Joining a gym, buying diet food and other costs can make staying fit seem very pricey to the frugal. However we show you many easy ways of staying fit without spending through the nose.

Keeping fit and healthy is important for all of us. Obesity is on the rise, and with it comes a range of dangerous health problems.

Everybody knows and understands the importance of slimming down, yet we come up with a range of different reasons (excuses) as to why we cannot lose weight. Most of the time people put it down to their busy and hectic schedules.

Working longer hours, traveling to and from work, and commitments to our children are all included as reasons why time (or lack of it) makes it impossible to get fit. There is however another popular reason used for our inability to drop the pounds.

Money

Somehow we have made the connection between money and fitness. Why should money be an issue, and is it possible to be frugal and still stay fit?

Looking at things from the position of someone who needs to lose weight, where do I think the possible costs involved with losing weight and staying fit come in? There are a few places where costs could be incurred:

Gyms - Becoming a member of a gym is a great move when you need to get fit. You have access to running machines, exercise bikes, free weights and various other equipment.

However membership costs money! In fact I had not been a member of a gym for many years, and when I went recently to ask about membership fees the price had almost doubled since I was last there! Being frugal has nothing to do with it! It is just darn expensive to join a gym nowadays!

Diet Food – This is definitely somewhere you can bleed money if you are not careful. The first being special diet food where you eat a diet based solely on the food from that brand. The products are not cheap, and just buying enough food to last a few days can cost as much as a weeks groceries easily!

Clothes - If you get fit after a long period of being out of shape you are going to have to buy a whole new wardrobe, and that will cost money!

Sports cost money – A great way of losing weight and getting fit is to play a sport like tennis or squash. To play those sports at a proper club also costs money. In fact many Tennis clubs are monthly membership only, and can be just as (if not more) expensive than joining a gym!

So these are just 4 areas identified where we show that being frugal and keeping fit do not go together……or do they?

Yes they do! All of the above are correct in terms of cost, but by thinking a little outside the box you can have all the benefits that the above give you, but without having to spend any money.

Here are our tips for being frugal, AND staying fit!

1. Gym replacement! – Instead of spending out on gym membership look for the cheap, and even free ways you can exercise. Walking, jogging, or running are all great ways to get fit, and all of them can get you out in the fresh air.

Why not do it with a friend. That way it’s fun, social and good for you all at the same time.

Swimming is another great form of exercise, in fact some would say the health and weight loss benefits are even better than running or jogging. The good thing is that generally going to a swimming pool will cost much less than going to a gym.

Why not exercise at home or in your garden. You do not need free weights or any fancy gizmo’s to drop the pounds and get fit, because you actually already have one of the best piece’s of fitness equipment at your disposal-You!

Learn some exercises you can do just using your own body weight as resistance. Things like lunges, crunches or press ups are great for fitness, and will provide the perfect alternative for the frugal fitness buff! Do of course check with your doctor before you undertake any new exercise routine.

2. Eat cheap! – Forget buying diet food. In fact eating healthier can be a lot cheaper than not. If you filled your basket with fresh fruit, vegetables, a little lean meat, and some pulses, you would almost always pay less than if you had a basket full of ready meals, processed food, tins, and other packet food.

So, if you are the frugal type then there should really be no excuse for you to not eat healthier food.

3. Clothes – The best advice for the frugal here is to not throw clothes away if you are going to get fit. Just because that blouse or shirt does not fit you now, does not mean it won’t in a few months.

Put the clothes that are now too small for you in a separate wardrobe. Why not even call it your slim cupboard? This way you will stay motivated, and will not have to buy new clothes when you lose the weight!

4. Sports for free! – The same way as there are paid Tennis clubs, there are also many places where you can play sports for free. Look around for your local tennis courts, or playing fields.

As long as you have a big patch of grass you have a world of sports at your disposal for no cost. How much will it cost you to get a few mates down to the park for a game of soccer, or rugby?

How much is a Frisbee? They don’t cost much, and no matter how old you are these are still great fun, and a great form of exercise!

The key here is, money should not get in the way of staying fit. There are paid, and free ways of losing weight and getting fit, and if it suits you and your wallet to go down the more frugal road then so be it.

Just make sure that you do not make money an excuse for not taking action!

This article was written by Timothy Ng who is a regular personal finance writer and part of the team at CreditCardComparison.com.au, a 100% free Australian credit card comparison and application service. Visit the Credit Card Comparison website for more related articles on low interest credit cards.