Everybody dreams of having a strong, fit, and healthy body. However, the cost of gym membership adds to your expenses, and you may want a cheaper route to gaining a sculpted and toned physique.
If you are on a budget, you can still achieve fitness and health without digging deep into your wallet. With the following tips, you can reap amazing results on your body while making sure you have your savings untouched.
How to Stay Fit without Spending Much
Go outdoors and run
Running and walking are great cardio workouts – and these do not cost a dime! Of course, you need to wear good running shoes before you start sprinting away. But overall, this is the kind of activity that is completely free of charge – and anyone can do it! But be sure to head towards an area designated for running such as the park or sidewalk. Ideally, the park is the best place to run because not only can you burn calories, but you will also get to enjoy the views all around you. If you need some motivation to get moving, you can always plug those earphones in as you go the distance.
Skip, hop, and burn!
Sure, the skipping rope looks a little bit elementary, but performing this activity is not as easy as you think it is. The challenge of skipping can cause you to burn a ton of calories while ensuring a healthy heart. You can skip at home, outdoors, or anywhere you go, as long as you have your dependable, comfy shoes on. Most importantly, skipping can be done as you watch your favourite TV programme or while bobbing your head to the beat of the coolest hits. So, you get entertainment and an excellent workout all at the same time – and it’s totally free!
Buy some dumbbells and start lifting
The upfront fee of getting a pair of dumbbells may not be that cheap, but you’ll thank yourself for buying good ones you can use for your home workouts. If you have these with you, then there is no point in going to the gym for your exercises. You can just find a spot in your home for lifting, and you are ready to go anytime. Just make it a point to get the right weights you need since you will have to adjust and vary the intensity level based on your capacity and fitness goals.
Check out exercise corners in your neighborhood
Did you know that if you only explore your neighborhood more, you may actually find a spot there where you can do those serious fat-burners and muscle-builders such as pull-ups, step-ups, and so on? An exercise corner allows you to do most things that you can perform at the gym – and it does not even cost anything to visit these areas and do your workouts here. The different structures found in this part of the park or neighborhood can be used to build and workout various body parts. It is all up to you when it comes to determining what type of exercise you want to do per session.
Swim and get your cardio workouts in
Just like running, swimming is an outstanding cardio workout that can help strengthen your heart, tone your body, and improve your endurance. If there is a public pool near your home, you may even just need to walk towards it to do your laps. Wear a proper swimming attire, maybe bring your kickboard, fins, paddles, and your goggles, so you can start swimming away. Usually, the fee for pool use is about $1 for the weekday rate and $1.30 on weekends. These are truly cheap for a nice workout, plus you can bring your workout buddy with you and race with him or her! If you want to be sure you have the entire pool just to yourself, the best time of the day is early in the morning before people go to school or the office.
Perform varied calisthenics at home or outdoors
There are so many types of exercises that can shape your body without having to hire a trainer. You can do your crunches, pushups, squats, sit ups and lunges or other calisthenics and get the results you want. These exercises can be done just about anywhere you are, which makes them very practical for people who are trying to save their money. You also need simple equipment for these such as a chair to hold on to for performing dips, or a yoga mat for your crunches.
Check out cool apps, online videos and workout DVDs
Even if you don’t have a personal fitness trainer, you can still be guided well on how to obtain the kind of body you wish to have. With the advent of technology, you can find a number of apps, workout videos and DVDs that will give you a step by step guide on how to stay fit, lean, and trim. Aside from exercise videos and apps, there are also those that feature diet plans, fitness trackers, and recipe tips to keep you healthy and fit. So, anytime you need some motivation and inspiration to get going, these apps and videos should help – anywhere you may be.
Pssssst! Additional Fitness Tips on a Budget
The key to being fit and healthy does not only involve exercising. In fact, it has to be a combination of diet and lifestyle since what you eat has a massive impact on your body and weight. With this in mind, you should be more aware of your diet and meals to support your goal of staying fit.
Junk foods are a no-no if you want to have the kind of body that deserves a second look. This means that you may have to give up your love for sodas, chips, and fastfood. Not only do these foods add inches to your waistline, but they also cause you to go beyond your budget. This is why instead of going to a drive-thru for snacks or raiding the convenience store for bags of chips and bottles of soda, why not opt for something more wholesome and homemade? A bowl of fruit or cereals, or maybe even a glass of tasty fruit smoothie are not only filling, but great for your fitness goal. You are feeding your body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that it needs instead of empty calories and a ton of bad fat and sugar. Cut the fatty foods, takeaways, and consider using your kitchen more for scrumptious, figure-friendly meals that you can cook up in a snap!
Drinking lots of water also supports your fitness regimen. If you think plain water is too boring, you may squeeze some lemon and add a few mint leaves to give it a nice zing to it. Not only is water cheap, but it is much more refreshing and hydrating that iced tea or fizzy drinks. Make it a point to drink about 8 to 10 glasses per day or even more to keep you full, cleansed, and healthy overall. If possible, try drinking some coconut water as it is tasty, cooling, and refreshing at the same time.
You see, achieving an amazing figure and good health does not mean shelling out thousands of dollars per year. It is ultimately possible to get the body you want without allotting a high percentage of your income for gym membership or some fad diet plan that does not even work. Even if you are trying to save money, you can be fit because all it takes is some determination, discipline, better food choices, and a lot of time spent outdoors.
We hope that you were able to gain valuable pieces of advice from this post on how to stay fit on a budget. What’s more, we are very confident that you will begin to notice outstanding results from all your efforts over time.
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