As you know, I have always believed in being fit. Many people say that a gym membership or exercise equipment is too expensive and they can’t afford to get in shape.

In most cases, I don’t disagree; however, many people sign up for the gym and don’t even go more than a few times or they buy a treadmill and use it to hang their clothing on (sound familiar?)! Both of these things are well intended, but both of them waste money.

Over the past few years, I’ve discovered a huge love of running, as you may know. One reason I started running was because I had a lot of frustration to get rid of but also because I wanted an easy, affordable way to work out. Since it didn’t require any equipment or a gym membership, running was the perfect solution for me. All I need is a pair of good running shoes and off I go! Anyone with enough determination can become a runner. A few tips for first-time runners:

1. It’s very normal to begin by walking fast and gradually increase to a walk-run (walking for a few minutes then running for two minutes, etc.) before eventually acquiring the ability to run for any length of time.
2. Make sure to get yourself a quality pair of comfortable running shoes. Avoiding injury is very important to your future of running!
3. You don’t have to spend any money on workout clothes but if you want to, stores like Sports Authority and Target have great reasonably priced fitness clothes. I buy my favorite sports bras at Target, as a rule. Don’t forget to use a coupon!
4. If you have time, keep a running journal. Write down how far you ran and how long it took. I keep track of my runs with an app on my phone called RunMeter.
5. Eat healthy! Carbs two hours before and protein after your run is helpful for better performance. Think of everything you put in your mouth as running fuel.

So, when people come to me and ask me what to do to lose weight and get started, I always tell them that the cheapest way to get fit is to buy a good pair of shoes and start running. How else can you get fit for $100 or less?

Looking for other fitness deals? See below!

-K8