Everybody wants to get in shape, improve their health, and look trim and fit come beach season. But, it’s easy to come up with excuses to keep from getting fit. And one of the big ones is lack of money. Here’s some ideas for getting fit on a budget.
First thing to keep in mind is that the reality for many people is that we’re overweight in this country. The Center for Disease Control says that 34% of Americans over the age of 20 are obese. Not just fat – but obese. And that then means that one in three of us has health issues related to that.
So, when it comes to finding a way to get fit on a budget, it’s important to change your perspective to “I can’t afford to get in shape” to “I can’t afford NOT to get in shape!
But, if money is still tight, even if you’re financially motivated to get back in shape, here’s some other ways to help you achieve your goal of fitness.
Skip the expensive gym membership – There are advantages to a gym membership. If you don’t know anything about fitness equipment, there’s usually a trainer, other members, or a member of the gym staff to help you. But for what a gym costs, you can put together some basic fitness equipment for use at home. And, this can also help you fit an exercise program into your schedule – if you have equipment at home, you can work out at any time, without having to go out of your way to hit the gym (just to find that someone else is using the equipment you wanted to work out on).
Plan Ahead – Figuring out your workout schedule, as well as your diet plan for healthy food, planning ahead will help you not only to stay on a regular schedule, it also means for your diet, you’ll only buy what you need, helping you to save money that you can use for other parts of your fitness program.
Tell someone your plans – When you tell someone else your fitness goals and your plan surrounding them, you automatically make ourself feel accountable to achieve them. And, you may find you’ll get advice and ideas that help you get to your goals easier.
Put together your own home gym – This is a great way to get in shape affordably. For example, you could start with a TRX Suspension System. For under $200, you have a piece of equipment that you can even travel with, and get a full body workout. As you progress in your fitness program, you could add a small weight bench and a set of adjustable weights such as PowerBlock Adjustable Dumbbells. Finally, you could add a rowing machine like the Echelon Row 7s Connected Rower. With this type of setup, you can do a full strength and cardio workout at home, and put it together as you have the funds to do so. Unlike a gym membership, you own this equipment – so once it’s been purchased, you don’t have an ongoing monthly bill, either!
So yes, it’s possible to get fit on a budget. And if you’d like more ideas for putting together an affordable home gym, stop into any of Fitness 4 Home Superstore’s 3 Phoenix area locations today!
