"I don't have the money to be healthy..."

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  • amoffatt
    amoffatt Posts: 674 Member
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    As for the gym: I don't get where people get the notion that they require a gym to workout. I haven't stepped in a gym in 6 years, yet I seem to be doing alright (aside from 3 of those years, after I injured myself).
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    Well Said! I work out at home. I jog, do work out DVD's (I have a lot because I get bored real easy with the same one over and over) and so forth. I cannot afford a gym membership and even if I could, I am too self conscience to work out as hard as I need to burn the calories I want infront of others, that is just me. It is about being creative.
  • Squirrely_Girl
    Squirrely_Girl Posts: 26
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    I couldn't have said it better. Make your health a priority. That $100.00 tv bill? Not really all that important in the scheme of things. Your health is :)
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
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    I wanted to address something I see a lot in real life and here on MFP, especially with women.

    So often women write their plea for help and it's noted with "But I don't have money for the gym" or "I don't have money to buy healthy foods".


    Before those words leave your mouth or your fingers the next time, tell me....what IS your health worth? What is the exact dollar amount that you are willing to pay per month or per year in order to improve your life and possibly be around longer for your loved ones?

    Before those words leave your mouth or fingers again, take a real hard look at your budget and what you spend your extra money on. Maybe even track ALL your non-essentials for a month. How many times are you eating out a month?? How many mochas at Starbucks? How many packs of gum did you grab while checking out at the store? How many times did you find some really great deal on a shirt on clearance at Target so you spent the extra $10 on that trip? The reality is that MOST of us here with computers and internet live a life that probably has an extra $50 a month (or more) that we typically spend on non-essential things.

    I'm not judging. And I'm not saying everyone needs a gym membership in order to be successful. What I'm saying is this....you probably ARE worth a $50 a month investment in getting healthy and staying healthy. If that's a couple of boxes of protein bars instead of pop-tarts or a gym membership or a set of work out DVDs or whatever. You're worth it. You probably have it. It's just about shifting priorities. And I think it's ok to make yourself a priority every now and again.

    Preach it, girl! The people who want it the most WILL find a way to do it!
  • penniemh
    penniemh Posts: 124 Member
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    I find this thread very interesting for the fact of one of my reasons for wanting to lose wt is to lower my grocery bill...less wt means less calories eaten equals less food bought, means $$ saved...Eating is just expensive, either junk or healthy. I happen to be opting for healthy(ier). As for Farmer's Markets...here, where I live, the itty, bitty farmer's market we have once a week is more expensive than even our local harris teeter's.

    I, too, cannot afford gym membership. However; I use work 'as exercise' since I walk, lift, bend, stretch and move during the course of the day, my current position allows me to climb stairs as much or as little as I choose over the course of the day. It may not be the ideal way to get my exercise in, but it's better than sitting on my bum all day.

    -Pennie
  • curtnrod
    curtnrod Posts: 223 Member
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    I don't go to the gym, I walk or ride my bike. Works for me and costs me nothing
  • Rita_1967
    Rita_1967 Posts: 18
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    Depending on where you live, groceries can be inexpensive or expensive. I live in Canada and food prices here are through the roof. Items like chicken, milk, butter, produce are usually much cheaper south of the border. Also, your income plays a big role in what you can or cannot afford to buy. I agree you have to make your own priorities, but people on fixed incomes sometimes have to decide between paying the heating bill or buying groceries. I know a lot of people who struggle just to feed and house their kids. That being said, exercise is free to everyone. You can walk, dance, play with your kids, etc. all for free. No gym membership is required. And if you can't afford a car, then I guess you will be walking/biking more than the rest of us lazy, car driving people, and saving the expense of an automobile for more important things. I think being educated about healthy living is much more important than the size of your wallet.
  • meadow_lily
    meadow_lily Posts: 6
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    I do not have any spare money, I pay our bills & buy the very bare minimum household items (i even make my laundry soap-costs me less than $1 month) I have a family of 5 we don't eat out at restaurants, we don't buy new clothes even clearance, my baby uses cloth diapers & cloth wipes I make my coffee every morning in my cheap little coffeemaker, don't have a car or cell phone, our only splurge is $26 for internet but that saves us on cable and cell phones so its worth it. I get all my exercise from walking as I have no other choice we live in a small town very limited barely existent public transportation or variety of stores, it is a bit difficult to keep fresh produce replenished due to getting across town & "shelf life" but its only been the last few years that I really took the time to purchase healthy foods and skip all the cheap "fillers" (pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, all cheap and mostly not really good for us)that I used to buy thinking it was all I could afford, the money I save on those I buy half decent meats and produce, we eat healthier we eat less the protein from the meat is filling and better than piling a plate with carb filled pasta because it's a $1 for a box, for me it wasn't that I had money elsewhere it was the perception that it wasn't affordable I think a lot of us are used to eating and shopping a certain way its a habit just as much as anything else, but I definitely know people who spend so much on shoes they don't wear and coffee out everyday they could pay my rent with what they spend but they say they can't afford things, so I totally agree
  • tourettte
    tourettte Posts: 142 Member
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    for healthy eating I always find a way. Parents send packages every week.
    as for gym...in my part of the world its around 750$ salary, 260 rent, 140 bills and 350 to save for college tuition, food that I still have to buy, monthly bus pass and clothes, cosmetics (shampoo, tampons, do it at home waxing) and emergency fund - doctors, emergency apartment/family/whatever.... and a good gym twice a week is 60$ so i chose to workout at home and run around....It might not be a perfect choice but until i get a permanent employment (and with it company gym usage :) ) it's all I have :)))
  • Moxie42
    Moxie42 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    I've always figured that if you don't have the money to be healthy, then god help you when you start having to deal with the expenses of not being healthy.


