The benefits of getting in shape have been talked about for centuries. Nowadays, people aren’t just working out for their physical and mental health. The aesthetic benefits of working out have also been a driving factor to get people off the couch.
But there is another advantage that most people fail to recognize. Living a healthier lifestyle can actually get you rich. Here are five ways a healthy lifestyle can improve your financial situation.
SAVINGS
Almost everyone understands that being healthy and physically active gives you a higher chance of avoiding chronic diseases. The long-term health benefits of staying in shape will always be one of the most important reasons people do it. But if you think about it thoroughly, it goes way beyond that.
Healthcare
Staying in tip-top shape is not only good for the body but also good for the wallet. The medical maintenance needed for heart disease, hypertension, and many other chronic diseases is costly. Living a healthier lifestyle saves you from spending approximately $16,752 a year on medical maintenance due to diabetes.
Food
Contrary to popular belief, healthier and organic dishes are actually cheaper than fast food. That is if you prepare and cook your own meals. Eating healthy doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go to the closest salad bar. You can make them yourselves. And the ingredients are actually not that costly if planned right.
Creating and preparing weekly diet plans is a good habit. Buying the right amount of food you’d consume lessens the wasted expenses on food that goes bad within a week.
Sedentary lifestyle consumption
This is where it gets fascinating. Not being physically active usually means spending more time indoors consuming. And no, it’s not just about food. The electricity you consume by just watching TV for more than five hours a day becomes too high when you combine it for the entire monthly usage. Even by looking at your phone for three hours in the morning, you still spend money on heating or air conditioning. Having a workout routine lessens that. And even if it’s just for an hour or two, when you sum it all up for a month, it would still be a huge expenditure saved.
This is also applicable to transportation expenses. Buying and riding a bicycle to move about is a great investment. If you have a car, not needing to pay for gas and parking can help you save for many rainy days. Riding a bike or going to places within walking distance by foot instead of booking an Uber can help fatten that wallet as well.
ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF INCOME
Besides saving, you can also actively get money from leading a healthy life. From avoiding sick leaves to starting your own business, being physically fit does wonders.
Providing service
With the global pandemic on the loose, people are getting more interested in getting in shape. You can use this to your advantage. As the digital world advances, getting a fitness CEU online is becoming easier than ever. After around 20-45 hours of studying to get the education units needed, you can be a physical trainer and earn at home. Yes, you don’t even have to go to the gym to work. A lot of personal trainers have started conducting online gym sessions. But even if you’re not the lifting kind, there are still many opportunities for you. Yoga teachers, dance instructors, skill coaches, and healthy lifestyle advisors are in demand right now.
Earning $11 to $51 an hour is not bad for a side hustle that you can do in the comforts of your home.
Selling products
Many personal trainers are using social media to maximize their target markets. Some record their routines and get paid through video streaming websites and apps. Others directly sell their workout templates and written advice. If you are fond of literature, becoming a health blogger can also bring in loads of cash.
Using technology and social media’s relevance in people’s lives makes it easy to sell physical products such as workout equipment and gear. From bigger machines like ellipticals and treadmills to smaller workout aids like yoga mats and dumbbells, everything is now easily marketable. Even tumblers are now being marketed as part of active lifestyle campaigns.
Some people use their social media platforms to sell dietary supplements.
There are hundreds of reasons to start working on yourself and living healthy. But in reality, you only need one reason to get up and start. It is an investment in yourself and your future.
