Exercise ideas for the broke?

I am just starting to take losing weight seriously. But at the current moment I dont have alot of extra money to join a gym, buy equiptment, etc.

A little over a year ago, Hurricane Katrina ate my house. So right now I am trying to rebuy everything on a very deflated income (most of my clientel have moved away). So I dont really wanna fork out alot of money. And right now, the neighborhoods are too gross/scary to run or bike in.

So I am asking ya'll..... whats good exercise ideas to do from the comfort of my own apartment? Thanks in advance!

Thu. Dec 21, 4:49pm

What about even just doing a few loops of your own block at lunchtime? Are you able to do a bit of a walk one or two times a week when you're somewhere for other purposes that happens to be a good area to walk in - or walking in a mall or something? Do you have a DVD player - could you get exercise DVDs to work out to in your apartment? Otherwise, you could get some exercise books out of the library or find information on different exercises on the internet - put some music on (the radio or CDs) and do your own workout at home. Do you have a friend in your neighbourhood who might want to do this with you, and who has a DVD player. You can pick up exercise DVDs cheaply at second hard stores...

I hope that's helpful.

Thursday, December 21, 2006, 6:00 PM

I am so sorry that you lost your home - I can't imagine how devestating that must have been for you. It's good to see that so many people like yourself who lost their homes in Katrina, are starting to get back on their feet.
As for your issue, I can totally relate as I am just getting by myself and don't have money for the gym or much equipment.
But don't fret - losing weight without the gym is possible!! I just lost 20lbs that way. It takes effort, commitment, and creativity, but is worth it!
1. Walk as much as you can, anywhere you go. Even if it's 10-20mins on a lunch. Some exercise is better than no exercise.
2. If you have cable television, and you are at home at 7am (I think), Denise Austin does a good hour cardio workout show on Lifetime channel.
3. Check out your local library. Some of them carry workout tapes/dvds. Check out some workout books too for ideas for exercises.
4. Do you have stairs in your home or building? Up and down a few flights of stairs will really get your heart-rate up.
5. While you're watching a tv program, just walk or run in place, do some jumping jacks, shadow-box, dance... anything that keeps the heartrate going!
6. If you have a few bucks to spare, invest in a jumprope (make sure your ceilings are high and your carpet isn't too thick. It's best to do on hardwood floors.) Other good equipment under $50: mini-trampoline, step-bench, small punching bag/gloves, hand weights, balance ball...
Keep positive! You're doing a wonderful thing by taking care of yourself. Best of luck to you!

Thursday, December 21, 2006, 6:32 PM

pushups, crunches, lunges!!

yoga or pilates-you can either buy or rent DVD's, VHS tapes or borrow books from your library. once you've done either a few times, you will get a routine down and will not need the media/book to help you. you can do it on your own several times a week-depending on the type of yoga-you may get your heart rate up enough to count it as a cardio workout!

Friday, December 22, 2006, 3:02 PM

If you don't have any money to spend on supporting your weight loss efforts, I suggest you find online or through a library book exercises where you can use your own body weight for resistance (like push ups etc). And use these information sources or also a knowledgible friend and advice from people doing similar things on this site to build up a programme that you can do at home, and change around every now and again.

Good on you, and good luck.

Friday, December 22, 2006, 11:42 PM

How handy are you? There's a way to rig up the back tire of your bike so you can bike in the house. The thing that actually does it is a roller with adjustable tension. Pretty neat and pretty small...not sure of the price. Therabands are good for resistance and they are pretty cheap, those big exercise balls are usually less than $20 and are supposed to work really well. And if you have a coffee table, you can do dips for your triceps or put your feet on it and do pushups. It gives more resistance since your body is downhill.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006, 7:42 AM

Look for the Rockport Walking Program (by the makers of Rockport shoes). It's been around a while. It's based on walking but it is a leveled program with diagnostic test (walk a mile as fast as you can) and regular increases. It starts you off easy (I struggled with that as I tend to start off hard, but it was exactly what I needed to do not to burn out!) and then increases speed/length as you get more fit.

I also recommend Pilates. Look for Brooke Siler's _The Pilates Body_ (book). No equipment necessary, though a mat is a help. I use a closed-cell foam camping mat. They're cheaper where I live than the fitness mats and work just as well.

Thursday, December 28, 2006, 10:05 AM

pushups, jump rope, post for a sex partner on Craigslist, breathe, create your own spa in your bathroom, run or walk outside. There are a zillion things you can do to exercise. I do all my activities on my own, and I get a great workout.

Friday, December 29, 2006, 6:50 PM

I'd recommend making up your own kickboxing routine (maybe start by borrowing a DVD from library/friend with a routine? or just look up kickboxing on the internet - they must explain the basic moves). Then you can do that at home with some fast-paced music. Once you know the various types of punch and kick and aerobics moves, it's really easy to choreograph your own routine...and it's a great way to relieve stress.

Sunday, December 31, 2006, 8:45 AM

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