Getting in shape on a budget

[Spookykat]

I am unemployed, so trying to get in shape on a budget is essential. For this reason, I cant join a gym or hire a personal trainer or use services such as daily burn. So I walk my dog around the neighborhood and use zumba workouts on youtube. What are your favorite free ways to exercise for free/cheap?

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

Walking is a great low-impact activity that costs almost nothing (only shoes, that do wear), but based on your profile, you’ve already figured it out:

You either have a very active dog, or you’re also walking a lot on your own 

Continue that way, and also use the new hourly activity and stationary time feature, if supported by your Fitbit.

[Dominique · Accepted solution]

I remember this great inspirational story by @Direwind a couple of years ago:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Weight-Loss/Afew-things-I-feel-help-towards-weight-loss-goals/td-p/5...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Weight-Loss/From-32-stone-to-16-stone-My-tips/m-p/647592

It came to mind because he was also unemployed and had a dog. One of the great tips he had was to walk not only his own dog, but also dogs of other people.

[Spookykat]

Yeah, she is a young pit bull mix with a ton of energy. She still about yanks my arm off going after squirrels occasionally, but the extra walks keep her better behaved and me in better shape.

[HelenaFitbit]

I've been doing this since january; I walk to all of my errands and pending activities on my day off. So it's pretty much a doctor's appt, nutriologist appt, grocery shopping, university errands and going to my translation classes all on foot.

The good thing about this is that they are all around the same area and the appointments and errands are set on a timed continous route. It's all figured out. 

[shipo]

During the 2008/2009 economic meltdown I was contracting to a financial services company and in March of 2009 I got "restructured" out of a job, a job I desperately needed.  I took the opportunity to buy a new pair of running shoes and start running again; other than the cost of the shoes, it was pretty much free.

Regarding the comment about starting to run again; way back in January of 2003 I had a bad fall and ended up with a partially detached foot and a broken leg (Tib/Fib).  The surgeon who screwed me back together told me I'd walk with a limp for the rest of my life and never run again; I had tried several times to prove him wrong and always ended up getting injured.  As if to add insult to injury, in the six years between the fall and losing my contract, I had managed to put on some 100 pounds of weight.

The good news to this story; I found a dirt trail, a former mid-19th century rail line, and started "running" there; a half mile at first, and then gradually extending the distance.  Within six months I was doing runs of six or more miles at a crack and logging over 100 miles in a month.  🙂

[Nora58]

That's exactly what Nora and I run/walk on in NH. She knows what the Rail Trail is and will lead the way across the street to get there.

[shipo]

Aaron?

[Nora58]

No not Aaron. I am in Lebanon NH at the beginning of our state wide rail trail.

[shipo]

Ahhh, I work in Concord with a married couple named Nora and Aaron.  🙂

I've run a portion of that trai closer to the Concord area; my current haunt is the rail trail between Manchester and Portsmouth.

[Nora58]

My Nora is a bluetick/beagle and blue heeler mix I rescued 2 years ago and a great trail partner! As long as she gets to be in the woods and swim in the river, she is a happy girl.

[shipo]

Awesome!  Hopefully I'll see y'all out on the trail some day.  🙂