Can't Afford It...

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  • zenpastry
    zenpastry Posts: 9
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    YouTube has lots of great workout videos, all free. Pinterest is also a good resource- look under the health and fitness tab. If you are near a mall, there's mall walkers. Community rec centers are usually a lot cheaper than gyms.
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
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    Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this thread, working out on a budget because I've never belonged to a gym. Only ran on a treadmill once in my life! I dress warmly and run outside. I have free weights at home. I do Jillian's DVDs ($9 apiece). Total investment in all of my equipment: probably $50.

    But, I want to caution OP that the gym (or any workout for that matter) won't be a fix long-term. There are lot's of people who go to gyms with no results because they haven't gotten the eating part down. There is no other way: for long-term success you need to get this part right. Eat between your BMR and TDEE. This shouldn't feel like a chore and you shouldn't feel deprived. Leave room for fun or take a cheat meal if you need to.

    Yes, my friends know me as a runner but what they don't know is I've always been a pretty clean eater. I try and make good choices when I go out. Limit snacks at home. Drink water. Eat veggies. Look at the Success Stories, it can be done.

    Abraham Lincoln said, "if I had 8 hrs to cut down a tree, I'd spend 6 sharpening my axe". Don't spend all of your time at the gym only to undo your efforts with eating poorly. Lot's of people do that. Focus your efforts on eating right and the rest is easy. Some say 80% is diet, 20% exercise. I would go so far to say it's 95% diet, 5% exercise.
  • robino222
    robino222 Posts: 14 Member
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    Check out the YMCA. Someone told me that will adjust fees based on your income if you ask. I think you have to provide a couple months proof of income level -- worth a try.
  • Yaya1976
    Yaya1976 Posts: 357 Member
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    Youtube has so many workout videos, you'll never get bored. I purchased 5 lbs dumb bells and recently 10 lbs dumb bells from walmart, they were pretty inexpensive. Good luck to you! :drinker:
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
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    I am sure it has been said already but I didn't read everything.

    Youtube.com

    if you have a smart phone or tablet there are a lot of great free apps out there that show you some good body weight exercises - no need for equimpent you can use your own weight for resistance.

    Go for a walk...
  • wendyholla
    wendyholla Posts: 11
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    I work in an 8 story building so during my lunch, I walk up and down the stairs. If it's warm, I will go outside and walk. The stairs are hard for me all at once, going up, so I will walk a flight and get off on the floor and walk around for a min or 2. Also helps me to get acquainted with the different business in the building.
  • hauer01
    hauer01 Posts: 523 Member
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    I don't belong to a gym and haven't for years. Just plain can't afford it (there are NO cheap gyms around here, mostly about $50.00 a month).

    I work out at home, doing push ups, sit ups, planks, crunches. I eventually started to buy a few inexpensive workout videos (I don't even have the internet at home, again... to expensive and I am on a VERY tight buget). But I could find some Jillian Michaels DVDs for about 8 bucks a piece. For weights, I would fill up jugs with water until I could afford to buy some simple hand weights.

    It is all very doable, it just might take some creativity.
  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
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    If you have cable use the "on demand" service, netflix for $7.99 you can stream vidoes, or for like $15 you can get DVDs and do Shred and other workouts..

    also invest in a set of weights (even just 1 set for now) and use a source like JEFIT for ideas on how to use them and create a circuit...

    and ofcourse you always have the great outdoors!
  • specialemy
    specialemy Posts: 141 Member
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    I used to just 'march in place' but I now go up and down the stairs in my house and at work (I work on the 5th floor) so it's definitely a workout plus seems a bit more harder than getting on the elliptical machine. Try going up and down the stairs for 15 minutes straight, your legs will burn!
  • DonnaLeeCattes
    DonnaLeeCattes Posts: 492 Member
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    My gym costs $10.00 a month or roughly 30 cents a day. Maybe you can continue shopping for a less expensive gym?

