11 ways to get fit for free

by Serena Cowdy on 30 March 2010  |  7 comments
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Getting fit doesn’t have to cost a fortune. And you don’t have to go anywhere near a gym!

There are plenty of ways to fit exercise into your weekly routine. I’m going to highlight 11 steps that shouldn’t cost you a penny.

1. Get walking

Try to incorporate lots of brisk walking into your everyday routine. Take the stairs rather than the lift, get off the bus a stop early, or take a walk during your lunch hour.

For longer jaunts, use the Walking for Health website to find some of the best walks in your part of the country. If you register on the Get Walking website you should receive a free starter pack, including a walking plan, logbook and step counter.

And if you don’t fancy walking alone, join your local rambling group instead. You can find a group in your area using the Rambling Clubs website.

2. Cycle to work

Swap your tube or train ticket for your bicycle and cycle to and from work. If you’re not quite ready to do this every day, start with one trip a week and work your way up as your fitness levels increase.

3. Man’s best friend

Taking a dog out and about is likely to make your walks more fun, and more energetic! If you don’t have a dog of your own, see if you can borrow one from a friend or neighbour.

This dog play website highlights lots of games and activities to keep both you and your mutt fit and focused.

4. Contact your inner child

Do your kids spend too much time in front of the TV or computer? Get them playing some games outdoors - and join in. If you’re not a natural footballer, try a gentler activity like Frisbee or kite flying.

5. Home and garden

Gardening and hoovering are both excellent ways to keep fit. Even washing up or cleaning the windows will burn a good few calories!

Research suggests that doing regular weekly housework could burn off over 50,000 calories a year. You can find the best chores for a workout here.

6. Volunteer outdoors

There are plenty of charities who need volunteers to work in the great outdoors. For example, the Wildlife Trusts always need people to help with conservation work - everything from pond and woodland maintenance to acting as a wildlife guide.

To find out about the volunteering opportunities in your local area, look at this page of their website. You’ll get fitter, meet new people and do some good at the same time!

7. Stand on your own two feet

Try to stand, rather than sit, when you’re traveling on public transport. This will burn more calories and help tone your leg muscles.

If you balance on your own (rather than holding on to anything) you’ll be working your core stability muscles, too.

8. Don’t slouch!

Many of us are guilty of poor posture, especially when sitting at a desk or at the dinner table. One way to improve posture (and avoid damage to the lower back) is to sit on a Swiss ball instead of a chair.

Your core muscles will have to work harder to keep you balanced, so it will be much more difficult to slouch.

To pick up a Swiss ball (or other fitness equipment) for nothing, check community freebie sites like Freegle and SnaffleUp. People use them to give away things they no longer want or need, so search regularly and you might be in luck.

9. Swap fitness DVDs

If you’ve done your existing fitness DVDs to death, why not swap them for some new ones?

Swapping websites like SwapShop and Swapz will let you do exactly that - and it needn’t cost you a penny.

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10. Sleep yourself fitter

One of the easiest ways to keep fit is to make sure you get enough sleep. When you’re asleep your body releases growth hormones, which help maintain and repair muscles and burn fat.

Of course, you still need to exercise during the day!

11. Use a free gym pass

As you can see, fitness doesn’t need to be about the gym. However, if you do want to give it a go, take advantage of the free one-day gym passes many chains offer.

For example, you can currently pick up free passes when you register with FitnessFirst, Esporta or LA Fitness.

Alternatively, you can get a free trial class when you sign up with British Military Fitness.

Just be aware that the gym will probably put pressure on you to sign up for paid membership afterwards; so be prepared to say a firm ‘no thanks’!

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