Exercise doesn’t have to cost the earth. There are so many simple and effective ways to get moving for free that are fun AND sustainable!
3 Simple and Effective Ways To Get Moving For Free
1) Running
You don’t need a treadmill or a huge amount of time to enjoy running. 15 minutes is all it takes to get in a quick, sweaty interval run or a steady jog to get your blood pumping and you feeling a little less sluggish.
Aside from the benefits of getting fresh air in your lungs, the sights you’ll get to see while running make it even more worthwhile. From sunrises and sunsets, to rain, snow and cloud, you could be running on the beach, on a track or in a park.
Running is also a fantastic way to quickly see progress, which can really help to keep you motivated. If you’ve never committed to regular running before, set yourself the challenge to run 100 meters. Then the next time you go running, aim for 200 meters. Keep going, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly your body can adapt to longer distances when you set your mind to it.
Not sure how to get started? I used to be a couch potato and now I’ve signed up to run two half-marathons! I’ve got your covered with 5 Ways To Get Running for Beginners.
2) Strength Training at Home
Why invest in buying gym equipment at home when you’re not even sure if it’s for you? Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the mindset that “If I have the latest sports bike or if I have those resistance bands, then I’ll be able to workout.”
Lose this mindset and instead focus on what you can enjoy right now. Do you have a filled litre bottle of water you could use instead of a dumbbell? As long as you can safely grip the weight, there’s no reason why you should wait until you have spent money on equipment. I used tins of baked beans to filled water bottles to use as weights instead of dumbbells for a long time before I invested in weights at home.
And last but not least…is my favourite…
3) Walking!
Going for a walk and stretching your legs is the easiest way to get moving for free. From parks and forests, to beaches and cities, there are so many different routes you can take that get you outside, take your mind off of work or worries, and moving for free.
Feel like you don’t have the time? If you normally listen to a podcast or audiobook, walking is a great way to still listen to episodes, but get some fresh air and increase your daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which is where you burn most of your energy from.
