The financial aspect of getting fit and healthy
Posted by : Premraj | Posted on : Tuesday, June 13, 2017
DELICIOUS
SU
REDDITIf you’re serious about improving your health and fitness, you’ll need to face a hard fact: it is going to cost you money. Healthy food, a good-quality gym, exercise equipment, and workout gear all cost money, and trying to do it on the cheap can end up costing you in ways that you might not expect. The good news is that there are ways to avoid getting ripped off and make sure that you really get what you pay for. What’s more, putting money into improving your health is an investment – if you keep up the hard work to go with it, you could end up better off in all sorts of ways.
A healthy diet
At this point in history, for the first time ever, more people around the world are overweight than underweight. If that sounds like a sign that wealth distribution is improving, however, it’s sadly not. Obesity is, by and large, a disease of the poor because it costs more to obtain healthy food. The easiest way to eat well on a budget is to cook from basic ingredients – fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains – but this is difficult for people whose low income means that they have to spend all their time working. If you live somewhere hot, where food goes off quickly, accessing these ingredients can be difficult and costly. It is really important, however, to try to eat five to nine different kinds of fruits and vegetables a day. Eating different kinds of nuts, grains, and dried fruit can help. Drinking more water helps a lot, and it costs nothing to cut down on caffeine, alcohol, and salt. After a while, your body won’t miss them. Get the basics right and there’s no need to spend money on expensive diet schemes or products.
The right gym
There are always gyms out there offering shockingly low discount rates, and when you’re hard up, it can be tempting to give them a try, but be wary. The best gyms charge what they do for a reason. Money is reinvested in high-quality equipment, staff who can ensure that it’s used safely, and overall health and safety standards. Since it’s difficult to work on your fitness if you’re struggling with injuries, and because a serious injury could cause you permanent problems, it’s really important to choose your gym carefully. This doesn’t mean that you need to pay inflated “luxury” rates – it just means that you should be prepared to pay for somewhere that’s well recommended and makes a good impression. If you’re struggling, look for gyms that offer helpful payment plans or income-related pay scales.
Exercise equipment
One way to save on gym costs is to exercise at home, but here, too, you should expect to do some serious spending if you want good results. While you can pick up dumbbells and exercise balls at a fairly low cost and get a lot out of them, don’t be tempted to go for the cheaper options on larger pieces of equipment. Not only could you be placing yourself at risk, but also budget equipment doesn’t tend to have a very long useful life, so it can represent a false economy, forcing you to pay more in the long run. Try machines in a gym first to see what works for you, and ask there for recommendations.
The right gear
Having good-quality gear can make a big difference to what you get out of your workout, providing tension in the right places so that you use your muscles more efficiently, protecting you from injury and helping you to recover more quickly if you do get hurt. Look for gear such as copper wear that’s not only comfortably wearable but also comes from a trusted brand so that you can be confident that it will get results. With good-quality gear, you’ll also save money over the long term because it will last longer, which also means that you won’t need to buy as many different items. Just remember that there can be a difference between brands with good reputations and brands where what you’re paying for is not the garment itself but the label on it.
What it’s worth
When you’re spending money like this, it’s reasonable to wonder what you’re really getting in exchange. In fact, you may find that even in straight financial terns, you more than make your money back. That’s because, according to a 2016 study by the American Heart Association, the average US citizen who undertakes a basic exercise program every week saves $2,500 in comparison to one who doesn’t. Because improved health and fitness makes you less likely to become disabled and means that you’re likely to remain active further into old age, it can also save you money that way. And, of course, it can make your life a lot more satisfying in the immediate term – isn’t that something worth paying for?
