A healthy lifestyle is not just about eating right and exercising. Living a healthy lifestyle also includes finding ways to stay active on a budget. Whether you have a large family, live alone, are a student, or just don’t have the extra funds to dedicate to fitness, you can still find cheap ways to be active and healthy.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to cost a fortune. There are many ways to save money and live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. Here are some tips on how to keep healthy and save money.
1. Keep a Food Log
Keeping a food log is the best way to maintain a healthy diet. If you keep track of the foods you eat, it will be easier to reduce your caloric intake and make healthier food choices. You’ll also have a better idea of exactly what you are consuming. The more information you have at your fingertips, the better you will be able to maintain a healthier diet.
2. Keep an Exercise Log
Keeping a log of your physical activity is also important. If you make a note of the number of exercise sessions you complete, it’ll be easier to reach your fitness goals. By tracking your exercise, you’ll also have a better idea of how many calories you burn during each session and be able to make healthy adjustments to your workout regimen accordingly.
3. Create a Budget and Stick to It
Everyone should create a budget and try their best to stick to it. No matter how much money you make, you can still find ways to save money and spend wisely on healthy foods and the things you enjoy. By creating a budget, paying down debt and saving money for emergencies will become much easier.
4. Change Your Lifestyle
It’s great to save money in a particular area. For example, you might want to cut back on eating out or on drinking coffee at work. However, if your primary goal is to stay healthy and fit, it’s best if you also change your lifestyle as well.
You will be much more successful if you change both your diet and exercise habits at the same time. In addition, changing both habits at once will help you make healthier decisions throughout the day instead of just one habit changing over another during a single day.
5. Learn to Cook
Learning how to cook a healthy meal is the best way to spend less money and eat healthier food. You can save a great deal of money by cooking at home instead of buying takeaways or fast food. A lot of times, you could be paying a hefty amount for "healthy" choices that aren't necessarily healthy for you. Cooking at home also cuts down on the amount of preservatives found in prepared foods.
6. Monitor the Processed Foods
When you open up your fridge, chances are that it will be filled with lots of packaged foods and frozen meals that cost a lot more than the simple ingredients that go into those meals. As we mention in the above point, many processed foods have added sugar, sodium, or preservatives that make them dangerous for your health if eaten to excess regularly. It’s important to keep an eye on the foods you are buying and think about what ingredients are in them.
7. Turn Your Walking Into a Reward
One way to save money and be healthy is to create a rewards system that uses walking as a reward for doing other tasks. For example, instead of getting a coffee at work, you get to walk outside for your lunchtime break. You could do the same with breakfast or dinner as well. And so on. You don't have to spend money on any special treats or prizes specifically for exercise-related activities, but there's definitely no harm in planning activities that encourage good habits with rewards built into them.
8. Keep Healthy Food Close
When you buy groceries, make sure that you keep healthy foods close to where you leave your fridge so that you can grab them quickly when needed. There is nothing more frustrating than running out of milk or eggs at the end of the week and having to drive miles away from home or work just to get them. This will help reduce the amount of money you spend on unnecessary items each week.
9. Plan your Meals Ahead of Time
Knowing what meals and snacks to have ahead of time will help keep your diet plan on track and prevent unused food items from getting wasted. Take some time to plan your meals and snacks for the week ahead of time so that you know what to pick up when you go to the supermarket. This will ensure you only buy healthy foods and will prevent unnecessary snack trips.
10. Stop Buying Guilty Pleasure Snacks
Put down that chocolate bar before it's too late! If you find yourself buying snacks regularly, chances are you aren't eating enough of the proper foods for your diet. Instead of reaching for energy bars or other treats, treat yourself to some fresh fruit instead. You can also store fruit in a cool bag and take it with you to work if you find them a little hard to resist at snack time. This is a good way of getting more vitamins into your diet.
In summary, there are many cheap ways to stay healthy and save money at the same time. Take advantage of them and you will be well on your way to a better lifestyle.
