5 budget-friendly ways to stay fit and active
Exercise benefits people of all ages. For older adults, keeping fit and limber becomes even more important to stay healthy in body and mind. Regular exercise can be varied, fun and achieved on a small budget.
When choosing budget-conscious exercises, the following tips can spice up your activity:
- find what you enjoy and switch if you get bored
- invite friends and family
- plan ahead to stay motivated
Here are some handy tips for staying active while being mindful of the effects on your bank account.
1. Walking
For many, walking is accessible, only requiring comfortable shoes and clothing. You could keep a brisk pace to increase your heart rate and choose a route where you can add stairs, hills, and nature paths. Ontario has lots of free, scenic trails including the popular Bruce Trail and Toronto’s Leslie Street Spit Trail. Walking is a great opportunity to listen to music or an audiobook.
2. Yoga
Yoga offers gentle, low-impact activity with huge benefits for muscle strength, balance, and mobility. For a modified workout, chair yoga is a great option. There’s a good chance you’ll find free, outdoor yoga classes for all ages and abilities in your area. And in many cases, you can just drop in. From home, tuning in to a live-streamed yoga session is another convenient and affordable choice.
3. Strength Training
Strength training is crucial for older adults to maintain muscle mass, strengthen bones, and improve brain function. You can do strength-training activities at home with minimal equipment, using common objects found in your home. For a full-body workout, you can use a chair, a small towel, a wall and some cans or bottles. Add to this your own bodyweight and your creative brain, and you will have enough options to provide months of challenges. If you want the social experience of a gym club, check for free passes at community facilities.
4. Racquet Sports
You don’t have to be a professional sports figure to enjoy, and benefit from, various racquet sports. One of the fastest growing of these sports in North America is pickleball and it’s free or low cost in many places. Join a league, meet new people, and get a great workout. For a faster pace, try table tennis. Nizagara 100 mg https://tyackdentalgroup.com/nizagara
5. Group Fitness Classes
Regular class exercises with others lets you plug into the energy of the group to stay motivated and healthy. A most affordable option is to invite friends over and register for an online class. You’ll have no trouble finding classes tailored to different levels of fitness and mobility.
Attending organized classes, run by a qualified instructor at a gym or community centre might give you extra motivation to commit and expand your social life. These types of classes range from cycle fitness to low-impact body movement, cardio workouts, and tai chi. It’s easy to find a wide variety of exercise options in one place.
Remember you can add exercise into your daily life. Take the stairs, go for a walk if you are able, or try a few stretches while watching your favourite television show. There are a number of programs for older adults available at your local YMCA Health and Fitness Centre and free virtual exercise options at The Bright Spot.
We hope you check them out.
The YMCA of Greater Toronto is a charity that provides financial assistance to provide individuals with access to critical YMCA programs and services they otherwise could not afford.
