I Can’t Afford to Get Fit.

Health and fitness weren’t exactly on my dad’s radar.

My dad was the FUN parent.  We took more trips to 7-11 than I can remember.  Always the same.  He’d get his pack of cigarettes, and my brother and I would EACH get a king size candy bar.  The Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were my favorite.  For snacks, my dad would give us a bowl of sugar and we’d cover our strawberries in pretty white powder.

My mom used to show me pictures of my parents’ early years of marriage and my dad had what looked like an average build, but I have no memories of him that way.  I have no memories of my dad at the gym or playing sports.  I have no recollection of “Pa” ever attempting any sort of diet.  My dad {whom I love dearly} has struggled with obesity for as long as I can remember.

As a child, I loved my 7-11 dad, but figuring out who would be my fathers caregiver at the age of 24 was anything but fun.  My dad was 64 when we checked him into an assisted living facility and that’s where he resides today.  Some of the few medical issues he deals with include but are not limited to: stage 3 kidney failure, COPD, high blood pressure and depression.  He’s had numerous heart attacks, which have resulted in a pacemaker, and walking from the parking lot into a store is a challenge for him.  I listen to his doctors collaborate in an attempt to figure out the proper dosage on his medications so that his kidney meds don’t interfere with his heart meds, and for the past ten years I’ve listened to my dad tell me how he believes he’s on borrowed time.

My husband and I spend more money than the average person on our groceries and gym membership, and when people ask me how we can afford it, I usually respond with… “We can’t afford not to.”  We believe that the funds we put toward QUALITY food and the gym will give us a good return on our investment.  I don’t want my kids to have to worry about who will take care of me when they’re just about to start up a family for themselves.  I want to have the energy and stamina to take my grand-kids to the park some day and maybe even challenge those grand-kids to a few rope climbs.

Here are a few tips for keeping the cost of health and fitness manageable…

1.  Buy in bulk.  We shop at Costco or Sam’s Club for most of our groceries.

2.  Bountiful Baskets is food co-op that makes getting great produce affordable.  The produce is usually seasonal and can come in a big variety.  Check out Bountiful Baskets for more information and to see if there is a pick up location in your area.

3.  Gym membership family add-on.  Most gyms offer some sort of discount if more than one family member joins.

4.  Use the resources available to you.  There are plenty of websites (like Stay Fit Mom), blogs, Pinterest, and Facebook groups that can get you started on free workouts from home!  Groupon is loaded with deals for fitness programs.

5.  Communicate your goals with your spouse and stick to a budget that allows you to invest in your health and fitness.  If that means you have to live without a $120.00 cable bill or one less shopping trip to the mall this month, then so be it.

Don’t let money be the limiting factor when determining if you’re ready to get fit.  You can choose to pay for your health and fitness up front now, or pay for it {and then some} through medical bills, doctor co-pays, and medications later.

If you liked this post, you might also like A Letter to the Girl That’s Shamed by the Scale.

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