That is a VALID reason.
I get it, and I've been there.
But IF you want to prioritize your health and make the best decision for your body, it's absolutely affordable. Here are some tips that have made it easier for me.
1. Understand what you're getting
This is huge. When I jumped in, I didn't know what I was getting, I was just told that I needed it and that it would help me with being healthy, so I went with it. Luckily, I stumbled into the best possible thing and not something fake, nasty, or that didn't do all it promised.
So what does it promise? I think a lot of times it gets tagged as a protein shake... but I wouldn't even consider it that. I mean, if you NEED protein, it contains enough to be considered a protein shake, but you need to understand exactly what you're getting! I've done a few blogs about it, so I won't bore you and repeat myself if you've been following me, but definitely check these out if you haven't already...
It's...
ALL All Natural Ingredients
Not A Protein Shake
Craving Blasting Nutrition
Once you understand exactly what you're getting with Shakeology (and what you're NOT getting), it's a little easier to understand WHY you need it and WHY it's so valuable in your life.
2. Need vs. Want
This is a really easy way to budget for yourself anyway. And I'm not always the best at it! But make a list of the things that you are spending money on monthly. There are things that you NEED to pay for every month: food, shelter, transportation...
But there are some things that you're paying for that you might find you're able to cut out, and things that you might be able to replace with Shakeology. For example, I'll get into it more, but I stopped buying things like candy, sodas, over-the-counter meds, snacks... again, I'll get more into it, but I found things that I only "wanted" and didn't "need" that I could cut out of my budget pretty easily. Think about the things that you spend money on, the things that aren't that healthy, that you could cut out and make more room in your budget for something GOOD for you!
3. Move money
...to a swiss bank account. No just kidding.
A friend of mine actually told me she was doing this and I thought it was brilliant! She said every time she thinks about grabbing a soda or candy bar, she takes the money that she was going to spend on it and move it to a jar for a month.
I know for some people this seems difficult because we don't always carry around cold hard cash... so track the prices of things that you would normally impulse buy (trashy magazines, candy bars, chips, sodas, sweets, a Starbucks run) and move that money from checking to savings, or use cold hard cash if that's your style. See how much you end up saving over the course of a month! You may be surprised at how easy it is to save up enough for something HEALTHY!
4. Subtract what you won't need
You already have a little money saved up, now start thinking about the things that you won't be buying any more as you are being consistent with your health. For me, the biggest benefit has been the boost in immunity. Before Shakeology, I was plagued with sinus and allergy issues, plus various illnesses I picked up from the students I work with. Because of immunity boosting and anti-viral ingredients in Shakeology, those days are gone. I no longer stumble into the drug store in an allergy-or-cold-or-sinus-infection haze grabbing several over the counter medications not being sure exactly what the culprit was. And after days mouth breathing, I'd finally stumble into the doctor's office, and pay whatever co-pay they asked for just for them to tell me exactly why I was sick, and to stick it out with over the counter meds. Those are the kinds of expenses I know I can subtract out of my monthly budget and apply toward being PROactive instead of REactive.
5. Make a plan
I am NOT a planner. I am super spontaneous, and that doesn't always work anymore as a mommy. So I've taken up making some plans and learning to stick to them. I still have space for spontaneity, but there are some things I've learned I NEED to plan. When I first started improving my eating habits, I would go to the grocery store, continue buying all the junk I'd been buying before, and buy every piece of produce I thought I might like.
I thought eating healthy was SO expensive.
It didn't work because I didn't have a plan. I was still eating the junk first, and the produce was going bad. So I thought I was spending way more money and wasn't getting any healthier. I thought right.
What was I missing? A plan.
So I started planning my meals and buying ONLY what was on my list. And sticking to the plan. That way, produce wasn't going bad and I wasn't eating a bunch of junk. And Shakeology fit right into my meal plan as a snack. Of course, some people use it to replace a meal, so consider the money you would be saving if you replaced breakfast or lunch... $3 to $4 for a lunch that's EVEN better for you than a salad, but with MORE nutrition than a salad, and WAY cheaper than a $5 foot long.
Need help with making a meal plan you'll stick to? Let's chat, and check out this amazing deal on meal planning that will keep you moving towards your goals!
6. Be consistent
None of the things above will help you if you're not consistent. You need to be getting in your nutrition daily in order to consistently feel the benefits. I drink my Shakeology daily, but I have definitely missed a few days, a weekend here and there, some holidays... but that was before I was really good at planning it out and packing it to take it with me wherever I was going. With consistency, my cravings for crap disappear (saving me money on junk food), my immunity is better (saving me on meds and copays consistently), my energy naturally increases (saving on multiple trips to the coffee maker), my skin clears (saving me on expensive make up to cover blemishes)... and I KNOW monthly where my money is going. Every time you stop and start back over, your system has to re-adjust to incorporate the nutrients and build up the benefits. Consistency is the key.
7. Do it with a friend
Know it's what you want to do for your health? Talk to your friends! Share the knowledge that you have, and do it with a friend, a neighbor, a coworker, a family member... Find someone who will want to encourage you in person and accept a healthy challenge WITH you! This will help with consistency, but it could also earn you some of your investment back!
I signed up as a coach with Beachbody JUST to get a discount on my Shakeology. That 25% discount was quite nice. And since I was loving it and sharing my results, people started wanting in on my secret. Even though I said I didn't want to actually coach, more people kept coming to me and I figured, well, heck. I might as well help them AND make back some of my investment. At $30 a pop when my friends order their Shakeology through ME, my investment gets paid in FULL when 3 people want to try it! Even without sharing it with friends, the discount helps me save monthly!
Bonus: WIN MONEY!
Ah, yes. The Beachbody Challenge. By simply submitting before and after photos and sharing a little of your story, you win at least free gear: a shirt, a shaker cup, shorts... but you also get entered to win money! Check out some of these awesome stories:
 |
| Check out their stories, plus more, here! |
No comments:
Post a Comment