliver fresh-baked, American goods and bottled water to service members and their families. Name brands such as Wonder and Nature’s Recipe are produced on site for fresh delivery to commissaries, Exchange Express locations and Quality-of-Life programs.

We also provide 3.2 million school meals each year to children of service members below cost.

It is our honor to serve Soldiers, Airmen and their families, every day, everywhere they serve.

We are #FamilyServingFamily!

To learn more about our mission and history, go to shopmyexchange.com .

This story is provided and presented by our sponsor, the Exchange .

After the wrapping paper and ribbons settle, the post-holiday break is filled with clean up, thank-you notes and paying those holiday bills. MILITARY STAR can help with one of those. Each of the last two years, MILITARY STAR has paid off the holiday bills for some of our deserving service members and their families with the annual “Your Holiday Bill Is on Us!” sweepstakes. Since 2014, more than 70 customers have had all or part of their MILITARY STAR balance paid through the contest – over $68,000 in total.

This year’s contest will again have three grand prize winners who will have their entire MILITARY STAR bills paid, while 10 second place winners will receive a $1,000 statement credit, and 25 third place winners will receive a $500 statement credit. All winners are randomly selected.

Having your balance wiped clean can be a huge stress reliever; just ask retired Air Force Master Sgt. Catherine Lawrence. The single mom was a grand prize winner and had her $3,306 balance paid in full. “Having this bill paid means less stress on me … especially since I’m disabled,” said Lawrence, who suffered nerve damage while preparing for deployment, which forced her to retire after a 23-year career. The paid bill brought Lawrence peace of mind after the chaotic holiday season.

One of the very first prize winners was Kakala Loketi, an Army sergeant at Fort Bliss with a husband and young son. In using her MILITARY STAR card to help fellow Soldiers through rough patches, as well as for a family emergency of her own, Loteki had reached her MILITARY STAR card limit. When MILITARY STAR paid her bill and wiped clean her balance, “It changed my life,” she said. Sgt. Loteki is just one example of the Exchange’s extraordinary customers. It is our honor to serve her and others just like her.

MILITARY STAR seeks to offer peace of mind to cardholders like Lawrence and Loteki year-round by offering generous credit terms, such as one low APR, no matter your credit score. As part of its commitment to providing affordable and responsible credit solutions, MILITARY STAR also offers exclusive savings to military members and their families, like everyday discounts at Exchange food courts and fuel stations.

For those who do not already have a MILITARY STAR card, it’s a great time to apply at the local Exchange or MyECP.com because new MILITARY STAR cardholders will receive a 15% discount on all first day’s purchases when they use their card for the first time between now and November 10. Plus, cardholders have access to exclusive MILITARY STAR holiday deals, such as MILITARY STAR’s Double Points Weekend, November 11-13, and MILITARY STAR’s special 90-day financing offer on Black Friday. It’s a great time to shop, save and earn points on every holiday purchase. Visit MyECP.com for more details and to view other exclusive offers.

Plus, whenever customers take advantage of these deals or make any other purchases with MILITARY STAR between November 1 and December 31, 2016, they’re automatically earning another chance to have their entire holiday bill paid with the MILITARY STAR sweepstakes. There’s no limit to the number of entries customers can receive, and entries are earned at all Exchange facilities and online at shopmyexchange.com.

You could be the next winner to have your entire balance paid off. Use your MILITARY STAR card every time you shop the Exchange, and you could be the next to hear, “Your holiday bill is on us!”

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is a Department of Defense entity working to preserve the service member’s benefit of having access to goods and services, wherever they serve.

After 121 years, our mission remains unchanged: to go where the troops go to improve the quality of their lives.

The Exchange benefit goes beyond operating stores and restaurants in the United States and in more than 30 countries. We provide school meals to children of service members serving overseas below cost. We produce baked goods and bottled water in seven plants overseas to bring American-style products to military installations in Europe and the Pacific. In 2015, we outfitted 1.5M troops with combat uniforms.

We are family serving family

88% of associates have a personal connection to the military. Many associates are military spouses, family members and Veterans. Since 9/11, more than 4,400 have voluntarily deployed to support troops serving in remote and hostile locations. There is no greater honor than serving those who serve.

To learn more about our mission and history, go to shopmyexchange.com.

