Written by contributing writer Sarah Dees of Frugal Fun for Boys
Now that it is late January, many people have set resolutions to exercise more in 2011, and have already felt defeated by how hard it is to stay on track! My husband has been wanting to be more physically fit for some time now, and for him, a gym membership really helps in that area. With small children at home, it is easier to exercise elsewhere!
However, our finances do not currently allow for a gym membership. I was so proud of my husband when he launched a stair climbing challenge at his office! During the month of December, Jordan and about 30 of his co-workers climbed stairs daily in an attempt to head off holiday weight gain. Jordan discovered that it is a lot more fun (and motivating!) to stay fit together.
Do you have co-workers who are interested in making health a priority? Or friends? Or neighbors? Here are some suggestions for implementing an exercise program.
- Use what you have. Jordan works on the 6th floor of a large office building. Stair climbing was a perfect fit! Participants could climb the stairs during break times or at lunch.
- Don’t be afraid to involve people. Jordan sent out an e-mail to all of the people on his floor inviting them to participate in the stair climbing challenge. Out of 90 e-mails sent, 30 people signed up to participate, and most stuck with it for the duration of the challenge!
- Set goals that can be quickly achieved, then work up from there. Jordan’s challenge was for the month of December. The first week, everyone climbed up and down 6 flights of stairs once a day. The second week was twice a day, and so on. Jordan made a chart for participants to initial once they completed their stairs for the day.
- Reap the benefits of staying fit together! Participants did their stair climbing in small groups throughout the day, which made it more fun. The enthusiasm of the challenge encouraged more individuals to join who at first were hesitant to try it.
Don’t let a tight budget discourage you from exercising! Start with an achievable goal to get fit using what you already have, and go for it.
What are your fitness goals this month? Are you getting fit, the frugal way?
About Sarah Dees
Sarah is a Christian mom of three sons who shares inexpensive ways to keep boys busy at Frugal Fun for Boys. She features activities, homeschooling tips, and thoughts on teaching boys God’s Word. You can connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.
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I like to workout with a dance DVD that was given to me or take walks 🙂 🙂 🙂 I think the idea of making it a fitness challenge at work is great, not to mention super fun 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love and hugs from Oregon, Heather 🙂
My fitness goal would just be getting started (giggle) (blushing)
Great post, Sarah!
-Amy
@Amy, Yeah, mine would be too! Notice this post is about my hubby – not me! But I’m gonna get there – starting with taking the boys for walks around the neighborhood while they ride bikes!
Sarah @ Frugal Fun for Boys´s last blog post ..Make a Home for a Pretend Pet
If you’ve got Netflix, use the workout DVDs available. There are quite a few, and they aren’t intimidating at all. Plus, they don’t add any cost to your budget. If you don’t have Netflix, try the $5 bins at convenience stores or superstores. They usually have formerly popular workout DVDs for great prices.
Additionally, all anyone really needs to get started on their fitness is a decent pair of shoes (I like my Vibrams that I bought for a very reasonable price on eBay), a towel or two (you can graduate to a yoga mat later), 5-10 lb dumbbells (buy used on craigslist), and some free workouts (find some good ones on womenshealthmag.com).
Have fun getting your move on and getting your body healthier!
-Gaby
Gaby Swanson´s last blog post ..Financial Lessons from Disneys The Princess and the Frog
@Gaby Swanson, Those are some great suggestions! For Christmas, I got my husband a resistance band ($10) and a jump rope ($5). He found some videos on youtube that show what to do with the resistance band. It’s funny to watch our boys trying to do the exercises too!
Sarah, I love your reminder to use what you have! Use your kids and spouse! Get fit with your kids and your hubby! And skip the gym memberships.
We’ve been making fitness a family activity and it’s amazing how effective your kids are as personal trainers when you get them going in a game of tag. Or challenge each other to see how long you can jump rope. Or put on some good tunes and dance wildly. Or skip to the store . . . you catch my drift. And all of this can be done on a budget and integrated into your family routine (not adding it to it like a gym membership)
This could be this blog’s greatest post to date!!