    Dang, I would be stoked to find a gym that is $10.00 a month. I will have to see what I can find.
    I would be too....I can't afford one either, so I do Jillian and Bob Harper videos and other stuff from you-tube
  • tracymat
    tracymat Posts: 296 Member
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    My gym is also $10 a month (eliminate one dinner out and there ya go!!). But I agree that there are plenty of inexpensive DVDs out there and Youtube.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    go on Pinterest, there's tons of things you can do on the Health and Fitness site
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
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    -Running/Walking
    -Fitness videos from the library
    -Fitness routines on Youtube
    -Swimming in the summer
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member
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    I do workout videos which can be free. For example, JIllian Michaels 30 day shred is on YouTube for free! There are a lot of free workouts of YouTube.

    This. I decided to chuck the gym routine earlier this year because I was sick of getting up at 5.30am to go there before work!

    Now I get up at 6am, do a work out at home (JM 30 Day Shred - free on Youtube), don't have to carry bags around like a hobo all the time and am in better shape that I was pounding it out at the gym. :D
  • rotill
    rotill Posts: 244 Member
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    How cold is freezing? If it's - 20 Celcius, I'd recommend to make your walks shorter, but more frequent. Apart from that there's really no reason not to wrap up properly and get out. Unless you have asthma and have been warned about air quality and cold, it's not dangerous to breathe cold air. And if you don't walk too far, you won't have a problem with some of the more extreme dangers, like sweating and then cooling down too rapidly because you have to stay still outside.

    When it's cold and dark, daylight is more important than ever, both for your vitamins, and for your mood. If you have the opportunity, take your walk in daylight!

    Have a nice walk! :)
  • loved1
    loved1 Posts: 206 Member
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    I paid $99 for one year at Planet Fitness. Otherwise, it's usually 10 down and 10 per month.

    People like Tiffany Rothe's youtube workout videos.

    If you have a gaming system, Wii games like EA Sports Actives have a lot of options for different workouts in one game.

    Find a building with multiple flights and walk the stairs.
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    How cold is it where you are? I didn't start running until a couple months ago when it was getting chilly. Granted, NC isn't exactly known for brutal winters but I still find myself jogging in 40 degree weather pretty frequently. Also, as far as the gym membership goes I'd ask yourself how much it's worth to you and is there something else you can cut out if it is worth it. My gym is pretty cheap so money was never an issue but before I got serious I never went often "because I didn't have time." So one day I just shut off my cable. Guess, what? I had lots of time (and money too).
  • notthatthis
    notthatthis Posts: 218
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    Actually took the time to read all the replies, interesting that so many still want you to buy into something.

    Rocks, Bags, Sand, More bags, Playground equipment, Tins, Bottles, Frozen meat and more bags. Suitcase filled with even more rocks. Oil drums, used tyres of various sizes, hammers of various sizes, sledgehammers of different weight, steps at home or outside, beams in your house - walking, running, wild river swimming (obviously not in freezing water), large ropes (battle ropes), chains

    Low Cost - resistance bands, swiss ball, second hand equipment (a weight is a weight of course of course)

    Resistance is everywhere and for fun workouts that do not require you to be Jillian Michaels then NOWLOSS.COM has excellent no equipment workouts.

    Also see the crazy german at evilcyber.com - workouts with homemade equipment
  • Sarahlou314
    Sarahlou314 Posts: 16 Member
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    Look up Zumba Videos on Youtube. Amber Blanch is my fav. I pull up youtube on my Wii and do it thru there. :happy:
  • Otter1422
    Otter1422 Posts: 162 Member
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    Can you afford not to join the gym? I couldn't, I have diabetes and live in a cold climate and was not getting it done without the gym. My gym membership is $17 a month, Planet fitness is $10 but even if it was $50 a month I could not continue without it. I have cable in my house that could go before gym membership, I have a cell phone, eat out at least twice a month, internet, all kinds of other expenses that are not as important as the gym membership. I have TVs and other garbage in my house I could sell if I have to. Hell I have a nicer car than I have to drive I would sell and downgrade if I had to. All that being said if you can't or don't want a gym membership lots of good ideas posted here by others.

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