A healthy body isn’t something that should cost you an arm and a leg, so to speak. In fact, there are plenty of inexpensive-yet-super-effective tricks to get those—and other—limbs toned, and to tick off the many health-related resolutions we’re sure you made for 2017. Below, our editors’ five favourite ways to get fit and healthy on a budget (that actually work):
drink water. That clear, zero-calorie liquid that comes out of your tap? Not only is it free (unlike juice, soda and sports drinks), it’s an amazing way to tackle weight loss, flush out toxins and boost energy levels. Most experts suggest aiming to drink between six and eight glasses of H2O a day, which amounts to about two litres. So get yourself a measured reusable bottle and chug, chug, chug!
eat in. Not only is restaurant fare expensive, it can also be hard to tell exactly what ingredients, healthy or not, go into your favourite menu items. Cooking at home gives you control over what goes into your food (and, ultimately, into your body), as well as how much you spend on it. We suggest loading up on fresh produce, which is often cheaper than processed foods and a whole lot better for your bod.
tweak your transit. We’ve all heard it before—forego the elevator and take the stairs. Leave the car at home and bike to work. Skip the subway and stroll to the grocery store. It may seem like tired advice but, when it comes to getting fit and healthy on a budget (and even with limitless funds), every single inexpensive step counts!
download free apps. Speaking of steps, exercise and other healthy changes always seem in danger of losing their top-of-mind status as the new year becomes less, well, new. Keep your motivation up by downloading no-cost apps to help track your commitment and progress, count your calories and even provide you with music and mentorship. Freebies we like include Lose It!, which lets you upload a food pic to get calorie count and nutrition info in a snap, and MyFitnessPal, which features a step tracker and barcode scanner to keep tabs on everything in your diet.
get to the gym. While some membership prices are outrageous (and out of scope for many of us), there are excellent gym options out there for the budget bound. Fit4Less figures as our number 1 pick in this department, with a mandate to make high-quality fitness affordable and provide more Canadians the opportunity to achieve their health and fitness goals. Beyond the more-than-doable Black Card or 4Less Card membership options—just $9.99 and $4.99, respectively, every two weeks—you may receive access to unlimited hydro massage bed and massage chair use, free tanning, half-price cooler drinks, a free T-shirt and gym bag, Virtual Fitness and Virtual Cycling programs and GoodLife’s own 30-Minute Express Circuit ™, not to mention use of gym locations across Canada*.
Now that’s what we call a do-your-body-good deal! —VITA Daily
*May not be available with all types of memberships. At participating clubs, where available, and during staffed hours. Smart Tan Rules apply. Must be age of majority to make use of these services.
This post was brought to you by Fit4Less.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Fit4Less. The opinions and text are all mine.
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