How to get fit (without joining expensive gyms)
Regular exercise is good, but you don’t have to join expensive gyms (check your direct debit, as millions still pay for ones they don’t use).
It would help if councils designed walkable communities with parks and bike lanes. But until then, here are some good ideas.
Take some cardio exercise
This can be as simple as walking, though running, cycling and swimming all count. Anything to get your heart to pump more blood, to end up with a lowered resting heart rate, which reduces strain on your heart and reduces cholesterol, which prevents heart disease.
Good heart health is also good to get blood flow to the brain, which prevents dementia risks.
Strength training a few times weekly
This can be using dumb-bells or resistance bands, or just your own body weight. This helps to avoid weight gain by increasing metabolism. And increases muscle strength and bone density, so helps against osteoeporosis).
And protects joints from injury (say if you fell over).
Regular exercise is easier for losing weight than dieting. Aim for 1 to 2lbs a week to avoid muscle loss or ‘baggy skin’. If you are 10 stone overweight, at this rate you would be back to normal weight in around 1.5 years (building healthy habits to last for life).
If you are 2 stone overweight, regular exercise (5 days cardio and 2 days strength training with healthy eating) should see you back to normal weight in 3 to 6 months.
Good online workouts
If you don’t want to join a gym but want some qualified guidance, a couple of great places for free workouts on YouTube are:
Fitbymik is by a qualified fitness coach from Canada. Her classes are safe and effective (there are pregnancy workouts too). You’ll find a combo of cardio and strength training using dumb-bells (she recommends 4.5kg for most workouts or slightly less for upper body).
Lucy Wyndham-Read is another qualified trainer, who offers bodyweight exercises for all ages (no weights required). Everything is safe, healthy and fun.
Conservation and dog-walking exercise
The Conservation Volunteers runs ‘Green Gyms’ nationwide. Help to clean up litter or plant trees, with free tea and biscuits included! Or volunteer for Clean UP UK or become a beach clean volunteer.
Or become a dog walking volunteer (for local shelters or older/disabled people).
You don’t need expensive ‘workout clothes’
Just wear an organic t-shirt and joggers (or wear pyjamas before a morning shower). If they are comfortable, you don’t need anything else, not even trainers if indoors.
If you prefer workout clothes, Wellicious is one of the few brands made with biodegradable elastane, rather than ‘recycled plastic bottles’. Which leach microplastics from washing machines into the sea (if you wear them, launder in a microfiber filter).
