How would you like to start your day off with a nutritional meal while saving money? Indulging in a healthier nutrition meal can help individuals save money and attain a healthier life.
When unhealthy eating begins to greatly impact an individual’s life, it is time for a change. This dramatic change will not provide the benefits of boosting your energy, losing weight and having a healthier mindset, but it can also help you save money.
“Nutrition is good because a lot of people in the United States are dealing with obesity and anorexia, which is the cause of death due to the lack of nutrition,” Kareemah McNeil, sophomore at Cabrini University studying biology, said. “I don’t think it would help people to save money. It would be a step towards it. A lot of healthy foods are still expensive.”
Pat Greenburg, a private exercise fitness coach, said healthy eating has improved his and his family’s quality of life.
Greenburg said, “I like the fact that I was able to switch to eating healthy. Not only do I, but my family as well. Having a house full of athletes may seem like a lot, but it plays a big role in our lives as well.”
Greensburg’s family practices a healthy lifestyle by meal prepping and going to the gym.
“We weren’t getting as sick as most people were,” Greenburg said. “We also found out that we can save money as well. Saving money is fun and helpful especially if all of your children are athletes.”
“I don’t think Cabrini University would help to eat healthy because we get served the same thing foods everyday. We do get the option of salads and fruits, but a lot of people chose the unhealthy foods instead,” McNeil said.
According to Time, the food a person eats is essential in health. The most prominent health issues affecting people today— obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes— are all escalated by unhealthy eating.
Janine Smit,h a chef at Lincoln financial field and a recent graduate from the Community College of Philadelphia with an associates degree in Culinary Art, said she likes eating healthy but does not do it as much as she should.
“I do enjoy eating nutritional foods. Sadly, my diet doesn’t have many healthy foods in it. I do not eat a lot of food during the day but when I decide to eat, I tend to consume food higher in carbohydrates than most meals. I do not eat vegetables and fruit every day, although I love the taste of fresh produce,” Smith said.
Eating healthy foods is extremely beneficial.
- You feel great. Not only do you feel great about yourself and your choices, but physically, people who eat healthy feel great. Fueling your body with raw, organic and healthy foods is not only great for your appearance, but also your overall well being. Those who eat healthier tend to have more energy in the morning and feel less sluggish.
- Your cravings change. When individuals get into the habit of eating healthy, they tend to crave unhealthy food less. The more healthy food a person eats, the more likely they are to want healthy food.
- You’re proud of yourself. Having willpower to turn down potato chips and ice cream is hard; however, making good choices, one meal at a time, is rewarding in itself.
Though healthy eating has its benefits, there are also drawbacks to the lifestyle change.
- Sugar withdrawal is real. Sugar is similar to an actual drug. According to Healthline, sugar is one of the most dangerous drugs of our era. People are hardwired for pleasure and sugar works like an addictive drug, so to cut sugar from your diet can cause reactions similar to withdrawal.
- Willpower. You sit down at a Mexican restaurant, and here come the unlimited chips and queso… And the tears follow. Eating out, going to the grocery store, or passing by an ice cream store is hard. Fight those cravings! Trust me, it’s worth it!
- Your choices are limited. So much food is packed-full of excess sugar and sodium. Even Greek yogurt for breakfast, which is considered healthy, right; however, many yogurt brands have over 22 grams of sugar and, according to the American Heart Association, women should have around 25 grams of sugar a day.
Quantrel Kemp, a 2017 alumna of Cabrini University, eating healthy has helped her save money and made her feel better.
“My body has been feeling ten times. Here and there, I eat unhealthy foods to balance out the weight I want. The reason for that is because I work it right off when I go to the gym or I just drink water with some of my unhealthy meals to balance out the fat,” Kemp said.
Eating healthy to some just means introducing more fruits and vegetables to their diets, but some people are concerned with the chemicals put into their foods.
“I would love to introduce more vegetarian options into my diet, but there are often obstacles of pesticides [and] genetically modified growth in the way,” Smith said.
“Live life to the fullest make the right decisions. Everyday, your choices are limited, no matter what you do or how you pick your food,” Greenburg said.
“I think it’s a great idea. It helps you save on your finances. I have extra money to put in my savings or use for extra things I want. I switched to eating healthy because I wanted to have healthy body. It helps me stay fit,” Kemp said.
