guest post: Dorothy Piamonte, content specialist at VAAM.com http://www.rehabcenters.com/free

When you try to get fit, it feels like you have to change everything about the way that you eat.

Maybe you need to join one of those services that deliver ingredients or meals to your house. Maybe you need to get a meal plan and stick religiously to it. Should you be buying expensive ingredients and cookbooks?

Then, there’s the exercise. Do you need to buy resistance bands? What about joining a gym? Is there room in your place for a stationary bike or treadmill?

Don’t freak out. There are a lot of small changes you can put into action without spending a lot of money or changing everything about yourself. Start simply by practicing healthy eating and fitness at home and work up to more complicated endeavors.

You might end up running marathons and eating a raw, vegan diet, but you don’t have to start there.

Eating Healthy at Home

Half of the money you spend on food probably gets spent outside your home. By preparing moremeals at home, you help your bank balance and your health. Try the following:

+ Eat more fruits and vegetables. Fresh is great, but even dried, frozen, and canned are a healthy start.

+ Consider using simple substitutions to make recipes healthier. Use whole wheat flour instead of white. Try unsweetened applesauce and canola oil instead of butter when you bake.

+ Choose healthier oils, like sunflower, soybean, corn, olive, canola, safflower, and sesame.

+ Limit the amount of sugar you consume. Start by drinking more water and cutting out sugary beverages.

+ Reduce your sodium intake. Instead of salt, use more herbs and spices.

Getting Fit at Home

Even if you had a gym membership, taking time out of every day to get there and workout might never happen. Instead try the following:

+ Use fitness magazines and the internet to find new workout techniques and exercises youcan do at home.

+ Use your neighborhood. Go for walk and/or runs. Try going to local parks and using equipment to get fit.

+ Find an exercise buddy and workout together.

+ Plan your workouts and schedule them. If you miss one, reschedule it immediately.

+ Track your progress in a journal. You will learn what works for you and what doesn’t/

+ Set some attainable goals. Think about things you can’t currently do, but could with some work do soon.

+ Make fitness integral to the way you live. It is a lifestyle change and you need to commit.

Jessica Banes is a fitness buff and very fan of home remedies for fitness. She also an expert

health blogger most specially about addictive behaviors, addiction problemS and gambling.