Today, I’d like to present another post in collaboration with Scott Sanders, who has written many wonderful articles on the website previously. Today we would like to talk about how to live a healthy lifestyle on a budget. Choosing healthy options for food exercise doesn’t have to be costly and we’d like to present many different tips and tricks, we hope you enjoy!
At Stephanie Wellbeing, we offer nutritious, affordable, and delicious recipes that will improve one’s health!
We don’t have to break the bank trying to live a healthy life. On the contrary, taking better care of ourselves can turn into savings and money-making opportunities. Check out these ideas for enjoying better health without straining the budget.
Eat More Plants
Meat and dairy are some of the most expensive items on the grocery list, but we don’t need to eat them at every meal to get the protein our body needs. In fact, we can get all of our recommended daily protein from plants. Beans, lentils, and tofu are all great sources of plant-based protein, and they’re typically much cheaper than meat or dairy. If experiencing digestive issues from beans and/or legumes, try soaking in a stainless steel bowl with water overnight. Drain and rinse the next day for use in a recipe and digestive ease.
Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season
Get the best prices with savvy shopping. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are typically cheaper than those out of season. Purchase seasonal produce to save money while still getting the nutrients our bodies need. For green veggies, try buying frozen instead of fresh, which often preserves the antioxidant and nutrient content of the veggies while making it cheaper and easier to use whether throwing into a hash, soup or stir-fry.
Drink More Smoothies
Fill up on healthy ingredients quickly by investing in a quality blender for preparing healthy smoothies or juices. Smoothies are one of the best ways to get our daily recommended fruits and vegetables, and they’re also a refreshing and satisfying snack. Since they’re so easy to make, we can save money by not having to buy them from a store or restaurant. Just be sure to use fresh ingredients and avoid adding too much sugar, which experts show can harm your mood and digestive system, while increasing risk for diabetes and/or metabolic syndrome.
Look Online for Great Recipes
With the rise in food costs, many people are looking for ways to stay within their weekly budget while still enjoying healthy meals. Doing a bit of research and meal planning can be incredibly helpful when it comes to finding easy recipes that won’t break your bank.
Here are just a few recipes from Stephanie Wellbeing to get you started:
- Easy “Cheezy” Crispy Air-Fried Broccoli
- Simple & Savory Veggie Scramble
- Mediterranean Green Salad with Homemade Honey-Lemon Vinaigrette
Move More for Less
Gym memberships can be costly. However, there are plenty of ways to get our bodies moving without spending any money at all!
- Walk with a friend – social connection and steps!
- Jog or run outside – great way to increase your exposure to nature and get natural sunlight which can help reset our Circadian rhythm and improve energy levels
- Swim in a lake or ocean – if you are fortunate enough to live near a body of water and the weather is warm, swimming is great exercise and easy on the joints too.
- Body weight exercises:
- Push-ups
- Burpees
- Air Squats and Lunges
- Crunches and more!
Use Health Apps to Stay on Top of Your Wellness
There are plenty of great health apps out there to help save money and live a healthier life. For instance, many fitness apps offer workout plans and tracking features to help get in shape without spending too much money on a gym membership. Ones we like include:
- Nike – has both a fitness and separate running app for free
- Youtube – plenty of free yoga and fitness classes – one of my favorite trainers is Caroline Girvan who does home-based workouts with dumbbells, bands, and sometimes with no equipment too!
- ClassPass – for less than $49/month (and some subscriptions are even less), ClassPass provides a certain number of “credits” each month to use toward fitness classes like Barry’s or SoulCycle, or offers access to local gyms. This is currently how I maintain gym access without paying for a costly membership.
- Peloton Digital – the Peloton equipment can be costly. But access to the app alone is $12.99 a month and provides access to a range of equipment-free classes from Bootcamp to Pilates to Yoga and stretching. There are also voice over outdoor running classes to choose from that are excellent and motivating!
Lastly, these apps can help track food intake to make healthier eating choices and lose weight:
- MyFitnessPal – simply log food and or scan barcodes to more easily enter what you have eaten during the day. Add in specific goals to get a tailored calorie and macronutrient count
- See How You Eat – dislike logging foods? Try SHYE which uses photos of each meal to reflect and review what you’ve eaten during the day. A great way to be more mindful of snack and/or possible junk food that may be eliminated
Keep a Clean and Healthy Home
A clean and well-organized home is not only more pleasant to live in, and it can also have a positive impact on our physical and mental health. One of the simplest and most effective ways to keep our home clean is to vacuum regularly. Vacuuming can help to remove allergens, dust, and other pollutants from our homes, improving air quality and reducing the risk of respiratory problems. Keep in mind that it’s ideal to vacuum carpets and rugs twice a week, and if you have a pet that sheds, you may want to vacuum more often than that. Also consider splurging on an air filter which can help remove toxins from the home. Certain plants, like Snake Plants are also excellent at removing pollutants for a healthier living space.
Take Advantage of Savings
When we think about saving money, they often overlook the role of good health in keeping expenses down. For instance, if we eat healthy foods, we may likely spend less on groceries since we won’t need to buy as much processed and unhealthy food. We may also save on gas bills since we won’t have to visit the doctor or hospital often. Health insurance premiums may be lower since insurance companies will won’t bear the hospital visits and other expensive costs of high-risk medical issues such as hypertension and diabetes. Everyone should strive for good health as an essential money-saving strategy. When looking at the top 10 causes of death in the U.S. today, many are largely due to preventable causes. Strive for a more whole-food, plant-based diet, lower in sugar, processed meats; increase social connection and movement (a great example is walking with a friend to hit two healthy habits at once – it’s free, fun and easy).
In Summary
A healthier life can be a wealthier life. Whether you’re starting your own business, eating better, or keeping a healthier home, use these tips to get your body and finances into better shape.