There is a new year around the corner. Forget impossible resolutions that sound great and motivate us for two days. Let's just decide to improve our finances and our selves. If that only means eating a tablespoon less of food and taking a walk around the block or cutting out a $10 a month expense. Just keep moving forward at a pace that you can maintain.

So let's talk about how we are going to become more physically active. I want to really challenge you to do this without spending the money for fancy gym memberships that won't be used. You'll be doing yourself a favor in financial improvement if you don't spend that money.

How can we excercise frugally?

 I either bike or walk to work in all but the absolute worst weather. Not only do I get three miles of biking or walking in each day, but I also save money on gas, parking, maintenance, etc. 

 Another way that health and savings fit together is that when you eat at home, not only is it cheaper, but you also have absolute control over everything that you're eating. No wondering "how much salt did they use?" or "is there butter in this?"

 

 

Great idea for a thread!

I walk to work, but it's only 3 blocks.  I try to walk everywhere in town (small town) to get some exercise rather than driving.   For 2012 I'm going to do better at parking the car when I go to another town to do erands and walking around that town rather than driving from store to store.

Getting exercise has been very difficult for me, what with trying to care for the family and going to school full time.  I do walk a lot on campus and try to use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever I can.

My plan of action:

Before we moved, I walked quite a bit each week. I would like to add a walk in once a week. It's free and we have lovely scenery of older houses and their greenery.

I want to get back into a routine of excercise. I own a set of Taebo videos that I enjoyed before and I already have an old Richard Simmons one on hold at the library. Since I own one and I am borrowing the other, more free excercise. I know it doesn't sound like much to say work out once a week but I already do here and there. I want a more focused and organised effort. If I shoot for more than once a week, I will fail. It will end up being overwhelming to add into my schedule.

I had to sell my bought-used Bowflex because I acquired hand arthritis. I just purchased a cheapie door gym and two wrist/ankle cuffs in women's size (hard to find). I'm feeling better already after only a few sessions but it's taking me more days to recover than it used to. Don't know if this is a consequence of inactivity or of being 58 with too many miles on the odometer. Now I have to get back into treadmill running without generating foot arthritis, and frankly, I'm scared. Rather have a tail the size of Texas, than be crippled.