How to get Fit on a Budget!
Many people start the New Year excited to start upon their new fitness journey; eating healthily, regularly exercising and losing those Christmas pounds! Psychology Today reports that often by Blue Monday - the 17th of January - these new behaviours can be ditched as we return to our old habits. Well hopefully this blog will give you a few exercise tips & ideas as well as motivation to continue with your New Years Resolution.
Lunch Break Exercising
Fitting regular exercise during the working day is the perfect way to fit your fitness into your everyday schedule. Why not use a lunchtime walk as time to meet up and socialise with friends, family or co-workers. A lot of people still find themselves in a home-working scenario and this can make it much easier to fit a short activity in during the working day. Whether this is a short walk or run, a HIIT workout (hundreds of which can be found for free on Youtube) or cycle. Couch to 5k is a great free motivator to help you stick with exercising, whenever those days hit when all you want to do is lounge on the sofa.
Fun in the Park
Parkrun is a brilliant way to combine socialising and fitness, with a brilliant community feel to these weekly events. The majority of local towns have a weekly Parkrun event, and if the thought of running a 5k is too daunting the amazing volunteers keep the event going for those wanting to walk! Attending a regular event like this can be essential in helping to keep us motivated to exercise. You could also arrange a group of friends to play football in your local park or sign up to a local sports team, however there may be membership/ facility charge!
An exceptional way to keep fit are short high intensity workouts. Why not get the whole family involved and revisit the old playground classics; hide and seek, capture the flag & tag can all be brilliant way to stay active!
Outdoor Gyms
Scattered around the UK, normally in local council recreational areas or in parks along walking path routes there are free to use outdoor gyms. Including the likes of pull-up bars, a variety of leg exercise machines and pressing machines, these spaces contain everything needed to improve your balance and core strength. Why not incorporate a visit to your local outdoor gym during your next walk/ run!
Eco-Fitness
Perhaps our favourite idea is to use brilliant initiatives like Freecycle and Freegle to pick up free fitness equipment that is looking for a new home. Not only will you help declutter someone else's home and get yourself some new gear but you are also helping to divert reusable goods from landfills. A set of weights or skipping rope might be exactly what you need to keep you motivated on your 2022 fitness journey!
We hope we've encouraged you to keep looking after you mental & physical wellbeing by continuing to exercise in 2022! The excuses of 'the gym membership' is too expensive are no longer going to work. The secret to getting fit in the cheapest way possible is to maximise every single opportunity to be active.