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4 Pocket-friendly ways to stay healthy

19 August 2024 dot 7 min read
Trying to stay healthy in Singapore isn't always easy. Very often, when you start attempting to live healthier, you will find yourself spending substantially more time, effort and money trying to understand what this exactly means for you.
 
For some of you, this may mean spending more time and money picking out healthier options at the grocery store, trying to understand ambiguous health benefits of certain products such as office chairs, beds and devices or even figuring out what to do after joining a gym.
 
Choosing to stay healthy will frequently lead to you spending more time, effort and money which may derail this process over the longer term. To offer some motivation, we detail four simple ways you can tweak your lifestyle to stay healthier and save money at the same time.

1. Make a grocery shopping list

Sure, this will lead to you spending time to create a list, but the benefits far outweigh the cost. For starters, any time spent creating this list will see immediate returns when you spend less time picking out things at the store.
 
Additionally, when you start drafting a list of healthier things you should be getting from the grocery store, you are more likely to leave out junk food snacks and soft drinks from the list as these tend to be impulse buys. When you're at the grocery store, you just have to stick to what's on your list.
 
Making a list also means that you are consciously planning for your meals in the days and weeks ahead. When you do this, you will invariably end up cooking at home more. This also leads to more savings on restaurant meals and healthier dining options with your freshly bought ingredients.

2. Develop good sleeping habits

Cultivating a healthy sleep routine makes it easier to get the sleep you need. Start by picking a bedtime and wake-up time you can stick with and ensure that you have ample sleep time1. Studies have shown that waking earlier frequently lead to more positive outcomes for the day, including being more proactive and optimistic as well as planning better strategies.2 
 
Singaporeans are one of the most sleep deprived people around, which can lead to many health-related problems and risks. With greater attention to planning your sleep routine, you will be forced to consider optimal sleep patterns. This is usually between seven to eight hours a day.

3. Sign up for a wellness programme that rewards you

For those who are looking for a form of motivation to take active steps to leading a healthier lifestyle, the AIA Vitality programme rewards you to adopt healthier choices. For only $8 a month, members can accumulate AIA Vitality Points and redeem rewards worth more than the membership cost when they make certain healthier choices such as going for health screenings and/or assessments, purchasing healthier food items from grocery stores or tracking their physical activity.
 
In addition, the programme offers participants discounts on these products and services to further encourage them to cultivate these healthier habits.
 
This programme is available to all AIA customers, and there's no reason to not sign-up for it with the potential savings on first year premiums and free additional insurance coverage, discounts on products and services when you embark on your journey to lead a healthier lifestyle.

4. Create or join groups to exercise together

Everyone has probably told themselves at some stage of their lives that they should exercise more or to live a more active lifestyle. However, only a minority of people actually end up doing it. It's easy to just say or think this, or even join a gym to feel like you're moving in the right direction. This may work for a short while. In the longer term however, you may not follow through with the resolution once your schedule gets a lot busier.
 
One of the best ways to motivate yourself is to have a work-out buddy or to join a group that exercises together. Cancelling plans with yourself is a lot easier than letting down a friend who has already shown up in the gym, or a group that expects your attendance.
 
In addition, working out with other people makes exercising more fun, interactive and less daunting. Call your friends and rope your family members into a group exercise session so that you can spend quality time with them while keeping fit.
 
For those looking to join existing groups, there is no shortage. You can do a quick search online or look through some of the ideas championed by the Health Promotion Board. Alternatively, AIA Vitality members can simply download the AIA+ app to access AIA Vitality and earn weekly team rewards by participating in the Group Challenge.

Stick to your plan

The basic premise of achieving a healthier lifestyle is to ensure you spend time to develop a plan that you can stick to. The trick is not to be over ambitious at the start, and gradually update or add to your plan when you think you can afford the time and money or see your stamina or strength improving.
 
Of course, you need to stick to the plan for it to work out.
References
 
This article was originally published on 19 September 2020 and updated with new information.

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