Weightloss on a SERIOUS budget?

Why do you want to be a member of a gym? What would you use it for? Just wondering b/c i'm a bit different. I prefer to work out outside and just use my own body weight for strength building. A lot of people on MFP love to lift weights, is that why you are looking for a gym?

Sod the gym! I was paying $100 a month for the gym (I went 5 x a week for 45mins a time and was steadily putting on weight) until this year when I ditched it in favour of doing Jillian Michael workout DVDs at home (5 x a week 30-60mins a time). You can find these free on Youtube - I started with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.

BOOM, the weight started coming off, I looked more toned within a week and I just womble down the hall to my study to do my work out in the morning - I can even do the warm up in my pjs!

No carrying around a bag of stinky gym gear and a towel, no gym contracts, no having to deal with other people, I love it.

In regard to diet - buy your produce from a farmer's market or vege/fruit shop - NOT the supermarket as they charge more.

well i pondered replying to this but hear goes. no offense i dont wanna be the bad guy but to me, it sounds like an excuse not to go to the gym cause you cant chose which one?????c'mon now thats silly. pick one and go to it. also i see lotsa replys to NOT hit the gym....REALLY??????? i had/have a home gym and NEVER use it, why you ask? because its easier to watch tv or munch on snacks instead of getting on my wieder home gym, but when you have to get up ( and this is where the motivation comes in ) go to the gym and actually get your moneys worth then its a different story. listen i go 5 days a week and it took about a month to be a habit. dont give up and keep the motivation or your never gonna make it. my thoughts only

Hi, I'm Misty from Pittsburgh. I'm 5'3" and currently weighing in at 234lbs with a small/medium natural frame. My goal is to lose 100lbs in a year to be a much healthier weight. I'm doing this for me and my self-esteem. I need this for me. How can anyone love someone who doesn't love herself? Truth is told here. Anyway, I just want to chat with others who feel the same struggles as I do so I came to myfitnesspal. I'm hoping to keep up with this site! If anyone wants to become a support team, add me! I try to stay optimistic so you can always count on me for moral support!! Also any tips and suggestions are welcome for a more wallet-friendly budget. I currently am not going to the gym because I can't decide on two: SNAP or Planet Fitness. PF is 20 minutes away and only $20 a month, whereas Snap is 7 minutes away but it's $40 a month! Decisions, decisions! Also, I look for saving money anywhere including food, diets, exercises, etc. Thanks!!

- Misty

Take in your mileage into account also and factor in how much EXTRA in gas your paying to go to PF then to the Snap and the difference is not nearly as bad

How will you get to the gym? If driving, maybe the closer, but more expensive one is better-- because you'll spend the extra $20 in gas going to the far away gym so much (right? Because you're going to go 4-5 x a week!!) So if you plan to go often, I'd say go closer, spend the extra and save gas! You'll probably be more motivated to go as well if it's a shorter 'trip'. You'll be adding an extra1/2 hour to your whole trip each time by choosing the far (but cheaper) option. Your time is worth something as well!!!

As for actually going to a gym, I never joined a gym. I found a few classes I liked (aerobics, kickboxing etc) but also swam a alot (do you have a friend with a pool?) and walking/running. On some days I do my cardio in front of the TV (just run in place, do some aerobics moves!) and lift small weights. do crunches etc. You certainly don't HAVE to have a gym membership. I never did and I lost 80lbs in a year, and have been keeping it off by swimming, walking, doing some cardio/weights at home. NO GYMS!!

I do have tons of food ideas... but that will have to be another time, as I have to run. BUt keep your eyes on the frums, people are always posting good recipes and $ saving tips!

Good luck!

I would decide on about 3-4 workout dvd's and workout at home. I'm considering ending my gym membership, as my dvd's along with the weights I bought will get me where I want to be.

Feel free to add me!

For me the gym was the way to go. I have a membership to the Y and I like it because I can take their free classes or use their machines to keep my workouts interesting and to know that I am doing them correctly so as to not hurt myself. I am also on a tight budget and for me making sacrifices in other expenses (I don't have cable, cheeped out on a phone, I rarely eat out or go to the movies, etc.) allows me to free up some money in my budget to pay for my membership.

In regards to budget friendly health foods. I look at the sale adds each week and decide what inexpensive meals I can make. I shop at Aldi's for produce and cook a bunch on the weekends and freeze my meals for the week. I like to have multiple meal options in the freezer so that I feel like I still have some variety in my diet. My fav cheap health food is eggs

If you decide to go for a gym membership I would recommend it would be more important to get there then to decide which one. What I mean by that is if you need a workout buddy, a gym on your way home from work, a gym that fits your needs (as each one has their own culture in my experience), or a gym in walking distance to save on gas just go for it!!!!!

You don't always need a gym....I'm a new mom of a 2 month old. don't really have time for the gym, but I had $20 to spare and got my hands on Shaun T fat burning cardio. I started on 7/10. I follow a 1200 cal diet and workout 30 min 4x/wk & have lost 11 lbs and some inches from various areas on my body. My goal is to lose 113 lbs total so I'm on my way Good luck with your weight loss and if you need add me and we can help motivate each other

I used to go to a gym and I felt that I lost more weight when I did. I don't want to be a body builder so lifting weights is out for me! I prefer cardio. I do love outdoor exercise too! I just for some reason feel more motivated to go to the gym. One, because it is practically my alone time (I am ALWAYS surrounded by people I have to talk to for my job) so it's basically an escape, and two it's less of a hassle to workout indoors since I live around such a busy area. I just prefer a gym. It's relaxing (weight, right?). I don't have any kids or a husband so I'm set in making time for me. For a lot of my older teenage years I went to the gym 5 days a week just because I enjoy it, then college came about and I gained weight, not. So I guess maybe I just like familiarity.

Thanks for the food tips! I eat pretty healthy for the most part (I have an allergy to a lot of processed foods!) so that's not the issue, just the price would be nice. How can a supermarket charge so much for a vegetable?! It's cheaper to buy food like Ramen and oreo cookies than it is to buy fresh food because those last, unlike veggies and meats.
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Oh my.. You have the wrong perception of lifting weights. But I won't even go there...

good luck
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I was making a joke about being a body builder. I have the correct perception of lifting weights, and I obviously have done plenty of that in the past. I know what it can do for the body. I, however, want to stay on more of a cardio track (obviously I'll include weights..) but I'm looking to get more fit and heart healthy than to bulk up. People always go wrong and do weights, weights, weights, instead of getting on a treadmill or even getting outside to ride a bike.
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There are so many things wrong here. You say you have the correct perception of weights, but that you don't want to bulk up. Bulking up is not what happens when most ladies lift weights. People go wrong and do weights? Whats wrong with weights? How can you have the correct perception of weights, and then say they are wrong? No one said don't do any cardio at all and only lift, ever. I have to say, once I picked up the weights, in addition to my cardio and circuits training, my own weight went down steadily and I'm the smallest I've been since high school. And yeah, I'm so bulky at 116 lbs! I'm also on a budget and can't afford a gym. I workout at home.