Broke & Fit: Getting Fit the Affordable Way

If you want to get fit, but you don’t have the cash to splash, don’t despair because there are lots of low-cost options for losing weight, building muscle and leading a generally healthy lifestyle!

Here are my top tips for getting fit the affordable way:

Ditch The Gym

A gym membership is an expense that you can do without. Sure, the gym has lots of fancy equipment, and it makes you feel better to attend, but you don’t really need it. The only thing you need to get fit is your body and the self-discipline to do it. Instead of running on a treadmill, go outdoors and run in the open air, it’ll do you the world of good!

If you want some guidance on your run, consider doing a Couch to 5k program.

Try Workout Videos

If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to working out, but you can’t afford the expense of a personal trainer to show you the way, fear not. Exercise videos are your friend. You can find exercise videos to instruct you on everything from yoga to kettle bell workouts, so you don’t have to look far to find a video to suit. Believe me, exercise videos have changed so much since the 90’s. 

If you want to get fit with as little cash outlay as possible, instead of buying expensive DVD’s, you should look to the internet for free and low-cost videos, but before you do, you should see this max workout review, which will show you why it pays to research workout programs online before you use or buy them. 

There’s an App for That…

If you have a smartphone, then you have a world of fitness assistance at your fingertips. There are literally thousands of apps which claim they can help you lead a healthier lifestyle and many of them are fairly effective. So, whether you want to plan a long walk, count your footsteps, or stream the best yoga workouts, get to the app store and start searching!

I personally liked using Rise, which teaches you how to eat according to your goals. I have also heard great things about Sweat with Kayla.

Check Out Instagram

Instagram is the place to be if you are looking for free advice on everything from nutrition to weight lifting. There are lots of knowledgeable experts, most notably Joe Wicks, who is doing good work on the social media platform, and if you follow him, you cannot fail to get inspired for by his passion for healthy living.

Other great Instagram accounts to follow include Hannah Bronfman, Burgers to Burpees, Frances Gets Fit, and Cassey Ho.

Join a Sports Club

Local sports clubs tend to be much more affordable than a gym membership, and they are usually a lot more fun. When you join a sports club, you get to meet new people and make new friends, who will encourage you to keep attending and help you to get better at your chosen activity, whether it be karate, boxing or running.

This is in stark contrast to the average gym, where no one speaks to each other, and you have little incentive to keep going back when your willpower starts to flag.

Ditch the Junk Food

If you’re looking to get fit and save money, there is nothing more effective than ditching the junk food. Contrary to popular belief, a diet rich in junk food is more expensive than a diet made up of healthy whole foods, so by cutting the junk out of your weekly shop, you will be losing pounds from your body, but gaining them back in cash!

Thrift It

If you’re looking for low-cost weights or a cheap home gym, it may be worth checking out local thrift shops because they tend to have lots of good quality exercise equipment available at very good prices. Craigslist is another good place to look.

Drink Water

Instead of spending your hard-earned cash on sodas (full sugar or diet), smoothies and so-called healthy drinks, stick to the healthiest drink of all – water. Water has zero calories, it is vital to the health of our bodies, and it is free, so what’s not to like? 

Spend Time in Nature

Getting fit and healthy does not have to be a chore, just stepping outside your front door and exploring all that nature has to offer can have a huge impact on your health, especially if you take a trip to the countryside.

When you’re walking in nature, you may not feel like you’re exercising, but you are, and that is the beauty of a hike. You will be so busy looking at the spectacular views, admiring the wildlife and exploring the area that getting your daily exercise will be effortless.

Leave the Car at Home

Another way to save money and get fit is to leave your car at home and instead either walk or ride your bicycle to work and when you’re carrying out errands. Most of us rely far too much on our cars, using them even on short journeys of a mile or less. This is neither health conscious or economical, so instead of burning expensive fuel to get from A to B, burn your own fat reserves instead!

Look for Special Offers

Okay, so I’ve said that the gym is not necessary, and that you can get just as fit without a gym membership as you can with one, but if you really are the type who likes to sweat it out in an official exercise space, you’d do well to keep an eye on local gym websites and Facebook pages, as most gyms do post special offers periodically, and this could help you to get a gym membership for a fraction of the cost.

Whatever you do to keep the cost of getting fit down, the most important thing is to just do it! Keeping fit and healthy will prolong your life and ensure that you live well for as long as possible. Don’t just sit and vegetate, get up and get moving!