GET FIT FOR FREE
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND A FORTUNE TO KEEP THE WHOLE FAMILY IN SHAPE, SAYS FITNESS EXPERT RUTH LYNCH
PRINCE HARRY attends a £7,000-a-year gym, it was recently claimed. Yes, exercise and wellbeing are big business – it’s a market that’s expected to be worth £22.8 billion by 2020.
Consumer spending on gym membership soared by 44% in 2015 and has been climbing ever since. With healthy cookbooks, boutique gyms, high-end trainers, designer workout gear and a raft of gadgets to track just about every part of your body and workout – it would seem that to get in shape, you need to dig deep.
But that’s just not the case. Many people think that to get fit and healthy that they have to spend big, but that’s a dangerous myth that needs to be quashed. Becoming healthier can, in many ways, be free and be as simple as adding a ten-minute brisk walk into your daily routine.
JUST MOVE MORE
YOU don’t actually have to spend a penny on getting fit. To become fitter and get healthier we just need to move more. Some activities, such as walking, running and playing football with the kids are completely free (you might just need to buy/borrow some trainers).
Your local park might have free football and rugby pitches, tennis courts and even a running track if you don’t have access to a garden or don’t like running on the streets.
You can find innovative and easy ways to add more movement into your day – get off your bus or train a stop early, walk the kids to school, have a dance competition in the lounge on a rainy day or take the stairs instead of the lift.
EXERCISE ONLINE
THE internet is often given a bad rap for gluing us to our screens, however it can also be an invaluable tool when getting healthy without spending money.
Not only will you find lots of exercise, workout and yoga/ stretching videos, there are plenty of tips on family fitness, healthy recipes and groups where you can find advice, help and support when the going gets tough.
Just make sure you choose the most highly rated videos, or videos form a trusted source like a health provider or qualified coach, to make sure you’re learning from the best. The NHS website has a page of free gym workouts, five and ten-minute workouts and even a 12-week fitness programme, all at no cost.
NOTICE IT
A GOOD place to find free classes and groups is your local park or community notice board. There are often lots of family sessions, community led classes or groups that meet up and exercise together.
Some classes may make a charge of a few pounds, but this will be much cheaper than a £575-a-month gym membership like Prince Harry’s! If you can’t find a group doing an activity you enjoy – why not start one?
BE WEB WISE
CHECK out parkrun.org.uk,
tennisforfree.com or other national sports websites. Sporting bodies often offer free sessions for adults and children to try out a new activity.
Your local council, sports trust or charities may also run similar schemes, so it’s worth checking out their websites or following them on social media platforms.
LOOK PAST THE LABELS
WE all like to look good, but snagging the most instagrammable outfit for your workout is probably going to leave you broke – and won’t do much to help your fitness goals! Some outfits can cost upwards of £200 and that’s without the most important bit, the trainers…
Some activities do require specific kit to keep you safe or comfortable – a box for cricket, swimming costume, padded shorts for cycling or a hockey stick for example – but you can get active in anything light and easy to move in, especially when you’re just starting out.
Supermarket own-brand labels and high-street shops are a great place to head for low-cost clothes for working out in – as are discount and charity shops too.
Many supermarkets now have their own lines of activewear and provide added benefits like sweat-wicking fabric, for a fraction of the cost of some of the more ‘lifestyle’ brands beloved by fitness bloggers and celebs.
BECOME A MEMBER
YOU don’t need to spend £7,000 a year on going to the gym! Many gyms and leisure centres, especially ones in your local community, are a fraction of this price.
Some offer reduced rates for students, families, older people and those on a low income. The added benefit of being a member is that you will have free access to all the facilities for as little or as much time as you want you each week.
Do your research as some gyms offer unlimited classes as part of your monthly payment – classes are an interesting and fun way to keep fit (which will keep you going back for more).
APP-ILY EVER AFTER
SOME branded fitness trackers can be very expensive, but unless you’re a word-class athlete or training for major sporting challenge like a marathon, you don’t need a costly fitness tracker. There are lots of low cost trackers online, so it’s good to do a bit of research and ask people you know.
And the truth is, you don’t even need a tracker! There are plenty of free apps to download which cover workouts, running styles, walking routes and much more.
There are also plenty that track food intake, exercise and step count.
The NHS’ Couch to 5K is an excellent free app that gently takes you from coach potato to proficient runner in nine weeks.