A Little Goes A Long Way

Fitness is an investment. But who says you have to break the bank to get in shape? You don't.

The most expensive item in my exercise collection is Jake, my personal trainer. He's worth far more than I could ever afford, so when he speaks, I listen. He is my own personal E. F. Hutton of fitness. When we started working out eight months ago, he gave me a list of must-have equipment. I perused the list with disdain because surely he didn't think I could afford him and a ton of equipment. Every time he would come for a session, he would ask if I had bought the equipment. Eventually tiring from my not-yets, he offered to get it for me. This put me on front street to be accountable, and I did not like it. Of course my first question was: "How much is this going to cost?" The list had at least six items on it, and by my calculations, it was more than I wanted to invest until I was sure I was going to stick with it.

My sister calls me cheap, I prefer the word thrifty. OK, so really I am cheap -- too cheap to be one of those people who buys equipment and lets it collect dust. If I spend my hard-earned money, I'm using it. Jake said give me $80. I said, "only $80 for this semi-home gym?" He said, "Yes, $80." So, I gave it to him. I figured if he could buy everything on the list for such a small amount, then he's a better shopper than me, and I'm good. In spite of the nominal amount, I still had my doubts, and I wondered if this would be a total bust because I had no desire to exercise at home. I figured my workouts with him were enough.

My next session was like Christmas. Jake showed up with bags and boxes of items from the list. The first thing he insisted I buy was an abdominal ball. The ball cost around $18 and can be used for an array of exercises. I use it for crunches, wall squats and even push ups. Unlike I'd originally thought, storing it was not an issue because It is conveniently stored underneath the kitchen table. Jake also bought bands that cost about $10. Resistance bands are often used in Pilates, but I have seen visible results in my arms by simply standing in front of the TV doing sets of bicep curls. The next item up was a six-pound medicine ball. The ball is great for ab work and strengthening my arms. It cost about $15.

As you can see, none of these items cost more than $20, which is far less than the average monthly gym membership. After buying these items, I became more motivated to use them because they were close at hand. Working out in the privacy of my own home appealed to me. No eyes watching, and I didn't have to be cute while exercising.

Working out at home is not for everyone, but any of these items is a great addition or beginning to your own collection. It doesn't have to cost a lot to get in shape. The biggest thing you have to give up when pursuing fitness is the excess weight. And who doesn't love that?