Z. Johnson
A little savings can make wonders, especially during these challenging times. If you are still under the impression that eating healthy, exercising and doing all the wellness rituals will cost you tons of money, think twice. Actually, living a healthy life is quite simple and it’s not really expensive. Knowing how to handle your budget and still keep up with your fitness regimen is possible and will help you be successful. In previous posts, I covered some budget saving hacks around food, but this time, I’ll dive deeper into other aspects of living a healthy lifestyle. Here are my top 15 tips for healthy living on a budget.
Food
Rule #1 for healthy living on a budget: Meal prepping
You can’t go wrong with meal prepping. As I mentioned before, doing meal prep is effective not only for planning your meals so you can eat healthier, but also on saving money. You may want to check out more on effective meal prepping here. Don’t forget that organizing your meals should be an essential part of your life. And, contrary to what most people think, meal planning is not difficult at all. The only thing you need to do is set aside some time for it, and you will make better food choices. It will pay off in the long run not only on your pocket, but also on your health overall.
Choose more foods that are in season
In a previous post, I mentioned some important aspects about foods that are in season. Besides being more affordable, choosing produce that is in season has a higher amount of nutrients. Also fresh foods have a better taste. I always recommend going to the farmer’s market, there you can always find affordable, high quality whole foods in season.
Rule #3 for healthy living on a budget: Look for quality instead of quantity
I know you may have heard about this many times before, the key here is not to go into dietary restrictions, but making quality choices. By this, I mean, you can buy all the expensive packaged goods at the supermarket, but may be full of additives and high in calories. You want to focus on choosing more quality whole foods, rather than processed.
Spending money on junk food all the time not only hurts your health, but also your pocket. Remember, it’s all about balance. And what about food supplements? Well, it all depends on what type of supplements you need. The key here to choose the best supplements is to determine whether or not you actually need them. If you include supplements like multivitamins, or even protein powders, you want to go for quality first. If you are investing in quality supplements, make sure it’s not just some just random expensive product, but rather a nutrition packed good. You can find more about supplements here.
The ultimate hack for healthy living on a budget: Buy locally grown food
Shopping food locally is the best thing you can ever do! You will save tons of money and you will also support local farmers. Locally grown food is very inexpensive and fresher than imported or packaged goods. And you don’t have to buy “organic” brands to eat healthy. Trust me, you can eat very healthy when buying local, fresh foods, since these are free from extra chemicals, pesticides and additives. Therefore, locally grown food has a higher nutritional value than overprocessed foods. A good example is getting some fresh potatoes at the farmer’s market, rather than buying frozen packaged ones at the supermarket.
Healthy living on a budget hack #5! Grow your own produce
Have you tried growing your own food? How about starting with some easy to grow foods in your backyard? My parents started doing this, and I can tell it’s been a life saver for the family. If you learn to do it right, growing your own produce will help you get quality whole foods from the comfort of your home. Apart from that, you invest in your own health without spending extra money at a supermarket. Also, it becomes an entertaining and fulfilling healthy hobbie!
When it comes to healthy living on a budget, save on dinner dates
This may sound obvious, but during these difficult times, you want to focus on saving and spending your hard earned money effectively. Yes, dinner dates are super important, I know, as a matter of fact, I’m a fan of going out for dinner on the weekends! But, you may want to plan your budget for this, especially if your goal is to save and avoid overspending. I would rather go on dinner dates if I feel the need for it or on special occasions.
Go slow on food deliveries
Another healthy living on a budget hack! This one became the norm, especially during the 2020 quarantine. It’s very tempting to order pizza more often than needed or those glasses of wine, especially since food is delivered right at your door. But, the key here is knowing how to balance your meals and your budget accordingly. Also, learning how to eat intuitively will help you tune into your body for a healthy relationship with food. If you practice meal planning more often plus make better balanced food choices, you’ll notice you’ll have less cravings for junk food.
Cook at home as much as you can
I know not everybody likes to cook at home. But, there are actually many easy to make, budget friendly meals you can try out there. You don’t have to become a chef, but if you learn how to cook healthy foods, with the meal prepping technique, you’ll notice how better off you’ll be for your own wellbeing. Cooking at home is not only a budget saver, but also much healthier.
