While luxury gyms can make you feel pampered and guilt trip you into working out due to their high monthly membership fees, they’re actually not substantially better at getting you in shape than their cheaper alternatives.

For instance, not only do cheaper public gyms such as ActiveSG provide almost all of the same machines and classes you’ll need to get in shape, but some of the most effective exercises don’t even require fancy equipment. Furthermore, unless you’re going to be using things like a sauna on a daily basis, these expensive gyms may not justify their expensive cost.

People have been spending billions per year on vitamins as a way to prevent and treat every ill under the sun. Singaporeans alone spent around $490 million on vitamins and supplements in 2017 — up 20 per cent from 2012. This amounts to the average household spending almost $400 per year on health supplements alone.

However, taking too many vitamins can do more harm than good as studies have found that certain vitamins taken in high doses can actually lead to adverse health effects.

With fears of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones infecting our food, people may feel like their everyday groceries are not safe to eat unless they eat exclusively organic foods. However, Singapore has stringent food safety regulations that means all of the food sold in our groceries is fine to consume.

Considering that certain organic produce in Singapore can cost up to 440 per cent more than their non-organic counterparts, you can save a few hundred dollars per year in grocery trips by opting not to buy organic.

Every year there is a new diet that promises to help you lose weight fast. These diets range from the fairly safe vegan and paleo diets to highly calorie restrictive liquid diets. However, while some diets can be safe when done properly, others that tout miracle cures often end up doing more harm than good.

The best and cheapest way to lose weight and to keep it off is to maintain a balanced and well portioned diet that is full of fresh greens, fruits, healthy proteins and whole grains.

When there is no time to go to the gym or cook healthy meals, Singaporeans often resort to weight loss supplements to try and shed the extra pounds. These supplements can be expensive
— costing an average of $50 — with some priced as high as $140.

Unfortunately, not only have many weight loss pills been proven to be ineffective, but there is also a possibility of getting toxic supplements that can harm your health.

When you are healthy, it is easy to dismiss the necessity of private health insurance. But buying insurance when you are healthy will mean lower premiums. In fact, younger individuals can see premiums as low as zero provided they have enough in their Medisave account.

You shouldn’t take your good health for granted and whereas Medishield Life has limits on coverage, some private insurance plans provide 100 per cent coverage for a myriad of issues, giving you greater peace of mind in the event of an unexpected hospitalisation.

Trends in the health industry are always changing. Something that can be promoted as healthy one year can be found to be unhealthy the next. It’s helpful to continually do research to find out exactly what works for you. Reaching out to a professional doctor can also help you make the best decisions for maintain your health as well as the health of your bank balance.