There’s a common misconception that living a healthy lifestyle is expensive. It can be expensive depending on how we approach it, especially if we add expensive gym memberships, fancy outfits, commercial energy bars and drinks, as well the latest craze equipment and books. But this can’t be true. I’m proof of that.
Being a young entrepreneur, I don’t have much of a disposable income. In fact, sometimes, there is no income. I’m trying to pay myself better this year (something I learned is actually a good practice for small business owners), but most of that still goes to paying mortgage. I can’t afford a lot of the fancy things out there but I still need to be healthy, so let me share with you my guide to being healthy cheaply.
Tip #1: Focus on the Basics
Many people spend so much money on the latest fitness or weight-loss craze. I’ve realized more can be achieved by just covering the basics. Here are some examples:
- You won’t need to spend money on losing weight if you’re already at your natural level because of a healthy diet of moderation and balance.
- You won’t need to spend on hospital bills, treatments, pills and other medication because your body is healing and regulating itself and is fed with the right nutrients and naturally flushes out toxins with a lot of water.
- You don’t need all sorts of stress and depression medicine or shrinks because you simply rest when you have to rest, don’t take on too much, and lift your worries to God in prayer.
In other words, before jumping into the next craze check the following:
1. Diet – am I eating right?
2. Water – am I drinking enough?
3. Rest – am I sleeping enough?
4. Less Stress – am I doing too much?
5. Nutrition – what supplements can I add to my already healthy diet?
You’ll notice that the 5 things I wrote above can be found relatively cheaply. 2 of them (rest and less stress) are actually achieved for free.
Tip #2: Look for Free / Low-Cost Alternatives
Instead of a gym, invest in dumbbells and faithfully do exercises at home. Use the stairs. Use your body weight (like with pushups and crunches). Ask friends for tips, or watch YouTube videos on how to do your form right. You’ll save so much from working out at home. No more parking. No more extra drinks, or special towels, or fancy outfits, or locker fees, or irritating mirror Adonises. You can even workout naked if you want – just make sure your room is locked and curtains drawn.
I used to buy a lot of those protein and energy bars. But these days, I go for eggs, nuts, and milk more. Instead of expensive probiotic pills, my friend, Alex Van Hagen, gives my his extra Kefir. My treadmill was moved to my parents’ house and I now run for free outside. I don’t even join races anymore. Why pay to run when you can run for free? Unless of course you believe in the cause.
Tip #3: Be A Regular Customer and Ask For Discounts
At the risk of sounding super cheap, discounts are something I definitely ask for. The best way to health is to be consistent, and since this pretty much means entering a routine, you can forecast what food, supplements, or other expenses you’ll have. Because of this, you can now become a regular consumer of certain products, and as you build loyalty, you can ask for discounts. A faster way to achieve this is to buy a year’s worth and ask for a volume discount. This is what I do because things are much cheaper. Of course you have to commit to using what you purchased or that would be the biggest waste of all.
Tip #4: Just Be Consistent
I tell myself this and I tell my staff the same thing: just do the things you have to do over and over better and better and you’ll breakthrough. You don’t need to jump from one health fad to the next. Just pick one and faithfully see it through. You don’t need to always be part of the latest. The old works just as well when done consistently.
I would have saved some money if I knew this earlier. So learn from my mistakes and take my advice. Being healthy doesn’t have to be financially expensive. All it takes is desire, resourcefulness, and a whole lot of commitment.
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