How do poor people exercise?

futureformerfatgirl
futureformerfatgirl Posts: 9 Member
edited October 1 in Health and Weight Loss
So I can't afford a gym membership, I have one ancient piece of exercise equipment called the LEISURE GLIDE 4000 (makes me laugh every time I say it), and the only thing I do is walk/jog 3.5 to 4 miles a day (walking more than jogging.. :/ ) I have stuck to my healthy 1500 calorie/daily lifestyle for almost 3 months and I can't kick the 20 pound range. I need to lose 80 more. What can I do from home exercise wise? I don't want to give up, MFP friends.
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Replies

  • bprague
    bprague Posts: 564 Member
    you could always invest in some resistance bands. For about 30 bucks you get a wide range of resistance that mimics dumbbells without the dumbbell cost.
  • emmaNEEDSskinny
    emmaNEEDSskinny Posts: 317
    just start running! invest in a good pair of trainers! :)
    you agility will improve in time too :)
  • LMorrison1009
    LMorrison1009 Posts: 114 Member
    What about exercise videos? They can be relatively inexpensive, and you can find them even cheaper on ebay or amazon... You can easily make your own weights with water jugs. Also, I've heard that some cable providers have exercise channels. Mine doesn't, or at least I haven't found it yet. But yours might. Do you have a wii or xbox? They have lots of fitness games.
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
    Does your local library have DVDs for rent? You can get a fitness DVD and do it at home. Or you can go outside and find a workout. Stairs, hills, sand, all provide resistance. I am not a gym member either.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
    I've found that target usually has better prices on their exercise equipment than walmart. Go buy a set of 5 or 10 lb dumbbells (or whatever weight you feel challenging but not painful). Work out with them until it feels like you aren't lifting any weight at all. Then go back to target and buy the next weight up. Repeat.
  • Kristen81
    Kristen81 Posts: 342 Member
    For 5-10 bucks you can get some work out dvds. Those are always helpful and you dont need any equipment.
  • Starlage
    Starlage Posts: 1,709 Member
    dvds! a nice selection of hardcore cardio dvds and a few toning dvds is nice. I hate gyms so I only workout at home. I just do a different dvd everyday and get an hour's workout in that way.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    I'm pretty broke right now but managed to swing $20 for the 30 day shred dvd and a couple 3 lb hand weights.

    Also walking is fine, you probably need to up your speed a bit but you can definitely lose weight by just walking. My mom lost about 40lbs just by walking and eating healthy.
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    DVDs are great (the Jillian Michaels one is about $10). There are also videos on youtube. we believe in you!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    can you get some ideas off youtube? i have a couple of dvds, which were fairly cheap, and now i sometimes take the moves from the dvds and work them into a curcuit training type routine with crunches, squats, press ups etc.
  • clarech
    clarech Posts: 157 Member
    Hi I'm poor and have lost all my weight since February by walking as fast as I can and eating well I just don't eat excercise cals.
  • malvakai
    malvakai Posts: 32
    Second hand stores often have dumbells and those mini trampolines in the "back" of the store. I found a gym that's only 10 bucks a month nearby, it's called "Planet Fitness". Ebay is my friend for books (the Biggest Loser books are pretty cheap there). Vuse is my friend for videos (free).
  • PlanetVelma
    PlanetVelma Posts: 1,223 Member
    Start hitting up yard sales and buy gently used exercise equipment (weights, treadmill, etc...) sometimes you can find some great stuff @ yard sales!
  • Twasney
    Twasney Posts: 186 Member
    You tube, library videos, free internet sites, fitness articles etc. Go to Value village and pick up some weights and/or resistance bands or something you want to use. Or you can just use items from home (weight them to make sure they are the right weight.

    Walking is a great exercise, start moving more and faster and make sure you are eating your exercise calories and you will bust the plateau.

    I think my big exercise ball from walmart was like 10 bucks! you can do a crap load of exercises with one of those and some cans of soup (if you don't have the weights)
  • Pavia410
    Pavia410 Posts: 12
    Everyone else gave great suggestions. I'm not sure if where you live has a Planet Fitness gym, there are a ton around me. It cost $10 a month for a membership. I love it there! They are open 24/7 as well, which is nice since I have to go really early in the morning. You could try to do the c25k running program. It starts off easy walk/jog and eventually works you up to running for a full 5k. Good luck!
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Walk, run, do free exercise videos from youtube or hulu.
  • nanc94
    nanc94 Posts: 141 Member
    start to do little sprints while you're walking eventually you increase your jog to a run. dvds and even hand weights are fairly cheap at walmart and target. if you add ankle or hand weights to you walk it will add some resistance.
  • 2Bgoddess
    2Bgoddess Posts: 1,096 Member
    once the weather turns bad (well it gets nasty where i live) i go to the mall. no, not to shop, to walk and do stairs.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Like some people on here, I'd suggest getting some free weights and a couple of exercise DVDs. You can get them for cheap on Amazon and eBay. Have you thought of maybe roller blading instead of running? I doubt it burns as many calories, but it's fun and will help you switch it up.

