3 Ways to Lose Body Fat and Improve Your Wellness on a Budget
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Having too much body fat is known to increase your chance of developing sleep issues such as snoring, hypoventilation, sleep apnea, and other problems. Not only that, VeryWellHealth points out that getting poor sleep on a regular basis can actually make it harder to lose weight. It might feel like all the odds are stacked against you if you’re trying to lose weight, but these budget-friendly ideas can help you face the issue head-on.
Work Out at Home
Going to a weekly fitness class is a good way to stay motivated with your weight-loss goals. A gym membership might be a viable option, too, but that’s only true if you actually use it. The average gym membership costs nearly $700 per year, not counting extra fees. And despite having good intentions, most people only make it to the gym about four times per month, which makes each workout at the gym pretty expensive.
Setting up a home workout space at home is one of the best ways you can save money on fitness. You’ll have to buy some equipment to get yourself set up, but you won’t have to deal with ongoing fees. Plus, walking past your workout equipment every day makes it a bit harder to ignore your fitness goals.
Shopping at retailers such as Finish Line is a great way to get the gear you need. However, if you want to stick to your budget, using a Finish Line coupon or cashback offer can make that happen. In all honesty, it doesn’t take much equipment to set up an at-home workout space that you’ll actually use.
Go Meatless
Eating too much meat is associated with a number of health concerns, such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Moreover, meat can be an incredibly expensive way to get your daily protein intake. But you don’t need to drop everything and go vegan to lose weight. Even cutting meat out for one day a week or eating smaller portions can have a significant benefit to your health.
There are many alternatives to meat, such as beans, seitan, tofu, and other soy-based products. However, keep in mind that some plant-based alternatives are just as processed as meat. Skipping overly processed foods, whether it’s meat or not, will offer the biggest health benefit.
Address Your Sleep Habits
If you have trouble sleeping, it might be part of the reason you’re having a hard time losing weight. This is because studies show our bodies are designed to burn fat while we sleep. According to The Sleep Doctor, a 150-pound person can burn up to 440 calories during a seven-hour sleep session.
Limiting your blue light exposure before bedtime is one of the most important things you can do, as blue light disrupts your body’s ability to produce the sleep hormone melatonin. Going to bed earlier and sleeping in a cool bedroom can help as well.
Eating right before bed may also be problematic. Conventional wisdom tells us that calories eaten right before bed are converted to fat instead of being used. However, studies show mixed results, and it’s more likely that nighttime snacking simply leads to eating more calories than you should for the day. Keeping fewer snacks in the house might eliminate temptation, but it’s also a good way to save money, as snack foods add up quickly on your grocery bill.
Getting fit on a budget might seem hard, but keep in mind that eating a plant-based diet is often less expensive than sticking with meat as your main source of protein. On top of that, skipping a gym membership saves you a ton of money, and you’re more likely to follow through on your goals when you can work out at home instead. If you also cut out bedtime snacks and focus on good sleep habits, you’ll be well on your way to better health.
