Who says you need a costly monthly gym membership to get into the best shape of your life? Yes, commercials and radio ads promise paying that monthly fee will transform you into a Hulk-like human, but that’s all a marketing scheme. You can get into shape without paying a business each month in exchange for using equipment. Here’s how. 

1. Taking the Stairs

The next time you’re confronted with a few sets of stairs or a short elevator ride, choose the inclined options. Climb stairs to increase your lifespan. Climb stairs to improve cardiovascular health. Climb stairs to prevent strokes. Climb stairs to deter diabetes. I could keep going on, or you could climb on a set of stairs stat. 

2. Park Far Away

The first time I heard someone mention their theory of parking farther away to help lose weight, I sighed, unsure of their plan. Years later, I understand. 

Scenario 1: You have a nice dinner scheduled downtown in the midst of an atrocious parking scene. However, a couple blocks away from the restaurant stands a free parking lot assigned to a local park. You park there and walk to dinner, factoring in a fraction of daily cardio prior to the delicious meal. Right after the meal, you take the same trek back to the vehicle, putting in another segment of cardio and burning off calories from the dinner. 

Scenario 2: You park in a paid spot planted in front of the restaurant and walk in. After dinner, you retreat a few steps to the car and drive home. 

Scenario 1 presents an option that increases your chances of continuing to exercise that day. Scenario 1 also implements the beginnings of a beneficial habit. Scenario 2 allows the easy way out with little to no health benefits. Additionally, scenario 2 costs more money yearly. 

3. Rucking

You’ve heard of backpacking around Europe. Some of you carried heavy backpacks around university or high school. Rucking pulls elements from both actives for a blended exercise available to everyone. Originating in the military, rucking consists of walking, or running, around with a full backpack. You pick the ingredients of the knapsack and adjust the weight to your preferences. 

Rucking improves a slew of health aspects, like posture, cardiovascular health, muscle mass, and endurance.  When completed outside, rucking can boost mental health given the gorgeous surroundings; at the same time, it decreases stress. 

4. Hit the Park

I can’t count how many parks or playgrounds I pass by equipped with exercise equipment to keep adults entertained as their child plays on the playground. These areas contain equipment like pull-up bars, bars for bodyweight dips, elliptical variations, balance bars, whatever exercise you can imagine has a home in an outdoor playground. Plus, the idea of adult playgrounds is ramping up in popularity and execution. 

5. Standing Desk

Does sitting all day at a desk hurt your lower back and tailbone? Try a standing desk. Standing desks are raised platforms for computer and desktop items which allow the user to stand up straight during the work day. Standing during the 9-5 wicks away calories, as opposed to sitting, and literally keeps you on your toes. With a clearer mind, your productivity levels soar along with your fitness goals. 

6. Swimming

If you have a pool, throw on a bathing suit and dive in. If you don’t have a pool, check out the local swimming pools in the area. Most are reasonably priced, with regimented schedules favoring swimming as exercise. My dad visits the pool every other day for warm-up laps that reduce heart issues. The full-body exercise appeals to everyone, considering all you need to swim is a bathing suit and a pool. Swimming sends blood throughout the whole body while protecting joints and bones from exterior issues added on through running. 

7. Running

Maybe you’re one of those people who fancy competing in 5ks or marathons for the sheer adoration of running. Or, you’re someone who enjoys collecting the medals, who doesn’t mind the distress of stacking multiple miles in a day. Running boosts heart health and lowers resting heart rate, contributing to a happy, healthy heart. Runners take note of efficient sleep quality, a lack of knee and back pain, and higher levels of immunity.  

8. Walk the Dog 

Those who have dogs know how ecstatic they get when they hear that special, four-letter word. Treat yourself and the precious pooch to a long, daily walk around the neighborhood or through a few different neighborhoods.  This way, you both enjoy the anxiety-relieving, emotionally regulating activity featuring a multitude of physical health benefits, together. Walking your dog around the same time every day helps provide you both with a routine and something to look forward to daily.  

9. Video Games

Though it sounds controversial, certain video games exist as a portal to health. Names like Wii Fit and Just Dance shifted the judgment away from negative connotations associated with video games to positive ones. Wii Fit allows the player(s) to choose the activities to participate in, which one could do at a gym. Yoga, hula-hooping, strength training, jogging all find a place on the dashboard. Just Dance is a cardio-focused game instructing the player(s) to repeat dance moves shown on screen. A lot of people use Just Dance as a fun, no-judgment workout, optimal for weight loss.  

10. Use the Couch 

During a lengthy TV marathon, utilize any of these exercises to break up the prolonged act of sitting with reps of fun. 

1. Sit to stand: For this exercise, you do exactly what it says. You sit, stand up, sit, stand up. Just remember to raise your arms in front of you. 
2. Dips: Place your arms behind you on the sofa to support your weight. Keep your knees bent in front of you, or stick your legs out for a harder workout. Then dip and rise. Dip and rise. 
3. Leg raises: Lay on your back and lift both legs at a time, or lay on your side with your bottom leg bent. Raise the top leg up and down. Perform in slow motion. 

11. Commute to Work

Depending on your job and your location of work, commuting is a great way to get the blood pumping with a workout. Opt for a bike or a brisk stroll from your home to the office each morning and night. Taking public transportation works, too, based on the distances between your home, the train/bus station, and your office. 

12. Chores

Create a chore list that enhances your physique. For example, turn that dishwashing activity into one interspersed with a squat between each dish. Or, insert a few dance moves into a mopping session. Chores don’t have to be a boring way to complete tasks. Spice up the routine.