I think that most of us know that being active is a huge part of living of healthy lifestyle.
But I know that a huge obstacle for me is that money is tight, on top of everything else I am juggling, how am I going to find the time to go to the gym, they money for a gym membership and someone to watch my kids while I am gone.
But that doesn't have to be an obstacle for us. There are lots of ways that we can get moving and it doesn't have to cost a thing - or it can almost cost nothing. Here are some fresh ideas.
The USDA recommends at least 30 minutes of activity at least 5 days a week.
This is easy enough to do with a brisk walk, if you can't do 30 minutes at a time, try taking shorter 10 minute walks and add more time as body becomes more capable.
All you need to start are socks and shoes. You don't need expensive running shoes to get started, if you end up really loving it, set a goal and when you achieve it, reward yourself with some new shoes.
If walking feels a little bit ho-hum for you. Try dancing. You don't need anything but some music. In fact, you might not even need music, preschooler dances without music all the time.
You can dance at home just for fun, you can dance while you are picking up your house. You can take a class if this ends up being something that you really love. A lot of community centers have free or low-cost classes available. I like to dance with my kids, they think I am equal parts totally cool for knowing so many vintage moves and completely horrified that I am actually doing them.
Lifting weights or resistance training doesn't have to take place at the gym either, and you don't have to hire a personal trainer. You can start with just lifting soup cans, or you can get a resistance band and use that. You can even just use your own body weight to build muscle by doing push-ups or squats and lunges.
Jumping rope is a great aerobic exercise. It burns a ton of calories in a short amount of time. Plus you can bust out all the old rhymes from your playground days. If you are looking for a lot of bang for you buck in exercise minutes, jump roping is the way to go.
Whether you love Zumba, yoga, Pilates, or calisthenics, there are hundreds of at-home exercise DVDs you can try — and there are likely a wide variety to choose from at your local library.
This is also a great way to explore something new and perhaps find something that you love, like yoga, or tai chi or kick boxing!
There are also almost too many fitness apps available on your ipad, tablet or phone. Most of them are free and can do everything from remind you to get moving and drink your water to actually planning exercise routines and helping you to follow through with goals and commitments.
And last, how can I not mention YouTube. There are all kinds of videos available in almost every activity that you can think of. In fact, I really really love swimming and I have actually watched several videos on how to train in the water to better develop my strokes. Yes! I watched a how to swim video on YouTube.
Don't let the hurdle of cost stand in your way of living a more active lifestyle. Being active is really a reward for your body and all the amazing things that it can do, and not a punishment for what you have eaten. Reward your body with some Play and doing something that it enjoys. Feed your soul as well as work your body, do something that you love!
