Top tips from the pros for saving your cash.
Q: When you set out to incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine, do you cringe at the thought of spending loads of your hard-earned money on chia seeds, avocados and protein powder to do so?
News Flash: Getting fit doesn’t have to cost the earth. Quite the contrary, in fact: Living healthy on a budget is totally possible and really, really simple, once you put your mind to it.
Sadly, the simplest ways to stay healthy on a budget often don’t get publicized because, well, they don’t make a profit. But once you look into simple daily habits – most of which are free! – that can really make a difference in your life, you’ll never look back.
to like? attention (opens in new tab), Yoga. Increasing Your Daily Steps With a Morning Walk or Hike (opens in new tab), Drink your eight glasses of water a day. For more simple and easy-to-implement tips, we talked to three personal trainers PureGym (opens in new tab) – Sally Smith from Telford, Emma Ford from Aylesbury, and James Lee from Finsbury Park – to get their top tips for staying healthy on a budget. Keep sliding
How to Stay Healthy on a Budget: 14 Top Tips
1. Prep, Prep, Prep
You know the old saying – prepare to fail, prepare to fail. As Smith points out, planning ahead can make all the difference when faced with tough decisions.
“Plan ahead,” she recommends. “Things like meal planning mean you can spend less on pricey sandwiches at lunch, plus you’ll enjoy a healthier option.”
2. Walk
Whether it’s a morning jog or a mid-day jog around the block to break up your desk time, getting in your 10,000 steps a day is a cheap and easy way to boost your heart health.
top tip: “When meeting up with friends, keep costs down by suggesting a walk instead of a meal or movie trip. That way. You get active, too,” says Smith.
3. Hydrate
A simple, free, and effective way to boost your health is to drink more water. One way to ensure this is to get yourself a reusable water bottle – it will act as a visual reminder to drink water, even if you forget.
“Plus, you’ll then avoid paying for bottled drinks that can be expensive or high in sugars or additives, stay hydrated, and reduce your plastic use all at the same time,” explains Smith.
4. Keep an eye out for bargains
This is good. If you’re keen to start cooking lots of healthy meals with a combination of protein, healthy fats, and carbs, but usually find products like chicken, tofu, and fresh vegetables a bit pricey, keep your eye on the section below. . Your local supermarket, advises Smith.
“You’ll usually find some good deals and, if you’re careful about what you can freeze or cook in batches, really save yourself some cash and time,” she adds.
5. Lace Up
Sure, You Can Feel Jim’s Anxiety (opens in new tab) Or consider that a gym may feel out of your price range right now, but not all exercise needs to be done at the gym. Far from it, in fact – there’s a whole range of free home workouts (opens in new tab) You can range from high-intensity sessions to low-impact workouts like Spin and Zumba (opens in new tab)Like Pilates and Barre.
Running is also a great free way to get fit for free. “It’s a great place to start because there are so many free apps out there to help you get going and try to beat your times and more,” Smith said.
Read our guide to running tips for beginners (opens in new tab)Shop our edits from the best running coaches (opens in new tab) and best sports bra (opens in new tab)see more free fitness apps (opens in new tab) to like Couch up to 5 km (opens in new tab), Strava (opens in new tab)either nike run club (opens in new tab),
6. Dance
Yep, you read that right. Dancing is actually one of PT’s favorite ways to stay fit and the fun fact is that it’s completely free too.
She shares, “Just some music you can dance to — or follow along with one of the many YouTube videos — and off you go.”
7. Be bold with your movement
Things like putting away the groceries, walking downstairs to greet the postman or folding the laundry are all physical activities that can count towards your daily movement.
Try being more active in your day-to-day, says Smith, it will only boost how much you’re making for each ££. share. “You’re moving for more, less.”
Not sure what we mean? Our Guide to Mindful Movement (opens in new tab) might help.
8. Watch YouTube
Enjoyed the dance tutorial above? We also. YouTube is a great option for low-cost fitness options because it’s full of free yoga classes. (opens in new tab)HIIT workout (we love Joe Wicks YouTube workout (opens in new tab)weight training session (opens in new tab)even more.
“It makes working from home less daunting, because you have a qualified professional guiding you through a pre-recorded fitness class, completely free of charge,” she explains.
9. Choose Your Supermarket Carefully
Sure, eating healthy can add up, but so can buying not-so-nutritionally dense options. It all depends on where you shop, shares Ford, who recommends you try cheaper supermarket options.
“I like to buy my groceries from more affordable retailers like Lidl and Aldi. I save a lot of money and am constantly stocking up on bargains,” she says.
10. Bulk Purchase
And on that note – buying bigger packs of items like meat and veg is a surefire way to save money.
“The bigger the bag, the more money you’ll save in the long run,” shares Ford. Just be sure you’re using and storing food well — aka batch cooking or freezing — before it goes off.
11. Food Preparation
You’ve heard the likes of health gurus Joe Wicks, Kayla Itsines, and Jillian Michaels rave about how batch cooking can be a great affordable way to eat well, and there’s a reason why.
Cooking healthy meals not only saves you time, but also reduces decision fatigue when it comes to cooking. Think about it – opening the fridge after a long day, you can make a healthy, nutritious meal (it’ll take twice as long) or… fish and chips. Anyone will have attachment. Prepare food in advance and said difficult decisions will be premeditated.
“You can always freeze meals and defrost when ready to eat,” advises Ford.
12. Don’t make it complicated
it’s important. Stick to simple meals: source protein, carbs, healthy fats and a portion of fruits or vegetables for each meal.
“You don’t need to go out and buy fancy extras if you want to stay within budget,” Ford shares. “Stick to basic whole foods and then mix and match ingredients for multiple meals.”
13. Get Your Sleep
Getting good-quality sleep is one of the simplest — and cheapest — things you can do to boost your overall health, with studies showing that it boosts the health benefits of your heart disease risk. lowers your blood pressure, and lowers your blood pressure. ,
“Focus on getting enough, good-quality sleep where possible,” advises Lee. “It can have a huge impact on almost all aspects of your health.”
Struggling with your zzz’s? Our expert explains how to sleep (opens in new tab) and insomnia treatment (opens in new tab) May come in handy.
14. Kit Exchange
One of the biggest hurdles — and expenses — when it comes to getting fit is workout gear.
But know this – you don’t need Latest trainers or kit. Lots of charity shops or second hand retailers like Depop sell workout gear, or failing that, ask a sporty friend if they have any old kit they wouldn’t mind sending you. You will be really impressed by their generosity.
How to stay healthy on a budget? sorted.
Generally speaking, why is health and fitness considered expensive?
As Smith points out, because so many of us are starting a new hobby or way of life completely from scratch, that can seem expensive.
“Many people don’t prioritize their health and fitness and other expenses, and as a result, view gym memberships as a big expense,” says Smith.
Ford further added that in reality, staying healthy can be as expensive or as cheap as you make it. “In reality, all you need is a comfortable outfit, a sprinkle of exercise motivation (opens in new tab)And a whole food diet and you’re good to go,” she shares.
Ultimately, Lee agrees, adding that you can get fitter, stronger. And Build muscle using only your body weight. “That means without spending a dime,” he insists. “Everyone can improve and maintain their health and fitness without breaking the bank.”
You never need to Google “how to be healthy on a budget” again.
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