This story is provided and presented by our sponsor,

.

The type of shoes to buy should be based on the kind of activity you will be performing.

Tips on the purchase of your next athletic shoes:

• Try on shoes at the end of the day. This way your feet will be at their largest and most tired. The shoes that seem comfortable at the end of the day are the ones you should buy.

• The shoes should be comfortable as soon as you try them on. There is no “break-in” period.

• Don’t forget the socks! They are a very important part of the comfort of the shoes you buy. Ill-fitting socks can compound problems by rubbing your feet and causing blisters.

• There should be a firm grip of your heel in your shoes. There should be no slippage that could cause pain as you wear them over time.

What to look for based on your stride

Running Shoes

Conventional thinking suggests that a good running shoe should have ample cushioning to absorb shock, but there are advocates for minimalist running shoes that have almost no cushioning. When you choose a cushioned shoe, look for overall shock absorption for good foot and heel control.

Jogging Shoes

Joggers should wear a shoe with more impact cushioning. While running shoes are designed to provide maximum overall shock absorption for the foot, jogging shoes focus more on heel and ankle control and cushion.

Walking Shoes

If walking is your sport or your doctor’s recommendation for cardiovascular conditioning, wear a lightweight shoe. Look for extra shock absorption in the heel of the shoe and especially under the ball of the foot. This will help reduce heel pain as well as burning and tenderness in the ball of the foot. A shoe with a slightly rounded sole or rocker bottom also helps to shift weight smoothly from the heel to the toes while decreasing the forces across the foot. Walking shoes have more rigidity in the front so you can roll off your toes rather than bend through them as you do with running and jogging shoes.

Although not a cure-all, these qualities in a running, jogging or walking shoe may help prevent shin splints, tendinitis, heel pain and stress fractures.

When to buy new shoes

If you ask five different people, you may get five unique answers to this question. The “best practice” answer is to change shoes every 6 months while rotating between two pair (wear the shoes one day and switch to another pair the next, alternating days). The best answer is really to listen to your body. When the shoes break down you will know it because they will no longer support your feet in the midsole of the shoe. This will lead to a sense of vibration throughout the body and then pain in the foot, ankle and shins.

MAKE YOUR NEXT STEPS YOUR BEST STEPS!

Shop gift cards now! Authorized customers, click here. All other customers, click here.

This content is produced and presented by our sponsor.

Eating Like Our Military Olympians

The timing of food and fluid intake relative to physical exertion can support, inhibit or delay your ability to exercise and compete at your best.

• Eating before exercising helps to:

• delay fatigue by fueling muscles

• improve performance

• increase ability to concentrate

• prevent feeling of hunger and thirst

• optimize muscle protein building

Pre-training meals should be eaten at least 2-3 hours before training.

Fluid intake should consist mainly of water, diluted juice or a sport drink.

Eating breakfast every day and before most training sessions should be your first rule as an athlete.

Although you may like to skip breakfast, a sport bar and some water is better than nothing if you train in the morning.

• Fueling during exercising

For workouts and competitions lasting longer than 60 minutes, fuel the body and brain with carbohydrates to maintain exercise intensity and

brain function.

• Recovery after exercising

The first 30 to 60 minutes . . .

You should eat a mixture of carbohydrates and protein, including fluid and electrolytes, within 30 to 60 minutes to start the process of replacing what was lost during exercise.

The next 1 to 2 hours . . .

You also should have a meal 1 to 2 hours after your exercise session. This on-going fueling supports recovery and ensures proper preparation for your next workout.

To learn more about the World Class Athlete Program, visit your service’s website:

Air Force: http://www.myairforcelife.com/sports/WorldClassAthletes.aspxArmy: http://www.thearmywcap.com/

Training Tips from Military Olympians

10 exercises to help increase your strength

When you think of strength, think about total body strength. For example, rather than just working legs on a particular day, work in a few upper body exercises as well.

Here is a list of strength exercises that are part of the Army World Class Athlete Program.

1. Bicep curl

2. Tricep extension

3. Single leg squat

4. Overhead press

5. Incline press

6. Bench press

7. Stiff leg deadlift

8. Back squat

9. Front squat

10. Deadlift

You can see pictures and read descriptions for these exercises at