Eating healthy and exercising may be perceived as expensive due to the costs of gym memberships and fresh produce. But David Campbell Lester, financial life coach and author of Middle Class to Millionaire, says it isn’t so. “Being healthy and active doesn’t have to consist of pricey memberships, rather than just pushing yourself to be active outside, or workout in the comfort of your home,” he points out.
Lester believes that “by finding creative ways to work out and not eat out as much, you not only see your expenses shrink, but your waistline as well,” thus indicating that health and wealth are connected.
He agrees to the connection explaining, “Being financially sound can lead to less stress, less fighting over money, and can allow for more vacations and exercise. Money can be a fuel to your healthy lifestyle and allow you to live an awesome life.”
With the weather getting warmer, now is the time to get fit and healthy, and also save your money for that summer vacation you deserve.
Lester shares tips on how to save calories and money:
Go outside
Yoga, hiking, running - nature is free! Put your gym membership on hold over the summer so that you are forced to go hangout outside and workout for free. When the winter comes, your
can re-activate it. During the winter or rainy season, take full advantage of your gym member-ship. Try to go to a yoga or spin class everyday to feel better and get your money's worth. You can spend additional money when you're in a spin class. Plus you pay for that membership so use it.
Bring your lunch to work
By not buying your lunch, you’ll save money and you will know exactly what you are putting in your body. Ordering take-out or dining out with colleagues for lunch often consists of more butter, oil, and other ingredients that may taste great, but are adding to your waistline and expenses. An average saving of $12 a day will add up to about $3,000 a year!
Search workout videos on YouTube
For those who do not wish to leave their home for some outdoor physical exercise, workout at home. “There is a large amount of at-home workout videos online that are accessible and free,” suggests Lester.
Go on a cleanse with your friends
Read up on new trends to workout as a group, like group jogs, maintaining each other's health meals, and so on. “Being with your friends will make it more fun. You can try the assortment of different cleanses that are all online and you'll be saving money on food when only buying juice or kale for a week,” points out Lester.
Revamp your yard
The best way to workout? Gardening or yard work. Plant flowers, mow the lawn, cut some shrubs. Lester states, “Living in a condo is no excuse! Go to a local farm and help out. Build a moat and get a drawbridge. The kids will love it, and no more door-to-door sales people!”
Help friends move
Your workout doesn’t need to be done only through exercise or hard-core activities. There are ways that can help you get fitter merely by simple social gestures. Lester suggests helping
a friend. “If a friend asks for help moving, say yes! Lifting boxes, furniture and painting is not only a nice gesture, but a great workout.”
“After you work out, you feel amazing. After you pay off your last loan, you feel amazing. Anchoring to the feeling that you'll have for both in the future will motivate you to put in the tiny effort to gain the huge benefit,” says Lester.
And finally, Lester sums up by an advise to make exercise fun. “Try everything you can from yoga to spin, to a running group. You'll find something that you love, you'll get fit and you'll save money by doing it on the cheap, and in the future in medications, because you'll be healthier.”
