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If you want to get in shape, you might be thinking you need to hire a personal trainer or get a membership to a gym.
Think again.
You don’t necessarily need to empty your wallet to stay fit.
Regardless of whether you’re a confessed couch potato or a certified fitness fanatic, there are a plethora of ways to get in shape without breaking the bank.
I know because I have gone this route.
I used to pay $50 a month to a gym that I wouldn’t go to.
Well, I was going when I first joined.
But then I lost the motivation and stopped going.
The bad news is I was still paying the monthly membership.
Then I would get motivated a few months later and start going again, only to lost motivation once again.
Eventually I quit the gym and figured out how to get fit at home and save money in the process.
And in the article below, I’ve compiled popular ways to help you get a healthy body in no time while sticking to a budget.
Table of Contents
5 Simple Ways To Get Fit While Saving Money
#1. Workout At Home
Traditionally, fitness enthusiasts have been using the gym to keep their fitness in tabs.
However, the fitness landscape is quickly changing, and an increasing number of people are ditching their gym membership in favor of home workouts.
Now, provided you’re comfortable at jumping around like a lunatic in your living room or garage, home workouts offer a unique money saving experience that will keep you fit.
If you’re worried about which fitness program to use, you’ll be glad to hear everyone worth their salt has a fitness DVD up their sleeve.
This means you can do cardio inspired workouts like Zumba or T25.
Or you can do muscle building workouts like P90X or bodyweight exercises.
What I’m trying to say is that there’s plenty of choices to chose from including YouTube, Amazon, or Aaptiv where you can source your inspiration for your home workout routine.
#2. Create Your Workout Routine
Now, if you’re hard-pressed to the wall by your finances or feel watching videos when working out is too restrictive, and still want to get fit, you can create your own routine.
A good place to start is by writing all the workout routines you intend to perform on HIIT cards.
The premise is simple.
Turn on the card and perform the workout featured. This way, you’ll mix up the exercises while saving on the cost.
While this might sound like a lot of work right now, know that it is much easier than you think.
For example, I created my own HIIT workout and it only took me 10 minutes to create.
After I did it, I was full of sweat and out of breath.
But it wasn’t perfect.
So I tweaked it a bit to make it a better fit and I’ve been using the workout ever since.
The key here is to take a few minutes and develop a workout and then be open to modifying.
Pay attention to what you enjoyed and didn’t like as well as what can be adjusted to make it more enjoyable.
#3. Wait On Package Deals
It’s not uncommon for fitness companies to offer their products at discounted prices or with coupons to customers.
You can maximize these flash sales to cut on your expenditure for fitness.
Most times you see these sales in the new year, as everyone has a resolution to get fit once and for all.
But this isn’t the only time sales occur.
You just notice them at this time because so many people are trying to get in shape.
While it can be time consuming to find great deals, there are several companies and brands that specialize in fitness products and they do offer seasonal discounts.
#4. Join A Team
What is a better way of promoting your fitness when on a budget other than joining a team or club?
You don’t need to be highly skilled at the sport or join an ultra competitive league to see success in your fitness regime.
Rather, a local club that offers weekly practices and games will provide intense cardio as well as motivation you need to stay fit.
For me, I play pickup basketball one night a week. I run around for 2 hours and afterwards, I am exhausted.
I’ve been wearing my heart rate monitor lately when I play and found that I burn close to 1,000 playing for these 2 hours. The best part is that it is fun! It doesn’t feel like a chore and this is what you are after too.
Better yet, if you join a community league team, you’ll get the opportunity to stay fit as well as pump our social life.
#5. Go For A Run
Running has been used as the go-to solution for keeping fit for decades.
As simple as it is, running is an effective way to burn those stubborn calories and keep you full of life.
Unlike other activities, running will not require any complex or expensive equipment, except for your sneakers.
The key to running is to start slow so you don’t get injured or dislike it from the start.
To go slow, you can either start by running short distances, like 1/2 mile and build up to longer runs.
You could even mix in a run/walk routine where you run for a few minutes and then walk for a few minutes and then repeat.
Another trick is to find a running partner to help keep you motivated.
Finally, consider where you run.
Running on your street is convenient, but it may not offer that added enjoyment as running in a park or on a trail would.
#6. Bicycle
Beyond running, you can perform other outdoor exercises that will guarantee you a healthy body.
Cycling, for instance, is yet another simple, yet effective way of building stamina and keeping you fit.
So, rather than driving or taking the subway, why not cycle to work?
Plus, you’ll be doing our environment a good favor.
If you would rather not bike to work, you can still ride a bike to get in shape.
I prefer riding on trails, as this way I don’t have to worry about cars and traffic.
#7. Eat Right
No matter how active you, you aren’t going to get a tight and toned figure without eating right.
In fact, many experts agree that getting healthy and in shape is 80% diet and 20% activity.
This isn’t to say you shouldn’t be active, but it is saying you cannot ignore your diet.
The problem has been that eating healthy is expensive.
But you can save money here too.
- Related: Click here to learn how to do the Whole 30 diet on a budget
- Related: Learn how to eat less sugar
The simplest way is to lower the cost of the most expensive things you eat.
This tends to be meat and produce.
Meat is expensive on it’s own, so by cutting out meat one or two days a week, you will save money. Simply replace the meat with more vegetables or a soup.
When it comes to produce, it is not necessarily expensive, but when you buy large quantities of it, price can become an issue.
The solution is to find local farmers market’s. They tend to have the best prices and the produce is the freshest.
Wrapping Up
At the end of the day, staying healthy is a requirement for a long and happy life. And exercise is the perfect way to improve your health.
As this article has shown you, you don’t need to join a gym or hire an expensive personal trainer to get in shape.
You can do so from your home and not spending a lot of money.
The most important point in all of this is to remember to find an activity that you enjoy.
If you hate running, you won’t stick with it for very long and will go back to your non-active life.
But if you find activities you love to do, then you will look forward to the activity and will stick with it for the long term.
The end result will be a happier, healthier you and one in great physical shape.
