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How Can I Lose Weight Without Spending Money
Americans spend more than 33 billion dollars each year on weight-loss products. It’s a big market and for obvious reasons.
Two of the biggest things that Americans focus on when setting goals are losing weight and saving money. These constantly rank high when people are looking at ways to improve their lives and make big changes in their environments.
These are both lofty goals. But to do them consecutively? Even more challenging. But, with some creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking, you can find plenty of ways to lose weight while not letting it affect your bank account.
1. Get Outside
Perhaps one of the best ways to lose weight and not spend money is to find ways to exercise outside. Whether you like to walk, hike, or enjoy a nice bike ride, being in the great outdoors will give you a great chance to be physical while burning some calories. And, being outside it’s completely free!
2. Watch Exercise Videos
For the times when you can’t take your routine outside, another great way to make sure you’re still losing weight is to get online. No, not to sit and watch cat videos.
There are tons of videos on the internet that will take you through various exercise routines, and it won’t cost you a dime. Whether you want to do yoga, aerobics, weight training, or some other sort of exercise, the internet is a great place to find what you’re looking for.
3. Use What You Already Have
When you decide you want to lose weight but don’t want to spend money to do it, think about what resources you have available. So often we have more at our disposal than we realize.
Do you have old weight equipment in your garage or basement? How about a treadmill that can be dusted off or a bicycle you haven’t ridden for a while. Think hard about what you already have that you may not be using and see if you can put it to use now.
4. Enlist a Pal
Studies show that those who work out with another person lose more weight than those who don't. And it’s not surprising, given two are usually better than one.
When you have a workout buddy, you are held to a different level of accountability. Whether you work out together, or just check in, having another person on your workout journey with you is a great way to keep up your weight loss and won’t cost you anything. In fact, your partner may also be in a place of trying to find ways of working out, without spending money. Together, you may come up with some ideas that you (or I!) haven’t already thought of.
5. Walk! Walk! Walk!
Though this one may seem similar to the “get outside” suggestion, let’s think even deeper than that.
Walking has been proven to be one of the best forms of exercise we can do for our bodies. It’s adaptable to just about any body type, it’s low impact yet effective at burning calories, and it can be done just about anywhere, at any pace, at any time.
But don’t just think about getting outside to walk. There are lots of other ways you can incorporate more walking into your day, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking your car farther away, or even standing while you do chores that you might have sat to do before, like folding laundry or paying bills. Walking is easy on the body and the budget.
6. Change Your Diet
Here’s another great suggestion that will not only help you lose weight but will also keep some cash in your pocket.
A lot of the foods we consume on a regular basis are not only high in calories but are also high in price. Anything that is pre-cut, pre-made, or pre-packaged is going to cost more, and will also probably contain more calories.
If you are wanting to lose weight, get into the habit of buying foods that are healthy and low in calories. Fresh fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and brown rice are all foods that are good for weight loss.
Some may argue that fruits and vegetables are expensive, as are lean proteins, like chicken breast. In truth, they are often not as expensive as you think and are definitely cheaper than buying red meat or pre-cut produce. You can find great foods that will help you shed pounds and not break your budget.
7. Journal It
Okay, this one might sound weird, but hear me out.
Keeping a journal isn’t for everyone. But – keeping a food journal will help you stay accountable for what you’ve eaten, and how much you’ve exercised and allow you to have a place to record your progress.
Even if you aren’t typically a journal-keeper, writing about your weight loss journey will help you see how far you’ve come and give you context during the process. And, not only is journaling free, it gives you something to do that doesn’t include standing in the kitchen, thinking about food.
8. Stand More - Sit Less
This one is similar to the idea of walking more but is even more practical…and doable.
Americans are living a more sedentary lifestyle than ever before. We sit in front of computers for work, sit in front of televisions for pleasure and drive almost everywhere in our cars. Moving our bodies is not the norm – it’s almost a challenge to find ways to do so.
But, if you are intent on losing weight and are looking for ways to do so without spending money, the simple act of standing more and sitting less will make a difference.
Get creative with this one. How can you incorporate more standing into your daily lifestyle? Can you stand while doing mundane tasks that in the past you would sit down while you did them? Can you suggest a brisk walk around the office or outside at your next staff meeting? What about standing while watching your daughter’s soccer game?
Standing is great for your posture, easy on your back, and will keep those calories burning faster than sitting will. And, like everything else on this list, it won’t cost you a dime.
9. Increase Your Sleep
Another freebie, sleep is a wonderful way to help with your weight loss plan.
Study after study has proven that not only does sleep help with our mental and physical functions, it helps with weight loss as well.
Sleep does so much more for our bodies than we realize. Getting adequate sleep helps with brain function, repairs sore and tired muscles and tissues, and allows our bodies to restore themselves. It also helps with metabolic functions that lead to weight loss and keeps us from making bad food choices the following day.
10. Decrease Eating Out
Finally, perhaps one of the biggest changes that will benefit both your waistline and your budget is when you decrease how many meals you eat outside your home.
We all know that food is a big part of our budget, but when you prepare and eat more of your meals at home, you will save a substantial amount of money…and calories as well.
Restaurants are in the business of making their food taste good, so oftentimes they add in all sorts of fats to give their food the flavors we crave. And, those added ingredients come at a cost, to your weight and your budget.
When trying to lose weight, eat as many meals as you can at home. This way, you will control what goes into the food and the portions you put on your plate. You will also see your food dollars stretch farther.
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