You Tell Me: Frugal Fitness
Posted by Lynnae on April 4, 2008
If you're new here, you may want to find out more about me. Also, please consider subscribing via RSS or email. Thanks for visiting!
I’m thinking about taking up running.
One of the expenses I cut when my husband lost his job last year was our YMCA membership. I used to go workout with on the elliptical and weight machines while my kids were in school.
Canceling the membership was the right thing to do, and with my husband’s new, lower income, it’s not something we can afford to pick up again. And that’s OK. With gas prices as high as they are, I’m trying not to drive so much anyway.
Unfortunately my waistline isn’t liking my new sedentary lifestyle. Does anyone else hate how your metabolism slows down as you get older?
I used to be the kind of person who could eat anything I wanted and not gain wait. I was skinny as a bean pole. Seriously. I tried to gain weight once, and I couldn’t keep the weight on!
Well no more. I want to get on top of my weight gain before it gets any worse. So I need some frugal fitness ideas. I love to walk when the weather is sunny. I’m even considering giving the Couch to 5K program a try. My husband is a runner, and I’d love to run a race with him sometime. So that’s one idea.
But I like variety. And I live in Oregon where rain is common. I need something I can do on bad weather days. I don’t have space for a lot of equipment either, so that limits me a bit.
So, my frugal friends, what do you all do to stay in shape? Please share! I need some inspiration!
Photo by Vox_Efx.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
You Might Also Like
Comments
45 Responses to “You Tell Me: Frugal Fitness”
Trackbacks
Leave a Reply
Subscribe! It's Free!
Categories
Blogrolls
Resources
Being Frugal's Policies
I am not a financial expert. I'm just a wife and mom doing the best I can to live a frugal life and get out of debt. Like any human, I make mistakes. I write this blog out of my own experiences, and nothing I write should be taken as expert advice. If you need financial advice, please consult a professional.
Disclosure, Comment, Link Exchange, and Privacy PoliciesLinks
The Best of Being Frugal
What I'm Reading
More Links
I have a couple of DVDs I like to use. “Shaping Up ( with weights) for Dummies” and “Pilates for Dummies.” They are simple and have an easy pace. Too many videos I’ve tried make me feel like I should be wearing neon spandex and be bouncy and chipper. There is just too much energy involved
But these videos seem to work for me.
Invest in a few different size dumbbells (they are only about $3 a piece if you get the ugly ones from Walmart). You can stow them under a bed or under a dresser. Then, borrow a fitness book from the library and learn some basic weight training moves, which you can do while watching a movie or television. I like to borrow different exercise videos from the library to spice things up. Oh, and a jump rope is one of the best ways to get aerobic activity inside the house.
I am in the same boat as far as needing to exercise. I have not started the Couch to 5K program yet but a few weeks ago I found a free podcast on iTunes that correlates with the program.
If you’re interested, it’s titled Podcasts for Running (by Robert Ullrey.)
I love Body Electric!! It is for more ‘experienced’ women (30s, 40s, 50s). It is a long running show on PBS. http://www.bodyelectrictv.com/ In my area it is on at 6.30 am. I prefer to exercise in the morning to get that boost in energy that can last most of the day. Good luck in your search. Just make a commitment to yourself to ‘just do it’!
I just said to hubby last night I have to write a post about frugal fitness! You beat me to it
I’m a runner. Pretty frugal
I live in the south though so I can run outdoors year round. I also have a few exercise DVDs that I use but you can get exercise videos on youtube and don’t need to pay a thing!
Running is great. I took it up in my early 30s to get my waistline under control and wished I had taken it up much earlier. If you have some decent hills where you live, hill climbing is fun as well and adds some variety.
One area where you should not try to save too much money on is shoes. Make sure you get the right sort of running shoes for your foot fall - the wrong sort can result in injuries.
Check out craigslist.com in your area- there are lots of people getting rid of fitness equipment, on a limited budget of about $100 I was able to out fit my garage with a supply of fitness equipment that fits my needs and likes. I’ve seen lots of elliptical machines on there in the $100 range.I suspect that with another $100 I can completely outfit my garage with what I want.
I have recently started using SparkPeople (www.sparkpeople.com). It’s free and they have SO Much great information and tips. Give it a whirl!
