Ballin’ Healthy on a Budget
🏀 Not so easy if you live in a food desert or don’t have the privilege of affording to buy organic groceries, quality animal protein and supplements.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
& No matter where you live, most of us lack the food literacy and foundational understanding of nutrition to make informed choices about:
Eating for disease prevention and longevity &
Eating to achieve a specific physique goal
Because we don’t learn this stuff in school! Unfortunately it’s just not common knowledge.
It requires quite a bit of research and education. Working with a professional helps too, but not everyone has the privilege of that opportunity or even KNOWS how crucial it is to educate yourself in order to live a healthy life.
On top of that, the dieting industry makes a lot of money off our desperation and confusion due to the overwhelming amount of misinformation spewed at us daily.
I believe you deserve to know how to fuel yourself properly and live a healthy life.
& It’s possible to do so, even if you’re ballin’ on a budget.
That’s part of why I share as much free information and value as I can, so you can inform yourself and make positive changes on your own, without having to invest in a coach. ; )
Stick with me and I’ll share:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Simple ways to save $$ and stay on track
What to eat on a budget
Budget-friendly ways to hit live your healthiest life
Let’s dive right in!👇🏼
Simple ways to save $$ and stay on track
Buy in bulk/ order groceries online:
You don’t need a Costco or Sam’s Club membership to do this, although if you do- take advantage! It will pay for itself many times over. However, many pantry items can be found much cheaper online than in-store, so when you find a deal, order in bulk! The more you buy, the more likely you’ll get free shipping and discounts (you’ll save on the price per unit).⠀
I rotate through Walmart.com, Vitacost.com, and Amazon to compare prices on my favorite condiments, dry goods (quinoa, lentils, oats, rice, baking ingredients, nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, protein, collagen, etc.), and canned/jarred goods (beans, jam, honey, nut butter, pumpkin puree, roasted red peppers, olives, capers, sardines, artichokes, peas, tomatoes, coconut milk, etc.)
Whatever site has the best deal, stock up on 2-4 months’ worth so that your weekly grocery trips can be focused on fresh food and/or protein.
2. Buy generic brands:
Always check the ingredient list in case, but usually there is no difference and no reason not to buy generic or store-brand versions of everything you want. Over time, the savings add up!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. Meal Prep:⠀
Creating a basic “menu” is how I keep food from going to waste and ensure I’m hitting my goals. Especially if you are tracking your macros to hit a specific weight loss goal, meal prep is ESSENTIAL to make progress. Not to mention, eating meals prepared at home is singlehandedly the best way to save money, too. I try to remember this when that kale is staring back at me looking UN-APPETIZING AF and I just wanna go buy a bagel. 😂⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
… And then I go make a kale salad to last the week because there IS a plan for everything! Once you actually make the thing you planned to make, you will be grateful for it. It’s sometimes just hard to picture all of your groceries coming together to make something delicious until it’s done. But the more you follow through, the easier and more habitual it gets.
I always start by planning 25-30g protein for each meal first and make sure I have enough for all meals for the week. Usually 2-3 different protein sources and an idea for how to prep each (different seasonings, marinades, and/or cooking styles like the air fryer, pressure cooker, meatballs, or tacos, etc.) is the hardest part, and then you can plan the carbs around that which is much simpler!
These 3 strategies are super basic, but will help you ball on a budget!
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What to EAT on a budget
I totally advocate supporting brands that use quality ingredients so that as consumers we can use our money to change the quality of food that shows up on our shelves. I also realize this can be expensive!
But you know what’s even better (& healthier) to consume?
Foods with no ingredients or labels at all!
Because the food IS the ingredient. These are called “whole foods” or just real foods AKA fruit, vegetables, eggs, avocados, potatoes, beans, beef, chicken, fish, etc.
These are hopefully found in their original state - unprocessed - and are valuable because they provide your body with the fuel and nutrients it needs to function best.
Whole foods are cheaper than health foods in colorful packages and provide your body a lot more value. I try to ensure at least 80% of my diet comes from real foods outside of packages.
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Now what if you can’t afford to buy all organic?
👉🏼Check the dirty dozen list to have an idea of which produce is most important to buy organic vs. conventional. Then soak conventional produce for at least 20 minutes in diluted vinegar and rinse well!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Can’t buy pasture raised eggs?
👉🏼Buy any eggs! They are still a nutritional powerhouse.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Can’t buy wild caught fish?
👉🏼Buy canned sardines, salmon, and mussels. The occasional farmed fish (which is what you’ll get at any restaurant) is still better than fake meat or anything in a box.🙃
Can’t buy grass-fed beef?
