This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fit4Less. The opinions and text are all mine.
Each January millions (billions?) of us declare New Year’s Resolutions or goals we want to achieve. Two of the most popular goals are to get healthier and to save more money.With that being said it only seemed natural to bring those two things together and put together this list of five ways you can save money while getting healthier at the same time over 2018!
1. Meal Plan
Yes I know, it’s boring. But you know what’s not boring? Not having to stress over what to make for breakfast, lunch or supper. By pre-planning your meals you can grocery shop once and save money by purchasing foods that are on sale. You’d be shocked at how much money you can save by taking a few minutes each week to check out local discounts and creating a meal plan based on foods that are on sale.
If you need some ideas, Pinterest is always a great resource to find lots of meal plans and recipe ideas. If you wanted to take this one step further you can do one of the “30 freezer meals” recipe plans so you’ll have all your suppers for a full month prepped and ready to go in one day! Now that’s the next level of planning I’ve never quite achieved, but I’m super impressed by those who have!
I know what you’re thinking. Ok, so I can see how this helps save money, but how does it help me get healthier? If your meals are already planned (or prepped!), you’ll be a lot less likely to get take-out on those days you are hungry and tired. Homemade food is almost always healthier than fast food, and since you are doing the planning, you are going to plan for healthier meals! Right? Right!
2. Get The Whole Family Moving
Families and couples that would like to workout together, but have different interests and requirements when it comes to facilities can get a membership at a gym like Fit4Less where you get high quality facilities at an affordable price.
The Fit4Less purpose is to give every Canadian the opportunity to live a fit and healthy good life. Fit4Less makes high quality fitness affordable and provides more Canadians the opportunity to achieve their health and fitness goals.
Fit4Less locations can be found in Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Find the location nearest you by visiting their membership page.
While individuals can expect a low cost membership starting at $4.99 every 2 weeks (plus joining fee*), families and couples can get a Black Card** membership (starts at $9.99 every 2 weeks). For a family of 3 or 4, that is amazing value!
Besides all the workout equipment you’d expect to find in a gym, Fit4Less also offers a 30 Minute Express Circuit and new this month, some locations will also be offering Move 123 virtual content to its members.
Move 123 consists of 7 categories of classes with many class options within each series. The classes vary from 10 minutes to 30 minutes and are for members of all fitness levels. Including classes in yoga, dance, strength, pilates, cardio, fight and stretch there is something for everyone! Classes are offered both on demand so members can fit a quick class into their busy schedules, or join others for a scheduled class.
*When joining, user will be required to pay a $44 joining fee plus applicable tax based on the purchase of 1 year. Payments will commence every two weeks based on your start date. No additional fees are required above this specific.
**Black Card membership commitment options: 1) No commitment: requires a $44 joining fee plus applicable tax and 30-day notice to cancel a membership; or 2) One-year commitment: no joining fee required. On both options payments plus applicable tax will commence every two weeks based on your start date. No additional fees are required above the specified fees. Other conditions apply. See http://fit4less.ca/membership for more details.
3. Ditch the Soda
I’ll wait while all the soda drinkers start to groan… but the fact of the matter is, you’re drinking sugar water. Not to mention expensive sugar water at that. As much as I like to tell myself that people don’t really drink that much soda, I always see people at the grocery store with case after case of soda or 8-2L bottles in their cart so I know it’s still a real issue.
Kicking the soda habit not only will save you money, but you will be reducing your sugar/chemical intake substantially. Yes, diet soda is sugar free, but even with this being the case it cannot be ignored that these drinks just aren’t good for you or your families health. Indulging on occasion is totally fine, but on the daily? You can do so much better. Ideally, you’ll swap the pop for plain H20, but I know that’s a stretch for many people so even starting with a switch to 100% fruit juice – which is still sugar filled, but at least has some vitamins going for it – can be a good starting point.
If you are a heavy soda drinker, start by swapping one glass or can per day for a glass of water. Then slowly continue to decrease it over time until you are down to maybe one or two (or less)/week.
Not only will you feel better once that initial withdrawal subsides, you’ll also have more money in your pocket! And you might even notice a trimmer waistline!
4. Take a Hike!
Literally! But it doesn’t have to be a hike, a walk will do too. Society puts a lot of pressure on people to get out and do some serious hardcore exercise, but you don’t need to! Walking, hiking, snowshoeing, etc. are all pretty inexpensive once you have the proper gear, and are great for your health. LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) exercise is one of the best ways to help reduce stress levels, improve adrenal function, and also helps keep your metabolism revving. There might be a small initial investment for the proper footwear/outerwear, but after that, you’re looking at an activity that will greatly impact your health and will keep your pocketbook feeling strong!
5. Forget the Bar, Hit the Bed Instead
Possibly the least glamorous, but possibly the most important on the list – sleep. When we are talking about health, the number one thing everyone could do today is get a little bit more sleep. Seriously, a vast majority of the population would find that their health would improve drastically with an extra hour of sleep a night.
I know heading out with friends after a long stressful day to enjoy some cocktails (or in my case – nachos) sounds like the perfect way to let off some steam. And while it’s great once in a while, making it a weekly (or more) event isn’t doing yourself any favours. Instead, head home have a nice bath or shower, relax on the couch to watch TV or read then head to bed early. The next morning you’ll wake feeling well rested (and not hung over), and ready to tackle the day!
Getting adequate sleep lowers cortisol levels, and increased cortisol is one of the major contributors to increased fat on the abdomen. By going to sleep earlier and cutting back on drinks with friends, not only will you be saving money and have more energy but you may even lose some of that stubborn belly fat. FROM SLEEPING. Scout’s honour.
There you have it, five pretty simple ways you can spend less and get healthier at the same time. So often new year’s goals are these huge sweeping declarations that are honestly, a little bit too much. These are five very doable goals that will leave you feeling so much better physically, mentally and financially.
Do you have any other tips on how you can get healthier while saving money? If so I’d love to hear them!
Great suggestions! I wish our local gym had some sort of daycare service! With the short daylight hours it’s so hard to get out and get some exercise! Still, this post gave me lots of ideas for things I can work on. Thanks!
I think it would make a difference, for a lot of people if there was childcare! Same with exercise classes, but until you get a place that does at least there are some easy things you can do all together to stay active!
I think it would make a difference, for a lot of people if there was childcare! Same with exercise classes, but until you get a place that does at least there are some easy things you can do all together to stay active!