The economy has forced you to cut expenses while reprioritizing your life in general. This may have meant axing your gym membership and firing your personal trainer. While saving money is a smart move, it shouldn’t be done at the expense of your overall health and it doesn’t have to be.
If you’ve been working out less or stopped working out all together then it’s time to stop feeling sorry for yourself and get your butt in gear. Here are the 5 best no-excuse workouts going.
1. Workout DVDs
I can hear you already. No, you do not have to go out and spend money on workout DVDs. They are available for free at your local library. You can check them out for at least a week. If your local library doesn’t stock workout DVDs then request an interlibrary loan from a neighboring library. You friendly librarian can show you how.
2. Stair climbing
Head to your local high school or district stadium with a routine you can print off one of the many online training websites. Stair routines are great for cardio with the added bonus of building muscle – all without weights.
3. Running
Take out your old running shoes and hit the pavement. Run in your neighborhood or the local park. You can even join a local running group. Many are free and require no commitment. Caution: Be sure your shoes have a few miles left in them. You don’t want to get an injury and have to pay for medical treatment. Save $20 for a few months and get yourself a new pair, if needed. The running however is free.
4. Walking
Similar to running, you can do it anywhere and anytime. Just find a walking group to make it fun and keep you motivated.
5. Find a workout buddy
For the long term, a workout buddy is best. They can help you come up with new free workout ideas and show you some of the best local places to workout that you may not have considered before now.
You can use the money you saved by cancelling your gym membership or personal trainer to get a Garmin 305 or Polar heart rate monitor. These tools essentially negate the need for a gym or a trainer as they do way more than just accurately displaying the distance, speed, and calories burned during a workout.