The great body and enviable curves you see on your favorite celebrities are sure to die for, but that does not mean you have to be as rich as Hollywood royalty to look like them. You too can rock dashboard abs and toned pins, provided you are willing to put in the required effort.

A healthy and fit body not only helps you look great, but is also a barrier against several lifestyle diseases and niggling health issues.

Regular exercise, healthy diet and mental wellbeing are essential if you want your body to stay fit.

One of the biggest problems, if you are on a budget, is the cost of personal training classes and gym memberships. But, do not lose heart because there are several ways to work around these problems, and you sure can sure stay healthy without breaking the bank.

Here are a few tips for you:

1. Save on Gear

So you know that regular exercise is the mantra if you want a great-looking body. Walking and running are simple and highly effective exercises that burn calories, tone cardiovascular muscles, release endorphins, and strengthen ligaments in the body. All that you need to run or walk is the right workout gear.

Running shoes are expensive and so are performance apparel like sports bras and running shorts and tights. Shop online on sites like PlanetGear.com, Athleta.com, DancewearSolutions.com and TheClymb.com that offer heavy discounts on shoes, apparel and exercise equipment. Also, do keep an eye out for coupons and offers that will help you bag free health products like food supplements.

2. Check for Corporate Discounts

Most companies encourage employees to take care of their health and wellbeing as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Enquire if your company has partnered with fitness centers to offer corporate rates to participating employees. The rates will be much cheaper than the regular fees.

Some companies offer to chip in and contribute as much as 60% of your gym membership fees. Also, several companies in high burnout industries reimburse employees in full and strive to promote a health-centric work culture.

3. Hey, There’s an App for It

With the fitness craze catching on, plenty of apps have popped up to help you track your progress and work towards achieving your fitness goals. In addition to tracking apps you can also choose apps that double up as your coaching instructor, dietician and trainer.

21-Day Shred (Apple Store – ‎$4.99) is a fitness app, which provides a 21-day workout and eating plan that strips your body of excess fat and makes your muscles pop. The workout routine is fast-paced and exhausting, but helps you maintain muscle tissue.

Charity Miles, Cyclemeter and FIT Radio are other free apps that you can check out. Cyclemeter is available only in the Apple Store and is great for cycling enthusiasts, whereas Charity Miles and FIT Radio are available for both, iOS and Android phones. FIT Radio gives you the perfect playlist to match every workout routine.

4. Exercise at Home

If you work from home or find it difficult to hit the walking trail every day, then investing in home gym equipment is recommended.

Reasonably-priced multi-purpose equipment will help you follow a good workout routine at home. Rowing exerciser, skipping ropes, exercise weights, resistance bands, and exercise balls are all options that you can consider to stock your home gym with.

A home gym can very well be a room with a flight of stairs as well. Running up and down the stairs works out your cardiovascular system and your muscles. Star jumps, pushups and squats are all great ways to tone the body and burn fat.

5. Cook at Home

A cost-effective, easy and doable trick to staying in shape is to make a shift from eating out to cooking at home. Homemade meals are considerably low in sugar, salt and fat as compared to food that you eat outside.

Also, as mentioned earlier, most fitness apps help you manage calories and limit food intake. Recipes and helpful videos make home cooking easy and healthy. If you work and are hard-pressed for a time during the week, you can use handy meal plans to decide your menu in advance and shop for groceries over the weekend.

Cooking at home will help you save money and feel less hungry at work. Three wholesome meals a day for a week costs much less than what you would spend grabbing snacks and cups of coffee in restaurants. And, you get a fit and toned body in the bargain!

6. Bring Home a Dog

Having a pet dog is a fun, easy and an invigorating way to adopt a more active lifestyle and lose weight.

Taking your dog for long walks or runs is great for strengthening your bond and also gives you and your mutt a good workout. Jogging along with your dog or going for uphill walks will help tone your body and workout your muscles. For walking/running very active breeds, you can ride a bike or a skateboard. Remember that exercise is extremely important for your dog to stay physically and mentally fit.

It is best to stick to a regular routine as far as exercising your dog is concerned. Morning walks are best to burn pent up energy in your dog as well as to boost circulation and stimulate good hormones in humans. Over time, your dog will get used to the routine, and will whine, nudge and coax you out of the bed on days when you feel lazy. Treat this as motivation to step outdoors and start moving.

Pets are expensive, but they can enrich and enliven your life like no other. So, getting a dog can be more of an investment in your well being than otherwise.

Conclusion

Achieving a fit body is hard work, and so is maintaining one. But with the right approach, willingness to learn, persistence and hard work, you will be able to build the physique of your dreams. And you will be surprised to know that it does not cost you a lot of money either.

(Featured Image via pixabay)