How To Workout For Free When You’re On A Budget

In the heat of summer, I always get lazy. I tell myself it’s too hot to move and that the air conditioning is a better friend than the outdoors. This way of thinking always leads to me gaining a few pounds and feeling sluggish. I recently saw a film trailer for a movie about a woman living in New York City who is struggling with her weight. She tries to sign up for a gym but quickly realises that gyms are insanely expensive. As a fellow city girl, I can attest to that.

Instead of paying for an expensive gym, I started working out with what is available and what is free. Here are some tips for working out for free when you’re on a tight budget.

Walking / Running

There’s more than enough space in the word for you to run or walk. Go to your favourite neighbourhood in town and explore it. Or go to a nearby park and run around the track. There’s absolutely no excuse for this one.

Walking Gets Old

My next tip is one of my favorites because, to me, walking can become mundane. What never gets boring is going up stairs. If you have stairs in your house you can go up and down them several times for a good workout. If you don’t have stairs in your house there are plenty of buildings that do (or escalators). For an extra burn you can take the stairs two at a time.

Yoga

There are hundreds of yoga videos on Youtube. When I feel like I need to stretch my body, I put yoga video on and follow it. Youtube is really good for customising your yoga workout. There are videos for beginners and experts alike. There are videos for becoming more flexible or toning muscle.

Commuting

If you live in a city like myself, most things that you need are in reasonable walking distance. Instead of splurging on Ubers and Lyfts, I make myself walk whenever I need to get somewhere. That being said, there are not a lot of times when I need something.

A tip I’ve incorporated into my routine is to buy only what I need for two days. So if I need groceries, I will only buy what I need for two days instead of what I need for a week. This will make me come back to the grocery store more often which will result in more walking. This is a very time consuming tip and may not be good for people on a tight schedule. The positive aspect to this tip is that there’s less time spent at the grocery store and you’re allowed to be more spontaneous with your meals.

Dog Walking

If you have a dog that needs walking, extend your walks. Go for long runs and I’m sure you and that puppy will have the best nights sleep. If you don’t have a dog, there are apps you can download that pay you for walking other people’s dogs. What could be better than walking adorable dogs and getting paid? Oh yea, getting a workout in at the same time.

Break Out the Toys

It’s time to dust off your old bike, scooter, rollerblades, skateboard, and whatever else you have with wheels. Just make sure it doesn’t have a motor (that’s cheating). Go outside and play. That’s why we were all so skinny as kids! Although I don’t have the same level of energy as I used to, I can still grab a gatorade and my rollerblades, take it down to the beach and race up and down the boardwalk.

Sports

There are tons of clubs listed on facebook that organise pick up games for sports like basketball, volleyball, and football to name a few. Signing up to clubs is good because it’s more of a commitment that you can’t back out of. Other people are counting on you and that’ll give you less reason not to show up and work out. You’ll also meet new people while you’re at it.

Bring a Friend

All of these tips can really help you exercise for free, but if you’re like me, it’s hard to stay motivated. Grab a friend and do some of these activities together. It’ll make it less painful, I promise.