Aside from helping with weight loss and increasing fitness, exercise has so many added benefits—physically and mentally. Whether it’s a happier state of mind, a more productive day, or better body confidence; you name it, exercise probably has it.
With all of these beneficial impacts, no wonder exercising is a must. But we’d be lying if we said there are no downsides.
For many people, the consequences of being fit are the constant costs of the gym and specialised diet plans. Simply put, staying healthy can sometimes be quite expensive. With gym memberships getting costly, and diet plans being a bit pricey, these may put you off getting fit.
But you know what? You don’t need fancy workout equipment at home, or some expensive gym membership just to get regular exercise.
After all, staying fit doesn’t always mean endless hours on the treadmill. With just a little bit of creativity and some semblance of effort, you can find ways many ways to get into shape at absolutely zero cost—and we’re here to help you!
To help kick off your healthy journey even faster, our fitness and health specialists have listed down below the best ways to get and stay, fit and healthy without spending any money. Are you ready?
Exercising on a Budget: Five Ways to Get Fit for Free
1. Park Runs
Parkrun is an organisation in the UK that holds regular running events every Saturday morning. The runners take place in over 600 locations where they can run the full 5k at their own pace.
Since this will cost you nothing, it is a perfect way for you to start your fitness journey. Considering that this is most likely a judgement-free environment, you can enjoy a nice run with your friends without question.
Signing up on the website allows your running time to be added to a national database, meaning you see where you placed in your Park Run and how you compare nationally.
2. Couch to 5k
The National Health Service or known as NHS, are encouraging Brits to get up from their couches and go for a run.
The routine changes weekly, and it involves more than three runs a week. Nine weeks after you started, the aim is you should be able to run 5k easily.
Parkrun can be your best option to fulfil this exercise with no-hassle and no cost!
3. Outdoor Gyms
Have you heard that outdoor gyms can be located in many public green spaces in the UK? Not only that, outdoor fitness areas are excellent ways to get fit for free!
Be mindful that the equipment works a little bit different to those found in an indoor gym. Rest assured they’ll be familiar, mainly if you have used a regular indoor gym before.
4. Walking Trails (Walking)
Walking is a great habit to improve your fitness. Not only it is low-impact, but this will also improve your cardiovascular fitness.
To maximise your walking routine, make it a habit to add a regular walk in your routine every morning. This will help you reduce the risk of type two diabetes or heart disease.
Besides, there’s no payment required to do this. Indeed, walking is one of the great ways to improve your fitness for free!
If walking from Land’s End to John o’ Groats isn’t your thing, there are several traits and specified walks in each of the UK’s countryside.
Purchasing an Ordnance Survey map can be an easy way to find circular routes and paths you didn’t know here in your local area.
5. Cycle Routes (Cycling)
Now, if you’d rather get fit while taking the weight off your feet, cycling may be the ideal idea for you.
Not only it’s one of the great ways to get fit for free, but a regular cycling routine every morning can also lessen your risk of heart disease or type two diabetes, too!
Also, it is proven that by walking or cycling to work in the morning can cut the risk of mental issues as you’ll be having the opportunity to spend more time outside amongst nature.
There are local cycling groups where you can meet new people and cycle as a pack as well as websites which allow you to find tried and tested routes in your area.