Do you want to get fit - but don't have any spare cash? Here are a host of tips on how to exercise for less.
Getting fit can be a painful, strenuous and time-consuming activity. When you add the fact that it can also be extremely expensive - it's no wonder many of us shun the gym in favour of nights in front of the telly.
But getting fit can make financial as well as physical sense. For example, improving your BMI could reduce your life insurance premiums.
And it doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, there are lots of ways to shape up that cost absolutely nothing. Here are a few options that might suit you.
Everyday changes
If you feel you don't have time to exercise, there are lots of small, everyday changes that could make a big difference to your fitness levels. Here are some to think about:
Take a walk. Try walking to work rather than taking the bus - or at least getting off a stop early. Use the stairs, rather than the lifts, when you get there.
And if that isn't practical (like if you work on the 50th floor!), at least walk up and down the escalators in shops or in tube stations.
Get green-fingered. If you're not used to vigorous exercise, a spot of gardening is a gentle, free and enjoyable way of upping your mobility and fitness levels. Mowing the lawn is particularly good way to burn calories (as long as it's not a ride-on mower...).
Clean your house. Perhaps not quite as enjoyable as gardening - but if you've got to do it, you might as well give it some welly and view it as exercise. Research suggests that a single person, doing regular weekly housework, could burn off over 50,000 calories a year.
Babysit. If you're really Foolish, you could get fit and make money at the same time! Minding children can really get the blood pumping, because you'll be carrying, lifting and chasing them all over the place.
Exercise at home
So, you have a bit of spare time, but you can't face the big bad world seeing your wobbly bits. Fortunately, help is at hand. You can raise your fitness levels without stepping outside your front gate - and it needn't cost the earth.
Your own body weight. There are plenty of exercises you can do without the aid of pricey equipment. Push-ups, crunches, squats and lunges all use your own body weight to help you get fit.
And you don't need to buy expensive fitness books and magazines these days either - many step-by-step guides are now available free on the web. The Fit Map is one good place to start.
Improvise. Think about what you've already got lying about the house. Tins of beans make good hand weights, and a child's skipping rope (provided it's long enough!) can provide a great garden work-out.
Free stuff. If you want to get your hands on proper gym equipment, ask around before you shell out. I see free sports and fitness gear offered on Freecycle, a Yahoo mailing list you can join to get free secondhand goods, almost every week.
And I know several people who have little-used dumbbells/rowing machines/medicine balls festering in their sheds that they'd be happy to get rid of.
Don't buy - borrow. If you like working out to fitness DVDs, check out your local library before you buy your own. For a pound or two, you could rent a different one every week, so you don't get bored with the same old routines.
Wii-fetish? If you're looking for something a bit different, you might want to join the hordes of people queuing to buy a Wii-Fit. This gizmo (which can only be used with the Nintendo Wii games console), typically costs around £70. Not cheap.
But used a lot, you could argue it offers value for money. It lets you into a weird and wonderful virtual world of fitness, where you can try everything from running and yoga to hula-hooping and boxing - all in the comfort of your own front room.
In your area
Before you zoom off to join a fancy private gym, find out what's on offer in your local area.
Make it social. Joining a local team, a walking club or perhaps a dance class can be an affordable way to get fit and make new friends at the same time.
Local leisure. Check out your local council leisure centre - you might be pleasantly surprised by the facilities. You could be eligible for a discount based on local residency - and it'll almost certainly be cheaper than the private gym down the road.
Free tennis. Author and comedian Tony Hawkes has started a campaign - TennisForFree - to make tennis free to play around the UK. Find your nearest free court here.
The gym
Many people assume joining a gym is horrifically expensive - and it's true that enthusiastic sales people may try to screw you for as much of your cash as they can.
However, you can reduce the amount you pay for gym membership. Two Foolish colleagues wrote about this quite recently - here and here - so I won't repeat their words of wisdom.
In addition, just bear in mind the following points:
- Free trial. Most gyms now offer a full-day (or longer) free trial on their websites - so don't pay any money to test the place out!
- Tied in? Check the length of the contract you're signing - sign on the wrong dotted line and you could end up tied into a year-long contract you don't want.
- Haggle. Most gym sales staff are allowed to be flexible in what they offer - so try and beat down the cost of the package on offer.
- Check with work. Does your company offer a discount at a gym near you? Many do.
Hopefully, there's something here that will work for you. To keep motivated, why not check out the Fitness & Exercise discussion board, for Foolish help and advice on how to keep in trim.
Good luck!
> Visit the Living Below Your Means discussion boards for more money-saving tips!