We Love Exercising!
Staying physically fit is something that is important to both of us. It fits really well with those who are seeking financial independence. If you aren’t at your physical best, you won’t be able to enjoy the retirement you work so hard for!
As mentioned in A Way to Less……. Spending! we are always looking for more ways to be frugal and found that reducing our fitness costs was an easy way to do this.
For many, the cost of fitness can be huge! The fitness industry must make so much money out of all those people with unused and unwanted gym memberships! Don’t get me wrong, there are many people that use their gym membership in a cost-efficient way and really benefit from it, but there is a very large proportion of the population that don’t!
Why Exercise?
For me (Miss Way), fitness it is not just important but essential. If I maintain my physical fitness, I know that my mental fitness will suffer less.
For any of us to function properly in the world we need to look after ourselves, physically and mentally. This might sound like I am stating the obvious, but it is surprising how many people neglect their physical and mental health, on a daily basis.
Benjamin Franklin
Energy and persistence conquer all things
If I don’t to exercise it really doesn’t take long before I can feel my mental health suffering. Having said that, I must acknowledge that if I am already struggling with low mood my ability to exercise sufficiently really decreases. It is a never-ending circle!
If you try to see yourself as a whole rather than splitting your health into physical and mental sections, it really helps. To do this you will need to make sure every part of your health is maintained, through:
- A healthy diet
- Enough sleep
- Regular exercise
Just to note – I do not find it easy to keep to these suggestions. I am a workaholic and sometimes neglect my health in favour of getting the next work ‘job’ done. However, my body will soon let me know when it is feeling abandoned! If you find these things hard too, don’t beat yourself up about it but a gentle reminder every so often is good.
So essentially, I exercise for these reasons:
- To stay healthy
- To stay sane!
- Being sociable
- Because it makes me feel great!!
Doctors in the NHS are now trying to make sure they prescribe fitness classes as well as OR instead of drugs to help treat depression. I feel we all need to be kinder to ourselves and our bodies and exercise is a brilliant way to do this.
Where We Started From
We have both always been active people. Growing up, we both played rugby, Mr Way also enjoyed tennis and I was into my basketball. We have also run several 10ks and a couple of half marathons (although I am not sure I particularly want to repeat that experience!). I have always owned a bike and grew up cycling around English country roads and cycle trails.
When we first met, Mr Way had a Nuffield Gym membership (see figures below) and used it frequently but it was costly. Although the gym was next door so very convenient. I was paying for a Pure Gym (see figures below) membership, that I again used frequently. This was a ‘no contract’ membership and cost considerably less than Mr Way’s Nuffield membership.
Having decided that we could be more frugal with our fitness, we decided to stop our memberships. We didn’t immediately replace them with anything. Over the next year we entered a couple of 10k runs, so had been training for them but not a lot else.
| Gym | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Nuffield Gym | £49/month (basic package) | Health MOT Range of classes Swimming pool and spa facilities Technogym gym equipment |
| Pure Gym | £14.99 p/m (no contract – you can cancel anytime) | Gym access Classes included Access to personal trainers (extra cost) |
HIIT!!
Just before I reached my 30th birthday I was feeling restless and sluggish and I needed something to work on/towards. I decided that I wanted my next decade to be one in which I felt physically and mentally fit. This is when I discovered HIIT workouts.
Instead of finding a new gym I decided to try The Body Coach’s FREE workout videos on YouTube. I began with beginner workouts and thought I was going to die when I first tried them!! I somehow found the will power to keep going and I began to really enjoy them!
The workouts include various moves, for example:
- Mountain Climbers
- Burpees
- Lunges
- Squats
- Running on the spot
- Press ups
…and many more.
I loved them for these main reasons:
- They are SHORT – due to being a workaholic I am always lacking in time!
- They include lots of variation – I get bored very easily!
- The results were quick.
- They are FREE!! The ultimate frugal fitness!
I went on holiday that summer feeling loads more positive and a lot fitter.
| HIIT Workout | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| The Body Coach - HIIT Youtube videos | £0 | Short workouts - (30 mins max) Accessible for all levels of fitness No need to leave your home! Most videos require no equipment Lots of videos to choose from 6 weeks (or similar) - progressive programmes |
Bodyweight Fitness
After that summer holiday Mr. Way decided that he needed to join in with my new found fitness (although it is worth mentioning, Mr Way has never been ‘unfit’. His point zero was a lot fitter than mine!).
Mr Way tried out the HIIT workouts but he couldn’t get on with them due to issues with his back (old rugby injury), plus he just wasn’t feeling it like I was.
When it comes to fitness, it is so important to find something that really engages you. If not, working out will become a chore and you will lack any motivation to continue it.
Mr Way had already been reading FIRE blogs and was obsessed with Mr Money Mustache. He came across MMM’s post entitled “Staying fit with no gym in sight”. The first comment on this post directed him to the Reddit Bodyweight Fitness page. This was the start of his Bodyweight Fitness (BWF) journey!
Mr Way began following YouTube videos by Antranik DotOrg and Tom Merrick (The Bodyweight Warrior). He also began using a BWF app.