    If you have a game system... I personally play Dance Dance Revolution sometimes when I'm trying to exercise. It's awesome.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    You don't need any money to exercise. You just need time. You can do calesthenics (pushups, jumping jacks, sit ups, sqats, lunges, etc.). You can, as you say, walk or run, both excellent exercises. A chair with arms but without wheels is a good piece of exercise equipment. Sit in it and use your arms to lift and lower your body weight. Sit on the edge, lean bad and alternately raise each knee to your chest.

    Turn on some music and dance your *kitten* off (literally)!!
  • roxyjo1
    roxyjo1 Posts: 29
    I run outdoors when the weather is nice. I would try looking for equipment at yard sales or on craigslist. A pharmacy or medical equipment store sells resistance bands cheap. I don't have room for much equipment at home. I just have some 8 lb. dumbells and a yoga ball.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Using your body's own resistance is a fantastic way to strength train. You don't need special tools. Crunches, squats, lunges, etc. Cardio is easy- no one will charge you to walk, run, or run up and down stairs.
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
    just start running! invest in a good pair of trainers! :)
    you agility will improve in time too :)

    Yep! It's FREE!!! Or walking. And...youtube has some workout videos on it! So that's free too!

    Good luck!
  • tammykoon
    tammykoon Posts: 298 Member
    If you truly don't have the money then be creative.

    Libraries are free- rent work out DVD's from there.

    If you have a reusable grocery bad load it with canned goods and guess what you have weights to lift.

    Don't spend money on a fancy step, I use cinder blocks.

    Seek out friends who are former dieters. I had friends give me an entire set of weights. Recently they bought and elliptical...I'm waiting.
  • brittbergh
    brittbergh Posts: 130 Member
    home workout dvds!!! seriously!! go to walmart or target and look at their selection!
  • mirnymirn
    mirnymirn Posts: 5
    Check Google Maps and see if you live close to some hiking trails. Just regular Uphill trails, or even streets that go Uphill (I would love to live in San Francisco, poor exercisers paradise!). You can build your resistance by starting to walk uphill, then when you get used to that try jogging and then running. Meanwhile the sweat will be pouring, and the pounds with it :)

    I also invested less than $200 on a mountain bike from Target. I go ride my bike at least one hour 2 or 3 times a week. That will pay for itself eventually, especially since trying to build resistance by driving it uphill will cost me lots of pounds!!
  • QueenHanifa
    QueenHanifa Posts: 180 Member
    jump rope best cardio out
    put on a music cd and dance straight though the cd
    squats do 20 everytime you go to the potty
    arm press do in kitchen while preparing meals
  • seballard09
    seballard09 Posts: 26
    You don't need any money to exercise. You just need time. You can do calesthenics (pushups, jumping jacks, sit ups, sqats, lunges, etc.). You can, as you say, walk or run, both excellent exercises. A chair with arms but without wheels is a good piece of exercise equipment. Sit in it and use your arms to lift and lower your body weight. Sit on the edge, lean bad and alternately raise each knee to your chest.

    Turn on some music and dance your *kitten* off (literally)!!

    Great suggestions! You absolutely, positively DO NOT need a gym to lose weight/get fit. Our bodies provide us with all the restistance weight that we need for working out. If you're motivated, you are all that you'll need. Do as mentioned above, jump rope, leg raises, dips in a chair., etc. Is there a high school football stadium nearby? Go there to run stairs. No fancy equipment required! Good luck!
  • jeffrodgers1
    jeffrodgers1 Posts: 991 Member
    Walking - Free
    Running - Free
    Skipping Rope - 99 cents for a chunk of rope
    Stairs - Free if you can find a tall building and the owner doesn't mind
    Swimming - any beaches near by?
    Bicycling - Yard sales have been mentioned
    Hand weights - Soup cans to pop bottles... a milk jug can be converted to a kettleball pretty easily.

    Yard sales are treasure troves as people hock their well intentioned exercise plans for a little spare coin. You can generally find all the books, videos, treadmills, exercise bikes, workout machines, free weights for pennys compared to new.

    Hope this doesn't come across the wrong way but... you can spend a little money now on exercise equipment. Stay healthy... Or a lot of money on health care later and have a poor quality of life. There is always a choice. In my case, I chose to live!
  • Jolauer
    Jolauer Posts: 10 Member
    If you have a computer, you can find some good free sites. I use a free yoga site which is great.
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