I wrote about this once (hope you don’t mind me putting the URL here, feel free to delete: http://www.nodebtplan.net/2008.....y-the-gym/). If you spent the money you would spend on a gym on home equipment, you could fund a frugal gym for yourself in your house.
I’m no physical exercise guru, but I’d think a pair of good running shoes is a great place to start. That, and some free weights, is all you really need. The rest can be crunches and pushups.
i use denise austin videos, especially her ’sizzler’ workout. it is a WONDERFUL, INTENSE workout, and all you need is a good pair of handweights (5 lbs. is recommended to begin) and shoes. you can do this is in the privacy of your own home, whenever you want (self discipline might be an issue, i know it is with me!) but she works!
I understand the whole weather thing, I’ve been waiting for Spring to kick in here in NYC to start running again, but don’t let the rain stop you. Throw on a hat and maybe a light jacket and get out!
Look, if you were running on a sunny Summer day your clothes would end up all sweaty anyway right? So the rain shouldn’t stop you.
I need the variety too. That’s why indoor workouts usually don’t last for me.
Try Leslie Sansone’s Walkaerobics tapes- she has many and all of them are good. 1-5 miles..Love them.
Bicycle! That is my favorite. Not only do you get your heart rate up (go for some hills!) you also work muscle groups. Plus you can get a trailer or a basket and run errands while you’re out!
Stairs, if you have them, up and down both frontwards and backwards.
Jumping rope.
Against the wall pushups.
Using cans, detergent bottles as dumbbells.
Running in place.
I’m big on not spending on exercise equipment, except shoes. Bellen
From Coastal Oregon - even MORE rain than you get! Plus the wind to bring it up and hit you twice with the same rain…. soooo… I am looking forward to reading some good INSIDE excercise ideas…. One I use is just plan dancing - or dancing with aerobic steps. In the office (I work alone) when a good dancing tune comes on the radio, I’m up and dancing. You can fill gallon milk jugs with water for weights. I figure even the 3 or 4 minutes helps. If you have TV (I don’t) do the “Commericial flurry” - ie, when the commercial is on, get up and run around, exercise, or do some energetic house cleaning. Good luck! Can’t wait for the weather to get warm enough to walk on the windy beach again!!!
For me the best thing is a kettlebell. They aren’t too expensive at Target and the quality of the workout that you get is just fantastic.
You can read a lot about them at russiankettlebells.com
They may seem a little on the “extreme” side, but they are just fantastic.
@sixpackjourney I have been dying to try kettlebells! I’ve heard such wonderful things about them; they’re on my list- once I save up I’m going to get one and a video.
I keep a 5lb and 8lb pair of dumbells under my bed, an exercise band and an exercise ball. I have a couple of exercise books, videos and “program” stuff from previous purchases that I’ve put into a binder. I workout 3 days a week during my favorite shows. Since I’m already going to be sitting in front of the TV for at least a half hour, I might as well squeeze in a workout.
My plan is to create index cards with the exercises I do and organize them in a box focusing on what area of the body it works out. Then when I want to exercise I can pick which area to work or mix it up. I also pull out exercise how-tos from magazines if I ever come across one. GL!
This is a great question! We have tried memberships to gyms and with three children five and under, we found that they are a waste of money…we just weren’t getting there and I hated seeing the charge evey month on my bank statement. This winter (we live in Chicago, so getting outside to exercise is limiting, plus we have the kid issue again) we found a great deal on a treadmill and decided to go for it. It was from Costco and a great price for a very good quality piece of equipment. It folds up (for space concerns) and I really use it. It has a ten year warranty on the belt and a lifetime on the rest so I don’t see any costs from here on out. Craigslist is another great option someone mentioned but then you don’t have the warranty and service. Good luck!
With the change in your husband’s income, you may want to see if you qualify for a scholarship or reduced membership rates at the Y. We did this and able to still use the facility at a lower rate.
There’s a free yoga video download on this site: http://yoga.org.nz/ and it’s really great. The video is an hour and 15 minutes and it gets pretty intense (but it’s definitely suitable for a beginner!).
Aside from yoga, which I’ve been slacking on recently, I try to walk a lot. It was easier when I lived in the city - I would walk for hours on the weekends, just window shopping - but I still try to get out for a short walk every day.
Jumping jacks, jumprope, crunches and push ups.
