LittleMissNaughty - I like to go hiking. You pay for the initial investment of equipment, but it's so much better to have a great view at the end of your workout than to run in circles, or -- even worse -- on the spot on one of those treadmills in the gym.
DangerMouse - Sex is the greatest workout I know -- and whoever complains about being out of breath after good sex?
Walker - I waited until the right moment -- when they were desperate for members -- and signed up with a widely advertised workout center. Their whole deal is betting that people will sign up in a fit of good intentions, and then fade away. After that initial high-cost period, it gets dramatically cheap. I now pay $8.52/month for full gym services. The trick: hang in there.
widel - I'm a college student and I use the school's
$30,000 fitness center for free when I show
them my ID... beside that I like to go
backpacking on 2 and 3 day trips during the
nice weather, I bike to school (3 miles) even
in the rain, and I'm starting to learn rock climbing.
hbowman - I love my NordicTrack. I can watch tv and exercise at the same time.
medusa - Walking -- how much cheaper can you get? And
especially at this time of year-the flowers
are blooming (not good if you have allergies),
the birds are singing.... A couple of steep
hills (try it walking backward) and you'll get
that "new butt"
VLew - As a college student, I find it necessary to do something to keep from getting "soft." Walking up and down a hill for classes is a start. I also find that if you get into the habit of riding in a car everywhere, you tend to go mushy. Basically I recommend staying on your feet, and staying away from your computer!
jethropu - The real answer to getting super fit the
inexpensive way is to buy a good pair of
running shoes (about 70-90 bucks) and
start running! Everybody thinks that running
is an all out sprint that kills your knees
and joints.
Wrong answer!
Running is a pace that is set by yourself, and
as long as you're breathing comfortably (not gasping for air)
you're burning fat during and after the excercise. Running
is by far the cheapest AND BEST way to get fit!!!!
MargaretC - My gym only costs $30 a month... Definitely worth it :)
Jimsan - There is a difference between training and exercise.
I hate the training-workout -- it's too boring. But exercise
can be fun, like scuba diving, or skiing,
or hiking and camping, or shooting baskets.
Now if I can only figure out how to fit those
12 oz curls into a real exercise regimen,
I'll have the whole thing sussed.
Wayne_Foundation - Focus on activities that involve competition or an element of controllable danger. That way you won't be bored by repetitive workouts. A game of playground basketball or tennis is free. Rock climbing, kickboxing and long distance backpacking are a bit more hard-core, but they are an excellent value if you consider the fun you'll have as well as calories burned per dollar spent. My workout time makes up most of my entertainment time. That saves me money because I don't need to buy as many movies or dinners out.
wreslr - My wrestling coach says....if you want to be stronger in the upper body, and look better, just do 200 push-ups a day, not all at once, just over the day. In two weeks, you will notice a HUGE DIFFERENCE!
cso1 - Well, I do workout at a gym(mine has no "your new butt class"), but if it is nice outside I might take my puppy out to play. Dogs are a lot stronger and faster than you may think. It is a really good aerobic workout(all the running) and it is also good for upper body strength(holding his leash so he does not run away).
Weirick4 - Walking and jogging with friends is good when the weather is nice--also many fitness TV shows are available--there is
Tai Chi, aerobics & weight training, all free on
TV--you can record if you have a VCR and
play back when it is convenient for you to
do your workout. Also, they change the workout
usually every day so you don't get bored.
JSF - Have a lot of sex.
Kimmy - This isn't my idea, I stole from a magazine (forget which one), this woman said she put heavy things (like phone books) into bags and lifted those instead of weights cause she couldn't afford a gym.
cecile - A walk in your favorite park!!!
GoatSniff - I run around school all day, that is what I use to keep myself looking all good -n- stuff!!!!!!!!!
earthcrone - Believe it or not, I work out in my yard, pushing the lawnmower! Spring is here, my grass is finally growing, and I have discovered that mowing it gives me pretty much the same result as a machine that simulates cross-country skiing! So that's cheap, and cheerful is how I feel when I smell that grass as it is cut, when I see how neat my diminishing square feet of lawn now looks, and how beautiful the new flowers are that are just coming into bloom. I've been doing some casual xeriscaping (sp??), making my flower beds larger, creating a long oval island between two trees that I've filled with azaleas, rhododendrom, and pine straw, and creating decorative herb and kitchen gardens where once only grass grew. On days the lawn doesn't need mowing, I dig or weed or prune, all of which seems aerobic to my 59-year-old body (at any rate, I'm breathing hard and perspiring freely by the time I'm done). On rainy days, my workout consists of reading my garden and seed catalogs and magazines
Katya - I've found that skipping the elevator
and using the stairs has helped a lot.
Also sit-ups in the morning and evening
works.
If you're a working stiff, you might
want to check with your HR people to see
if your company offers discounts to any
of the local gyms or if they have a
workout center of their own.
GreatSerpent - I like exercise videos. Donna Richardson's Back to Basics video is great. A good hard workout, but not too complicated.
Applecheeks - Well, I'm a working clown, and we are on our feet (and sometimes our butts!) a lot...I've found that this kind of active job keeps me more than fit. Plus, I walk to work (1.5miles) every day if it isn't raining.
JohnWilson - For a very thorough and effective
abdominal workout, check out a book
called "Gut Busters." It's written by
a woman, but that's about all I remember
about the author. It takes discipline,
but once you get into it, it only takes
about 25 minutes to do the whole routine. I've been doing it for 2 years now, and
it has definitely helped. If you can't find the
book, email me.
leepmon - Go for a hike with a friend and some dogs, they will keep you busy and you will be sure to break a sweat.
Also, grab that old tennis racquet and play a few sets, you forgot how much fun it is and you get your aggression out too.
swampgirl - Go to your apartment (bedroom if you don't live alone), turn on some music and dance. Nobody's watching, so don't worry about what you look like. Just move. Have fun. Jump around. Gyrate. Thrust. Make weird faces. Just keep moving and dancing. It's a hell of a lot of fun, and a great aerobic workout.
TDB - Try Rollerblading, Basketball, Football, Soccer, Baseball, Running, Jogging, Lacrose, Golfing, Softball, Volleyball, Tennis, Frisbee, Swimming, Walking, Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Chuck Cinder Blocks At Old People...
Shiver - I take long and tiring walks
in the country on Sunday mornings.
I come back home before sunset really tired
but quite everytime happy for the nice
trip with good company trough green fields
and pine-forests.
It takes me half an hour to get there and
something more to come back (by car) but
it is worth driving that hour!
ethan - Bleachers - the poor (wo)man's stairmaster.
Jog up and down the bleachers at your local
college or high school for fifteen minutes, and
you'll feel it far more than you'd ever believe.
If you don't have bleachers, try the stairs
in your apartment building. (Of course, you may
get some funny looks from your neighbors as you
pass by them in spandex, sweating.
Sapphire - My first choice is a very rigourous sex session....When I just need to relieve stress, I turn on some really fast music and just move. I start out slow and end up in high gear. It really works too. Along with the healthy diet thing of course...
