Healthy Eating and Exercise on a BudgetPresented by:

Julie Chobdee, MPH

Wellness Program Coordinator for Academic and Staff

Healthy Eating and Exercise on a Budget

During these difficult economic times, how can you overcome the many obstacles to maintaining good health without hurting your wallet?

Learn strategies to eat healthy on a budget and exercises that can be done without any expensive fitness equipment.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetBudgeting and Planning:

Each week or month determine how much you can spend for food.

Plan meals and snacks for your family before you go shopping.

Use the foods you have on hand first and use any leftovers the during the week.

Use coupons ONLY if they make items you usually buy cost even less.

Always check newspaper ads or store flyers for weekly specials.

Can you make time for some prep work in the kitchen? Investing a little time can mean big savings. Pre-cut broccoli florets are twice as expensive per pound as whole broccoli.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetShopping Strategies:

Shop the perimeter of the store for healthy produce, meats and dairy.

Use the unit price to compare costs between brands and different sized packages. Unit prices are displayed on the shelf below the foods and tells you how much the food costs per ounce.

Choose generic whenever possible.

Check higher or lower shelves for cheaper items because more expensive items are kept at eye-level.

Watch for mistakes at the checkout line and always double check your receipt and change.

Check the ethnic food aisles. You may find items ata lower price.

Ask how promotions work — (e.g., 5 for $5)

Healthy Eating on a BudgetShopping Strategies:

Steer clear of junk food. Empty calories from chips and sweets are no bargain. Use your food dollars to buy nutrient-rich food to fuel your body.

Pop over to the bakery. Check out your store’s bakery counter. Store-made baked goods are often cheaper — and fresher — than are commercial brands.

Be smart about organics. Organic often means expensive. So opt only for organic produce that tends to harbor pesticides when grown traditionally, such as peaches, strawberries and peppers.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetEating Fruits and Vegetables:

Buy apples, oranges, grapefruit, potatoes, onions, etc., by the bag vs. by piece.

Buy in season. It’ll be cheaper and taste fresher.

Canned and frozen fruits can cost less than fresh and are just as nutritious because they are packaged at their peak of freshness.

Make fruit last longer by freezing it — Berries are perfect for this.

When buying canned foods, choose those that are packed in juice and low sodium.

Avoid buying bagged/washed lettuce, cabbage and carrots; it costs more but you get less quantity.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetWhole Grains/Carbohydrates:

Oatmeal is nutritious and economical.

Check out the day old breads and bagels (a great value and still fresh).

Buy cereals and grains without fancy packaging (in bulk) to store in airtight containers.

Whole wheat pasta is healthier but more expensive than white, so use a little of each.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetEating Lean Proteins:

Buy Less-Prepared Protein — Season, marinate, de-skin your own meat.

Occasionally replace meat with other less expensive protein sources like eggs and beans.

Use canned fish and chicken for sandwiches, enchiladas, casseroles, and salads.

Extend your protein dollars by eating two or more meatless meals weekly.

Use less meat in soups, stews, chili, and spaghetti sauce. Stretch your food dollars further by using more veggies, potatoes, or rice.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetDairy:

Used dried milk powder for recipes, use fluid milk for drinking (choose skim or 1%).

Buy block cheese and shred it yourself for recipes (versus pre-shredded).

Buy large containers of plain or vanilla yogurt, then add real fruit. You'll save money and calories by not buying fancy single-serve yogurts.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetMore Healthy on Eating on a Dime:

Bring Your Own Lunch To Work — Bringing leftovers is a great way to save time and money.

Buy a Filter for Your Tap Water instead of buying bottled water.

Make Your Own Coffee — Save approximately $1500 if you cut out the daily coffee runs!

Buy Healthy Snacks in Bulk and package yourself into little baggies.

Stock up on non-perishables when they go on sale (soup, granola bars).

Make More. When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in the week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetDining Out:

Save leftovers for lunch the next day

Reduce portion sizes – eat less, pay less!

Share your meal

Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in fat, salt, and calories.

Healthy Eating on a BudgetCreative Ways to Eat Healthy and Save:

Plant a fresh fruit and vegetable garden is a small investment for a large amount of produce!

Start a Healthy Lunch Club at work — share healthy recipes and trade cooking duties!

Visit local farmers’ markets — get fresh, local produce without breaking the bank!

