Fitness on a shoestring budget.

Are you using the current economic climate as the reason not to exercise? You may be doing it tough, but Australia is becoming soft around the middle as a result of deskbound work, increased reliance on our vehicles for transportation, fast food, and technology that makes things easier. It is a perfect recipe for the expanding girth of our population.
“Don’t use the justification that you have no money as the excuse not to be healthy” says Chris Bakens from Healthy Executives. “The truth is, you do not need lots of cash to get fit. You just need the desire to want to make a difference to your health and fitness and transform your sedentary lifestyle.”
Investing time on your health now will give you a healthy way of life, and put you in a better financial position by preventing costly health problems later.
There are 7 tips below to get started today for little or no money at all.
1. Exercise in the comfort of your own home. Exercise DVD’s or some of the Pay TV channels have regular programs that focus on getting you moving. If you don’t have any of these available to you, then join your local Library and borrow them, and what’s more...it’s FREE.
2. Your local community parks have pathways to walk and run as well as fixed equipment to exercise. Check out your local council website or service desk to find out where. All you will need to get started is to have some comfortable clothing you can move in, supportive footwear and slip, slop, slap.
3. FREE group exercise. Most of the major capital cities have regular group fitness activities that are run by their local councils. It is also worthwhile checking out some of the major privatized parklands in your city for FREE exercise programs (E.g. Southbank parklands).
4. Include your family. Get outside with your kids. Dust off the bikes in the shed, shoot some hoops, kick the footy or play some tag. Nothing exudes happiness more than some quality time with the people who mean the most to you in life. Take a trip to the beach this week-end to go for walks on the beach, beach cricket, body board some surf, or beach soccer.
5. Surf the Internet. Want some FREE advice on how to get started on an exercise program? There are many FREE programs available to you at a press of a button and awaiting you to take action.
6. Weights workout with no fancy equipment. You can work your legs at the gym using the leg press, but unless you are planning on pushing rocks up a hill, you can’t really apply it to every-day life. Use body weight to become mentally and physically stronger. Push ups, dips, chin ups, squats, and lunges will give you are more efficient and balanced body in regard to appearance and function.
7. Group fitness at work. Get a bunch of your work colleagues together for a regular run or walk at the park. Seek the guidance of a qualified Personal Trainer to come to your workplace or Local Park to monitor and guide you with your program and give you the accountability you require.
In summary: The military have a simple philosophy: improvise, adapt and overcome. It refers to every situation of everything you do. If it is too cold to exercise, then put an extra layer on, if it is too hot to exercise then drink more water or participate in some water activities. Whatever your circumstances, it is your goal to improvise, adapt and overcome and get your workouts done.