Losing Weight on a Budget
With gyms costing upwards of $50 a month, exercise can be pricey. Here is a guest post from Kyle James of Rather-Be-Shopping.com on how to stay in shape on the cheap:
Three years ago, I was at my annual physical, and my doctor told me I was 45 pounds overweight. Of course, I already knew this, as the mirror does not lie! But I was the king of procrastination and kept telling myself, "I will start working out next month." Next month would come and go, and, still, I did nothing.
But having my doctor tell me the health risks associated with extra weight did the trick for me. After all, I want to be at my children's college graduation ceremonies and weddings. So I vowed to get in shape. It took a year and a half of hard work and dedication, and I am proud to say that I lost the weight and feel great about myself. Plus, I did it frugally. No expensive gym membership or home gym system.
Here are a few of the things I did:
- Find free calorie burners. Stop using the elevator—take the stairs instead. Park way out at the far end of the parking lot and walk. If you do these small things every day, you will burn a lot more calories every week, and, believe me, they all count!
- Start walking or biking. The best way to burn enough calories to shed fat is to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes at a time at least three to five days per week. Forget the expensive gym membership. There are plenty of free ways to get your exercise. Start doing a brisk walk or bike ride around the neighborhood in the evening or early morning. Dust off that bike, or buy one if you don't have one! I ride my bike all the time. It is great frugal exercise. Plus, it is something fun that I can do with my kids.
- Give yourself permission. As a very busy father of three small children, it was hard to give myself permission to exercise. So I try to exercise after the kids go to bed or at my lunch break, so it does not take away from family time. By finally giving myself permission to exercise, I came to the realization that I actually became a better dad. My mind was sharper, I did not get tired as easily, and physically I could keep up with my kids! Now I can run alongside my 6-year-old son and not lose my breath. What a great feeling.
Unfortunately, I cannot say I spent no money getting in shape and losing weight. I did buy a mountain bike and some free weights. In both cases, it was money well spent because they helped me reach my goals, and they didn't require a start-up fee and monthly dues like a gym membership.
What are your tips for getting in shape without spending a lot of money? I look forward to your comments.
Interested in guest blogging for Alpha Consumer? Please E-mail alphaconsumer@usnews.com.
Tags: exercise and fitness | personal finance | diet and nutrition | weight
Tools: 
Share
|
| Comments (4) | Print
Reader Comments
Another Tip
I almost forgot, another thing I did that cost very little money is I started playing tennis at a free public park with a friend a couple times per week. It is a great way to sweat for free! Once you buy the racquet and balls, which you can get used, you are good to go.
Save on Groceries while Working Out
After getting married last year, my husband and I didn't exercise at all for seven months straight--we were feeling lazy, flabby, and weak.
Since we were starting at zero lung capacity and hardly any muscle tone, we began to jog in the mornings together before work twice a week and on Saturday mornings.
We started out very very slowly...our motto: If you're still bouncing, you're still running!
Since we were not out to break any speed records, this exercise was surprisingly enjoyable and the mornings are a glorious time to run--everything is so fresh and new.
We're still running and we started using the exercise room in our apartment that has weights and stair steppers. And it's totally free for us to use (apart from the rent we pay!).
Saving even more money and losing weight at the same time: cut back on portion sizes. I know that it is easy to trick yourself into thinking, "I just exercised today, so I can eat more tonight!" In reality, you're not allowing your exercise to do its work. Cut WAY back on portions--like 4 oz of meat instead of 8-12, half a sandwich instead of a whole, and instead of 2 cups of pasta or rice cut it back to 1/2 a cup. You WILL get enough calories that you body needs. Our bodies are created to run on far less fuel than Americans typically stuff themselves with. This way you save on your grocery bill and lose weight.
Use a salad plate instead of a real plate when you have meals. Most people overload the big plates with more food than they need and end up either overeating or wasting food. By using a smaller plate, you eat a healthier portion and waste less food.
As for the increasing waistlines on America's children, parents and caregivers need to turn off the television! I know I feel better during the day and sleep better at night when I go out on a nice sunny day and walk wherever my feet take me. Just the other day I walked the 2-3 miles from my apartment in Park Slope, Brooklyn to City Hall in Downtown Manhattan. And let's face it, walking is FREE! Our feet don't charge us to use them.
Add your thoughts
Your comment will be posted immediately, unless it is spam or contains profanity. For more information, please see our Comments FAQ.advertisement
