Sustainable Health on a Budget

In some cases, losing weight can mean losing money out of the monthly budget. Between completely changing how you eat and engaging in more physical activity, some are scared of losing productivity while other are nervous about increased spending.

However, becoming “healthy” does not mean that all the sudden you will be spending all your savings on “energy juices” or expensive supplements. There are plenty of ways to be thrifty with your weight loss journey and make the most of both your resources and your time. The goal is to have an action plan that is sustainable in the long run and sustainable financially.

Here are a couple of tips for those looking to transition into a healthy lifestyle without breaking the bank:

 

• Seek professional help: many people have gained success by trying to lose weight on their own. However, the progress can be achieved much more quickly and effectively if it is guided by a professional program or a dedicated professional like a dietician or personal trainer. Ask your doctor to refer you to a service which will evaluate your individual circumstances and based on that custom create a plan to lose weight fast, along with numerous effective weight loss tips. Depending on your starting point, you might even be able to get this cost subsidized partially or fully by public health care. Regardless of whether that’s not an option for you, the cost of such a program, though may be pretty steep, will affect all aspects of your transformation and bundled is a cheaper option than attempting to get them at a deal elsewhere.

 

• Cook at home: if you’re looking for healthy fast food, you’ll find slim pickings. For meal options that suit your needs, you’ll either have to shell out the big bucks or you will have to prepare it on your own. If you are used to cooking most of your meals already, the fresh equivalents to many of the processed foods you use might mean a spike in your food budget. However, if you currently eat out often, the transition to home cooked meals might actually keep some money in your wallet which you can use towards other things.

 

• Enjoy free/budget fitness options: If you want to exercise and see the benefits of being physically active, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg in doing that. Many activities like running or circuit training requires very little if any equipment and can be done anywhere for virtually free. If you want to engage in something else like yoga, boot camp, or Crossfit, look for budget opportunities like limited-time memberships on Groupon or the available programming at your local YMCA or community center.

 

• Take a Holistic Approach: to see maximum results, you need to address all aspects of your life simultaneously. Start with evaluating your weakness and why it is that you are not happy with your health. Use a mindful approach to understanding the problems and addressing the solutions, some of which have nothing to do with diet or exercise, but rather managing certain stressors or triggers in your life. Bring these to the table when you speak with your professional advisor and integrate these into the plan for your return to a healthy state of being.

No matter which way you slice it and dice it, you’ll find that investing in your healthy body is priceless and completely worth it, even if it means you have to tighten your belt in other aspects of your budget. However, it’s understandable that different life circumstances make this difficult to do, and that looking for a financially sustainable solution to healthy weight loss is an important priority.