January is truly an interesting month. It’s a month filled with fresh starts, life changes, and improvements. It’s a time filled with a new-found motivation to plan an achieve new goals and truly get ahead. However, it is also the time of recuperating from the holidays, especially financially… It’s a time where the days are darker and gloomier and returning to every day normal is tough. No more holiday cheer, resting or abundance of sweets and goodies, now it’s the time to get back into reality.
A lot of us tend to have these big plans that we are just dying to get started but just don’t seem to have the time, energy and finances. Whether it be returning to work or preparing for the kids going back to school or much of our budget went to gifts, vacations and well just enjoying the holidays. So we end feeling stuck. We want a fresh start, but we’re still recovering from the previous year. This especially is true for our plans to get healthier, to get back in shape or to lose weight.
The good news, there are ways to both help us recover and get that fresh start we are yearning for. Below are a some effective, budget-friendly and time-sensitive alternatives to help achieve those health goals that we set up for the new year.
Going to the Gym You DO NOT have to opt for those expensive monthly memberships! Most major gym companies, also run a more budget-friendly gym option (i.e., Goodlife Fitness also powers Fit 4 Less) that offer month to month options as low as $15-$25/mth. Also opting to hit the gym at your local rec center is also a great option. Research exercises based on the machines and equipment available at the gym to get the best out of your workout.
Exercises at home – Many websites focus on workouts at home with little to no equipment. Some websites include:
Eating Healthier – Meal prep, meal prep, meal prep! Yes, it does require an initial commitment of time, most likely a Sunday afternoon, but you don’t have to worry about food for the rest of the week! Planning your meals not only ensures you have food ready for the whole, week, but it also helps save money by not ‘winging it’ at the grocery store and only buying what you need. Ask yourself questions such as:
Do I have enough fruits and veggies for my meal? If not, where could I add more?
Where can I cut down on sugar and processed foods and what could I replace it with? Here are some websites filled with healthy budget friendly meal prep ideas:
Mobile apps – There are tons of free mobile apps and trackers with lots of workout routines and tips, such as My Fitness Pal: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/ and 8-Fit https://8fit.com/.
The fundamental trick for all your new year’s resolutions, including getting healthy, is to start with small, near future goals. Like reducing the number of cans of soda a day from 3 to 1 or dedicating 3x 30-minute sessions workout sessions at the gym or at home. After all, practice makes perfect!
eating better, fitness, health, losing weight
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