Budget-Friendly Wellness for Addiction Recovery

Focusing on your overall wellness is an important component of addiction recovery. With all the fitness gadgets and fancy supplements on the market, it may seem like staying healthy and fit is an expensive endeavor. Fortunately, it is possible to develop healthy habits while sticking to a budget with these tips from Be BOLD Psychology & Consulting.

Routine

Research indicates that creating and maintaining a daily routine can help with recovery from substance abuse. Because establishing a regular schedule is essentially deciding how you will spend your time, it does not necessarily have to cost anything. If you have a smartphone, it likely already has a calendar app installed that you can use to stay organized.

Gradually, you can work new healthy habits into your day. When first starting a new routine, make small changes by picking one goal at a time. Adding too many new habits at once is likely to become overwhelming. Set alarms, notes, or background messages on your phone, or leave notes to yourself around the house to keep you on track. Some people find benefit from writing on their bathroom mirrors with an Expo/Dry-Erase marker as well!

Sleep is one of the most important things for health, wellness, and recovery. In that regard, trying to fall asleep at the same time every night, even on the weekends, is an important habit to develop. Nutrition is another important aspect. Making time to plan and prepare meals in advance can be extremely helpful in your recovery journey. If you think you would benefit from keeping a journal or diary, set aside a few minutes every day to do some writing.

Fitness

In addition to improving your overall health, Harvard Medical School notes that exercise provides many benefits specific to recovery from addiction. Regular exercise can enhance mood, sleep, and energy levels, and may be helpful in  preventing relapse.

It is important to choose the right exercise for your body and your budget. There are many budget-friendly exercises you can do without joining a gym. Many people find biking around the neighborhood enjoyable. If you are looking for low-impact activities, consider aquatic exercise classes. Walking mindfully, or walking briskly, is another low-cost option to achieve the benefits of movement.

If you like the structure of a guided fitness workout, but don’t want to pay for formal instruction, many online exercise videos can be accessed for free. You may even want to outfit a dedicated space for a home gym, which makes getting your workouts in that much easier and more convenient. Plus, making upgrades to your home like adding a gym can increase your home’s value, a true win-win.

Although it is not necessary, a variety of technology is available to help you stay on top of your fitness goals. Fitness trackers and smartwatches can help you keep up with your progress, and many models even monitor your heart rate and sleep patterns. However, some of this technology can be expensive. Fortunately, there are budget models available. Keep an eye out for coupons and special sales at online retailers.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition is particularly important while your body is recovering from addiction. As Healthline points out, it’s possible to eat nutritiously without spending a great deal of money. Frozen and canned vegetables are convenient and generally nutritious. Remember to stay mindful of any added sodium and purchase varieties without added salt when possible.

Dried beans are inexpensive sources of healthy protein. You can cook as much as you want at once and put the leftovers in single-serve containers and freeze for an easy, healthy side later. Buy nonperishables in bulk. If you find healthy meats on sale, consider stocking up and putting some in the freezer to keep longer. For many items, you can purchase store brands to save money without sacrificing quality.

There are many components of addiction recovery, and it can often feel overwhelming. Focusing on your fitness, sleep, nutrition, and a consistent daily routine can help you keep on a successful track without stressing your budget.