Yahoo Finance 4 Ways to Get Fit For Less This Spring
Spring is in the air, even in those parts of the country that have been languishing away under icy temperatures and freezing winter storms. With warmer weather comes a desire to get outside, get active and shed some of the winter weight packed on during those cold, comfortable months. Some look at the spring as an opportunity to redouble efforts to make good on New Year's Resolutions to lose weight while others look at it as the perfect time to get fit for less. With that said, here are four ways to get in shape without spending a fortune this spring.
Find a good workout online.
An expensive gym membership to a private, upscale health club is no longer necessary to consistently work up a hearty sweat. For those wanting to slim down on a bare-bones budget, a few DVDs or an Internet connection are all that's needed to get in shape. Craigslist, eBay, sports reseller stores and even Wal-Mart are all good places to find new and used workout DVDs. In fact, it's easy to find a workout that can keep you going for a month for less than $10.
The problem with DVDs is that most people can only do that same workout for so long before they need something different to keep them motivated, or to keep them moving forward to achieving their fitness goals. After time, the body builds up resistance to the same exercises and motions, so changing up workouts ensures different muscles get toned.
Joining a gym with rotating fitness classes is one way to keep workouts interesting and effective. Purchasing a new DVD every month is another way. Streaming online video content is another. YouTube offers a variety of fitness videos for free. Various sites, like dailyburn.com, offer unlimited access to 100 or more workouts from professional trainers for low monthly fees. The variety of workout videos offered prevent boredom or all out abandonment of workout goals.
Check out your local health club.
While joining a local health club or gym isn't ordinarily a cost-effective way to get fit for less, spring is the right time to try one. During April and May, many health clubs will run one-month introductory membership specials with discounted memberships to get more people through their doors.
Spring is also the time when many who made a valiant effort to get in shape in January give up or pursue other goals, leaving more room for others who are just getting into the habit of working out. Public health clubs like the YMCA and other community-focused organizations and community centers offer memberships for less and offer classes that don't make membership a prerequisite of participation. Some community centers even offer workout classes like yoga, dance or running or walking clubs for free, all of which are an excellent and cost-effective way to workout.
Get active in your community.
Spring is the perfect time to join a community sports league, running club or walking group. From soccer and softball to tennis and volleyball, community athletic leagues are an easy way to meet new people, try something new with old friends, or get in shape for less than the cost of joining a private sports or athletic league.
Outside of organized sporting activities, parks and recreation departments, nature organizations and community-minded volunteer groups offer opportunities to make a difference while being active. From cleaning up nature trails to adopting strips of beaches or highways, championing a cause can also be a good way to meet personal fitness goals.
Get fit with friends.
Nothing makes following a consistent workout routine a little easier than doing it with friends. A friend with fitness certification might be interested in picking up a little side income by leading a small workout group or one-on-one sessions at a local park. Even just gathering a few friends together a few times a week to run, bike, walk or go through a workout DVD in someone's basement is a free or inexpensive way to workout for less.
With so many options out there, the critical thing to remember is to choose an exercise program or activity that is safe, affordable and effective and then to get out there and do it. Any workout, undertaken with consistency and commitment, should return positive results.
John Schmoll is the founder of online finance community Frugal Rules. For plainspoken advice on how to budget, invest and find freedom through frugality, join his free newsletter.
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