Getting Healthy on a Budget Can Be Done

Oops! I did it again.

I’ve eaten my weight in shortbread cookies and blew the budget on Christmas shopping; which means this January, I am literally and figuratively tightening my belt – that is if I can find my belt underneath my new holiday padding.

Getting healthy in January doesn’t have to cost a fortune, and that’s a good thing because I have nothing left to give. Here’s my plan to get my fiscal and physical health back on track.

Get Healthy on a Budget

Forget the Gym

This might sound counter-intuitive but after many years of throwing money at a gym every January, I finally got real with myself.  Why buy a costly gym membership that I won’t use? Studies suggest that if you don’t live within ten to fifteen minutes of a gym, you won’t go. I’ve invested in some cheap resistance bands and some online workouts. That’s hundreds of dollars that will remain in my wallet this year.

Flush it Out

I normally drink a glass of lemon water every single morning, but peppermint mochas and caramel macchiatos beckoned to me in December and I let it fall by the wayside. The benefits of drinking lemon water are well documented, so this daily habit is back in play. Thankfully FRESHCO does fresher cheaper, which works perfectly with my current financial constraints. $2.99 for a bag of lemons each week minus fancy coffees equals a trimmer me and a fatter bank account.

Drink Up

Let’s be honest, water pales in comparison to some of the more tempting options out there. cough wine cough. That’s why water gets an upgrade in January. I’ve stocked up on Compliments Frozen Fruit and got fancy. My favourite is the Paradise Trio that contains strawberries, mangos and peaches. Fresh options include cucumber and ginger, and transport me back to my favourite Jamaican resort.

I’ll be subbing flavoured waters for wine and pop this January, and my waistline will be grateful.

Dining In Is Cool (And Smart)

I’m good with eating out occasionally but December saw my family dining out even more than usual. That can be hard on the waistline and the pocketbook. January is about making sure meals are planned.

The FRESHCO flyer (available on the Flipp App) helps me plan healthy and nutritious meals based on what’s on sale. That’s just smart.

Go Green

It’s FRESHCO for the win again on this one, because I need to be a lean green fighting machine this month but don’t have tons of cash to dole out. I can rely on having low prices for fresh produce, so I don’t need to stress about the cost of getting healthy.

Every Sunday, I make salads up for the week for everyone in the house. By planning ahead and having salads ready to go in the fridge, there are no excuses.

Can someone remind of me all this come next December?

This post has been generously sponsored by the makers of FRESHCO but all opinions expressed are mine.