Cheapest/best ways to get fit and exercise?

chucknorris

I'm now approaching my target weight of 70kg (from 80kg) I've done it (or about to do it) by running, cycling, swimming and cutting my alcohol consumption. Over 18 months I have saved about £1,800 on wine, I started paying £100/month into a SS ftse tracker (which I named 'wine saver', I'd like to think that I can keep it going for decades, it'll be interesting to see how much it grows to). I am thinking about having a go at a triathlon next year.

RichardD1970

firefly5 wrote: »

If you need a little extra motivation the Jillian Michaels 30day shred DVD is really good. It has short workouts, (20mins) but you really feel like you've worked hard. You could probably pick up a cheap copy on ebay or look out in charity shops.

Level one is available on YouTube, not sure about the other levels but worth looking at to see what you think.

System

I guess you don't have much free time, so you'll be pleased to know that very short bursts of very intense effort sprinkled throughout a fairly shortish exercise session can lead to greater fat-burn and a sustained rise in metabolic rate (how quickly the body uses available energy supply, such as the body fat you wish to lose). Look up Interval Training, HIIT, or Fartlek for ideas on how to put this into practice. This also makes exercising less boring due to pace changes & gives you something to focus on other than your tired muscles. Conversely, "steady state" training can lower your metabolic rate as your body becomes used to sustained effort, which in turn slows the fat burn. But it's still great for your heart of course. It must be said that you should consult your GP prior to embarking on a course of exercise if you have any concerns or medical conditions etc etc. Happy Metabolising!

fM43439393

Just be more active, take small steps initially.

- walk rather than take the car
- go for a jog
- walk with the kids
- buy a bicycle
- do more work in the garden

every little bit helps.

Horace

OP, I see you are in the West Midlands. In some Birmingham parks they offer free activities for kids and adults to help them get fit. This scheme was originally called Active Parks and is now known as ParkLives (the council received sponsorship money from Coca Cola Zero). To find free activities in a park near you check out https://www.parklives.com

Some parks in Birmingham also have cycle hubs where you can hire a bicycle for a small amount of money, again this project was designed for local communities to get fit and not spend much money.

I know that in my local park we have Couch to 5K, Nordic Walking and Tai Chi - all free.

This ParkLives scheme is also operating in Newcastle and the London Borough of Newham.

All activities aim to get you off your sofa and into our lovely parks to have fun and get fit.

SailorSam

fM43439393 wrote: »

Just be more active, take small steps

I'm not very tall. I've only got little legs. So i have to take small steps.

System

Another thought...If you can "Buddy-up" with someone in the same boat as you, preferably who has a child your son's age, maybe a parent you like & trust from your son's toddler's/playgroup/nursery, you could take turns to play with/mind the kids or give them lunch while the other parent got in a half hour run/swim/bike ride/fitness DVD or attend a lunchtime Spinning Class (indoor cycling) which is quite intense & good for fat-burn if you really go for it. Many gyms do shorter classes over the lunch period to allow workers to get there & back & do a bit of exercise during their break, so you wouldn't have to leave him for too long.
Buddying would save crèche or other childcare fees, be sociable for your son & you could relax & use the time well, knowing he was in good hands. You could also then share tips & help to motivate each other...even have regular weigh-ins. Solitary weightloss can be a difficult & lonely journey but this way would have some of the benefits of a Personal Trainer (motivation & commitment) without the cost. And see if you can get a discounted gym membership if you're eligible for any concessions, or find out if you can use it on a "drop-in" basis if it's just once a week. All the Best :-)

Kaimoo

Eat healthy and two brisk walks a day, it worked for me and it saved me money didn't cost a penny

bethsdad

Get your son involved as well - games of tig in the garden / park, add a bit of competition and have short races with him etc. Start with short sessions, and build it up. You can get quite inventive with games that will get both of you running around. You both get some exercise, makes childcare fun, everyone's a winner!

andydiysaver

running and free weights


running costs nothing apart from trainers, and gets you very fit, mentally as well as physically- good trainers well under £50 if planning on concrete pounding, otherwise find a park with grass, even better for you knees


one off layout on free weights and a bar and dumb bells, do free weights which are so much better than the gym - not only cheaper (you pay once and that's it, or you never stop paying the gym) but more functional, we don't do natural movement strapped to a machine -you will be naturally stronger than those gym boys who need the machines and have more cash than them as well and as for routines, just look on internet for some -type split training free weights


then watch your diet. I must admit I drink a load of beer at weekend but I'm still in shape because I do so much exercise so I am firmly on the side of exercise being better than diet - I can eat what I want because I exercise so much! but truth also be told beer is a very high carlorie habit as there's a lot of it, spirits do the same for far less, although in terms of dehydration they're just as bad - in terms of weight loss, spirits beat beer


eat loads of protein for strength you will turn fat into muscle in no time - even just running and ignoring all the rest is good enough to make some fantastic progress. It does get boring, get an mp3 or mate to come.