This form of exercise involves calisthenics moves such as:
- Pull ups
- Dips
- Push Ups
- Handstands
- Mobility exercises
- Core strengthening exercises
- Squats
- Rows
| Bodyweight Workouts | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Bodyweight Fitness App | £0 - Basic app £1.99 - Pro app (donate to support developer) | Level up your fitness and strength, gain flexibility and learn more about calisthenics. Make a healthy change in your life by becoming more active, aware and motivated. Exercises are presented in an easy and simple way to understand |
| Antranik DotOrg | £0 | Bodyweight fitness, yoga and mental health videos. Some are follow along videos, others are informative/educational |
| Tom Merrick - The Bodyweight Warrior Youtube Blog App | £0 | Follow along and informative videos about health and gymnastic/bodyweight strength training and mobility. There are some fantastic healthy meals to try on Tom’s blog |
Running
Running is by far one of the most frugal forms of fitness and it has become a big part of my life/exercise routine. I use it as a sociable activity and a way of challenging myself. There are so many timed races you can take part in ranging from 2k runs up to ultra-marathons (not that I have ever tried one of these)!! Most of these have a cost implication beginning at around £10 – although many are for charity. However, there are many opportunities to enter timed races for FREE.
This morning I have just completed my 15th Parkrun at our local park. This is a 5k timed run that happens every Saturday in parks all over the UK. All you have to do to join in is to sign up online and print yourself a barcode. It is a brilliant way of getting the UK’s parks used by more people and a fantastic sociable way of keeping fit.
The National Trust also hold FREE 5K & 10K runs at their properties round the UK. These are usually self-timed but a brilliant opportunity to run in some stunning countryside. Finally, I run with a local women’s running group for which I pay £1 p/wk. I go to this with my friends and there are always various distances to choose from and it is a great supportive atmosphere to run in.
If you are new to running the NHS’s Couch 2 5k app is a fantastic way to get started and takes you through a comprehensive programme that gets you running 5k in no time!
| Running Activity | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Couch 2 5k - One You Couch to 5k | £0 | Tried and tested programme Displays a countdown timer so you can see how long you’ve got left of each run Works alongside your preferred music player, automatically 'dipping' volumes when your trainer speaks And more... |
| Parkrun 5k | £0 | Parkrun organise free, weekly, 5km timed runs around the world. They are open to everyone, free, and are safe and easy to take part in. |
| National Trust 10k Runs | £0 | Free monthly 10k trail runs. Get some exercise and take in spectacular scenery at national trust properties/parks around the UK |
| Local Running Groups | £1-5 per week | There are hundreds of these around the country. My local women only running group charges me £1 for 2, 5, & 7k runs. |
Tennis
Mr Way is an avid tennis player and has been since he was younger, although he had a break from it during his university years. This is the most expensive part of our frugal fitness. However, true to the frugal way, Mr Way picked a club that costs considerably less than others in our area!
He loves his tennis and it is more than worth it for him. The club Mr Way is at is a friendly, welcoming place. He recently won one of their tournaments and is now a member of their committee!
| Tennis Club | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Club Membership | £158/year This is one of the cheaper clubs in our area. Others can cost at least twice that, with expensive court hire fees on top. | Use of courts for free at any time. Match practice evenings. Tournaments. Floodlights £3 per hour for those winter nights! Match fees extra £2.50 per match (includes balls). Private lessons available for extra cost. |
Mobility/Flexibility/Yoga
This area is something I really need to work on.
Exercising is great, but if you don’t look after your muscles properly you soon become stiff and sore and less inclined to stick to your routine. We have found the following YouTube channels really helpful and useful. I find follow-along videos much more motivating that just reading a book.
Having said that, Becoming a Supple Leopard by Dr Kelly Starrett with Glen Cordoza*, is a fantastic manual to help with your mobility, flexibility and aches and pains!
| Resource | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Merrick – The Bodyweight Warrior YouTube | £0 | Tom has plenty of follow-along mobility videos to use |
| Ekhart Yoga | £0 | This is a brilliant channel with loads of follow-along yoga videos targeting different parts of the body |
Walking & Cycling
Both Mr Way and I use exercise as a means of getting to work for at least part of our week. I recently bought a second hand road bike for £70 and use this in combination with the train 2 days a week. This doesn’t work out much cheaper than using my car but it makes me feel so much better when I get into work than when I drive in.
As Mr Way mentioned in A Way to Less……. Cars!, he walks to work every day. I think walking (a completely frugal activity) is an often-overlooked form of exercise. However, going for a walk in the countryside is one of my favourite things.
A few friends and I have formed a walking group and we explore the English countryside in our downtime from teaching and we love it! Being outdoors for a whole day is so good for your physical and mental health and doing it with friends is even better. Plus, depending where you decide to walk, it is completely FREE!!! (Having said that, our trips do very often include a pub visit!!).
Frugal Fitness
So, after being avid gym goers only a few years ago we now, with the exception of Mr Way’s tennis, manage to work out for FREE and we love it!
We have bought a few resources along the way to make our exercise routines more effective but we haven’t spent much at all:
| Equipment We Use | Cost | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Pull Up Mate | £119.95 (we bought ours for £110 after Mr Way sold his Wii console and games to help towards the cost!) | The Pull Up Mate allows you to perform dozens of gymnastic, calisthenic, and bodyweight exercises in the comfort of your own home |
| Pellor Gymnastic Rings* | £29.99 | Wooden gymnastic rings |
| Exercise Bands* | £5 (you can pay more, but there is really no need to!) | Great for mobility exercises, warm ups |
| Foam Roller* | £10 upwards | Good for deep tissue massage for sore muscles |
What do you guys do to work out? How much does it cost you? Do you find it hard/easy to be frugal with your fitness routines? We would love to hear from you and let us know if you have any suggestions for us.
* Links marked with an asterisk are affiliate links. We will earn a small commission if you purchase through them. Thanks in advance!!