Tips for Saving Money on Your Fitness Goals
Here are five tips for saving money on your fitness goals, which will make both your waistline and your budget happy!
First, a quip about losing weight and cutting calories:
“Another good reducing exercise consists in placing both hands against the table edge and pushing back,” said American journalist Robert Quillen.
Funnily enough, New York City Personal Trainer and Nutritionist Ariane Hundt just today said, ”When it comes to changing the shape of your body, exercise will only take care of about 30% of the change, the rest needs to come from proper nutrition and a positive sense of self.”
If exercise only takes care of 30% of the change, then you better believe that placing both hands against the table edge and pushing back takes care of at least another 30%! For some great tips on achieving your financial goals, click on The Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough, compiled by Jennifer Barrett (some of my tips for saving money on health and fitness goals are from this book). And, read on for five tips for saving money on your fitness goals…
5 Tips for Saving Money on Your Fitness Goals
1. Take a break from the health club. Many gyms or health clubs fitness centers cost hundreds or thousands of dollars a year - and get this: ”Gyms count on the likelihood that most members stop going, at least regularly, after a few weeks or months but are still stuck paying monthly dues until the contract runs out,” write the money experts in The Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough. To achieve your financial and fitness goals, use municipal facilities. “Most cities have free or discounted access to tennis courts, swimming pools, and other sports facilities,” write these money experts.
2. Sweat outside. A 45 minute run or walk in the fresh air instead of a stuffy gym can burn more calories, improve blood flow, and keep your brain alert. Plus, sunshine increases your serotonin and vitamin D levels, which help keep your weight stable. Plus, turning off the treadmills, elliptical trainers, and stationary bicycles can reduce national energy consumption levels - which helps you achieve your eco-friendly goals!
5. Swap your exercise equipment. Dig out your exercise ball or old Wii Fit games and trade them for your friend’s yoga mat or Pilates video. Not only does this save you money and help you achieve your financial and fitness goals, it motivates you to try new activities, which will boost your metabolism.
3. Park your car far. To achieve your financial and fitness goals, lose your car keys. Your choice of transportation can burn an extra 500 calories a day! Riding the bus or subway gets you walking (and running), biking strengthens your calves and glute muscles, and taking the stairs instead of the elevator exercises your heart and lungs. In comparison, driving burns almost no calories - but it sure costs a lot more.
4. Exercise with friends. “Before you join a gym, consider organizing a group of friends for daily or weekly walks, runs, hikes, or bike rides instead,” write the money experts in The Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough. “This way you can be social and be fit - and working out with friends will give you added incentive to stick to your exercise regime.” To achieve your financial and fitness goals - and save time by socializing at the same time - round up your exercise buddies.
6. Stop buying labels! Lululemon and whatever else is trendy looks pretty snazzy, but why spend money on stuff you’re going to ruin with sweat? (and if you’re not sweating, then you’re not working out hard enough 
). To reach your financial and fitness goals, work out in preloved clothes - yours, or ones you buy at a local thrift store.
What are your tips for saving money on fitness goals? Please comment below…
Comment by Love Sac Fan on 3 December 2008:
Hey these tips are very helpful for us in saving money for good health. In comparison, driving burns almost no calories - but it sure costs a lot more.
Pingback by Bits of the Day: Save Money With Home Practice; Free Pure Yoga; Tips for Cutting the Fitness Budget on 4 December 2008:
[...] Tips for Cutting the Fitness Budget: Tip #1: True, this may be the worst time of year to drop a membership, but really, who gets around to the gym as much as they’d like to during the holidays anyway? Not motivated enough to keep fit at home? Try the local Y. You could even do pretty well going to free classes, ie. the promotion above, or at Lululemon stores. Just don’t buy their clothes. That’s tip #6. [Adventurous Writer] [...]