Practical Ways to Exercise and Eat Healthy on a Budget

Busy schedules and tight budgets can make working out and eating right challenging, but it’s not impossible. With some creativity and planning, you can prioritize your well-being without an expensive gym membership or customized meal-planning service.

Find sensible ways to exercise and eat healthy on a budget.

Eat Healthy: Seek Wallet-friendly Nutrition

The food we put into our bodies can either nourish us or make us feel sluggish. To be a good steward of physical health, find ways to make food choices that promote well-being — even on a restricted budget.

• Choose nutrient-dense foods. These can be more filling, which can help reduce cravings for unhealthy snacks and provide the most nourishment per dollar. Nutrient-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean poultry, fish, nuts and legumes.*
• Try frozen fruit. It retains nutritional benefits when frozen² and lasts longer than fresh fruit, so it can help reduce food waste.
• Avoid impulse buys. If you shop in person, grabbing processed foods on display or sugary snacks at checkout can be tempting. Make a grocery list and stick to it. Consider shopping online with a grocery pick-up or delivery service if this is particularly challenging. This allows the shopper to add items to the online cart without walking by the in-store temptations. It also shows your total as you create a list, so there are no surprises at checkout. If you use this service, calculate any fees or tips into the grocery budget to determine if it’s a worthwhile tool to avoid impulse buys.
• Pay with cash. If you bring a limited amount of cash to the grocery store, you can’t spend more than you have. This can help you stick with the healthy items on your list.
• Don’t shop hungry. It can be much harder to resist unhealthy food choices (and add to your grocery bill) if you shop while hungry. Head to the store after mealtime.
• Avoid some of the “good deals”. Not every deal or sale is necessarily good for you. If it’s something you don’t really need, skip it. Purchasing five bottles of salad dressing may not be worth saving a couple of dollars if you’re not a big fan of salads.

Exercise: Break a Sweat, Not the Bank

When we think about staying active, we often think of gym memberships, equipment or trainers — all things that cost money. But there are vast resources for free workouts to help you exercise on a budget.

• Choose free fitness apps and videos. There are seemingly endless options for any fitness level. Not only can you find free workouts, but you may also find an online community for support and encouragement along your fitness journey.
• Make fitness a family affair. Enjoy time with your spouse on the tennis court or a hiking trail. Do you have toddlers? Try keeping up with them at the playground! Or, if you have a dog, make daily walks part of your routine.
• Invite a friend. Make exercise fun — and free — by scheduling time for squash, disc golf, basketball or other fitness activities with a friend.
• Use alternatives to weights. There’s no need for an expensive set of weights. Instead, you can use your own body weight (as resistance), bags of rice, a container of laundry detergent, a bag of pet food or other items from home.
• Get outdoors. Enjoy the fresh air and go for a walk, jog or bike ride in your neighborhood or at a local park.

Achieve Wellness Goals with Resources from GuideStone^®

As you find ways to exercise and eat healthy on a budget, jump-start your wellness journey with the GuideStone Wellness Challenge. If you have type 2 diabetes and a GuideStone health plan, take advantage of Twin Health™, a program to help reverse disrupted metabolism at no additional cost to you.

At GuideStone, we believe that when the body of Christ is healthy, it’s free to transform the world. We advocate for your well-being so you can fulfill the Lord’s calling in your life. For more information about health plans with biblical values, contact us at Insurance@GuideStone.org or 1-844-INS-GUIDE (1-844-467-4843), Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.

GuideStone welcomes the opportunity to share this general information. However, this article is not intended to be relied upon as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

¹Heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-can-i-eat-more-nutrient-dense-foods

²WebMD.com/diet/difference-between-frozen-fruit-and-fresh-fruit