For many people, the new year means chasing new goals and getting their life on track—whether that’s cooking more at home, spending time with loved ones or getting off of work on time.
If one of your New Year's Resolutions is to get fit and healthy, it’s easy to spend a lot of money on gym memberships or sports programs that help keep you active. Exercise also requires consistency, which isn’t always maintained by most people simply because it’s too time-consuming to go to the gym every day.
But working out doesn’t always have to be costly. Here are 6 ways you can afford a healthy lifestyle on a budget.
Create A Regular Running Routine
Running is the most underrated exercise there is. It is one of the best workouts for cardiovascular exercises that help you stay in shape as well as prevent various health diseases.
The best part is? It costs almost nothing. All you need is yourself and your shoes.
Set daily goals for yourself and use a step counter app to track your progress. Head out for a walk and run for a minute or two in between as a beginner runner and increase your pace with time.
Take Advantage of Workout Videos
With so many resources out there, it can be a little confusing to know where to start. Whether it’s YouTube videos or workout apps, there are tons of tutorials for every kind of workout there is—many of which are free. These include cardio, cycling, Crossfit, kettlebell training and yoga.
Parks & Playgrounds
No matter where you live, there’s got to be a public park with those free to use “gyms” that include pull up bars and other rusty looking machines. If you mix cardio with some of these machine exercises, you’ll be getting a complete and perfectly decent workout—the same one you’d get in a fancy gym.
Use Household Items As Weights
Proper weights are not an excuse for skipping out on workout routines. Plenty of household items can do the job, such as a sturdy chair, which can be used for muscle toning routines, such as lunges, reverse crutches and step ups. You can also use water bottles, books and canned goods as weights for presses, bicep curls and more.
Stick To A Diet Plan
If you want to stay fit and healthy, you’ll also have to pay attention to what you’re eating. Regular exercise goes hand in hand with a healthy diet for you to stay in shape. You’ll have to increase your intake of nutritional food to gain muscles and lose weight. So stick to a diet plan that balances your carbs and nutrients well and it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are tons of budget-friendly diets you can follow to stay in shape.
Make A Schedule
The most important aspect of a workout routine is consistency. You need this whether you’re going to the most expensive gym in the world or you’re working out from your living room. Make a schedule at the beginning of the week and stick to it. If you’re serious about getting in shape, you’ll start seeing results in no time.
