2017 is about to end, but before that Pasko na naman and that means working extra hard to keep in shape despite all the parties and free flowing food! How did you fare with your fitness goals for 2017? Congratulations if you’re on track. If you’re not and have stumbled upon some roadblocks such as finding a healthy lifestyle expensive, then this post is written with you in mind. Para sa’yo ito girl!
Many of us faced fitness challenges this year, lalo na with the rising cost of living plus the demands of modern lifestyle. Sometimes, not only money is scarce but also time. Here are tips that I tried this year which helped me stay on the fitness track:
1. Say good-bye to the gym and workout from home – when people ask me where I workout this year, at first I was embarrassed to answer and wished I can say fancy gym names. But now, I proudly answer “sa bahay lang!“. Moving my workout purely at home made me more creative, saved me lots of money because working out at home is FREE, and gave me even more time to spare for work and family.
I only had to invest in a few items like a workout bench and brought out my old dumbbells. Here’s a photo of me and my son working out together, salingkit lang sha but I like how I can spend time with him working out at home.
How much you’ll save: Up to P2,500 monthly and a lot of time!
2. Join FREE community workouts – I’m not just talking about your baranggay’s free zumba class but I recently discovered that Sun Life Philippines hosts several workouts (almost every month) and for FREE! It doesn’t even matter if you’re a Sun Life client or not. All you have to do is join their GoWell community.
So far, I’ve attended about 2 GoWell workouts – one at Shangri-la Fort BGC (wow) and another one in SMX SM Mall of Asia. These special workouts are normally just for gym members or you have to pay a special fee to join. Here’s one of my GoWell experiences where you can also get tips on how to join.
How much you’ll save: P1,500 + earn Instagram worthy photos that won’t break your budget! #Fitspiration #workout #fitnessgoal #fitness
3. Invest in financial products with Health & Fitness benefits – speaking of Sun Life, they have a product called Sun Fit & Well. This product has preemptive wellness benefits that allow you to proactively maintain your health. You can enjoy special access and privileges to various wellness activities that will help you stay fit and healthy – all while helping you save and invest for your own financial goals.
I encouraged my husband to get this product for himself (with the help of our financial adviser), in fact he’s not into fitness at all. So don’t think that this product is just for the fitness enthusiasts, everyone needs to be healthy and prepared for times of illness.
Read more about Sun Life Fit & Well
How much you’ll save: Up to 100,000 in case you get critically ill + wellness program (typically worth P25,000/month) + death benefit + earnings + so much more!
4. Local superfoods – Eating healthy may sound expensive, especially when you hear foods like chia seeds, kale, spinach, organic this and that. Superfoods are great but I have an alternative to kale and spinach that’s a lot cheaper and you can buy from your sari-sari store. These are saluyot and kangkong. You can use them for smoothies just like any “super greens”.
For other supplies like chia seeds, organic snacks, and food which I treat as “treats” for my body, I get them from local stores like Ultra Super Green. They are cheaper than health stores found in the mall and they also showcase locally sourced and produced whole foods.
How much you’ll save: Up to P2,000 monthly by choosing local!
5. Keep it up! – Leading a healthy and fit lifestyle can be hard especially we have other real-life responsibilities to fulfill. Get back up when you fall through the cracks and don’t beat yourself up if you miss a workout or enjoyed the buffet. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Being healthy is all about having a balanced life – physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Remember that when we exercise, we actually become more productive and have better clarity. In my experience, working out helps me excel better in my family and work life.
Not working out on the other hand may demotivate you from eating healthy, make you more sedentary, and increase your risk of falling sick or ill.
How much you’ll save: Lots of money from preventing sickness and living a brighter, active life for you and your family.
Remember, being healthy shouldn’t break your budget. Get inspiration from the things around you and your fitness level shouldn’t depend on how fancy your gym membership is. Hard work and determination are what it takes, enjoy every step of your fitness journey and don’t forget to think about your financial fitness too!
Do you have your own tips to share? Please share them below and good luck to all of us and our fitness and money goals!
Mommy Lace is a blogger from the Philippines. She started this blog to share information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, childcare, family, and health.