Exercise
Go for easy to use, at home equipment
Besides food, staying physically active is alway important for healthy living on a budget. Many people think that not going to the gym can seriously affect their fitness routine, but that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, one of the best things you can do to save money, is to look for easy to use, at home equipment. Amazon.com is one of my top choices when it comes to finding at home workout gear. You can get anything from dumbbells, kettlebells, to resistance bands and gloves, just to mention a few.
I regularly use resistance bands to enhance my squats and other lower body exercises. I just love how much tension these bands put on my muscles while I’m performing those exercises! My favorite Alta Fitness lower body resistance bands are anti-slip and roll. They come in 3 levels, from light to heavy. Below, I left you the ones I’m using. You’ll get a 20% discount on your purchase here.
For upper body exercises, I love using my Alta Fitness resistance bands set. It’s really effective because they come in different levels of resistance, just like the free weights. Apart from that, you can increase the level once your body becomes used to the exercise. You should be increasing weights or resistance after a while, so your muscles tone better once they adapt. Below you can get the resistance bands I’m using at a 20% discount price.
Include more bodyweight exercises in your routine
Bodyweight exercises have become my top favorite. You really don’t need much equipment to workout and still have great results. In my case, working out from home has been a great budget saver and has also pushed me to perform more bodyweight exercises to strengthen my core and muscles. In my previous post regarding full-body easy at home workouts, I uploaded some of my favorite exercises that worked wonders!
Healthy living on a budget also includes exercise outdoors
Another great tip for healthy living on a budget is practicing exercise outdoors. Whether you enjoy biking, walking, jogging or running, exercising outdoors is a healthy way to get that fresh air for your body, plus some good vitamin D. Not to mention also, you will save by taking advantage of natural movement, while enjoying nature and surroundings.
Look for objects you can use at home to do exercises
This hack is a must! If you want to save some bucks and don’t have the budget to buy fancy gym equipment to train at home, follow me. You may be surprised at the alternatives you can find at home to add weights to your routines. For example, I use water gallons, chairs, bed foot, blocks, or even small tables. Try this hack! It works!
Follow tutorials from experts online
Before risking yourself for any injury, you want to look for tutorials from personal trainers and fitness experts. Here, you can find more easy exercises from certified trainers. Remember that to get results, it’s important that you focus on doing the exercises correctly. If you perform exercises the wrong way, then it costs you an injury and more money in the long run.
Skin
Try DIY homemade ingredients for skin treatments
Aw my favorite part is also pampering my body and skin! Treating yourself to proper skincare is also essential in healthy living on a budget. Just as with food and exercise gear, you can find healthy, inexpensive ingredients to treat your skin. You don’t have to spend tons of money on skincare kits, all you need to focus on is quality of the products. For instance, I always recommend choosing natural ingredients, with little to no damaging chemicals. You can find good vegan, animal cruelty free products locally or even online. Use more natural oils like coconut oil, almond oil, and even shea butter. Essential oils like tea tree oil and peppermint are easy to find and affordable.
Lifestyle
Practice more gratitude and meditation
Do you carry a daily journal? If not you should try doing it. It helps you get clear ideas, develop a healthy mindset and focus on where you want to go in life. Setting goals and taking note of where you are today is a great way to start a better healthy living on a budget. Additionally, when you become grateful for what you have and what you’ve achieved, it helps you boost happiness hormones (endorphins) that will benefit your wellbeing. I always include prayer and meditation in my daily routine, for me, it’s essential to nurture a better mindset and mental health.
In short…
Healthy living on a budget is possible. Investing in yourself is not just about the money, but about energy, time and effort. If you focus on doing these things I mentioned above, you’ll notice how good you’ll feel not only physically, but mentally and spiritually. Avoiding stress and worry about overspending money during these times is crucial for your wellbeing. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Do you feel like you need to save more money while pursuing your fitness goals? Share this with someone you care about! Peace!