    Such a great way to put it!!!

    And as many people have said, walking and doing home exercises cost NOTHING, and buying veggies and fruit cost little compared to eating out every day. People might think "oh but I only spend $5 at _____(insert fast food place)." Assume three meals at that price and boom- $15 for one day. For $15, I can by 3 days' worth of meat/fish for TWO people AND veggies for at least 4 entree-sized salads. That's 8 meals as opposed to 3 off the value menu (2 if you're buying off the regular menu).

    Growing produce is also an option if you want to seriously cut costs...but yes that does require time. But hey, we aren't going to have success handed to us...we need to compromise. Either shop around until you find the most affordable place convenient to you, or dedicate the time to growing.
  • Uuuhlexis
    Uuuhlexis Posts: 90 Member
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    Veggie's just AREN'T expensive. If you take a half an hour out of your day to cook instead of buying premade CRAP you save money and calories.
    Even those healthy dinners. Tiny portions, full of sodium. I can make something 15x better than that with about 20 minutes worth of effort.
    Yeah....they are. But they're worth it. $3.99/lb for orange peppers is expensive. I paid $4.18 for 5 apples the other day. I on average spend at least $50 a week on fruit and veg for me and BF. I have the money to do it, I buy the specialty stuff and stuff that's not in season when I want it, but yeah, it is expensive.
    I used to be a residential counsellor for young teenagers, and one of them challenged me to find any dinner per serving that cost less than a bag of perogies divided by four people. I couldn't. I doesn't mean I agree that the easy option is better, but I concede that it can b e less expensive
    Anyways...with all that said...cheers to veggies!

    I think either statement isn't entirely fair. Depending on where you are, produce can or can't be expensive. However, buying in season is generally a pretty static price across the board. I live in the upper Midwest of the US, where not only were we hit incredibly hard by the drought, but we generally only produce blueberries, corn, cherries, apples, and beets locally. However, there are tons and tons of ethnic markets and farmers markets--all of which are far cheaper than grocery stores. I swear by these types of stores. Don't be afraid to go where you can't read the signs--produce is produce.

    That is my bad, I live in WA, veggies are super cheap here.
  • richcreighton
    richcreighton Posts: 24
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    Veggie's just AREN'T expensive. If you take a half an hour out of your day to cook instead of buying premade CRAP you save money and calories.
    Even those healthy dinners. Tiny portions, full of sodium. I can make something 15x better than that with about 20 minutes worth of effort.

    Agreed!!
  • chamgiggz
    chamgiggz Posts: 40
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    BUMPITY BUMP!!!
  • imchicbad
    imchicbad Posts: 1,650 Member
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    "I don't have"......is the most stupid-most dumb excuse there is.
  • lilmissymoo90
    lilmissymoo90 Posts: 324 Member
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    Veggie's just AREN'T expensive. If you take a half an hour out of your day to cook instead of buying premade CRAP you save money and calories.
    Even those healthy dinners. Tiny portions, full of sodium. I can make something 15x better than that with about 20 minutes worth of effort.

    Agreed!!

    it really does depend on location my mums in africa and can get all her fruit and veg for next to nothing but i find my diet costs me more than what my partner ( whos eating over 3000 cals atm) would spend on junk a week
  • Dimpszz
    Dimpszz Posts: 40
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    I totally agree. You either pay for it now with your pockets or pay for it later with your life!
  • HeftyHeather7
    HeftyHeather7 Posts: 38 Member
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    I didn't see my food bill change since eating healthier yes I shop at discount groceries for my produce its cheaper and it never lasts long so I don't want to overpay anyways.

    Planet fitness has a gym pass for $10.00 Gym Tanning and Masseage for $20.00 my pledge was to give up a little luxury for my gym pass so I gave up getting my nails done which was $50 a month so not only does it pay for my gym pass it keeps a little extra in my pocket :D
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
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    I've actually saved money since I started eating healthy. I cook (and grow) more of my own food, rather than eating "fast food." I purchased a few DVDs, but I don't need a gym membership. I don't eat as much food, so that saves money. I don't understand the problem. Most people who are really short on money can't afford to become overweight. It amazes me to see people on foodstamps purchasing food items that are out of my price range. A lot of "poor" people have cable TV and data plans for their phones, which I can't fit into my budget. What's up with that? Everyone has their priorities. Thinking back, I didn't get heavy until I had a computer with internet connection. Maybe that was my downfall. Nevertheless, I've seen the light! :laugh:
  • tourettte
    tourettte Posts: 142 Member
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    Prices vary from country to country. just an example...my cabbage may be hell of a lot cheaper than the one in canada , but when you take my income/budget into consideration it can be a lot more expensive. Luckily a lot of people here have gardens, farms and stuff so we manage ok. But quality of food in supermarkets is terrible. I wouldn't feed pigs with what they pass for fruit and vegetables here.
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
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    I couldn't have said it better. Make your health a priority. That $100.00 tv bill? Not really all that important in the scheme of things. Your health is :)

    That is totally awesome that you said that. Because guess what? When I decided that I wanted to get healthy, I didn't even think about the cost associated with DirecTV. I cancelled it because I like to come home and be lazy on the couch watching television. I have not had television in my house for over TWO YEARS and I love every minute of my life spent DOING instead of SITTING.
  • determinedhealthy
    determinedhealthy Posts: 199 Member
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    Never joined a gym and don't have any desire to.
    Walking/running is free.
    People that say they don't have the money to be healthy don't want to be.

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