Working Out With No Money

Working Out With No Money

When I stopped making excuses for not getting my behind off the couch I started to really live it up. Looking at the economy and the unemployment rate we know that a lot of people are struggling to stay afloat. Between the balancing of bills and the feeling we are making life or death decisions at the gas pump the price of fitness is not even making the list for many. This is where my pursuit started and I was amazed to find so much that I never considered.

Option #1-YouTube

This was my first stop after I saw someone post about it on a weight loss page. I admit that originally I did a few workouts that did not fit my fitness level. I thought I was going to die fifteen minutes later. I could barely touch my toes for goodness sake. After about a week of that I got a clue and moved on to another video. A friend stated that she had done Walk Away the Pounds by Leslie Sansone with great success. A few clicks later the walking began and although I was in pain anyway I was hooked. This workout let me go at my own pace and helped me to get my posture together. It was broken up into miles and time sections that were easier to get through.
 
Option#2-VCR and VHS

I dug out my old VCR and some of the old VCR workouts that I had forgotten about years ago. This was too funny because I even went to the local thrift store and they had plenty of them. Did you know that many thrift stores still sell VCRs for $10 with the remote and everything? Yes, indeed they do and the tapes are $1.00 or less. I was sweating to the oldies all the same.

Option#3-DVD Graveyard

The health industry is big business and most of America has fallen victim to infomercials in the middle of the night while snacking. Many times we place an order with the best intentions and the paper never gets unwrapped. I started calling around to random friends and family to see what was in there DVD graveyard. I hit the jackpot as I discovered my Mom had the Walk Away the Pounds DVD 5 Miles. She got it from a friend that was finished with it and she had instantly deposited it into her DVD graveyard after one week. This was truly joy to my heart. I grabbed that thing and never looked.

Option #4-Walking In the Elements

A few months into my journey I learned about a group called Healthy Black Women and Girls. They were hosting a nationwide event called Girl Trek (www.girltrek.org). Go check them out you will find that they are an awesome group of ladies. The objective was to have as many black women and girls out walking together at the same time. The goal was to spread the message of taking care of our bodies and stopping diseases that can be prevented. I recruited my Mom, sister and her friend. We went to Katy Trails early that Saturday morning and walked until we could walk no more. It was my first big milestone. I lost six pounds that week and discovered that I loved being outside. My favorite thing about being outside is the scenery is beautiful and it’s free. There is no limit other than exhaustion that can limit how far I can go.

Option #5-Free Workout Groups

If you seek, you shall find and boy, did I find. I found local groups that would meet up just for the purpose of exercising. I found them on Facebook, meetup.com, health magazines in the grocery store and random health stores. They were everywhere and the type of exercise varied from place to place. There was everything from yoga to running.
 

Option#6-Bring a Friend

Some gyms offer bring a friend for free as long as the person that is bringing you is a member. I went to the gym for a while with my sister based on this option. Her gym membership allowed her to bring one friend with her for free with an unlimited time frame. We went every day and it was great. If possible this could also help out the friend that is a member. If you split the price of the membership that is win-win for both of you. You get a great workout for half the price and a workout partner for accountability. Don't forget to bring the after workout snacks and/or water. It’s a great way to say thank you, I appreciate what you do.

 Hopefully, this will help someone else in their journey to be healthier and happier from the inside out.

Candie