People are spending money on expensive gym memberships. When you look at what you actually get for your money, the price doesn’t seem so worth it and gyms are cashing in on a large % of people that sign up and then don’t go1.
When you join a gym you typically:
– Pay the joining fee
– Are locked into a contract for anywhere between 3 and 18 months
– Pay tens if not hundreds of pounds a month
That is an expensive commitment! However, there is still hope. You don’t have to break the bank just so you can get in shape. There are many ways that you can stay active without breaking the bank and I’m going to share them with you.
Fitness @Home!
Working out at home is one of the best ways to get in shape for free. You can work out anytime that you want, day or night; there are no time constraints anymore. If you don’t have room for a lot of equipment, many exercises can be done just using your body weight. Push-ups, sit-ups, squats, planks; these are just some of the exercises that can be done by people who live in smaller homes or apartments without any equipment other than a chair or an ottoman!
For those looking for something more advanced, you can always invest in some equipment. A nice set of dumbbells will run you about £80 and up. If that’s still more than you want to spend on workout equipment there is another option: resistance bands! Resistance bands cost just a fraction of the price and can be used in so many ways. You can do everything from bicep curls to back rows with them; resistance bands are perfect for people who are just starting out with working out.
You can do exercises like push-ups against your doorframes or running in place until you’re too tired to stand. Any time that you have available to workout, take advantage of it! It will take some time to get in shape but it’s much better than having an expensive gym membership waiting for you each month!
YouTube is full of free home fitness workshops/trainers.
I know that not everyone can work out at home. Maybe your commute is too far or you have kids you need to take care of. Don’t worry because there are still options available to you.
Bicycling!
You can actually burn a lot of calories just by riding your bike. If your commute is long enough, you could easily accomplish two things at once! Riding your bike burns around 100 calories per mile and that doesn’t even account for hills or wind resistance. Even if the only thing that you do is ride your bike to work one day a week, it’s still better than nothing.
Not got a bike yet? Consider:
- Seeing if there are any cycle repair charities/organisations in your area, for instance in our hometown there is Cycle Saviours that refurbish donated bikes to sell on at affordable prices
- Rutland Used and Clearance Bikes
Take advantage of the nice weather!
The springs and summers in most places are absolutely gorgeous but a fresh winter morning can also be a great time to exercise. Don’t just sit inside and miss out on everything that nature has to offer you. Get up early and take a walk or run around your neighbourhood before work or after dinner. You can burn around 100 calories per mile doing this as well. If you don’t want to wake up early, take a stroll in the evening when it’s nice and cool out.
Find a good route and walk or run it every day. You can even make a game of who can walk or run the fastest each day! Soon enough you’ll be looking and feeling better than ever without having to spend an extra penny on fitness-related things.
Take the stairs!
Heading into the office, library, shops? Take the stairs instead of the escalator/lift. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it can add up. You burn around 4-5 calories per stair that you climb and it really adds up over time. Walking up all those stairs will help tone your body.
To some people, this sounds silly, but if everyone did this on a regular basis the fitness world would be revolutionised overnight. Think about how many times you take an escalator or a lift each day. Once you become conscious of it, it’s impossible not to see.
Commuting is good exercise!
Walking is one excellent way to get to work whilst also being great for the environment as well and your mental health. You can either use that time for leisure (maybe by learning a new language, skill or simply enjoying a podcast) or you can even do exercises during your walk.
So there you have it folks! Five ways that you can stay active and workout for free. There is no reason why you should be paying someone else money so they can watch you work out.
