Get fit on the cheap- suggestions?

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Replies

  • eganita
    eganita Posts: 501 Member
    I noticed these on the Livestrong website one day, though I haven't tried them out at this point. In theory, they sounded similar to Insanity/T25 (programs which I've done/am doing and find to be effective).

    http://www.livestrong.com/blog/10-free-workouts-get-fitter-stronger/

    Hope this helps! Sorry if anyone else already posted this.
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
    Body weight stuff is great no or little weight needed. If you want to do stuff that has some weight - find things around the house and determine their weights. A gallon jug of water (fill old milk jug) 8#, a Ream of 20# paper = 5#. Take a couple from by the computer printer and put one or two (or whatever) in a canvas grocery bag and do curls or dumbell rows (one guy on the internet even does it with a loaded suitcase) You can also hold the bag (or maybe a back pack) while walking, doing squats, etc. Sometimes when you are broke, you just have to be creative. I also love the ideas of using things you can find in nature. move branches, pull ups on the tree, etc.

    I'm pretty broke, but my super supportive hubby has been helping me watch for small things on clearance, etc. I got a set of 5# dumbells for $5, a weighted hoola hoop $7, a pedometer on craigslist for $10 (with a built in radio for walks), Over the last 3 months, I've tried to spend about $10-15 a month on something I can use around the house rather than a going to a gym. So far - it's working.
  • Gordo1981
    Gordo1981 Posts: 59 Member
    Bodyweight exercise such as "You are your own gym". There is a phone app for it and it is really easy to follow. I use it when I'm travelling and can't get to a gym.

    This. I have heard convict conditioning is awesome too. Fitness Blender on Youtube.

    If you want to splurge once you can look into a system like TRX. They have cheaper versions of it I have heard good things about and that can give you a great full body workout.
    I agree with people suggesting body-weight exercises, depending on where you were in your lifting program you may have to work on some of the forms that adjust to higher difficulty, maybe not standard push-up but Diamond or something like that. http://strength.stack52.com/periodic-table-of-bodyweight-exercises/ has a bit of a chart

    Also you can make your own TRX type system at home with some webbing. There are a few good sites but I have forgotten the links a quick internet search would turn something up I bet!
  • clyn27
    clyn27 Posts: 102 Member
    I use youtube a lot. A lot of the stuff you find there will only have the first level of a work out but if you pick several different work outs your body wont get too used to the first level of something. I have also found several $10 work out dvds at walmart. The quality sucks and they are super cheesy but the work out its self is good. I once bought a yoga dvd from the dollar store. It was an hour long and kicked my *kitten* but it looked like some one just did it in there house and the sound quality was terrible. you get what you pay for as far as quality but its the work out that counts. I have heard good things about resistant bands for strength. They are cheap and don't take up too much space.
  • alyrpal
    alyrpal Posts: 8 Member
    Weights dont burn many calories. Get a cheap mountain bike and hit those trails - 700 or more calories per hour, and fresh air!

    Al