5 Ways to Get in Shape Without a Gym Membership

Everyone wants to enjoy perfect health. The couch potato lifestyle cuts into their ability to do so, though. If you’re ready to get off the sofa and start sweating your way to a healthier you, plenty of options are available. The most obvious one is joining a gym, but the cost of membership isn’t the best investment these days. Instead, you should explore other ways to get in shape. Here are five ways to get in shape without a gym membership.

Read the Internet

Image via Flickr user Casa Velas Hotel

This is the easiest step. You’re doing it now! It’s also the best one. Literally thousands of websites document the best ways to lose weight and add muscle. Many of the best ones provide detailed instructions written by people who’ve stood exactly where you are. They know from experience how to subtract inches from the waist and add them to the biceps and calves. They want to help you follow in their footsteps. Take them up on the offer.

Your desired health goals should determine the sites you frequent daily. If you’re a man who wants to add bulk, try MensFitness.com and MuscleandFitness.com. If you’re a woman interested in tightening your physique, bookmark Shape.com or GirlsGoneStrong.com. Finally, if you’re an average Joe simply trying to foster change in your life, visit NerdFitness.com. It offers self-fitness training classes for people who don’t want to look like bodybuilders.

Learn from Videos

Sites such as YouTube offer tens of thousands of hours of exercise videos. Sometimes, it’s easier to watch how someone else exercises when you’re learning how to work out. So, you can use YouTube to find video tutorials of proven exercise methods.

Two of the most popular YouTube channels are FitnessBlender and BeFIT, both of which claim over two million subscribers. They’ll cover all the basics of exercising your way to a healthier life. If you’re interested in something a bit more daring, consider Blogilates, a fitness program based on fun Pilates routines. Alternately, if you love to dance, try Club FITz. Its central tenet is that shaking your groove thing is the best way to become and stay active.

Try Some Apps

Do you have an Xbox One? Microsoft cares about your health so much that they’ve provided free fitness apps for your video game console. Xbox Fitness doesn’t cut corners on star power, either. Famous celebrity trainers such as Jillian Michaels, Tony Horton, Shaun T, and Tracy Anderson all offer dozens of individual workout sessions. Since it’s a console game, you can even track your results over time, unlocking Xbox achievements when you set high scores or maintain a program for an extended period.

For people who don’t mind paying a bit for a great app, try TheDailyBurn. It’s available for download on the Xbox One, Playstation 4, and Roku. This popular fitness app includes hundreds of exercise programs hosted by different types of trainers. You can choose a compassionate cheerleader, a harsh taskmaster, or a neutral guide, depending on which type of instructor gives you the best results. This app is the most popular exercise channel on Roku, which may signify its effectiveness.

Get a Wearable

Smart watches are the best way to take the internet with you while keeping up with your daily exercise routine. Smart watches such as the Apple Watch Sport, are great for workouts, and you’ll have the ability to track how many steps you take and how many calories you burn. When you collate data about your daily workouts, you can tweak your routines to improve your health.

Ride a Bike

An internet connection won’t solve all your problems. Sometimes, you’ll need to go outside and live a little. One of the best forms of exercise is biking because it’s a natural, carefree experience where you’ll enjoy the great outdoors while burning a few calories. For example, people who can bike to work in 20 minutes will burn 200 calories ten times a week, which adds up to 2,000 extra calories burned each week.

Getting off the couch and getting back in shape is a commendable goal. It’s also not difficult in the Internet era. Simply follow the five tips above, and you’ll look and feel better almost immediately.