Everyone creates a New Year's Resolution that they plan to fulfill throughout the new year. Some of the top New Year's Resolutions are to work out, lose weight and save money. Normally, we are able to keep our resolution for a couple of weeks and then we tend to slack telling ourselves "I deserve a rest day" or "I can splurge just once". By February, some of us are back to our old ways and forget the resolution even existed. I'm here to give you some tips to remain fit while keeping your pockets full.
1. Download free exercise apps
If you have a smart phone, you have access thousands of exercise apps in your phone's app store. Some of them cost money, while others are free. Download the app and you can have your own personal trainer in the palm of your hand. Depending on your focus, there are a few apps that specify a certain area of the body. For example, I have an ab training app that gives me a variety of workout sessions to choose from. The workouts themselves take about 10 minutes which doesn't take away much from my day. Other apps have the option of full body workouts also.
2. Keeping healthy, inexpensive snacks
One of the ways to stay fit on a budget is to purchase healthy snacks for yourself. When I go grocery shopping, I tend to buy fruits such as apples, pears, and grapes. When you feel the urge to eat something, grab a fruit, and you will feel so much better about sticking to your resolution. Other quick, healthy and inexpensive snacks to keep on hand are whole wheat toast with avocado, granola bars, and yogurt.
3. Set little goals
Another way to keep your resolution is to set several little goals for yourself to fulfill throughout the year. It is easier to stick to a short term goal and fulfill it than to commit to long term goals. If you set a specific goal for a week or month, you can build upon the goal and create more goals for yourself. As you complete the smaller goals, you will feel good about yourself and more motivated to work more. For example, instead of saying "I am going to lose 20 pounds this year", set a goal to lose about 2 pounds a month. That way, you are more aware of how well you're at reaching your ultimate goal. If you slack for a month, you can easily recover and won't feel as badly.
4. Use nature to your advantage
Running is a great way to get exercise for free. Running has many benefits including better respiratory health, weight loss, and it even boosts your mood. To begin building your stamina, start going for walks around your neighborhood. As you feel more comfortable, begin speed walking, jogging, and eventually running.
5. Youtube workout videos
Youtube has so many channels dedicated to several types of workout types. You can find cardio videos, yoga, pilates, and much more. You can tailor your search to the area of the body you want to work on and get videos that have full body workouts for a few minutes a day. Some videos may require equipment such as dumbbells, but you can buy them for an inexpensive price on Amazon.com!
