Getting fit costs money.
That’s what the statistics would have you think, anyway,
Indeed, US adults now spend an average of $155 each month on their health and fitness. According to the same source, that amounts to $112,000 over the course of a lifetime!
Clearly, we’re a nation of health freaks! Staying fit and strong is obviously important to people around the country. But that’s a serious amount of money to shell out.
Not everyone can afford such sums. Does that make getting in shape off-limits?
Obviously, the answer’s no. Thankfully, fitness doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, there are some easy ways to go about it on the cheap. Want to know how?
Keep reading to discover some top tips on how to get in shape on a budget.
1. Quit the Gym
There’s good news:
You don’t need an expensive gym membership to get in shape.
The number of gym memberships around the US has exploded in recent years. Every man and his dog seems to hit the weights and the treadmills these days.
However, a significant proportion of people pay for one without actually using it. That’s literally like throwing money away!
If you’re paying out each month for the gym, then make sure you’re going! Be honest with yourself. Anybody failing to go to the gym should consider canceling the membership.
Likewise, if money is tight, then consider quitting anyway. As we’ll go on to discuss, there is all manner of other options for getting fit without spending anything.
2. Ignore Trendy Diets
Getting in shape is as much to do with diet as it is about exercising regularly.
In fact, the lion’s share of the responsibility is arguably weighted towards diet.
Clearly, it’s of vital importance to eat a healthy, properly balanced diet. Unfortunately, clever marketers find ways to sell fad diets to unsuspecting health-conscious people.
They play on peoples’ intense desire to get the body of their dreams. You just have to pay a whopping sum of money to get access to it! You’ve seen it before: pay now to learn exactly how to lose X pounds in Y weeks! Or words to that effect.
Don’t fall for it. Every few years another diet does the rounds. Avoiding them is usually a reasonable way of saving some money.
3. Goal Set to Success
There’s truth in the old adage:
You’ll overestimate what you can do in a year and underestimate what you can do in 5.
One trouble with modern times is that people are more impatient than ever before. We want results now. Waiting and working for them doesn’t seem like an option.
Unfortunately, that’s not how it works in terms of getting healthier and in shape. It’s about taking it a step at a time and committing to a lifestyle that’ll get your results. That’s the reality of the situation.
It starts by setting goals. Nicely, goals cost nothing at all!
Set yourself an ideal target weight and/or fitness level. Break it down. Figure out particular milestones to meet down the line. Give yourself a realistic amount of time to get there.
And then get to work. Commit to the task at hand.
4. Plan Ahead
Having a plan goes hand in hand with goal setting.
Goals are all well and good. But without action, they’re worthless. Creating a plan is a key way to get started.
It’s also a vital way of saving you money. The best example of this is to do with your weekly grocery shop. Planning this ahead of time can save you oodles of cash as the weeks tick by.
Decide on a budget. Then, sit down at the start of each week and choose the meals you’ll cook. Buying all the healthy food you need in advance stops you overspending. You only buy what you need. Equally, by ignoring the unnecessary unhealthy food you have a better chance of sticking to your diet.
Likewise, you know what you’re cooking and have what you need. That means it’s less likely that you take the easy route during the week when there’s nothing in the fridge.
5. Keep Things Simple
Exercise doesn’t have to be expensive.
Funnily enough, running existed before treadmills did!
Get outside, put one foot in front of the other, and go for a walk. Build up to a jog. Before long you’ll be running. Then you’ll be running further. Slow progress still begets results over time. Walking and running don’t cost a thing, beyond an initial pair of sneakers.
Likewise, the highest intensity workouts that exist can often be done purely with body weights. You don’t need a gym to do press-ups, burpees, dips, pull-ups, chin-ups, and sit-ups. There is all manner of bodyweight exercises that can get you fit and ripped in no time.
Simplicity is often key to working out within your means.
6. Find a Friend
Getting in shape is always more fun in pairs.
It can feel lonely when you’re doing it by yourself. It’s also far harder to motivate yourself to keep going. Those 6 am runs are remarkably easy to skip when there’s no-one telling you to get up!
Having someone else there keeps you accountable.
In the same way, telling people about your fitness goals can bind you to them. It’s far easier to skip those sessions when no-one knows you’re meant to do it in the first place.
Some people achieve the same result by paying for the gym (they’re held accountable by the money they spend) or hiring a trainer. But that expense really isn’t necessary.
Getting in shape with a friend, or joining a running club, and so on, doesn’t have to cost anything. Technology can help too. Something like a Fitbit can monitor your progress and help you work with others towards goals.
Got one already and struggling to change the band over? Here’s how to swap a band on your Fitbit Versa.
Time to Get in Shape
There you have it: some top tips on how to get in shape while on a budget.
People now spend huge sums of money on their health and fitness.
However, it isn’t necessary. As we’ve seen, with a few simple steps, you can absolutely get in shape without spending beyond your means.
Hopefully, this post has highlighted how to do it.
Want more articles like this? Head over to the health section on the blog now.