Staying fit with a tight budget
in
Suzanne McDonough, assistant professor of the Department of Kinesiology at Mississippi College, demonstrates basic crunches.
So the economy is in a recession, you're watching your budget and want to get fit without paying a gym fee - no problem.
"I believe strongly that doing stuff at home is the key," said Suzanne McDonough, an exercise physiologist and assistant professor at Mississippi College.
But often people don't know where to start and what to do.
McDonough says the first step is setting aside time.
You have to "make a rule for yourself" to exercise at a certain time and not leave it up to willpower, McDonough said.
Dr. Larry Field, an orthopedic surgeon at Mississippi Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic, follows that advice by waking up every morning at 4 a.m. to get in his daily exercise. He lifts weights and runs every other day.
Physical activity guidelines from HealthierUS.gov categorizes activities as aerobic and strengthening. Aerobic activities make the heart beat faster and can make heart, lungs, blood vessels stronger and more fit. Strengthening activities make muscles do more work than usual. Guidelines suggest exercising at least three days a week with both types of activities.
"Walking is the best thing to do," said McDonough. You can walk in place, go up the stairs if you live in an apartment or walk around the neighborhood.
Water bottles filled with sand or canned vegetables can be used instead of hand weights for strengthening exercises, but keep in mind those items may not be easy to grip, McDonough said.
A 30-minute workout should start with a warm-up like jogging, jumping jacks or walking in place, then stretching. Exercises to incorporate include wall sits, lunges, leg lifts, curls, crunches and abdominal crunches.
McDonough also suggests wearing shoes while working out and exercising on carpeted surfaces. Utilize tools such as exercise videos and DVR recordings, too.
The superman exercise - where you lay on your stomach and lift your arms and legs - really works the back, McDonough said. All can be done while watching TV.
"I hardly ever watch (TV) without doing something," said McDonough, who also sits on fitness balls while watching TV. "It keeps your postural muscles engaged."
Fitness balls retail for about $17 and higher. Some come with an exercise instruction sheet and air pump.
Field recommends having an organized plan utilizing a variety of inexpensive tools to start a workout regimen.
"A pedometer is very helpful and simple to operate," Field said. Pedometers help you determine the distance you travel while walking or jogging every day. They retail for about $10 and up.
"Go online for resources," he said. All sorts of online wellness programs help people with fitness, weight loss, smoking cessation, diabetes management and more.
Web sites such as You Tube (www.youtube.com), Expert Village (www.expertvillage.com) and Workoutz (www.workoutz.com) are full of how-to fitness videos.
"Getting a (workout) partner is probably one of the most important ways to achieve your goals," Field said. But remember to "set realistic goals" such as losing 1 or 2 pounds a week. Otherwise, you'll be disappointed and fall back into bad habits.
McDonough said he sees lots of weightlifting injuries. Those can be avoided by recognizing what you can achieve. A 40- or 50-year-old man may feel the same as he did in his 20s, but his body is not as resilient.
"Set periodic reward goals. Be self indulgent with gifts or clothes or food in moderation. Have a positive way to manage commitment," he said. "There are so many rewards for being fit. It increases "one's positive feeling about one's self" in relationships, professionally and personally.
For those experiencing financial distress more than others such as single moms, Field suggests doing a little more with what you have. For example, a mom could decide to push a child in a stroller for an extra period of time after work.
"As long as you are upright and moving, the health benefits will be there," McDonough said.
"The key to a successful exercise program is finding a physical activity you will enjoy and commit to making quality time for yourself," said Wendy McLemore of Weight Watchers-Jackson in an e-mail to The Clarion-Ledger. "Think beyond the treadmill. Get back into the garden. Walk Fido around the block. Man's best friend needs to stretch his legs, also."
If you still desire to hit the gym but know you can't afford to, look for discount deals or talk with management. With the economy the way it is, some places will work with you.
The Walter Payton Center at Jackson State University allows complimentary access to anyone the first three business days of each month.
The YMCA offers financial assistance to those who can't pay, said John Morris, director of marketing in Jackson.
"We will not turn any one away for any reason," Morris said. "If members lose their jobs, we can waive membership fees for a few months until they get back on their feet."
"A lot of people are in that situation," Field said. Keep in mind, "a gym membership doesn't make you healthy. You've still got to do your legwork to make your goals."
Field and McDonough are both members of gyms, but Field said he rarely goes and feels guilty about it.
Whether people can afford a gym or not, when it comes to exercising and staying fit, "time is the real problem.
Working out on their own "frees them up from the inertia to actually go to a gym," Field said.
