You might think that it is extremely tough to live a healthy lifestyle due to the larger expense that there seems to be. But you don’t have to splash the cash on fancy gadgets or fitness apps, similarly it can be easy to maintain healthy eating on a budget too.
Not to say that it isn’t quite nice to have a few treats for ourselves like a fitness watch or new gym bag. But your everyday lifestyle does not need to come with such a heavy price tag.
Don’t believe me? Well we have made it our mission to get you the very best results, with minimum spend. It may not be as difficult as you first thought!
However, you need to be in the right mindset! Here are our top tips to do that:
Be Inventive
Sometimes when it comes to being healthy on a budget, it means you need to think outside of the box. For example, eating lots of veggies is hugely important to a healthy diet – but if you pick frozen over fresh (which are equally as nutritious) you’ll save massively. Furthermore, buy ingredients that are versatile and can be used for a wide variety of dishes. Instead of buying expensive spices that you might use once, get the basics, like all-season salt, fresh garlic, onion powder, Italian/Mexican/ Indian (fill in the ethnic food of your choice!) seasoning, curry paste, and anything else that can be used for a multitude of dishes. Choose a couple of go-to fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and butter and use them for all your dishes.
If the cost of a gym is crippling you, take your workouts outside instead. You’ll have to use your imagination a bit, but a park can provide hundreds of opportunities for a great workout – you can use steps and benches for step-ups, jump squats, bulgarian split squats or tricep dips; do mini sprints up any inclines; use playground equipment to do pull-ups; and let’s face it, you can do burpees anywhere!
Be Prepared
One of the essential aspects of getting in shape on a budget is being prepared. Now I mean making your own healthy lunches at home rather than buying them; making and carrying your own healthy snacks; always bringing your own water bottle from home for classes/workouts and having a well-planned workout/exercise schedule so you don’t lose interest and head back to the gym.
Also, cooking large meals and saving the leftovers can be especially helpful for those cooking for just themselves or perhaps one other person. Try making multiple servings of an all-in-one meal like a soup or stew and freezing them for later in the week. Not only will you save cooking time but you’ll also be able to use ingredients bought in bulk and not have to worry about spoilage if you can’t eat all the meat or vegetables you’ve bought.
The easiest way to do this is to use a slow-cooker. We couldn’t live without ours! It’s easy to do some basic prep in the morning, throw the ingredients in the slow cooker, and come home to a nice, hot dinner waiting for you.
Cut Out The Extras
Write a list of those luxury items you buy — expensive coffees, bottled water, fancy ingredients you use once for an extravagant recipe, protein powders, and so forth — and cut them out.
Yes, high-quality pastured chicken eggs do cost more per dozen than conventional eggs, but simply forgoing your Starbucks Venti Mocha each day will easily make up the difference.
Go through your food spending and see if you can identify what splurges are putting you in the red. Get rid of the nonessentials altogether or find a way to make them at home. Buy a good quality reusable mug or water bottle and fill it up before you leave the house in the morning. Eat real food rather than expensive protein powders and supplements. Don’t waste money on items that you can easily do without.
Thinking On Your Feet
Being able to think on your feet when unexpected scenarios arise is also key. For example, if my friend fancies a meal out after our workouts then I’ll invite them round for a healthy meal at mine instead of spending money on something you may regret later
Go online
One of the best things about the internet is that it gives you so much access to free information and inspiration. Who needs to splash out on a new cookbook when the internet is awash with healthy food bloggers sharing their amazing recipes? I personally love paleopolly.com. But there are a huge variety of health and fitness people and businesses that are offering great free information out there that will really help you on your journey to improved health and fitness. You just have to go looking for it.
Kristian