1. Put your gym membership on hold. Most health clubs allow you to put your membership on hold for as long as 6 months. With most regular club memberships costing anywhere from $60 to $150 a month and executive memberships costing even more (up to $2,500 a month), freezing your membership could save you hundreds of dollars. Instead of going to the gym you can exercise outdoors and/or set up an exercise space in your home, as described below.
2. Train outdoors. Hiking, running, jogging, biking, playing tennis, basketball, or other sports are all great forms of exercise and cost little or nothing to participate. Many people regularly walk their dogs which, if done vigorously along a trail, can be turned into a great aerobic workout for both owner and pet. Look for hiking trails in your area at traillink.com or localhikes.com. Even around your own neighborhood will work if you make sure to do a brisk walk or jog and you keep it up for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t have a dog for a partner, look for a neighbor or friend who is interested in getting fit and keeping the extra weight off. Studies have shown that working out with a partner helps a person to stay committed and adds to overall enjoyment.
3. Join up with a local recreation or sports club. In most urban areas there are group organizations for running, bike rides, canoe trips, cross country skiing, volleyball, basketball, etc. These are all great opportunities for fun as well as fitness. Fees to join are usually small are well worth the Many jogging and running clubs usually include free classes on stretching before and after. It is fairly easy to investigate clubs in your area through the internet, but another great place to look is the bulletin board at your local YMCA or JCC.
4. Use workout videos to stay in shape. Exercise knowledge and specialization, along with video production, has come a long way since Jane Fonda first produced her workout tapes. Today there are a plethora of excellent video workout programs in many different categories that can meet almost any need, and most cost around $15 each or less. Whether you want a good aerobic workout, a Pilates workout, or a yoga class, it exists and with better quality than in the past. But don’t just type in “fitness videos” into Google and expect to find the right one for you. Look for reviews at videofitness.com and at amazon.com. But, even at those sites you might miss some great titles. Many fitness professionals have their own websites where you can view clips of the video before you purchase to check it out. Note: If you’re going to watch something over and over as you would an exercise tape, the quality of the camerawork, the setting, editing, music, etc. is going to be important. Instructors who have series of workout videos produced under their name are more likely to have higher quality in their productions than generic fitness brands where the instructor is not well known or promoted.
5. Get some inexpensive home exercise equipment. The truth is you don’t need to have a Total Gym or any other expensive piece of equipment to workout effectively in your home. Most people really only need the basics, which are an exercise mat, some dumbbells, and some resistance tubing. Another popular at-home workout tool is the physioball, and it only costs about $15. All told, for less than $100 you can get a mat ($15), three sets of dumbbells ($50), resistance tubing ($10), and a physioball ($15), which is all the equipment you need to exercise effectively at home. As mentioned earlier, there are videos of experts who will show you how to exercise all your muscles with just basic equipment, and use innovative techniques that show how to increase intensity no matter how advanced you are.

 

Remember, economic stress leads to physical stress and doing exercise helps relieve it. Getting out of the gym and away from TV and people by taking a daily hike in the woods or practicing yoga at home are great ways to not only stay in shape, but also to chill.