5 Fitness Tips on a Budget {Running Mama @ Running to Be Skinny}

If you have been following this blog for a while, you may have noticed the glaring lack of “healthy lifestyle” posts.  I don’t write about losing weight or exercise, and my recipes usually feature inordinately high levels of butter, sour cream, cheese, sugar, and other similarly fattening ingredients.  Needless to say, I’m probably not the best person to ask about getting fit while sticking to a budget.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m anti-exercise!  In fact, up until I was six months pregnant with Trouble, I was still running at least 5 miles a day.  Then she decided to spend her last three months in utero lounging on my spine and running was no longer an option.  Some day (when things slow down-ha!) I hope to get back into my running routine, but until then I get to live vicariously through my good pal Jessica’s awesome blog, RunningtobeSkinny.com.  There she chronicles her journey of losing weight and training for a half-marathon while managing her busy family.

Ruth, Patty, Jessica

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Hi, I’m Jessica otherwise known as “Running Mama”. I live in sunny Arizona with my husband and three children. Ruth and I met last January at the Blissdom Blog Conference in Nashville, we had such a blast laughing and sharing our life stories. I instantly knew we’d become good friends. She has taught me to get out of my ‘lazy-comfort zone’ and put forth the effort to save my family oodles of money at the grocery store each week. Thanks Ruth…and my husband thanks you too! I also recently decided to make my health and fitness a priority. It’s not easy, it takes work and planning, but the benefits are worth it.

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Don’t let being on a budget stop you from eating healthy and staying fit. Here are five tips to help you achieve your fitness goals without breaking the bank.

FARMERS MARKET – Seek out your local farmers market for low prices on produce and other healthy and fresh items. You’re not only going to save yourself money in the produce area, you’ll also be supporting your local farmers.

JOURNAL – If you eat it, right it down! Use a simple notepad, or take advantage of a free Online diet & weight loss journal such as Fit Day. Tracking food & calories makes a big difference in how much we consume in a day. This is just an easy way to count calories, protein etc, and keep yourself accountable.

BULK COOKING - Buy your meat, chicken & fish in bulk when on sale, then cook it up all at once. Separate into zip lock bags, season & label, then freeze until ready to use. This not only saves time, but money! You are more likely to eat healthy and get your protein in at the end of a tiring day if it’s already cooked and ready to go.

FREE WORKOUTS – One doesn’t need a gym membership to stay in shape. If you don’t want to go running or walking alone, find a buddy or start your own running club. Put up flyer’s at your nearest running store, health food store or local church. Think outside the box! Also, make use of your library, there are many great workout DVDs there and it allows you to switch it up. Netflix is also an inexpensive way to workout at home without having to purchase the DVDs.

PROTEIN – Protein is key when it comes to building muscle and getting fit. It also helps you feel full longer, keep your fridge and freezer stocked so you have many high protein options when it comes to meals and snacking. There’s always coupons for string cheese, cottage cheese, protein powder, protein bars, almonds, nuts, seeds, lunch meat, tuna, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and many other high protein foods.