👉🏼Buy leaner cuts of grain-fed beef. Beef is also a nutritional powerhouse and MUCH better than “Beyond - ANYthing”. Don’t let colorful packages and words like “plant-based” on a label drive you to choose a processed food filled with inflammatory oils and unrecognizable preservatives over a basic quality protein source that you can find almost anywhere in the country.
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More Healthy + Budget-Friendly Swaps:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🚫Fresh produce
✅Canned or frozen fruit + veggies = MORE fresh and just as nutritious
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🚫Canola/vegetable/seed oils
✅Extra virgin olive oil, REAL butter (Kerrygold is the GOAT), or ghee
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🚫Most salad dressings/condiments
✅Olive oil + Vinegar, avocado, mustard, salsa, The New Primal dressings, salt + pepper
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🚫Packaged cereals and granolas
✅Oatmeal or overnight oats
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🚫Sodas, juices, anything with artificial sweeteners
✅ Seltzer or water with slices lemons, limes, or oranges
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🚫Starbucks
✅ Equal Exchange Organic Coffee (affordable, eco-friendly, and free of pesticides!!). Make a full pot and put leftover coffee in the fridge for homemade cold brew! I do it every day.😏
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🚫Chicken breast
✅ Chicken thighs
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🚫Individually packed flavored yogurts, cottage cheese
✅ Full-size plain yogurt - add your own flavor with fruit, honey, etc. This goes for most things, buy the bigger full size items and when meal prepping divvy it up and measure it out so you hit your macros!
Now you know exactly what to eat on a budget while staying healthy and hitting your goals!
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Budget-friendly ways to live your healthiest life✨
Last, but definitely not least we have to talk about my top tips for living your healthiest life.
The best part is that these are some of the most under-rated habits for overall health, disease prevention, and aging well and are all absolutely free!
So regardless of your budget, doing these 3 things will help you live a happier, healthier, and more FIT life:
Go on a morning walk - But even if you don’t walk in the morning, movement is good, period. So walk anytime you can. A morning walk is just a double win because you get early sun exposure which helps regulate your circadian rhythm so that you get tired at night and get more restorative sleep. Not to mention the stress relieving benefits of getting outside in fresh air upon waking. Podcasts are also free and can be a great way to educate or entertain yourself during your daily walk!
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Sleep more + better - Here’s my go-to routine for HIGH QUALITY SLEEP which will change your life. Workout - do something to get your heart rate up, sweat, and move each day so you’re actually tired enough to fall asleep on time - that’s #1. Then stretch for 5 minutes on the floor and then read a real book - no blue light - in bed. Even if it’s just 2 pages to get your eyes sleepy. Get the room real dark - if you don’t have black out shades buy a silk eye mask off Amazon for $8 - worth it. Then cool the room if you can. A fan will do, sleeping with less clothes and a lighter blanket also helps. If you’re a light sleeper, try putting on white noise (free off Youtube or many meditation/sleep apps) to fall into a deeper sleep and drown out any distracting noise. With a little effort, improving your length and quality of sleep will change your life without spending anything.
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Cut out the soda/artificial sweeteners and replace with MORE WATER - You heard! Anything you’re drinking with a flavor - check the ingredients. Artificial sweeteners are linked to obesity despite having “zero calories”. Who knows what diseases they’ll be linked to down the road. We all want quick fixes and to be told what fun things to buy to make our lives better. But to be honest, we usually just need to stop buying garbage (saves money) and focus on the un-sexy things we’ve been ignoring. Even if you *think* you drink enough water, track it! At least for a couple days to make sure you’re getting (bare minimum here) half your bodyweight in ounces. I usually aim for double that. It also will depend where you live and how much you sweat, but at least make sure you’re getting the minimum and then set small goals to gradually increase from there. Watch your skin improve, your digestion improve, headaches disappear, your energy levels go way up, feel less hungry/snack less, and pigs start flying - jk about the last one, but seriously - the benefits of being hydrated are endless!
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You are now equipped with 3 strategies for saving money while staying on track, know what to eat on a budget, and are privy to my top 3 FREE tips for living your healthiest life. You are on your way, my friend!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
What goal do you have for yourself this week? Tell me in the comments below! & If this was helpful, please share with a friend!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In the meantime, to learn more about macro nutrition and flexible eating, join my free Live the Fit Life Facebook group where you can participate in my free 3-Day Flexible Eating Workshop. This workshop is pinned to the “announcements” at the top of the group and starts with “Unit 1”. This is a great place to start. I look forward to seeing you inside!
