In the slight chance your new years resolution was to shape up for the year, we’ve got the top six ways to exercise when those gym fees are enough to keep you on the couch. Check out these cheap ways to exercise and it’ll be you losing weight – not your wallet!
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1. Be Realistic About ‘The Gym’
For some, jumping on ‘The Gym’ bandwagon seems like a good idea at the time, but before you know it your member card is gathering dust, deep in your wallet. If you’re not sure how often you can get to the gym or if you really want to be surrounded by a room of sweaty, Arnie wannabes, don’t get yourself locked into a year contract with endless fees. Opt for a monthly plan that will let you jump ship at anytime.
2. Use Community Facilities
There are plenty of ways to exercise outdoors that won’t break the bank! Get your Serena Williams tennis skills out at your local tennis courts. Although most won’t cost you anything, always check if there’s a phone number you need to call to book your court ahead of time.
For those swimmer’s abs head to your community swimming pool and mix with a few laps of each stroke. It’ll set you back under a tenner to make waves as long as you like. Don’t forget your lane etiquette!
National parks also offer great walking and hiking tracks, and some pretty spectacular views!
3. Second Hand Equipment
If you’re not wanting to fork out for the latest in treadmill technology and a Wii Fit it not your cup of tea, as people go through their fads and phases you’ll be amazed at the second hand, good quality equipment out there you can get for a steal. Look out for garage sales in your area, eBay, GumTree and aussiefitness.com.au sells used fitness and exercise equipment for sale or hire!
4. Fitness DVDs
Get fit from the comfort of your lounge room, whenever it suits you! Fitness DVDs are a great investment – they’ll set you back around $50 and under, you can keep using them again and again and with a variety to choose from you can have yourself a new work-out for every day of the week.
5. Use Yourself!
When it comes to exercise, you really don’t need much more then a sturdy pair of runners and a healthy dose of will power! Clear the cobwebs with a jog or fast-paced walk around the block (or several). If you find it hard to stay motivated, find yourself a scenic route and create a playlist on your iPod of your favourite pump-up tunes to keep you going the whole way.
Now we’ve got the cardio under control, it’s easy (and cheap) to stay on top of your strength as well! Inexpensive equipment like exercise balls and free weights are all you need, combined with the right exercises to use your own body weight.
6. Combine Fitness and Daily Activities
If you simply don’t have time during the day to exercise, or you’re looking for extra ways to burn a few calories then turning your mundane chores and daily rituals into exercise is a cheap (and productive!) way to go.
Take the stairs instead of the lift at work, walk to your local bus stop or train station (no cars allowed!) and do your squats in front of the TV.
Get out that household checklist out and start doing things like mowing the grass (yes, ladies!), vacuuming, gardening and weeding, sweeping, mopping – the possibilities are endless!