Get fit on the cheap- suggestions?

greenmeena
greenmeena Posts: 118 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all!
Life has changed and I find that I cannot afford to go to the gym, which is too bad because I was getting into NRL4W.
I've moved to a smaller place, and will be making much less money.

Bonus: miles and miles of forested trails right outside my back door, for hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, and once the damn snow melts (getting 24 inches as I write), trail running and all that.

However… I know that all cardio isn't the way.

We really don't have a place for a weight set or any machines. Times are lean so there isn't a whole lot I can afford at the moment.
So- anyone else doing things for free, for cheap?
Anyone else get totally fit just playing around in the woods?
Any suggestions of other things I can do? Just curious.
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Replies

  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
    I use Daily Burn at home. It's got a good variety of workouts and excellent trainers. First month is free so you can always try that!
  • Bobs123456
    Bobs123456 Posts: 13
    Google weight free wprkouts. I have a small book called mens health weight free workout. You can find exercises on the web and videos. There is alot you can do.

    Squats on one leg with out weights.
    Speed skater for cardio. Google it.
    Planks,side planks and variations.
    Many types of pushups.
    Google pilates. The core is insame.
    Yoga. Lots of videos on that.
    Run in place. Get down on hanfds. Do pushups. Get up. Run in place.

    It will be some wprk, but you can find a plan online and through youtube.
  • catfive1
    catfive1 Posts: 529 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.
  • warriorprincessdi
    warriorprincessdi Posts: 617 Member
    Hey there - As mentioned, youtube has a lot to offer. Also, look up body weight exercises. No fancy equipment required. :)
  • stephanniehall
    stephanniehall Posts: 50 Member
    I like Sworkit! Not sure if you have a phone that you can download it on but it's free or $1 for the souped-up version. I like all it has to offer. Yoga, strength, cardio, stretching.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    chop wood, carry it in, shovel snow, mow lawn are all good!
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    This gal has some pretty amazing work outs: http://www.zuzkalight.com/
    All free. She also has some older videos on Youtube. I am doing New Rules to get strong enough to do her workouts, lol!
  • nicoleisback
    nicoleisback Posts: 184
    Climb trees. Use the branches for chin ups, etc. Carry broken branches around. Lots of weight bearing exercises to be had near trees
  • SillyC2
    SillyC2 Posts: 275 Member

    Bonus: miles and miles of forested trails right outside my back door, for hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, and once the damn snow melts (getting 24 inches as I write), trail running and all that.


    I'm jealous!

    A friend of mine has a TRX set that she puts up over tree branches in the forest. It might be out of your budget, but it's bulky.
  • CatBird128
    CatBird128 Posts: 14 Member
    I spent a ton of money on a new gym and having a trainer assess me and her most fervent advice was for me to hit the floor and do pushups, sit ups, lunges, squats and all of those sorts of exercises. I hated it because I really wanted to use the machines and weights at the gym. But in the end I eventually dropped the gym, and I run stairs in my house, do floor work during commercials in front of the TV, and I can space out the pushups into a few reps here and there through the day. It's cheap but you have to be disciplined enough to actually do it.
  • CiCi924
    CiCi924 Posts: 34
    Daily Burnnnn! I've done 10 days of it and love it! You get a 30 day free trial and can cancel at any time if you don't like it. And if you do, It's only $10/mo for the basic package, more if you use their meal tracker, which I don't cuz I'm on here.

    Also, I'm in Rochester NY, so I'm getting a ton of snow too, it's been crazy!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    get one of those perfect pull up bars..they are like 20.00 and you can do pull ups and chin ups along with the cardio and other body weight exercises...
  • JourneyingJessica
    JourneyingJessica Posts: 261 Member
    I actually love THE FIRM DVD series & free hand weights & a step.


    If you have Apple TV ($99) you can play you tube right on tv.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Go Rocky style and train with wood.
  • cheepbeer
    cheepbeer Posts: 5 Member
    A couple years ago I started carrying wood to the house from the woods about 350 yards out. It was a sloppy winter and I was walkin anyway so I'd make 10 trips a day. It turned out to be about two miles with half the trip being loaded with anywhere from 20 to50 lbs. of wood. It was a days heat and wonderful exercise.
    Guess you could say that wood kept me warm twice.
  • Exotl
    Exotl Posts: 4 Member
    All I do is Jillian Michaels' Banish Fat Boost Metabolism. No equipment, no weights, no gym. 9.99 on itunes. I used to run on the weekends but I busted my foot so now I do BFBM every day. I'm pretty happy with it.
  • 2messy4life
    2messy4life Posts: 13
    Search FitnessBlender or try Insanity
  • RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle
    RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle Posts: 1,349 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.

    ^ I was going to say this too. It's a great book and it lets you design your own workout.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    You Are Your Own Gym, FitnessBlender.com, Nike Training Club app, borrow workout DVDs from the library....

    Check Craigslist or thrift stores for cheap dumbbells or other equipment.

    And take advantage of those trails!
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 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.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    So- anyone else doing things for free, for cheap?

    Bodyweight resistance work like You Are Your Own Gym can be pretty demanding and complementary to CV work like running
  • granturismo
    granturismo Posts: 232 Member
    You Are Your Own Gym,.., Nike Training Club app, borrow workout DVDs from the library....
    And take advantage of those trails!

    I second 'You are your own gym' if you have a bit more dedication than me.

    Also this book - The Official British Army Fitness Guide. Its about £10 on amazon.co.uk and $18 on amazon.com. It has day by day fitness plans similar to many apps, with good background information.
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    Cut some fallen tree log sections in the forest and use as weights, set up a harness and drag logs/old tyres behind you on your run/walk??
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Checkout hasfit and fitness blender. Also do bodyweight exercises and start running.
  • angdpowers
    angdpowers Posts: 311 Member
    I often times do free workout videos on youtube.

    Most of them are aerobics like taebo, zumba, jillian michaels

    But with some weights (you can find those for cheap if you look around) and there are a lot of resistant/lifting stuff on there too.
  • carlywitham
    carlywitham Posts: 6 Member
    I've just really got into working out in my spare room - I struggled to find free videos that I got on with - found all the trainers really irritating!
    I now LOVE Popsugarfitness.com - tons of free videos from 10-40 mins and you can mix and match. They are really starting to make a difference in my body shape and are easy to squeeze in before or after work. Good luck!
  • DMicheleC
    DMicheleC Posts: 171 Member
    Also instead of weights, try using different size bottles of water as weights or tins, I used to do this before I got my own set and it worked great. I'm doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred at the minute that was £5 on Amazon. Good luck
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    A friend of mine has a TRX set that she puts up over tree branches in the forest. It might be out of your budget, but it's bulky.
    TRX is just some tie down straps with handles from what I can see, nothing special - and a lot of the exercises can be done without as traditional body weight exercises anyway.

    I would look to what is being offered second hand locally - can often get a basic weights set with bench for not much at all.

    Make your own rack from some trees :).
  • jmnicholas
    jmnicholas Posts: 58 Member
    Use tinned produce as weights to start with! A can of beans/rice pudding can help get you started with small weights, and sacks of potoatoes as you work up!
  • greenmeena
    greenmeena Posts: 118 Member
    These are all excellent, and clever, suggestions- thank you so much! I may do some trail running with a backpack, gradually adding weight, that could be fun too.
    Today, it's still snowing, I'm going to get in some x-c skiing.
    cheers!

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