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Trim Your Spending and Your Waistline
The summer months have arrived, and for many, that means jump-starting their physical health and workout routines. This often leads to the perpetual influx of offers for discounts at local and national gym chains. The only thing is that these gym memberships are still expensive, averaging $58 per month, not even counting miscellaneous upfront charges. If you want to get fit without spending a ton, here are some budget, and body-friendly ideas to trim both your spending and your waistline!
1. Diet:
It doesn't matter how much you exercise if you are not eating well. You will not lose weight and you could still suffer the effects of a poor diet. Weight loss is 75 percent diet and 25 percent exercise, the biggest factor being your basal metabolic rate (BMR), how much energy your body burns each day. For most people, this is approximately 2,000 calories. To put this into perspective, running a mile only burns 100 calories or 5 percent of your BMR.
Worse yet, exercise can have a paradoxical effect with a bad diet. After a vigorous workout, you're more likely to snack, thinking you've "earned" a reward after a run. Using a calorie-tracking app like MyFitnessPal is a great tool to get a sense of where your calories are going.
Let's also talk about eating out. It’s no secret that eating out is expensive. It’s time to reassess this expense and consider cooking at home. Not only will this save you money, but often restaurant proportions are twice as much as what your body needs, leaving you one of two ways: eating too much or wasting food. You can save a lot with some easy cuts!
2. Use Your Body:
One major draw of a gym is access to strength-training equipment. It's true that cardio alone won't help as much as strength training. It's not true, though, that you need expensive machines for it! Three simple exercises can help tone and reshape your body, and you already have everything you need! Planks work your core, arms, and shoulders. Squats work your glutes and legs. Toe raises work your calves. You can find tutorials for these and countless variations online. Pick a routine and stick with it!
3. Make Your Own Groups:
Group classes in gyms force accountability and can make the exercise seem less taxing. Get these benefits outside of the gym! If you have friends interested in fitness, start building fitness activities, like bike riding or running, into your regular social time. If you're on your own, look into
your neighborhood apps or sites like Meetup to find exercise groups that work at your skill level. Get fit and make new friends without spending a penny!
4. Get Paid To Get Fit:
Not only are there ways to save money and still work out, but there are also ways to make working out a good side hustle!
Bet on Yourself With A Healthy Wage - HealthyWage will literally pay you for losing weight.
Lead Fitness - If you’re a fitness fanatic, consider working part or full time as a fitness boot camp or yoga instructor, and get paid to help people get in shape. Workout alongside your clients to get a workout in yourself!
Babysit - While this may not seem like a workout, running after toddlers all day or a day at the park pushing kids on swings is a great way to get a workout while getting paid.
These are just a few ideas! Use your imagination. There are endless ways to include exercise into your life without draining your wallet, and our team at Fort Worth City Credit Union is here to lend a helping hand.