WASHINGTON — The start of a new year is synonymous with breaking old habits and beginning new routines. For many, those new routines and resolutions focus on improving health and fitness.
But between gym memberships, trainer fees and performance clothing, getting in shape can cause your wallet to get lean too. Josef Brandenburg, co-owner of The Body You Want, says that doesn’t always have to be the case, though. He offers the most cost-effective ways to stay on track with your fitness goals for 2015.
Learn to Cook
One of the best and least expensive ways to improve your health and tighten your waistline is to learn how to cook — or, if you already do, to cook at home more.
“When you cook for yourself, you’re not going to add MSG or high fructose corn syrup to your food. You probably don’t have a deep fryer, so you aren’t going to deep-fry your food,” Brandenburg says.
Grocery shopping is also much cheaper than eating out, ordering in or rushing through the drive-through.
Strapped for time and don’t want to spend it in the kitchen? Brandenburg says a crock pot is a great tool. He suggests throwing together some chopped vegetables, a lean protein, herbs, salt, pepper and chicken stock or canned tomatoes for an easy dinner. The meal requires little prep, and because the flavors are augmented during the slow cooking process, there is no need for added fat.
Dial Back the Supplements
Each year, Americans spend millions of dollars on dietary supplements, and most of the time, it’s a waste, Brandenburg says. “People end up spending a lot of money on things they don’t need.”
If you’re looking to slim down your collection of supplements, Brandenburg says the four most important ones to take are a quality fish oil supplement, vitamin D, a probiotic and a multivitamin. “Ninety percent of people are going to get benefits from just that short list,” he says.
And for the best deals, Brandenburg says, buy directly from the manufacturer.
Home Gym? Skip the Cardio Machines
Treadmills, ellipticals and weight machines can cost thousands, and Brandenburg points out that these big pieces of equipment are limiting.
“You can only do one thing with them that isn’t that effective for weight loss, and ignores most important fitness qualities,” he says. “For less money, you can create a very effective home gym that will allow you to get great results and to train all fitness qualities — strength, power, flexibility and of course, cardiovascular conditioning.”
For about $100, you can get exercise bands, a foam roller, an adjustable set of dumbbells and BOSU balls — all of which can be used to do lower-body, upper-body and core exercises.
“You can work on flexibility and mobility; you can work on strength; you can work on core; you can work on power and you can work on conditioning with just that list of things,” Brandenburg says.
Make the Most of a Trainer
A personal trainer is a great option for someone just starting out or someone wanting to learn new routines. Brandenburg says if you’re going the personal-trainer route and want to save money, consider small group sessions instead of one-on-one training.
“For a lot less money, you can work with a trainer in a small group, and, provided that the trainer is good and is using a good system, you can get all of the supervision that you need,” he says, adding that group sessions tend to be more fun for participants and can motivate you to work harder, since you’re among peers.
Working out with a trainer multiple times a week can run up a bill. Instead of spending that kind of cash, Brandenburg suggests asking your trainer to type up a program that you can use on the days you’re not together.
“That’s going to be another way to maximize the money that you spend with them, so that you’re still getting that guidance, whether you’re with them in a session or not,” he says.
Make a Goal (or two) and Stick with It
Want to make a change to your health? Brandenburg says the first thing you should do is be realistic. Limit the number of commitments to two or three achievable goals — and get started as soon as possible.
“Start today … If there’s something that you know that you should be doing to take better care of yourself, start with that,” Brandenburg says.
He says there are two things that will make the biggest difference when it comes to your health – strength training and diet.
“If you get [strength training] done on a regular basis, you will see great changes over the course of that month,” he says.
When it comes to what you eat, Brandenburg says, find areas in your diet where you can replace flour and sugar with vegetables and some fruit.
Follow WTOP and WTOP Living on Twitter and on the WTOP Facebook page.