Do It Yourself. If you’re really craving

a special treat, make it yourself. You can

make it from healthier ingredients and spend

less.

Group Ideas/Sharing!!!

Getting Fit For LessChoose Workouts that Work

Ensure all your major muscle groups are targeted at least once each week — and no more than three timesa week.

Include 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three to five times a week

Stretch daily to improve both strength and flexibility

Always begin every workout with a few simple stretches and always end with at least two to three minutes of stretching

Getting Fit For LessCardiovascular/Aerobic Exercise:

Walking — Take a walk anytime, anywhere. Brisk walking for 30 minutes a day is a great calorie-burning exercise.

Jogging or Running — increase the intensity and burn more calories and improve your cardiovascular health.

Swimming — Swimming is one of the most high calorie burning exercises there is. Most neighborhoods have a community pool that is close to where you live.

Dancing — Dancing is a fun way to burn extra calories!

Stairs — Take the stairs as often as you can.

Add steps —Park your car far out in the parking lot to walk a good distance to the store.

Hike — Go for a hike at the local trails and parks.

Getting Fit For LessStrength Training:

Squats

Lunges

Inner and Outer Thigh

Calf Raise

Back Row

Bicep Curls

Tricep Dips

Push Ups

Shoulder Press

Ab Curls

Lower Back

Stretching:Daily

Anytime, Anywhere

Don’t stress to the point of pain

Breathe

Getting Fit For LessSave at the Gym

Join in the spring and summer months (May – Sept) at the end of the month.

Find a lower price from another local gym.

Ask if the registration fee can be waived.

And ask about other payment options, like paying-in-full.

Look into family and student discounts.

If you already have a gym membership, look at the fine print on your contract. Are you paying for extras you don’t need, like towel service, saunas or a swimming pool?

Pay for your gym membership by credit card if you can. Many credit cards offer cash back or travel loyalty programs.

See if your health insurance offers discounted gym fees.

Purchase group Personal Training or bulk packages.

Getting Fit At HomeTurn your house wares into “gym ware”:

Soup cans

Jugs

Paper Plates

Counter tops/Desks

Panty Hose

Take a TV exercise breakPick a different activity for each commercial and do it till the show comes back on.

Do crunches, squats, jump rope, march in place

Use your computer for motivation and help

Free exercise-tracking tools, exercise plans, calorie trackers

Download workouts

Pod Casts** Make sure you are using reputable sites with qualified professionals

Getting Fit At HomeSpend a Little, Get a LotIf you do have a few dollars to put toward building a better body, here is a list of fitness equipment that can give you the most benefits for the least amount of money:

A dumbbell set (5-30 pounds for most women, 10-50 pounds for most men)

An adjustable weight bench (one that goes from flat to incline or decline)

A mirror for the wall so you can see your technique

Resistance bands, a type of rubber tubing that creates resistance for your muscles

Instructional DVDs

Stability ball

Step bench for step aerobics

Save on Sports EquipmentPurchase used sports equipment (Play It Again Sports)

Buy equipment and gadgets without all the bells and whistles

Look for sales — esp. when new models or lines are released

Take care of your gear — get more life out of it!

Squeeze in ActivityAt Work:

Stand and walk around during phone/conference calls

Push Ups against your desk

Dips from your chair

Squats/Lunges/Calf Raises at the copier

Stretch often in and out of your chair

Go for a walking meeting

At Home:Exercise while watching TV or during commercials

Sit on a Stability Ball or stand on a balance gadget to work the core

Mop the floor with your feet

Do squats or lunges while brushing your teeth or waiting for the microwave

Balance on one leg while drying hair or putting on make-up

Walking lunges with dumbbells from room to room

Audience Participation

Exercise Demo!!!

Strength Training ExercisesAny of these exercises can be done with no weight, dumbbells or resistance bands.

Strength Training ExercisesAny of these exercises can be done with no weight, dumbbells or resistance bands.

Exercise Routine Booklet

Download the UCR Wellness

Program Exercise Routine Booklet

at www.wellness.ucr.edu

Questions?

Thank YOU for your

time today!

Stay Healthy!

For more information, please contact:

Julie Chobdee, MPH

Wellness Program Coordinator

julie.chobdee@ucr.edu

(951) 827-1488

www.wellness.ucr.edu