If you’ve read the iMoneyCoach blog before, you may have noticed a theme. We believe that your finances and every area of your life are connected. Everything you do affects and is affected by your finances.

 

This includes your personal life and wellbeing. You may already know that you can reap numerous benefits from getting in shape and being healthy. You can live longer and feel better. You can enjoy more time with your kids and friends. But have you thought about how it might impact your finances?

 

Getting in shape can save you a ton of money. First, it can keep you out of the doctor’s office and save you money on copays and prescriptions. If you are healthy, chances are you will feel better and have fewer sick days away from the office, both boosting your performance and chances of a raise or promotion.

 

While healthier food may seem more expensive, you actually can save money avoiding soda and skipping fast food. Water with lemon or grapefruit juice is a refreshing alternative to the sugar-laden sodas, and after a while, you may even find you prefer it. If you have the time and space to do some gardening, you can save money on healthier food while getting to enjoy the fresh taste straight out of the garden (doesn’t get better than that!).

Here are some apps and free workout music that you may find useful on the journey to getting in shape. I have personally been using Nexercise to keep myself motivated to work out daily. There are reward points you can redeem for gift cards, and although it takes a while to get there, it is a little bit of added motivation. There are over 150 activities that you can get points for, but one of my favorites is taking a long walk with the kids. Gets me in shape while spending time with my kids..

  • 60-minute workout music – FREE workout music you can download. Choose from 3 intensity levels that match your workout (i.e. slower for walking or the elliptical, moderate for jogging or cycling, or high for running or cardio).

  • Fooducate Nutrition Scanner helps you learn about the foods you are eating. You can scan the barcode and get a list of information about that product, like if it says it is a good source of whole grains but is really high in sugar which would make it less healthy. It also gives you better options. So if you are looking for a healthy new cereal and are not sure which one is best for you, this would be a great way to find out.

  • Zombies, Run! (available for Apple or Android devices) – This app has over 300,000 players worldwide and makes running a little better. You can run with your own music and hear the zombie apocalypse story unfold between tracks. According to BBC News “the only way to save yourself is to run for real.” There is also a new 5k training Zombies app that is designed by running experts and helps you build up your endurance over 8 weeks of structured training. While the apps are not free, they are fairly inexpensive and could help you avoid a costly gym membership fee.

 

  • nexerciseIf you are not thrilled about the idea of running from zombies, you could also try the Nexercise app (also available for both Apple or Android). This is a FREE app that helps you track your activity and gives you medals as motivation and real rewards like FREE Amazon MP3s or gift cards. You can also connect with friends to help keep each other going.
  • For a little more integration of exercise and calorie-watching, MyFitnessPal is another FREE app, and it is available on a variety of mobile devices. You can keep track of what you eat in a food diary or track your exercises and see how many calories you have burned.

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