Joining a gym is often a popular New Year’s resolution. However, not everyone has the time or money to invest in a gym membership. Fortunately, there are countless ways to take care of your health and fitness without stepping foot in a gym, which means you can commit to those fitness resolutions on any budget.
Here are seven affordable ways to get healthier without joining the gym.
1. Download fitness apps. You may not have access to a personal trainer, but you can still keep up with your workout regimen and monitor your progress with the help of a fitness app. Fitness apps like MyFitnessPal can help you track your goals and also get support from friends who also use the app. If you need some workout motivation, download Johnson & Johnson’s 7 Minute Workout app to get a quick workout into your day, or use the MapMyFitness app to track your activities and share them with friends to stay accountable.
2. Try an online workout program. If you enjoy following an instructor and can commit just 30 minutes to a workout each day, you may fare well with an online workout program. Beachbody On Demand is a convenient option for Beachbody fans who want to rotate their workout program throughout the year without buying a new set of DVDs. You could also join online fitness membership sites like Daily Burn for access to hundreds of workouts for all fitness levels for a fraction of the cost of a gym membership.
3. Prepare your own meals. What you eat plays an important role in your health, too. Whether you are trying to lose weight or just want to be healthier overall, putting together a healthy meal plan and preparing your own meals could be just what you need to reach your weight and fitness goals. You don’t have to spend money on pricey healthy food, either. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store for fresh and nutritious foods, and cook larger batches of healthy recipes at a time so you always have a healthy meal on hand.
4. Workout at a home gym. If you like to work out at home and want to take your fitness to the next level, consider putting together a functional fitness space with a refurbished or lightly used fitness equipment. You can find used equipment on Craigslist or eBay, and refurbished equipment from manufacturers to save some money on otherwise pricey gym equipment. Alternatively, set up a dedicated space with a set of dumbbells, yoga mats and other smaller pieces of equipment to do a quick circuit workout and routines that use your own body weight as resistance.
5. Break unhealthy eating habits. Shifting your focus to eating healthier and staying active may be enough to get you in better shape without hitting the gym throughout the week. If you have a bad habit of overeating, tend to eat sugary and high-carb foods regularly, or you have a hard time sticking to a healthy eating plan, start there to take control of your health. A few simple tweaks to your diet — eliminating or reducing sugar and alcohol intake, drinking more water and eliminating processed foods from your diet — can put you on the path to better health without a significant monetary investment.
6. Adopt a walking habit. If you are sedentary for most of the day and don’t have the motivation to work out at home, start walking more frequently throughout the day. Get up earlier for a morning walk or go for a walk before dinner to burn some extra calories and get the benefits of a light cardio workout. Walking is a low-impact activity that you can turn into a more intensive workout by speed walking, strapping on some arm weights or carrying a set of dumbbells.
7. Join a fitness club or local sports team. If you played sports in high school or are a sports enthusiast, consider joining a local league to stay active throughout the week with training sessions and on weekends with games. You could also look up fitness groups in the area on Meetup and local community organizations that host fitness activities. Group fitness activities can keep you motivated and keep you moving without a formal workout.
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7 Cheap Ways to Get Healthier Without Joining the Gym originally appeared on usnews.com
