Frugal Japan
Living frugally in an expensive world

If you are anything like me, you have probably joined innumerable gyms, been a gung ho gym god/goddess for about a week, or possibly even a month, and then spent the rest of your annual membership feeling guilty for not going. This is not really surprising because there are a lot of things in life that are a lot more fun than going to the gym, and at any time of the day, I can usually come up with about fifteen reasons why I would rather be doing anything else other than getting myself over to the gym.

So, if you are anything like me, gyms are not a frugal way to exercise or lose weight, even if you get a fabulous deal on the membership fees. They are, on the contrary, one of the most expensive and least effective ways to accomplish either goal. (Again, I am talking about “people like me”. If you are “people like some other person who can’t understand why everyone isn’t in love with their gym and exercising there all the time”, then stop reading and go to your gym, for heaven’s sakes. Don’t let me discourage you!)

Here is one way to exercise without spending any money at all (as long as you already have a portable mp3 player and some running shoes): download a free exercise podcast and just do whatever the podcaster tells you to do. I can personally recommend the Couch to 5k Podcast by Robert Ullrey and the Podrunner Intervals Podcasts by Steve Boyett. I used these two podcasts to get myself ready to run my first 5k race last April and I have just started using them again to train for another 5k race in January.

The beauty of using these podcasts — besides the fact that they are free — is that they do all the thinking for you. I like to exercise in the morning, but I am naturally a night person, so my brain is not really functioning first thing in the morning. I like to train on a regular schedule — Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays — so on the nights before my runs, I set out all of my running clothes beside my bed, make sure my iPod and earphones are near the door to my house, and then I set my alarm to wake me up early enough to do my run. When I wake up, I don’t need to think about anything at all. I can just wake up, put the clothes on that are sitting right beside my bed, wander downstairs, plug myself in, put on some shoes (and, these days, some mittens) and just do whatever Robert or Steve tells me to do. No brain required! This is especially good for someone like me (like you?) who lacks the motivation to exercise and who would much rather stay in my nice, warm bed (you, however, are going to have to find your own nice, warm bed to stay in).

Here is how I deal with the “go for run” vs. “stay in nice, warm bed” debate: I avoid the debate entirely. I have a little talk with myself at night (when I am at my brainy best, for whatever that is worth) and tell myself that the person I am in the morning is not allowed to make the decisions. The night person inside me makes good decisions (“I should eat better and exercise more.”) and the morning person makes bad decisions (“I should stay in bed all day where it is nice and warm and nevermind about exercise or my job.”). So, the night person sets the alarm and does all the work to make sure that the morning person isn’t given a chance to make any decisions at all. I have a standard route that I use (mapped out using another free utility: Gmaps Pedometer) so I don’t even need to decide whether to turn right or left even once. I get up in the morning and live the life that the night person told me to live. By the time I figure out that the night person has tricked me out of bed and onto the streets, I am already half-way through my run and there is no point turning back then. Foiled again!

Both of these podcasts are ideal for training for a 5k race. However, while they certainly can get you from the couch to your first 5k race (I am living proof that it works and if I can do it, anybody who doesn’t have a legitimate health claim to the contrary can do it), you don’t have to use the podcasts for running. You can use them to built up your strength and endurance in any kind of activity. The podcasts are both designed to have you walk sometimes and run other times, with the amount of running getting gradually longer and the amount of walking getting gradually shorter. You could do anything during the “running times”, though — dancercize, sit-ups/push-ups, yoga stretches, weight lifting — and just pair your activity with something that is less strenuous to do during the “walking times”.

I hope that this information helps you reach your exercise goals without breaking the bank!

I am not a professional heath expert, so please consult your relevant oracles (doctors, friends, Oprah, etc.) before you start an exercise program!