For the month of April, I would like to introduce you to a fellow fitness enthusiast, Eudora (@Eudorable). A Vancity girl with a passion to run with her adorable pup by her side, I had the pleasure of meeting her and having her participate in one of my fitness classes. She has an excellent blog that showcases the lighter side of things (in terms of expense). Go ahead Eudora...take it from here."
Take it from me; you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a good sweat going! I believe in getting regular exercise and improving health and wellness, but not having to pay excessive amounts to do so. Though gym memberships and classes are great, there are cheaper alternatives that are easy to do as long as you have the motivation to “go play outside!”
Exercise
The outdoors is a great place to get your sweat on – whether it’s by running, walking, hiking, swimming or playing a sport. Most of these activities don’t have to cost you anything, and you still can get a great workout.
Or why not make the most out of your commute to work and turn it into a workout of its own? If you’re sitting at a desk all day at work, any exercise throughout the day would definitely be beneficial. This is a one of the main reasons why I ride my bike to work (that and it’s only a 15 minute ride there and 25 minute ride back!) Though it will cost you money to buy a bike, it’s a great long-term investment that will help improve your health and wellness without any additional costs.
You also have cheaper options when it comes to buying workout clothes/gear, because who doesn’t love to look good in pro tech clothes and gear while working up a sweat? I definitely do, but within a budget. Fortunately, there are many places that have workout gear that look great and are more than half the price of what you’d pay at other places! Here are some places to check out for awesome deals:
The gear
Winners – You can find brands like Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Sally Hansen, Asics and New Balance at Winners, all at discounted prices. Sometimes you have to do a bit of digging around the racks, but trust me it’s worth it to find that jacket, shorts, tech shirt, hat or running tights at such a great price.
USA outlets – I never buy runners here in Canada, because I can find them for $50-$60 at the outlets, namely the notoriously cheap Seattle Premium Outlets in Tulalip, WA. If you love having a variety of runners and in different styles and colors, but you don’t want to spend $100 per pair, I recommend saving your runners shopping for your next trip down South!
Joe Fresh – more commonly known as “the Superstore brand”, Joe Fresh surprisingly has a wide collection of clothes that cater to the active lifestyle. I will say that it’s a hit or miss sometimes, because sometimes they have a lot of good stuff on sale, but other times, it’s lacking.
American Eagle – Though it’s not known primarily for workout apparel, from time to time I find a running jacket, sweat pants, sports bras or running tights (the latter 3 are from AE’s sister brand, Aerie). AE has a great selection of clearance items, so make sure to check once in awhile to see if there are any affordable exercise clothes you like.
So even if you’re on a tight budget, there are no excuses! If you follow my suggestions and tips, you can still workout to get that perfect bod and wear gear that will help motivate you and make you feel confident. But remember, at the end of the day, it starts with you!
If you want to read about more ways to save money on both fitness and fashion, check out my personal blog www.eudorable.com and follow me on Twitter: @eudorable.
