Don’t cut corners at the expense of your health or fitness goals. Instead, get creative and try to find ways to maximize the time and money you do invest in yourself to help you reach your fitness goals. After all, these assets are the most controllable and valuable advantages as you better your health and life. To get started, below are a few ways to maximize your workouts while saving time and money.
Schedule Your Sessions
Whether you’re a gym rat or a home workout guru, put your workout sessions in your calendar. If you truly want to prioritize fitness, then treat them as you would a meeting or an appointment. Instead of skipping because you’re tired and falling behind, commit to the scheduled times and stick with them. Scheduling your workouts ahead of time helps with time management because you can block off times, plan around them, and actually see how you’re using your days. Keeping to a consistent schedule also helps you budget and maximize your cost per visit to the gym, since those membership fees can really add up.
Create A Plan Of Action
One of the best time-saving hacks involves more time and effort up front. Spend time coming up with both a long-term fitness goal and a workout plan that will get you there. It’s so easy to spend time at the gym staring at the machines and debating what to do each time. Having a thought-out plan saves time wondering what to do before each workout session. Plus, having measurable goals will keep you motivated!
Utilize Compound Exercises
While choosing exercises that isolate certain muscles can have benefits, you can save time by working multiple muscles at the same time. Compound exercises like push-ups, squats, and pull-ups work more muscles and build strength in less time. Efficient and effective! Here’s an exhaustive list of some great compound exercises to get you started! Many of these can even be done at home with your own bodyweight to save money.
Stretch or Foam Roll
Keeping your muscles limber and flexible is crucial to fitness. While it may take some extra time, you can warm up and cool down in less than five minutes with a simple stretching routine. Doing this pre-workout prep saves you time in the long run, because you’ll get less injuries and have increased flexibility, which will benefit your workouts. Foam rolling is another great way to help your muscles recover and stay flexible.
Have Fuel On Hand
When prepping to workout, whether you’re packing a gym bag or stocking your home, it’s important to have protein snacks and hydration drinks on hand. Order your hydration and energy essentials using a food delivery app for the quickest convenience possible. Having your workout essentials delivered saves time you could be using to exercise. Plus, this way, you’re all stocked up and ready for your next workout session.
Give Home Workouts A Chance
Home workouts have been in the spotlight all year because of the pandemic. Because of the sudden and increased demand, many trainers, fitness apps, and new methods have arisen. They eliminate the need for a gym membership and commute time, therefore saving money and time. Between YouTube’s endless video library and emerging workout apps alone, you can find the guided workout your heart desires. Search and workout with trainers that teach Barre, yoga, various dance classes, strength training, cardio workouts, and more.
Compare Gym Prices
Ultimately, there’s no sense only doing home workouts you hate if you enjoy going to the gym or doing specific sports like Karate or rock climbing. If you love what you do and are progressing towards your goals, it won’t feel like a drain on your time and money. Spend some time comparing gym prices and consider what’s best for you. Gym Membership Fees lets you look at gym prices all in one convenient place. You can consider LA Fitness prices, Orangetheory Fitness Prices, Planet Fitness Prices, and more.
Buy Affordable Equipment
If you’re ready to surrender that gym membership and do more home workouts, make sure you have the right equipment on hand. If you’re looking to save money, don’t go for the well-known brands, but rather look for fitness equipment from places like Amazon or Walmart. This way you can still check the reviews for quality and safety, while still saving money. You can get yoga mats, resistance bands, weights, foam rollers, and more at great price points.
Add Some Quality Time
Why do you want to save time? Do you want to spend more time with your family, friends, or significant other? Consider incorporating them in your workout routines. Go out dancing with your significant other. Go for a hike or a run with friends. When it’s warmer outside, go kayaking or canoeing with the family. If you have kids, chase them around the playground, push them on the swings, or join in their games of tag. These are all great ways to burn calories and build endurance, plus they let you prioritize the things that matter most to you.