You can still do stuff outside in the rain. I live in Vancouver (BC) and it rains all winter here too. I still bike to work every day. I stay fit and healthy all year round, and it really helps me avoid the pacific northwest winter depression. You just need the right gear.
About three weeks ago, I started on The Hacker’s Diet ( http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/ ). It includes a 15-minute workout plan along with its diet plan. After three weeks, I’m already seeing the benefit (to the tune of 1.5 lbs lost per week). It doesn’t take much to lose weight and get fit, but it does take a long-term commitment.
I also think that gym memberships are the waste of money. In my area wheather doesn’t always help to stay fit, so I got couple of fitnes videos, one with mainly cardio exercise and one with strenght training only. This combination does wonders! I lost 4 inches of my waist line during the first three months. For equipment I use 5 and 2 pounds dumbells, strechie band, and a pair of good snickers.
Go for it!
Well any cable provider normally has some kind of On Demand channel. There are plenty of free fitness training shows on there. Also…. try watching Fit TV once in a while. Even when you don’t have time to workout, you can get an idea of what kind of workouts they have on there…. and if you have a DVR, record it and workout later! If you don’t delete the recording, you can use the same workout over and over again.
Totally free!
Check out yogatoday.com. Everyday they have a new hour long yoga session to do. They also keep about 10 to 14 previous sessions available. There are 3 different instructors and all are fantastic.
I just found your blog and am adding it to my favorites = )
Well, I have to say that the Y is one of the last things I’d let go — we live in WI and the winters are brutal. I personally think a gym membership is only a waste if you don’t use it. I am in there 3-4 times a week, and my husband even more, so we look at it as part of the medical part of our budget. (Savings towards lower medical costs when we get older.) I will eat a lot of beans (and do!) so I don’t have to give that one up.
Now, if I lived in California it might be another story —-
PS However, running is totally frugal, but as an almost 40-year old sometimes runner, sometimes the injuries can end up costing a bit. Some people can run without injury indefinitely, but the older I get the less likely that seems to be! But it is portable, as well as inexpensive.
There may be a used sporting goods store in your area (Play It Again Sports is my local chain) where you could probably pick up a used olympic sized barbell (45lbs) and some weight plates (2.5s, 5s, 10s) along with a stable flat/adjustable exercise bench for about the cost of 2 months worth of YMCA membership dues. They pay for themselves in two months and you can workout on your schedule and not have to leave your house. With these and some floor space you can do plenty of basic weight lifting exercises. Bent over rows, overhead presses, back squats, bicep curls, tricep extensions, chest presses, etc. Just have your SO hand you the loaded barbell after you get into position and take it from you when you’re done.
Another idea, but outside still, is to walk/jog to your neighborhood’s elementary or middle school and use the monkey bars on the playground to do pullups. If you can’t due a strict, hanging pullup, try jumping and reverse pullups (where you jump into the pullup position at your chin and s…l…o…w…l…y lower yourself back down.
Check out crossfit.com and explore the site for info about tons more exercises/programs/workouts that use very minimal amounts of equipment.
I have an exercise machine that my parents gave me when they no longer wanted it. I also have some exercise videos which I picked up cheap from a second hand shop.
I lift weights (dumbbells, bought them gradually as my strength increased), go cycling, and do exercise videos. I also take an Aquafitness class twice a week through my workplace.
@Carla - You have to get started! I am so thrilled with the results that I have been getting from my kettlebells it is just amazing.
They are so easy to use, and the quality of the workout is just great. As you can tell from my name, I’m on a journey to get back the six pack and the kettlebells are just the best.
I’ve done the gym and while it is not a bad thing if you use it, it was just so hard for me to fit in with my busy schedule (I travel a lot).
The kettlebells are fantastic. From a price perspective (depending on the size) they can cost less than one months gym fees and the workout is amazing.
Right now, I workout 4 days a week using TWO exercises and am seeing complete total body results. I have three things that I do to warm up and then hit my workout. They are also timed, 22minutes twice a week and 15 minutes twice a week. That not only delivers on the ease of use, but it fits into my schedule perfectly.
Anyhow, if you’re looking for lean strength, not big bulky muscles, kettlebells are the way to go! My wife is currently pregnant, as soon as the baby comes she is looking forward to jumping into kb’s as well to get rid of the baby weight and strengthen her overall core etc…
Good luck!
