I get it. One hundred percent. Life is expensive. Even if you live on a budget and are financially savvy with your income most people just don't have tons of extra cash and those that do are pretty particular in where that money goes. I also get it because I was making the same excuses and struggling with the same concern: "Is this really worth the money?"
I personally would like to break down the cost of getting healthy at home and how it actually SAVED my family money!
Working out at home vs. the gym
Before I began working out at home, I had a gym membership. Our gym offered many classes as part of your membership. Specialty classes (Les Mills, Insanity, P90x {which- sidenote, is totally hilarious because I never thought I'd be using those programs at home} were offered for an additional cost). My gym membership was $60/month. For just myself. I had my membership since before Hudson was born and did pretty well going 3-4 times a week UNTIL he was born. Then the balancing act of work, new baby, house and just life in general put my gym time on the back burner. I took a pretty long hiatus for like 6 months post baby and then resumed working out. It was fewer times a week. I felt like I had to spend at least an hour there to get in a good workout. And I had to choose times that worked for Andrew to be home or with Hudson's schedule. And then I got pregnant again and well..yeah. I never went back.
Fast forward to six weeks after Beau and I knew I HAD to do something. I contacted a friend who had gotten amazing results (in just two months) working out in her garage. SAY WHAAATT???? I was intrigued. I purchased something called a challenge pack for the grand total of $160. My husband was a little leery because, well, my track record the past couple of years with the gym sucked. And we had wasted a lot of money. But I promised that I was committed, and with the support of my friend and her challenge group, committed I was!
Now--the cost. I paid $60/month. That is $720 for a year. This one time purchase gave me a program that I could do for life! I still have it and have done this particular program twice over. Had I purchased just the program (not the pack) the program was only $60! Seriously--a lifetime program cost me the same as 1 month at the gym. And this program came with some equipment I needed, a nutrition guide and since it was a video--I felt like I had a the experience of a personal trainer sculpting my body. I got more results in two months than I did in two years at the gym! SOLD!
One thing I love about working out at home is not only do I save on my monthly costs, but we save on gas. I don't worry about when to workout because I can workout whenever I choose. When it's crappy weather, my gym is always open. And my littles can get in on the action!
Eating Clean
This is another part of the conversation. It is so true. You can not out train a bad diet. One healthy meal doesn't make you fit just like one poor meal won't make you fat.
I really try to convey the message of lifestyle versus diet. Who wants to be on a diet anyway? NOT ME! I really just want to eat to live, indulge now and again and not constantly be thinking about calories or if I should eat that or not. Anyone else get me???
Like I stated above, I purchased a challenge pack. It was more than just the program because my pack included a month supply of Shakeology. If you want to know more about shakeology you can check it out here. I used this product to replace a meal once a day. I know, I know what you are thinking--meal replacement? Seriously, I was SO skeptical too! But just check it out--or message me! #gamechanger
I will be the first to say I thought, "This is crazy expensive! I'll just use {insert any product} instead." Then I did some research about what Shakeology was, what it offered and the results people got and no other product compared. Nothing compares still.
When I broke down the cost of Shakeology it was about $4/day. Well I was replacing breakfast. Since starting, my husband has also become a shakeology user. So it is about $8/day for the two of us to eat a meal. Where else can two people eat for $8? No where!
We used to spend so much on "quick" breakfasts we could take with us in the car that had no nutritional value. We don't have to buy those items anymore.
We also changed our eating habits. I will admit the first few months our grocery bill was outrageous and I couldn't seem to figure out why. I wondered if it was because we were adding Shakeology. I wondered if we were eating more. But then I looked at our receipt. It was because we were still buying JUNK too! I was buying the same stuff and then adding in our healthy stuff. WHY?? If we were going to eat healthy, we didn't need the junk. So I consciously stopped buying junk. No more chips, boxed goods, snack-kind of stuff. We were eating real foods for our meals and snacks. I was cooking simpler with better oils and spices to flavor our food.
Once we started this, along with meal planning consistently, our grocery bill went from $200/week down to $125 (this includes our shakeology). We were SAVING money and eating better as a family! That savings alone was paying for our shakeology itself!
Real Cost
So now that you have some facts, I think the real question is, can I afford not to get healthy? For most of us, that answer is no. It may be more pressing for some than others, but in reality, how we take care of our bodies affects us. The healthier we are the less we are going to be paying in co-pays, medications, procedures to fix or repair down the road what we have done to ourselves. I wasn't terribly overweight but I found myself getting run-down and sick more often before I decided to change my lifestyle. And buying new clothes because my old clothes weren't fitting anymore was getting to be a little bit ridiculous. Let's not forget also the toll it takes on us when we start to feel a certain way about our body.
So if money is your concern, don't let it be. Save up for a bit. Choose to get healthy over that new handbag. {Because seriously, I never thought twice about a new purse or pair of shoes.} Or talk to me, or your coach if you have one already, about a budget you are comfortable starting out with. I know we have effective programs that start for $20. And if you really don't have the money, start with changing your food choices, drinking more water, and just lacing up your tennis and walking for some exercise.
Just do something that your body will thank you for tomorrow!
If you do have questions about programs or products and aren't working with another coach, I'd love to help you along your journey. You do not have to go it alone. It is always easier, and more FUN, with friends along the way!
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