The new year is a time to invest in yourself – a period for renewal and refreshed interested in physical fitness. Whether your resolution is to run a marathon, to do a headstand, or just to lift your children with ease, we want to see you reach it. The experts at Evolve Bank & Trust share tips for getting healthy and staying on budget this New Year.
Exercise at Home
Thanks to YouTube, you can take workout classes from the comfort of your home anytime – and the best part, it’s free. There are fitness instructors who specialize in everything from free weights to Pilates. Many have catalogs of hundreds of videos with varying expertise levels so you can advance as you continue your practice.
Take Advantage of Discounts
When searching for memberships or shopping for exercise equipment, it’s important to take advantage of discounts. Most gyms offer discounts for students and teachers to help reduce stress. The military discount is also important to remember, as it’s offered many places. Gyms also offer special discounts for specific life events – for instance before a wedding or after the birth of a child. Be sure to take advantage of these discounted prices, as every dollar saved counts!
Make your own Protein Smoothies
If you decide to splurge on a gym membership, a great way to save is on your post-workout protein. We’ve all been tempted by the smoothie shops so conveniently located right next to the gym; however, they typically sell those protein shakes at quite the markup. With a little planning ahead, you can make the same thing for a fraction of the cost. This will help to offset the money you spend on your membership.
Try an App
For those gym lovers who always want to try the latest fitness fads, the best way to go is a fitness class subscription app. Apps like Class Pass allow you to utilize countless gyms and group classes around your city, while only paying for one membership. Meanwhile, other apps offer all their content online, while still giving you a variety of class types.
Commit to your Health and Memberships
No matter what you choose, the best way to get the most of your money is to commit to attending and working out regularly. Break down your membership or subscription fee to a per class cost. If you attend class once per month, suddenly your barre bill is 150 per class. That’s good inspiration to stay on track. And if it’s not, then be realistic with yourself and cancel your memberships. At the end of the day, you want to be both physically and fiscally healthy.
