Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

4 Tips for Staying Fit on a Budget

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Contrary to popular belief, getting healthy doesn't have to cost a fortune. Here are four tips for staying fit on a budget.Exercise is something that’s always been important to me. Growing up, my mom treated the family every year to a family membership at a local rec center. We loved it! We had unlimited access to multiple swimming pools, skating rinks, classes for all ages and as we got older we capitalized on the use of the gym.

Having a rec center membership isn’t an option for everyone. Not only does everyone not necessarily have access to a rec center, they can be expensive. For us as a family, while we work towards other financial goals, we’ve opted to not have a membership and instead stay fit with what we can do at or from home. Most things are pretty cheap, if not free.

Get Outside!

This is the easiest way to stay fit. Go for a walk, ride a bike, find a place to hike. The best shape I’ve ever been in was when I was walking 5km every day round trip to school. Since we don’t have access to a rec center my husband recently bought a new bike that was on summer clearance. This is something he’ll be able to use for years to come and didn’t cost much at all! I love walking and when I’m home with kiddo I like to put her in the stroller and walk around our neighbourhood. Hiking is another favorite activity of mine though I don’t get to do it as often.

YouTube

When I was home on maternity leave I would search for YouTube exercise videos to help with the baby weight. Combined with a good diet and regular walks with the baby I got to my pre-baby weight. There are entire YouTube channels offering free workout videos depending on what you’re looking for.

Home Workouts

There are entire companies out there that were established to make working out at home possible. I recently started following the video series of one of these programs and actually really like it. I can do it from the comfort of my home and all I need is a few cheap weights (check local second hand stores or garage sales), and a yoga mat. Be careful you don’t get sucked into buying some of these companies’ nutritional supplements though. They usually have a reasonable ‘’first time’’ price but can get you on subsequent orders. Eat a well-balanced diet and exercise, you don’t need fancy supplements.

Check Out Local Programs

Our local library often has fliers advertising free or cheap classes, everything from toddler ballet to 65+ Tai Chi. Some of the courses are free (Yoga in the park every Sunday!), but some have a small fee associated. When I was in university I partook in a cheap learn to run course and it was a great experience, I was especially thankful for my tight budget!

Some people only think of fancy gyms and pools when it comes to losing weight and staying fir when the reality is that you can live a very healthy life without paying for anything.

Do you have any tips for staying fit on a budget?

How to Develop a Healthy Lifestyle without Depriving Yourself

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joggingHow many times have you tried to stick to a diet but failed after about a week? If that sounds like you, you’re not alone.

It’s often said that 95 percent of dieters fail. While that number isn’t technically accurate I don’t think it’s too far off. If you’re stuck in the dieting trap let’s look at how you can maintain a healthy lifestyle without depriving yourself.

 

Change Your Lifestyle

Going on a fad diet is not a good way to lose weight or maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds or just live a healthier life, you need to develop long lasting habits. To maintain long term results you need to gradually transform your bad habits into good habits.

It’s important to start small and slowly incorporate changes into your life that you’ll be to maintain long term.

 

Start with Your Diet

Changing a diet is where most people fail. And, this is all due to perception of the word diet.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, tone up, or improve your health a diet should be looked at as a long term solution not a temporary fix.

The changes you make in your eating habits should be sustainable. If you can’t imagine living your whole life on a liquid only diet – don’t even try it.

They key to maintaining better long term eating habits is moderation. If you currently take in 2500 calories a day don’t try to limit yourself to 1,000 calories right off the bat. Slowly work your way down to a more healthy level.

And, it’s also important that you occasionally treat yourself. You don’t need to cut everything out of your diet. Focus on serving sizes. And, occasionally treat yourself. Everyone needs some Ben and Jerry’s every once in a while!

 

Find an Exercise Routine You Enjoy

If you hate exercise it could be that you’ve never found the right exercise program.

There are so many things you can do for exercise anything from running on a treadmill, to taking a kick boxing class, dancing, doing yoga or Pilates, or even swimming.

Exercise doesn’t have to be boring. You can check out free exercise videos on YouTube and start your search from there. Exercise can also be more enjoyable when you have a friend by your side.

Ask a friend or family member if they’d be interested in taking an exercise class or meeting up at your house to do an exercise video.

Once you find a program you like be sure to slowly incorporate more and more exercise into your life.

 

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

We all fall off the bandwagon at one point or another. The difference between failure and success is admitting when you’ve messed up and taking that step back into your more healthy routine.

You’re not going to develop a healthier lifestyle overnight. It’s going to take time to build up your new, healthier habits. Remember to do things in moderation, treat yourself occasionally, and find exercise that you love. Take it one step at a time and you’ll develop a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.