The Poor Person’s Guide to Fitness

I recently read a blog entitled, How Much Would You Pay to Be Fit?, and I was surprised at the prices she listed: $75 here, $60 there, and another $40 somewhere else.

More power to her, but to be frank I neither have, need, or want to spend that amount of money for classes, equipment, and other exercise paraphernalia. In the effort of full disclosure, I did belong to a gym not too long ago, but only maintained my membership for 3 months. I discovered I didn't need the gym to get the workouts I wanted.

Does that stop me from being fit?

No way.

So what do I do and how do I do it?

1. I walk, and walk, and walk. Yes, the cheapest form of exercise is using your two legs. Instead of driving, I walk to the grocery store, bank, library, and to the post office. I realize that many people don’t have the luxury of being able to walk to so many necessary places from their neighborhoods, but if you do, are you taking full advantage of them?

Cost: Free, plus going green

2. I walk, and walk, and walk. I don’t want to sound repetitive, but I also walk for fitness. Now, I do admit, race walking is a little time consuming. For example, yesterday, I walked over 11 miles, which took me almost 3 hours. Although I only have time in my busy schedule for one long walk per week, I use my time to maximum advantage--to think and plan the rest of my week, plus, I take my camera, because photography is a hobby I’ve grown to love.

Benefits: Exercise, weight-management, and fresh air

3. I use my body weight as a muscle builder. Some of the best all around exercises use your own body weight.

What other Exercises do I do?

1. Push-ups
2. Squats
3. Lunges
4. Jumping jacks
5. Sit-ups

These are just a few examples, and if you’d like a few more examples ZenHabits had a great post discussing the value of body weight exercises.

Cost: Free

Results: Slimmer, toner, muscle and body strengtheners

4. I read. As you all know, the Internet has innumerable sites to watch and read Videos, blogs, and books; and search engines are a great way to gain access to those sites to increase your knowledge of fitness, find routines, music, and just about anything else you need to enhance your exercise routine/s. There’s a wealth of information out there; it’s just waiting for you to find it. As well your local public library is another great resource.

Results: Knowledge is Power.

5. I did purchase one new item--shoes. Shoes are one of the most important articles of clothing you need to wear. If you’re either male or female, for casual walks, the types of your shoes probably aren’t as important (although I don’t know how comfortable high heels would be when walking to the grocery store). But if you’re walking or running for fitness, you should think about investing in a good pair of shoes. They don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. You can read many sites that review running and walking shoes, but from what I’ve read, unless the shoe fits well, it’s a waste of money. I know the cost of shoes can be expensive, but think of shoes as an investment in your health. Almost as any runner or walker can tell you—avoiding foot, ankle, and knee injuries and strains, is best mitigated by the proper athletic shoe.

Cost: Varies but usually under $100

So, as you can see, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get fit .

Of course, these are my ideas and they might not suit everyone; but for those of us who don’t have large disposable incomes, inexpensive fitness options are available.

Conclusion: Exercise doesn’t have to be expensive

What ideas do you use to keep your fitness expenses under control? I’m always interested, as well as other readers, in finding new ways to exercise on a budget, because

After all, it’s about a healthy lifestyle!

© Iowa Avenue

Photo courtesy of g-hat