It seems whenever the topic of living a healthy lifestyle comes up so does the talk of it being expensive. I know I have been guilty of having this mindset. Maybe you can relate? There are the supplements, the green powders, the protein powders, the latest and greatest fermented drinks. Flavored kefir water anyone?
But I don’t believe that being healthy has to be expensive. I think it is an excuse for making the changes we know we should. It lets us off the hook for having our priorities on things other than our health.
I have lived on a pretty tight budget in some of the most expensive places in the United States, and I still managed to live a healthy lifestyle. How? Because I made it a priority. I know investing in living a healthy lifestyle now will help me save money in the long run.
Its all about priorities. If living a healthy lifestyle is a priority for you, you can totally do it on a budget, just like I have.
Here are the things that have allowed me to choose a healthy lifestyle and stay within my budget.
Cook at Home More
Cooking at home is one of the best ways to save money. Think about all the times you have eaten out and how much you have spent vs if you had made food for yourself. With a little bit of planning, you can save yourself a ton. On top of saving money, it has been proven that eating home-cooked meals is much healthier than eating out. This is why cooking at home tops my list for ways to be healthy on a budget.
For myself and my husband eating out costs us anywhere from $24 to $38 for just a regular meal nothing special. Multiply that by just four meals in a week is between $96 and $152. In a month that is $384 to $608 and in a year is $4,608 to $7,296. That is a lot of money. That can buy a lot of healthy food you can cook at home.
I have had entire months where I set a goal to not eat out at all, saving hundreds of dollars in just one month. You can even make it fun by trying out new kinds of foods and new recipes. Just because you’re not eating out it doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time.
The instapot is one of my favorite tools for making food at home. It is my favorite because it is simple, fast, and easy to clean up. I never run out of delicious meals to make in it either. I can make yogurt, soups, rice, meat, veggies, the options are endless with the instapot.
Change Your Shopping Habits
Where do you do the bulk of your shopping? My guess, if you are anything like I use to be, you shop mostly in the center of the grocery store. Buying pre-packaged food that is quick and convenient, but isn’t necessarily the healthiest or most affordable. Instead, stick to the produce, bulk sections, and the perimeter of the store. Not only will this save you money but it is healthier and it is better for the environment. So it’s really a win-win for your health and your budget.
The more food that you can prepare yourself from scratch the better. This allows you to know everything that goes into what you are eating. As a result, you will be exposed to fewer chemicals, pesticides, and preservatives, which have a negative impact on your health. You can also utilize the nut grinders in health food stores for nut butter this will save you at least a few dollars vs buying pre-packaged nut butter, and it is way fresher as well.
I also like to shop at farmers markets whenever possible and look for foods that are local, as a super healthy option and a great way to save money. You can also look for local food co-ops in your area. They will usually have different options for produce box sizes you can sign up to get on a weekly basis depending on how many people are in your household.
I also try to grow as much of my own food as possible. Sprouting is one of my favorite ways to do this. It is also a great way to have fresh high-quality food for very little money, and it’s not time-consuming at all. All you have to do is soak your seeds overnight, place them in the trays, then water them once in the morning and once in the evening. After a week you will have a full crop of delicious sprouts to eat.
I am totally obsessed with sprouting! It’s simple, it hardly takes up any space at all, and I get tons of energy after eating sprouts. This is the sprouting tower I love and have used for the past three years. I highly recommend it. My favorite sprouts are broccoli sprouts, they are a little more expensive but they are totally worth it. They are delicious and they are a huge cancer fighter!
Make Friends With People Who Share Your Lifestyle & Value Health
When you have friends who are also interested in living a healthy life on a budget it makes it is much easier to stay on track. We have all at one point decided that we wanted to get healthier and decided to make all kinds of changes to our lifestyle. Only to be derailed by the people in our lives who did not share our new lifestyle. I know that has happened to me multiple times in my life.
When I got serious about prioritizing my health and living a healthy lifestyle, I made a conscious effort to make new friends who shared my values. Not only did it help me stay on track but I even learned from them. Through a number of my friends, I have learned a great deal about ayurvedic cooking. This resulted in me becoming really interested and learn a lot more about Ayurveda.
Having friends who also enjoy cooking at home and having nights in, instead of nights out has also been very helpful when sticking to my budget and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They say we become like the five people we spend the most time with, and I totally believe that is true. I think it is even more important when we are investing in ourselves and committing to living a healthy lifestyle.
I love meeting new people through bumble bff, yoga studios, health food stores, the gym, free classes at lululemon and even Instagram. They all allow me to meet people who share my values and interests. I also love connecting with likeminded people in facebook groups. I have found that they can be a great way to connect with like-minded individuals, learn new things, and ask for support when you need it.
Go to Community Classes & Do Online workouts
Almost all yoga studios offer a community class at a discounted rate and if you happen to live near a Lululemon or Athleta store they usually offer some type of free class in their stores once a week. You might even discover a new type of movement that you love, make a new friend or both!
I also am a huge fan of at home workouts. There are tons that you need zero equipment to do. These are my favorite I don’t like needing tons of equipment to get in a good workout.
I really love the Nike training app they have really cool workout collections! These different collections have different levels and intentions. my favorites are the 4-week guide to get started and the 4-week guide to build strength. Both of these collections feature 16 different workouts you can put together to create a customized plan to meet your needs.
I also enjoy tone it up on Youtube, they have some really great targeted workouts that are surprisingly challenging. These are some of my favorites:
Beach Babe Mashup Workout ~ HIIT, Booty, Abs, & Arms!
Quick Total Body Toning ~ Sculpt In 7 Workout!
The Best Arm Workout You Need To Try ~ TIU Flex Friday!!
So there really is no excuse not to move your body because it is too expensive. There are more videos, downloadable workouts, and apps that are totally free than ever before. There is no excuse anymore. It has never been easier to live a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
Track Your Spending
I am a big fan of clarity app to track my monthly income and spending. It shows me what I’m spending the most on and it shows me my recurring charges as well. It even breaks down my spending by category so I can track what I spend the most on from month to month. I love that I can go to one place and it is all organized for me.
Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to break the bank. In fact, it can totally save you money, I know it has helped me save money over the years. It’s all about the choices you make and the things you choose to make a priority.
Don’t let the mindset of living a healthy lifestyle being expensive keep you from making the changes you want. You deserve to live a healthy life, it may just mean that you have to get out of your own way a little. I promise that making the choice to prioritize your health will greatly impact your life as a whole. I know it has for me!
Ready to Jumpstart Your New Healthy Lifestyle?
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