I can relate to the sedentary lifestyle wreaking havoc with the waistline. I’ve been trying to get back to my regular weight since I had my third child two years ago. I’ve been a runner for the last ten years but I stopped running regularly for a while but now I’m back. I run even when the weather is less than perfect (although I don’t run when the temperature drops below 15 degrees or the visibility making running on the roads dangerous).
I also started doing yoga. I have a series of DVD’s from Yoga Zone. When the budget allows, I take a yoga class and have found my form to be quite good even from working from the tapes.
If you really want to motivate yourself to lose weight try out StickK.com. I heard about it on NPR. You make a contract to lose weight. You can choose to turn it into a monetary challenge. I gave myself the extra incentive to lose weight by donating $68 to an anti-charity (an organization I really don’t support). It’s great and has definite been motivating me.
You might also want to look into swimming. In my community, we can use the high school pool for $2.
Good luck!
To get my indoor exercise I have begun using the resistance bands. They are lightweight, portable, can be used in addition to other equipment such as free weights. They give you a really good burn since you are using your own body weight. Also, if your are a Netflix subscriber, you can get fitness video of all types like belly dancing, yoga, high and low impact aerobics to spice up your routine.
I use the Tae-bo dvds and they give me a full body workout. Also, using dumbbells and a jumprope works really well. It’s an easy way to workout at home and not need a lot of expensive equipment.
I’d try fitness videos at the library. The call number for most fitness videos is 613.7 or something similar. Depending on the library it’d most likely be in the video section, but some libraries interfile. Or they may have a special fitness video section. It always pays to ask if you don’t see them.
And check your library’s catalog for interesting ones because neighboring branches in the system may be able to send them over.
Jump rope, stairs, yoga, also work. I’d put on music for jump rope or stairs, just to keep me going.
Well, I see you’ve had a load of responses already! Here in Seattle, we have the same scenario: rain all the time (’cept for summer, wahoo!). I now have a gym in my apt complex, but before I used to live in a 7-story building and I would just run (and walk) up and down the stairs every day! A few times up and down took about 45 minutes and it was an intense membership.
Outside of that, you could look into a local community college or community center and see if they have a gym that you can visit for a small fee. Sean goes to the community college gym down the street from his apt and he pays something like $50 for three months, and it’s a full gym! And not filled with people, most of the time. It’s an idea if you’re like me and would rather get out of the house to work out. There are some great suggestions here, too. Good luck!
I don’t know why I said that the stairs were an intense “membership.” I’m sick and delirious!
Bah.
Forget buying fitness DVD’s, do a search on youtube.com for fitness videos. You can find anything from step aerobics to mat pilates. Best of all, the website is free, and you don’t need to join to view anything.
I’ve got a bum ankle, so running isn’t an option for me. I picked a Walmart bike not too long ago because I thought I was being frugal. It isn’t the most comfortable bike, and if I had it to do over I would probably save up and get a custom fit. For the most part I walk/hike for exercise, and go for short bike rides (5-10 miles) to supplement.
i work at a 12 storey building so at morning tea or lunch i climb up to the top floor and walk down. also i download ford model yoga from itune. i find it useful as its short but broken down to different focus areas, and its free.
Definitely a jump rope. I bought mine for about 3.99, and you can do it inside the house if you have hard floors and a moderate space. It’s not so good on carpeting, but if you have a patio you can also do it there. Jump roping is also very concentrated cardio, so you can cross train by switching back and forth between jump roping and crunches.
> So, my frugal friends, what do you all
> do to stay in shape? Please share! I need
> some inspiration!
Try -no- equipment (or very little equipment);
pullups
pushups
situps
crunches
lunges
jumping jacks
http://www.military.com/military-fitness/
I also supplement the boot camp PT with
el-cheapo 10 lb Walmart dumbell weights.
hoorah!
Sign up for free to http://www.sparkspeople.com. There’s a tonne of free exercise instructions and you can even get different workouts for different times and types. I used a junk e-mail since they send you too much e-mail and I clean it out every couple of weeks.
Thanks for all the great tips, esp. the yoga stuff. I try to WALK as much as I can - you are supposed to put in 30 min. per day - so that’s my target figure…You can also wear a pedometer and track your 10,000 steps per day. But it’s hard - At least you guys are upfront about the challenge!