Getting fit does not have to cost a fortune. In fact, you can get a complete workout setup for less than $30.00.
How? Buy an inexpensive exercise mat for $20.00 and a set of three exercise bands for $7.00. It is possible. Both can be purchased at one of those big box discount stores.
Gym memberships range from $30.00 a month to over $100. If you are ready for the gym and have the discipline to go regularly, the expense of membership is worth it. However, if you are just starting out or if you think you would rather enjoy Pilates or Yoga, consider the most inexpensive way to get a total workout.
By now, many of our New Year's resolutions have fallen by the wayside. Our best intentions have taken a backseat to daily activities. In fact, most of us who decide we are going to get fit and trim join a gym, get hooked into one of those annual contracts and maybe go to the gym for a month, maybe two. We are left to pay for membership that we no longer use.
Or, maybe you are like so many of us. You want to join a gym but when you go to sign up you see all those super fit bodies that are already slim and trim. Maybe you are slightly overweight, like so many of us these days, and you don't want to slip --- or squeeze --- into something tight for all your bulges to be seen by those who have been working out for years. The truth is that most of us stop attending gym classes for one of two reasons. We either are embarrassed by our lack of fitness or the program, even the simplest, is too advanced for us in the beginning. Rather than trying to keep up or putting aside our feelings, we stop attending the classes.
The result is low self-esteem and stopping exercise altogether. Before jumping into a long term contract consider beginning your own workout program at home.
Before you purchase an exercise mat or resistance bands, start by taking a morning or evening walk. Depending on your present physical condition, the pace of the walk is totally up to you, as is the distance.
Your first walk may take only five minutes. Build up to ten minutes, then twenty, until you are comfortable with the pace and the distance you are walking. You will be amazed at how much energy you get from a good walk. Remember to breathe in through your nose and exhale through the mouth as you walk.
When breathing deeply and correctly it should be noticed that it is not your chest that is rising and falling, but your mid-section, you belly, should be expanding and contracting. It is important that you learn the art of breathing to get the most from a walk or a workout.
Walk daily until you have developed the habit. Some have said it takes 14 days to develop a habit. Others say it takes 21 days. We suppose that it may vary depending on the person. However, before investing in any exercise equipment or accessories (other than a good pair of walking shoes) develop the habit of taking a daily walk.
By the way, if you are having trouble setting your goals for exericse (or anything else) or need a little motivation, we suggest that you visit one of our favorite sites, Recreating Reality. The section on goal setting and the seven steps outlined will help you gain confidence as you begin to exercise and will help you determine what you can control and what you cannot.
