Regular exercise or physical activity is extremely important for our well-being. Our bodies need movement to keep healthy and flexible. It can reduce the risk of developing illnesses like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic disorders. Without regular exercise our muscles will become weak, our joints stiff and prone to injuries and our heart and lungs will not work as efficiently. Inactivity is a hazard to our health while regular activity can improve our quality of life not just short-term but also long-term. On top of that exercising will improve our mood, appearance and delay the ageing process, so what’s there to lose? Click here to read about how the body responds to physical activity.
Ok, so you are eager to start exercising, but what exercise to do? Where to go? And how much to pay for it?
Gym vs Park
Some people might be accustomed and comfortable with going to the gym or attending exercise classes, while others might find this a daunting experience and be put off altogether. To some, the biggest problem might be their schedule or the cost. They may have, in fact, just read The Benefit of buying less and are now wondering whether they can justify a gym membership.
The good news is that the beauty of having control over your finances is that you can decide what is important to you. If you feel attending a class might help your motivation or if you feel socializing is an aspect of your life that needs some help, perhaps getting a gym membership might be the answer. According to your needs you can search what options are available in your area, understand what kind of exercise you are happy to commit to and assess how much you are prepared to pay for it. There are generally a wide variety of gym memberships and classes so it’s worth shopping around. Look out for promotions that let you try out a class first, inquire about gyms that might offer discounted membership thru work and make sure you understand the terms and conditions of the cancellation policy to avoid sticky situations. Some gyms will be more expensive than others but, when choosing, take into consideration accessibility and convenience too. Choosing a gym that is more expensive but closer to you might mean you are more likely to visit it, whereas having to crawl your way through heavy traffic before or after work to go to the gym across town might be a put off. It might mean compromising on your going and eating outings to balance your monthly expenditures, but that is something only you can decide for yourself.
One important thing to bear in mind is this: if enrolling at a gym isn’t bringing you the hoped benefits (might it be because you are not utilizing it due to timetable clashes or because it does not offer the classes you’d like), then it may be time to end your membership and look at other options. Do not kid yourself. If you are not making use of it, it’s a waste of time and money and ultimately it does not bring you any benefits.
If motivation or socializing is not an issue and if you like managing your own time in a fluid and flexible way, like I do, then perhaps creating your own exercise routine could be the answer. The benefits are that you can save your pennies and execute as many days for week as you wish. The downside is that you’ll have to do a little research into what type of exercise is good for you when considering what you are trying to achieve and what your physical and age limitations are.
There is a large variety of fitness videos available on YouTube. All you have to do is have a little browse to see what takes your fancy and answers your needs.
Although there are a variety of fitness formulas, I think it’s important to simplify things: unless you are training for something or have some physical limitations, in which case I would recommend seeking professional advice or looking at hiring a personal trainer to maximize your potentials and minimize injuries, the bottom line is that doing some form of physical activity is good for everyone. This does not require you to be a fitness guru nor does it requires having expensive equipment.
As Chris Hemsworth, a.k.a Thor, showed us on his Instagram feed, you can be a little creative using what you have laying around the house and still come up with a great workout!
Don’t be afraid to try out different exercise routines – Have fun with it!
You may find that, at times in your life, you don’t have much money to spend on gym classes or club memberships. If this is the case, you may find that being a little experimentative can open doors to new exciting worlds!
After I bought my first property I was left with very little money, so I decided to take up cycling as part of my commute. At the time I lived in south-west London and worked in north London. My commute was one hour and a half each way and, since I could not afford a road bike, I cycled for three years on an old and knackered own brand mountain bike. Despite this challenging scenario, I cannot tell you the sense of pride I had every time I explained to fellow cyclists and work mates how far I was going while prepping myself by the work gate ready to set off. Them in the latest road bike models and geared up toes to ears, and me in my old knackered mountain bike wearing whatever old outfits as cycling gear. I also still remember how proud I felt every time a mechanic worked on my bike. Whenever I asked for my bike to be repaired, they would waste no time in telling me the bike was not worth it, but upon hearing I did one hundred miles a week, they would nod in admiration before lifting my old mountain bike with great care and respect. My little Mongolian horse put me in better shape than many exercise classes ever did!
Years later, during my second year-long sabbatical, I took up running and skipping the rope. After doing some research and speaking to friends who run marathons, I quickly came to understand the importance of owning a good pair of running shoes. If you are new to running and need a pair of running shoes, it’s worth considering heading down to Runners Needs. Here you can test different running shoes on the treadmill while being advised by very knowledgeable and keen staff. For me, the Brooks were love at first sight! They were not cheap, but I have used them for several years, they are still in excellent conditions and still incredibly comfortable. Needless to say, I never sustained a foot or running injury.
On my third- and fourth-year long sabbaticals I decided to branch out. By then I was fully invested in the benefits of exercising and the importance of varying your exercise, so I dug out a few exercise tools I had bought two decades earlier and explored the options available on YouTube. Some of my personal all-time favourite workouts are the Beach Body- 40 Minute Fat-Burning HIIT Workout by BeFitGo, the Cassie Ho blogilates classes and the PopSugar workouts (I particularly enjoy the boxing workouts by Christa DiPaolo even though I have never – nor do I plan – to get on the ring!).
Personally, I find that a Pilate mat, a couple of light weights, a skipping rope, a pair of running shoes and an ABS wheel can go a long-long way. As it happened, at the time I lived in Menorca and walking around the neighbourhood became one of my favourite things. I would use that time to take in the beautiful surroundings and let my imagination loose. Interestingly, it was during my many walks that I came up with some brilliant ideas…including the concept behind this website!
Doing physical activity does not need to be boring or repetitive. Have fun with it! Try different things and seek to join others in what they do. Join a friend as he/she walks the dog in the evening or ask a colleague if you could try out a session at whatever sport he/she takes up at the local sport club. Who knows, in the process you might even make new friends! During my time in Menorca I took up a friend on his offer to go surfing. I had no idea you could even surf in Menorca! I had surfed twice before so I was a total beginner, but even though I tumbled many times, I had an exciting day, I worked out my core muscles (oh goodness I did!) and I made some long-lasting friends.
If you have never done a particular sport activity before, you might want to attend some classes before going solo just to learn the techniques and familiarize with the routine. However, once you have learnt the exercises and how to execute them properly, you can pretty much repeat at home, in your local park or wherever appropriate. And, if finding the motivation is what you need, here some tips.
The bottom line
The answer to the question “how much you should spend on fitness” is a personal one. It depends on your needs and goals and on the type of workout experience or social community you are looking for.
All considered, the bottom line is: just get out there and be active! Go on a daily walk, take up some classes, skip the rope or try out some tutorials on YouTube. Exposed yourself to the many and unique ways to exercise that are out there and don’t feel bad if some don’t work out for you. During one of my experimental periods I even tried online tap-dancing tutorials. Although I only managed it for a couple of days, I still remember my legs aching for days. It was a great workout, albeit – I am quite sure – one my neighbour was relieved I gave up!
