Fitness On A Budget – The Beginner’s Guide

You don’t need to spend a huge amount of money to get fit. Many gyms and fitness equipment companies will try to convince you that you need to open your wallet in order to improve your physical health, but the truth is that you can get fit by spending very little. If you’ve been putting off your fitness journey because you’re worried about having to spend a lot in order to begin, then it’s time to think again. Here’s our beginner’s guide to fitness on a budget.

Build your finances up

If you really do want to buy the latest and greatest fitness gear, then one way you can do that is to build up your finances. You can sell old things you have lying around, ask friends and family if they’d be willing to help, or pick up a second side hustle so you can earn a little more. Don’t have great credit? That’s not a problem – there are many places out there you can get bad credit loans, ensuring that you can afford that one piece of gear you need without your credit rating messing it up for you.

Watch YouTube fitness videos

The beauty of YouTube is that it’s completely free, and there are plenty of instructors and fitness fanatics out there making videos you can follow along with. Most of these videos are complete, holistic workout routines you don’t need to pay for, and they’re almost all geared towards helping you work out from home without any specialist equipment. No matter what kind of workout you’re looking for, you’ll definitely find something useful on YouTube.

Exercise with friends

Why not hit the great outdoors and exercise with your friends? There’s plenty you can do outside; you can go for a run, enjoy a brisk walk, or even find a secluded spot to lift weights and try out some resistance exercises. Working out with your friends has myriad benefits besides cost-saving; you’re also improving the chances that you’ll stick with the workout, as well as boosting your mental health by socialising while working out. Give it a try if you’re skeptical!

Lift household objects

There are plenty of objects lying around your house that you can lift if you’re looking for cheap weight training. For instance, why not try lifting a carton of milk? If your carton is of sufficient size, it can act as a makeshift weight. Alternatively, you could lift anything else of a comparable size and weight, so look out around your house for things that could serve as weights. You’d be surprised how much stuff you have that could help you build muscle mass!

Look for free gym subsidies

In some cases, you may find that free gym subsidies are available near to where you live. Free gym memberships are often given to people as a result of medical advice; if you have a mental health condition or you are above a certain weight, then you may be eligible for a gym membership on the NHS. Go and visit your doctor if you’re concerned about your physical or mental health; they may be able to help you, and you might be able to dodge potentially prohibitive gym fees.

Shop second hand

There’s really no reason to buy gym equipment brand new. Provided the previous owner kept it clean and well-maintained, most gym equipment loses nothing by being pre-owned. Equipment like treadmills, weights, and resistance bands can all be had for a fraction of the price if you’re willing to shop around. If you can’t find anything second hand, then try to look for bargains; watch out for equipment that’s discounted or with Rad power bikes coupon, especially around holiday periods or Black Friday.

Play sports

Sporting equipment is regularly much, much cheaper than gym tech. Even if you’re buying football boots and gear to play football with your friends, it’ll come to much, much less than buying a treadmill. Sports can be a great way not only to stay in shape but also to socialise with your friends, so consider this if you don’t want to buy weights and other costly equipment. You could also think about playing tennis, or even golf if you want something slightly more sedate.

Use fitness apps

Everyone has a smartphone nowadays, so if you want to get fit on a budget, one of the best ways to do that is to download a fitness app. There are lots available; from running apps like Strava through to fitness tracking programs like Google Fit or Samsung Health, you’ll find plenty of ways to augment your fitness journey on your chosen phone ecosystem. You can even find apps like C25K (Couch to 5K) that will help you begin a new exercise program from scratch!

Change your diet up

Estimates suggest that weight loss is around 70% dependent on diet, with the remaining 30% being influenced by the amount of exercise you do. If you’re eating poorly, then it doesn’t matter how many times you’re hitting the weights; you won’t lose much weight, and you could experience a drop in health due to poor nutrition. You can eat well for very little indeed; using cheap food items like pulses, nuts, and white meat, you can make meals that will complement your workout and help you to lose weight for less.

These are just some of our tips on how to lose weight and get fit without breaking the bank. If you’re smart and you make the right decisions, you barely need to spend a penny at all in order to improve your health! What are your tips for maintaining fitness? What did we miss? Let us know!  

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