Time to read : 4 Minutes
From gym memberships, to healthy eating vs junk food and the benefits that private health insurance can deliver – how do you accurately measure the cost of staying healthy?
Fitness can be free
With the average cost of an annual gym membership in Australia ranging between $21 per week (with joining fees ranging from $0 to $199), to around $65 per week (F45), it’s great to know that fitness doesn’t need to cost a fortune.
As an alternative to pumping iron at your local gym, try these free fitness apps (and note: they do also have paid options that promote extra features and benefits):
Strong
This app records your workouts to keep you accountable and comes with pre-registered exercises and plans, but also lets you add your own. You can also record your weight and body measurements.
MyFitnessPal
This food and fitness tracker also offers workout routines, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), yoga or cardio. Your account can be linked to smart wearable device apps, as well as a range of other health and fitness apps, with nutrition reports designed to track your food intake.
Fitbit
This hugely popular app can track your activity, workouts, sleep, nutrition and stress levels, as long as you have that accompanying (and not free) Fitbit wearable.
Step counting is the start – the app also offers video and audio workouts, including HIIT, cardio, strength and yoga.
Strava: Run, Ride, Hike
This is part workout tracker, part social network.
You can record 30 different types of activities including foot sports and water sports. You can hike, do yoga, rock climb and much more – and track your sweaty efforts.
The app is compatible with a range of wearable devices, including Garmin, Wear OS, Samsung and Fitbit.
Centr by Chris Hemsworth
Eat, train and boost your wellbeing, thanks to the super-fit Chris Hemworth and his team of trainers, nutritional specialists and meditation experts.
The app also offers daily workout videos for activities that include boxing, HIIT, pilates or yoga.
Sweat: Fitness App for Women
Personal trainer and fitness influencer Kayla Itsines is behind this app – designed specifically for women.
There are multiple programs, hosted by well-known trainers, as well as pregnancy-specific and postnatal-specific workouts and wellbeing support.
A healthy diet is a nutritious foundation
Recent research on family shopping baskets from the University of Wollongong has confirmed that eating a diet based on whole and fresh foods is still the cheapest option for most Australian families – despite CPI price hikes.
But when Deakin University’s most recent Food Policy Index – aimed at benchmarking Australian governments (Commonwealth and states/erritories) on their implementation of globally recommended policies for improving population diets and creating healthier food environments – was released in October 2022, it showed that 65 per cent of Australian adults and 25 per cent of children are overweight or obese, with less than 7 per cent consuming a healthy diet.
And with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) labelling unhealthy eating the new smoking, it’s clear that there is a huge cost to being unhealthy. In fact, the AIHW branded ‘overweight and obesity’ the number one risk factor that contributes the highest cost to Australia’s health system, at $4.3 billion versus $3.3 billion for smoking-related illnesses.
Private health insurance vs free healthcare
Australians are lucky to have access to quality and (mostly) affordable healthcare. If you need to see specialists, or like the added support of visiting allied health professionals regularly to keep your body (and mind) in the best possible shape, private health insurance may suit. Just make sure you compare providers and be honest and realistic about your ongoing needs and wants. Some extras you might need, others you might not. By shopping around for the best possible deal to suit your circumstances, you’ll discover policies do differ and the savings can be significant.
For an average single, expect to pay a monthly premium of around $160 for private health insurance.
The bottom line
Taking steps to maintain good health and fitness might seem like hard work, but being sick is harder. Obviously, eating nutritious food and being fit won’t prevent serious diseases, accidents or injuries, but it can help ward off issues caused by poor health choices.
Go deeper: Follow these 13 rules for a healthy heart
Financial disclaimer
The information contained on this web page is of general nature only and has been prepared without taking into consideration your objectives, needs and financial situation. You should check with a financial professional before making any decisions. Any opinions expressed within an article are those of the author and do not specifically reflect the views of Compare Club Australia Pty Ltd.
