What does keeping fit mean to you? Is it something that you find enjoyable and affordable, or do you find yourself spending lots of money on fitness activities, equipment and gear because you feel you should? Although there will generally be a need to spend some money on suitable clothing and footwear, there are many activities for which there is no need to pay anything further for, in fact for some you can even get paid. I personally think that the best way to get fit and stay fit is to do activities that you enjoy. If you are doing something useful and/ or learning at the same time then even better. See below for 20 fun and/ or practical free fitness ideas:
- Do the cleaning
- Do some gardening
- Do some DIY – painting, decorating and chopping wood are all good exercise!
- Make a loaf of bread – all that kneading can really wear you out!
- Make use of the sports equipment you already own e.g. yoga/ aerobics DVD’s, gym balls or even the kids trampoline.
- Do one of the many exercise classes free to view on You Tube. Invite your friends over on a designated evening each week to join you, rather than paying to go to an exercise class together.
- Learn massage techniques. Whether applying them to yourself or others, massage is a good way to get fit and destress!
- Play with your children e.g. play football, catch or hide and seek in the garden. If it is a rainy day, chase them round the house and tickle them for half an hour.
- Have a good laugh – watch / listen to comedy or invite friends over and play a boardgame like Balderdash – you will be in hysterics in no time.
- Make love to your partner.
- Go for a walk – there are so many free and beautiful places to go for walks. Discover more about your local area and see how many different walks you can go on. If you don’t want to go walking by yourself there are numerous walking groups and council led walks you can join for free.
- Go for a jog – you could join a local jogging group and make some new friends while you are at it.
- Swim in the sea, a lake or a river – check that it is safe to do so first.
- Play team sports in a local park or garden with friends e.g. football, cricket or rounders.
- Make use of free local facilities in parks e.g. basketball courts or outdoor gym equipment
- Take a dog for a walk – you don’t need to own a dog, plenty of people would appreciate it if you offered to take their dog for a walk. You could even set up a dog walking business if you were after a change of career.
- Volunteer at an animal welfare centre – mucking out rabbit huts and feeding the ducks will help to keep you trim!
- Help out at the local stables – you may even get some rides for free if you are exercising someone’s horse for them, or you could earn money by getting a job as a stable hand.
- Become an instructor/ personal trainer – choose an activity you really enjoy and then get paid to do it!
- Become a football / netball or basketball coach
Have you got any more ideas for how to get fit for free? I would love to hear your comments!
