Heart Smart Minute
Ask anyone what their number one obstacle is to proper nutrition and fitness and you’ll get a one word answer MONEY. There is a misconception out there that eating healthy nutritious foods and exercising is too expensive for the average person especially in this economy. I ask you to take a look at your monthly budget and your list of priorities…where does your health fall on that list? Is it in the top 3 or did it not make the list at all.
Especially in these difficult financial times, you have to really look at your priorities and decide long term what’s in your best interest. Yes, you have to pay your rent, mortgage, car payment and daycare but you don’t have to eat out three times a week or spend $20 per movie ticket for a movie that you can rent for $5 in a few months. You don’t have to go hardcore organic but what you do have to decide is whether or not eating cheap processed foods is worth the massive medical bill in the future, or the long term health issues you will face, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. I can guarantee that bill will be much larger than buying organic chicken versus the chicken that’s $3 cheaper but loaded with antibiotics and hormones.
Skip going out to eat and instead buy organic meat to BBQ with your family-its cheaper!! Instead of buying 6 bags of potato chips and soda buy a veggie and cheese tray or a fruit bowl. How many new pairs of jeans or shoes do you really need? These are all areas where extra money can come from to put towards your long term health. These small changes can really open up some extra money to spend on healthy food. There’s nothing more important than your health. When you’re healthy you have endless possibility.
Start this month off by reevaluating what you’re spending your money on and ask yourself, are the choices you’re making helping you live a STRONG, HEALTHY life or adding to the sickness and obesity epidemic? Think long term health. Do you want to spend money now on great nutritious foods or spend it later on medical bills for high blood pressure medication, heart disease, diabetes or obesity. Your health is not for sale! So stop putting your body on clearance.
Heart Smart Minute Tips for Saving MONEY and Eating HEALTHY
Cook at Home: Eating at home should be your normal…you can’t rely on restaurants, even when you think you’re getting a great deal, like a 3 course meal for $20 per person, the food quality is awful and it’s loaded with butter, salt, and preservatives. Save your money and spend it on buying higher quality nutritious food and eating at home.
Shop on Weekends: Use your weekends as a time to plan your weekday meals for you and your family. Buy fresh fruit for your kid’s lunch, decide what meats or fish you need for later in the week. When your fridge is stocked you are more likely to eat at home then go out–saving money!
Be Seasonal: The best deals are always on fruit and veggies that are in season. Check out your local farmers market, most of their produce is in season and it’s cheaper then the grocery store.
Be SMART about ORGANIC: Most grocery store chains have their own brand of organics…Publix has Greenwise, Whole Foods has 365, even Target and Walmart have their own brands. This is a great way to buy organic but still save some money. Realistically, organic foods will cost you about 20% more than non organic (according to NY Times study), but the good news is this number will go down as demand increases, I know the budget is tight so take a look at WHEN to buy organic and when to buy conventional:
BUY ORGANIC:
Food you eat constantly
Meat/Chicken
Fish (buy wild whenever possible, farm raised fish are raised on a corn diet)
Dairy
Eggs
Fruit or Veggies you eat in Entirety: (apples, celery, lettuce, grapes..etc) these foods have a high pesticide rate and since there’s no skin to protect it make sure to buy organic!
DON’T BUY ORGANIC
Seafood (exception of fish)
Fruits and Veggies with a thick protective skin (avocados, bananas, pineapple, broccoli, corn..etc)
