Wondering how to get fit on a budget, and if it is even possible?
The good news is that you don’t need a lot of money to improve your fitness, shape, and health.
One of the most reliable ways is to eat nutritious foods, control your portion size, and undertake regular cardio exercise.
The reason this approach works so well is simple. Making healthier food choices will improve your health.
Taking in fewer calories will help you to lose your excess weight.
Cardio exercise accelerates the heart rate, which in turn offers a variety of benefits.
Included among these are a healthier heart and increased energy and endurance. Regular cardio sessions will also help you become stronger and trimmer.
They will improve your muscle tone, but not necessarily to the extent you may want.
To optimize muscle gain, you can strength train or do resistance exercises a few times a week.
Weight-bearing workouts can also increase bone density over time, with stronger bones helping prevent osteoporosis later in life.
Following are nine exercises that will enable you to get fit on a budget.
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9 Exercises that Will Enable you to Get fit on a Budget
Walking:
Walking offers an easy and accessible way of getting fit on a budget.
Being low-impact, the risk of sustaining an injury while walking is extremely low.
This makes it suitable for most people, including those who have never exercised before, seniors, and pregnant women.
All you will need to get started are comfortable clothing and supportive walking shoes.
A pedometer or other fitness device to track your progress is optional but useful. I use the Fitbit Versa 4. I love its features, but if you are happy with the basics, you can utilize one of the many free fitness apps on your phone.
Weat wrist or ankle weights or a weighted vest during workouts to increase the challenge as you become fitter.
If you want to exercise at home, try a walking workout DVD or buy a treadmill. Some home treadmills are surprisingly affordable.
And, if you use the treadmill often and share it with family members, it will cost you far less than joining a gym.
Click here to read an article on the benefits of walking for thirty minutes a day.
Jogging or running:
After walking for a while, you may want to try jogging or running. Both are higher in impact and intensity than walking, so they may not suit individuals just beginning their fitness journey or people with joint issues.
Equipment requirements are the same as for walking. However, you may need to outlay a bit more money for shoes.
It’s important to buy running shoes that suit your pronation type, particularly if you will be exercising outdoors or over uneven terrain. The right shoes will help to prevent injury.
Cycling:
If you have an old pushbike gathering dust in your garage, dust it off and hit the park. You could even fit workouts into your day by cycling to 
work and back.
If you’d prefer to exercise at home, some top-quality stationary bikes are available that are budget-friendly.
Another inexpensive option is an indoor bike trainer stand that allows you to convert your pushbike into a stationary bike.
You will also need a pair of comfortable sneakers. If you have a bit more money to splash out, you may want to buy cycling shoes.
Click here to read reviews of some of the most popular stationary bikes, plus other cardio equipment reviews.
Bodyweight exercises:
Bodyweight exercises provide a convenient and inexpensive way to get fit on a budget.
This form of exercise allows you to sculpt your muscles using the weight of your body alone. It also provides cardio benefits.
If you have a little money to spend, you may want to buy a few inexpensive fitness aids, such as resistance bands or dumbbells.
If you don’t have the money for these, you can improvise and use household items to add resistance and increase the challenge of your workouts.
For example, you can make hand weights by filling empty plastic juice bottles with sand. Or fill a pair of socks with rice or beans and use those.
You can incorporate a sturdy bench or a step into your workouts or use a robust tree branch to do Pull-Ups.
Click here for a bodyweight exercise list.
Core Slider workouts:
Core sliders are budget-friendly, compact, light, and portable.
I recently tried them for the first time and found them surprisingly challenging.
Core slider exercises primarily work the abs and midsection, but some also target the upper and lower body.
Click here for 10 core slider exercises that target the legs, arms, and abs.
Home Gym:
While top-of-the-line models can be expensive, some relatively inexpensive home gyms will give you an excellent workout.
A home gym will enable you to sculpt and tone every muscle group. Over time, you will save money as you won’t need to pay for a gym membership. And, you will be able to share the equipment with other household members, which makes it an excellent choice for families.
Jumping rope:
Jumping rope is another inexpensive way to get fit on a budget. There are plenty of high-quality ropes to choose from, the price 
of which starts at just a few dollars.
Along with burning a lot of calories, this form of exercise provides resistance and improves coordination.
To get the most from your sessions, buy a rope of the correct length for your height.
People from 4′ tall to 4′ 9″ should buy a rope that is 7 feet long. Those from 4′ 10″ to 5′ 3″ will do best with an 8-foot jump rope.
If you are between 5′ 4″ and 5′ 10″, you will need a 9-foot rope. People from 5′ 11″ to 6′ 5″ should look for a 10-foot rope, and those taller than 6′ 6″ should buy an 11-foot rope.
You can skip outdoors or indoors if you have some free space. Along with comfortable clothes, you will need a pair of sports shoes.
Fitness DVDs:
Fitness DVDs can provide an excellent workout for a fraction of the cost of joining a gym.
You can work out at any time of the day or night at your own pace, in the comfort of your home.
And with so many types of workouts available, you can alternate between a dance workout, Zumba, yoga, or anything else that suits you.
My current favorite at-home workout is Body FX Figure 8 Basic, which you can read about here.
To read reviews of other popular fitness DVDs, click this link.
Swimming:
Swimming is a fun, low-cost total body exercise, and if you have access to a heated pool, you can reap the benefits year-round.
If you don’t have a pool, using a public one during off-peak hours may cost as little as $1.
And at off-peak times, pools aren’t usually crowded. You may even have the pool to yourself, so you can swim in privacy, as slow or fast as you want.
All you will need is a swimming costume and a towel.
Pool noodle exercises offer another fun way to get fit, as does aqua aerobics.
Click here to read an article on the benefits and downsides of swimming for exercise.
How to Get Fit on a Budget Summary
As you can see, it’s easy to get fit on a budget. Try some of the suggestions above to achieve your fitness goals without breaking the bank.
If you don’t have any money at all, there are plenty of YouTube workout videos you can do without spending a penny.
You may also like to check out the free workouts here on Best Women’s Workout Reviews, and these 10 low-impact cardio exercises you can do at home.
