Health and Beauty

6 ways to be fit when you’re broke

Fitness can cost you a pretty penny. Running in the park day after day can get stale or too frigid in the winters. Or, you want something a little more than that $10 Crunch Fitness membership. Working out on a tight budget is totally possible and we found a few spots in Brooklyn that are easy on your wallet.

Here’s how to exercise without breaking the bank.

1. Get a deal on classes. You can stock up on classes at your favorite flash sales. Or, many studios will barter services with clients for free or reduced classes. Are you an ace photographer? Ask your favorite gym or that new studio on your block if you could shoot pics for their social feeds in exchange for classes.

2. Check out free or donation-based classes. These type of community gym classes usually have reduced drop-in costs or might even be entirely free. Hosh YogaYoga to the People, and Brooklyn Yoga Collective offer great deals in Brooklyn. If you’d love a more extensive list, check out Sassy Fit Girl, especially if you don’t mind traveling around the city.

3. Keep it at home. Yes, you can totally work out in your bedroom. Sure, you can get a few sets of dumbbells, but even if that’s too pricey, all you need is a workout mat and the internet. There are tons of easy and useful workouts on Youtube that range from fast and easy workouts under 10 minutes or more extensive body work. Yoga with Adriene is quick, fun, and free for yoga enthusiasts and we found an entire slew of home workouts that don’t require any equipment.

4. Technology is your BFF. Don’t forget about your phone. Your little device is already tracking your activity, so step it up with another app or too. There’s tons of free and cheap smartphone apps for fitness. There’s a bevy  of fitness apps that will fit your lifestyle such as Freeletics Bodyweight, Daily Ab Workout, Charity Miles, Keelo, and Sworkit. Think daily workout routines, short and effective exercises, logs, on demand videos, tutorials, and more.

5. Join a workout group. Running outside costs zero dollars, but why not run in a group and gain some serious motivation? North Brooklyn Runners is completely free and they just added a South Brooklyn Runners group for those of you who live closer to Prospect Park.

6. Take a moment to yourself. Meditation is a perfect mental exercise that is free and can be done anyplace or anytime. Whether you’re new to a fitness journey, a seasoned workout junkie, or somewhere in the middle, making time to calm down and sort out your mental clutter is part of a well rounded, fit lifestyle. Some calming (and free!) apps include: MINDBODY, Stop, Breathe, & ThinkInsight Timer, Smiling Mind, Take a Break!, and Omvana.

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