Getting Fit Without Breaking the Budget

I know that gym memberships are up in January due to many of our resolutions. After a few weeks, attendance drops because it is not what people thought, they lose motivation or they don't find the hours that work for them. Sometimes just changing the types of classes you attend, swimming or changing your exercise routine, can be enough to keep you interested.

Using equipment can be boring for some. You may love exercise and if you do, that is awesome.
A few ways that you can exercise and not notice the time passing are as follows:

• take a walk or your cross country skis through a scenic trail or in the country
• go tobaggoning, I recently did and was pooped after an hour, plus it was fun
• go dancing one or two nights a week
• learn to square dance, latin dance or even belly dance
• volunteer to walk dogs from the animal shelter
• help your elderly neighbour shovel or mow their lawn in the summer

If you want to buy exercise equipment you can often find used equipment online. I wasn't sure if I would use a home gym with weights. I just didn't find my hours worked with my gym. I loved the look and hype of a machine called the "bowflex", I decided to buy a used universal gym from www.craigslist.com or www.kijiji.com It only cost me $40.00, the man said he had it for years, used it only 4 times and it had become a place he hung his laudry. He was grateful to move it out of his place. Now my son and I use it a few times a week.

I also found an eliptical trainer at a liquidation store and saved $400.00 from the regular price. That was a real deal. There were also many used eliptical trainers, treadmills and other equipment I found online. If you are like me, you may find aerobic equipment feels like running on a hamster wheel. I used to try all kinds of good music to inspire me. Now I read a book (something I rarely have time for anymore) and I am suprised where the time went.

There are many ways to get active. If we could all move at least a half an hour each day, we will live a longer and healthier life.