Save money – work out at home

Gym membership can be extortionate. If you’re in a posh part of town you could be told that you’ll have to pay £100 a month to get fit, or else you’re destined to gain 20 stone and eat crisps every meal for the rest of your life. Of course, there are cheaper options. But even £20 a month adds up to £240 a year. That kind of money could buy a spa break, a new designer handbag, or could just be the cash you use to buy healthy, fresh ingredients for your dinner each day of the month. Exercising at home could definitely be one of the easiest ways to save money. So there’s no need to join expensive gyms, just save money – work out at home.

Lifting books
Thick tomes are basically weights in disguise, so lifting a good number of books above your head will work some arm muscles. And it encourages reading too, which is a bonus.

If you’re short on books, you can use cans of beans and water bottles – anything at all with a little bit of weight. The good thing about these is, they’re versatile. As soon as you need more, just add more.

Climbing stairs
The Calvari in Majorca has 365 steps – one for every day of the year. Monks of the chapel used to climb them for penance. Anyone who has ever attempted this knows what an absolute nightmare it is. Stair workouts engage numerous muscles including: glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, as well as core strength.

Try running up and down your stairs for cardio, or try stepping up lunges to work muscles more closely. This is actually more effective than training on the flat, so it’s a win, win really.

Dancing
Who needs a Zumba instructor and a fancy wall mirror? Just dancing like no one is watching can burn 443 Calories every hour. The more ridiculous and outlandish, the better. A great excuse to put on your favourite song and go wild. You could perfect your technique with a routine, to make sure you jump around the room for long enough, but you don’t need to.

You could also invite friends. Or maybe just that one friend who you don’t mind making looking silly in front of. Yeah, that one. Working out with other people can be very motivating (as in, you can’t stop shimmying until they do).

Chores, with a backpack
Try doing normal things like cooking, washing up, and tidying your floordrobe with a full bag on your back. You’ll soon start to feel tired, because you’re carting round so much more weight. You’re working the muscles in your back and your legs. Obviously don’t go overboard, if it starts to hurt then stop. But as an added bonus, you’re getting productive things done as well as exercise.

Walls
Leverage doesn’t have to just come from the floor. Walls around the house can be great surfaces to mix up your routine – try push-ups, sit-ups and planking with your feet up against them. There is just about no exercise that can’t be spiced up with the use of a tactical wall.

Walls can also be used subtly during everyday life. Waiting for the bus? The bus shelter could be a good incognito exercising plane if you’re leaning against it. Hmm, maybe not. But because there are walls everywhere, there are opportunities everywhere – if you’re open to looking a bit weird. If not maybe just stick to home…