Lose lbs, Save Pounds

Despite costly gym memberships, the price of a personal trainer, and waiting lists to get into the local Zumba class, working out doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Or any price for that matter! Stop blaming membership prices for your lack of exercise and start getting fit for free (and plenty more fun, too).

Fitness DVDs. No need to turn your nose up at Jane Fonda rolling around on a stability ball, nor a Z-lister weight-loss DVD. The Ministry of Sound does some good dance workouts, and for the serious fitness bunnies the Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred will soon whittle you into shape. Doing a range of workout DVDs gives you the opportunity to try many different routines and will stave off workout boredom. Push the furniture to the side and turn your lounge into a dance floor to work away your ‘wobbly bits’.

Fitness Store Events. Many local running and athletic apparel stores offer running groups or classes led by certified coaches and trainers, including Sweaty Betty, Nike Training Club and Sweatshop Running. This is a great way to get expert advice and find new workout buddies. Don’t be shy - enquire and a store and give it a go.

Party in the Park. Get a group of friends together and plan a 5k round the park, or get doing outdoor circuits together. This could be doing tricep dips on a park bench, running on uneven terrain, or crunches and lunges on the grass. The more friends you take, the more fun you’ll all have. Wherever you live has to be more scenic than staring at the four walls of your gym from a treadmill.

Don't Take Shortcuts. All around us are short cuts and conveniences: lifts, escalators, trains, cars. Whilst they may make our life a little easier, they certainly don't help our waistline. Get off the tube one stop earlier, don't get the bus and walk instead, or take the stairs - find ways throughout your day to incorporate exercise and extra calorie-burners rather than taking the easy way. These little efforts all add up leading to a high calorie burn overall and trim measurements. 

Get 'Appy. There are hundreds of fitness apps available for smartphones. Couch-to-5k is a free and popular app for those who have never attempted running before, and will soon have you up and setting your own personal best records. Other ones include Adidas MiCoach which provides voice coaching and training plans, Office Yoga, for those workaholics chained to their desk through lunch breaks, Fitness Buddy offering over 300 exercises, and the Nike Training Club app so you can get down and ‘just do it’ with their audio guidance and video demos from top fitness trainers.

Think Drink. You don't need to guzzle sports drinks and fizzy pop to give you energy and keep you fit. H2O does the job perfectly, without the additives and fat-preserving chemicals. What you put in your body is just as important (if not more important) than what you do with your body, and can make all the difference. Substituting fizzy drinks for still unadulterated water is the single best diet, and won't spike your blood sugar levels like sugary drinks and lead to cravings and snacking. Unless you're a professional athlete and training for more than four hours a day, you shouldn't even need lucozade to get through a gym sesh - your body, a bottle of water and a banana at the end of a workout is sufficient without the need for chemicals.