Home Fitness on a Budget

Busy schedule has prompted most to do their fitness routines outside the confines of a commercial fitness center. But that is not the only reason why many do not enroll to a gym anymore. Budget has now become one of the main reasons why for some, it is most practical to exercise at home. Here are some of the things you can do to stay in shape without having to pay for a membership and spend time commuting to your gym.

Hiking

Contrary to what most people think, hiking is not a weekend activity. And not because you carry a backpack that can hold all your survival stuffs means that you have to stay overnight on the trail. Hiking can be a regular exercise routine, which can be done several hours a day on your free day, especially if live near hiking parks and trails. Hiking is free and can burn as much as 550 calories per hour.

Walking. Jogging. Running.

Putting on your rubber shoes and going around the neighborhood may not be as adventuresome as hiking in parks and trails, but you can still get almost the same health benefits and physical fitness. A good hour of walking can burn up to 380 calories. Jogging and running can burn much more than that.

However, the main disadvantage of walking around the neighborhood is you cannot do it all throughout the year. When the weather is bad or if the winter season has begun, you cannot simply go out and run around the neighborhood (this is the reason why treadmill is so popular). Still, it is still better to maximize the warm days by walking or jogging around the neighborhood than just sitting on your couch and do nothing. Plus, it is free.

Home DVDs

Over the past years, home videos have vastly improved creating quality and very useful training techniques that often require little or no equipment. From $10 to $30, you can get professionally made workout DVD regardless of your fitness level. Take note: do not be too concerned of the celebrities that endorse these products. What you should be looking out for is if the instructional video is created by a credible fitness professional.

Use your existing exercise machine.

It is estimated that 80% of exercise equipment bought in the United States is not used after the first year. This stunning figure only equates to one thing: if you are consider buying new exercise equipment, you are more likely to stop using it after some time. And if you have bought one before, you probably still have it somewhere in your house. That leaves us to the question, do your really need to buy a new one? If you already have existing equipment and if it is functioning well, use it again. There's nothing wrong with using old exercise equipment. What is wrong is actually buying a new one knowing that you can still use something.

Buy the basics

Having a treadmill or an elliptical trainer at home is cool but that doesn't mean that you must buy one. Remember that they only simulate activities you can do outdoors so you can always choose to forego buying any one of these if you cannot afford to buy one. Just buy the basics like weights, exercise mat and exercise ball. They all provide various workout techniques but do not cost as much.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

If you have problems serving healthy foods because

of the prices, you'll find these tips to be just

what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Eliminate junk food

Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way

to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are

usually the ones requesting junk food. Shopping

alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only

buy the foods you need.

2. Water or milk instead of soft drinks

You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a

sporting event or night out, although you should

stick with the smallest size when shopping to save

money and calories. Children and even adults need

milk or milk products on a daily basis. Milk will

also help you get strong and provides calcium for

healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3. Buy fruits in quantity

Whne they are in season, buy fruits in quantity

and freeze any extras. You can buy several pounds

this way, and freeze extras to have them when the

fruit goes out of season. Wash the fruit well,

remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then

freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4. Meats and beans

Meats and beans are the best sources for protein.

Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot

of fat. Canned beans are a great deal as well,

as they give you protein at a great price.

5. Beans as a substitute

You should use beans a substitute for meat on a

frequent occasion. There are several varieties,

so you can prepare them in a crock pot, so when

you return home they are ready to consume.

The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times

per week. If you experience gas after eating

beans you should try washing them, covering them

with water, bringing the water to a boil, then

draining it off and refilling the pot.

6. If you live in a coastal area or an area

where fish are around, make that an integral

part of your diet. You can catch them from the

lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7. Peanut butter is great for those on a budget

as it's popular with almost everyone. You can

use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot

dogs. It does need to be refrigerated, although

bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8. You should fill up with foods that have a high

content of water. Watermelon, salads, and even

sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can't go

wrong with. You can eat healthy for just a few

bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a

budget. Now, you don't need a lot of money to have

the lifestyle and health you've always wanted.