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| Wednesday, April 01, 2009 |
| Get Fit For $10 or Less |
Spring is here which means summer isn’t far behind. Now is the time everyone wants to start getting in shape for the warm weather. I encourage people to exercise all year long, but the right motivation, such as wearing a bathing suit or being at the beach, might be just what you need to get started. The one thing that may stop you this year is the recession. Many people just don’t have enough money to join a gym or hire a trainer. Knowing money is tight for so many people, I came up with 10 ways to get in shape while spending $10 or less.
- Walking or Jogging. Walking is FREE! It’s the easiest form of exercise to participate in. Just grab your sneakers and go. Almost anyone can start a walking program. Start slow by walking just 10 or 15 minutes and build up your time and speed as your endurance increases. You can also start jogging to add intensity or you can do intervals of walking and jogging for a great calorie burning workout. Try to work up to 30 minutes a day on most days.
Resistance bands or tubes. You can find a resistance band for under $10. Most come with a DVD or a chart with exercises for you to follow. This is a great piece of equipment for toning your whole body. It can take the place of many pieces of large gym equipment and give you the same workout when done correctly.
iTunes Podcasts. Log onto iTunes and download some workouts. They are usually FREE and you can either watch from your computer or put them on your iPod to use over and over. Just go to podcasts and type in what you are looking for such as “Pilates Workout” or “Kickboxing Workout”.Garage Sales. Check out your local garage sales for some slightly used, cheap fitness equipment. You can usually find videos, balls, bands and steps for $2 to $10. Most of the time the equipment is still in the box. I recently found a great little trampoline for $5. I use it to do cardio. I just jump on and do jumping jacks, punches, twists, etc. It’s a great workout and is easy on the joints.
Library. Check out your local library for a FREE workout.. You can usually borrow exercise videos, DVD’s and books. You can do a different workout every week just by choosing a different DVD each day. Fitness books are great for teaching proper form.Bender Ball or Fit Ball. I recently saw the Bender Ball at Wal-Mart for $9.99. The Bender Ball or Fit Ball is a small ball that can be used to work your abdominals, glutes, legs and waist. It can make your usual workout a little harder and can add some variety to the same old exercises. The ball comes with a chart for exercises and you can get a DVD for under $10.Jump Rope. You can get a jump rope for $5 to $10. Jumping rope is a great workout. It burns more calories than just about anything. You can start slow and work up to a 20 minute routine. You can burn up to 250 calories in 30 minutes with a jump rope. Try jumping rope and you just might feel like a kid again.Local Parks. Check out your local parks for exercise opportunities. Many parks have fitness stations such as pull ups, sit ups, hop overs, etc. You can incorporate cardio by doing jumping jacks between stations or bring your jump rope. Parks are FREE and you can get a good workout there.YouTube. You can log onto YouTube for FREE and check out some great exercise videos. Go to the search area and type in what you are looking for such as yoga, abdominal exercises or inner thigh exercises and you’ll find more than you need. These are free to watch and can give you some great ideas for putting together your workout.Stairs. Instead of spending money going to the gym to use the stairmaster, use the stairs in your house or at a local park or football field. Climbing stairs is a great workout and burns a lot of calories. Start slowly because this can be strenuous. Climbing stairs is FREE and you can bring your resistance tube to do some toning when you’re done.
So there you have it. Now everyone can start getting in shape for the summer even if you don’t have much extra money. Always check with your doctor before you start a new exercise program. Good Luck. I know you’ll look great at the beach this year!
- Jennifer
Labels: Exercise, Fitness, healthy living, Lauren
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posted by My Sensei @ Wednesday, April 01, 2009   |
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