Did you know that there's one huge change you can make that is both healthy and affordable? I won't lie. Many people do have a hard time committing to this change, but once they do, they become hooked. What could this change be? My friends, all you have to do is start drinking water. Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Water......how is that going to save me money and why is it so incredibly healthy?" This week let's dive into the wonderful topic of water.

First of all, have you ever considered how much it costs to drink soda, coffee, tea, or alcohol? Not to mention that those prices could soon be even higher thanks to the need for new tax law ideas. Don't get me wrong, bottled water can be just as expensive. It can also be quite damaging to the planet. But, there are ways to save on water.

Tip 1: Skip flavored waters. Flavored waters are not only expensive, but they are harder for your kidneys to filter.

Tip 2: Don't fall for bottled waters. Some companies simply use tap water that isn't even specially filtered. Not to mention that the cost of bottled water can really add up.

Tip 3: Invest in a water filter. You can purchase models for your sink or simpler models that are inside pitchers. Either way, you'll get clean, tasty drinking water without the large expense.

Tip 4: Purchase a reusable water bottle. Having a reusable water bottle makes it easier to take water with you, leaving you with no excuse to drink other beverages.

Now, why is water so much healthier than other drinks? Water not only clears toxins from your system, but it helps clear your body of cholesterol and fat as well. It also keeps you hydrated, whereas drinking too much soda can actually cause dehydration. Water has even been proven to aid in weight loss and is of course easy for your kidneys to process.

There you have it. Water is not only healthy, but it also helps you live a healthy lifestyle while sticking to a budget.

In the new year, wouldn't it be nice to eat healthier? If you're trying to lose weight, you probably look at the calories and fat grams a product contains, but what about nutrients? Some people get so caught up in losing weight that they forget how important nutrients are. Many low-fat/low-calorie products are manufactured in a way that they are stripped of their nutrients. In this week's blog, we're going to discuss the importance of reading nutrition labels and what you should be looking for.

There are several reasons to read nutrition labels. First of all, they tell you what's in a product. More importantly though, they tell you what's not in it. While looking to see how many calories are in a container of fat-free yogurt, why not also look to see what vitamins and minerals the product contains. With many brands, you'll find that there aren't any. If you look closer, you'll find that these products are usually loaded with sugar. How can this possibly be healthy? The purpose of a nutrition label is more than just providing you with calorie and fat information. It's there to help you make healthy choices.

When looking at a nutrition label, you should see a list of vitamins and minerals. If you don't see this list, it means the product doesn't have any. Healthy products will contain different vitamins and minerals depending on what they are. For example, yogurt will contain calcium and frozen berries might contain vitamin C. Of course, you should also look at the amount of protein the food contains as well as the sodium, fiber and carbs. In other words, the entire nutrition label should be considered before buying the product. This can be time consuming, but thankfully there are websites and books that allow you to look up this information before heading to the grocery store.

What are you waiting for? Grab a water bottle and start researching your favorite foods. Chances are you'll need to make few changes to your grocery list.