No Money - Advice?

Hi All,

I'm studying full time and can't afford to join a gym. What exercises/routines would you recommend for a practically broke student?? I lost a heap of weight just running last year but I was still all flabby and soft. So something that would 'condition' my body. I've heard about circuit training and jumping rope?? I don't know. Help! Anyone???

 Basic bodyweight calisthenics and improvised weights will take you very far if you're willing to put in the work.

 Mind you, a strength/conditioning program with proper weights will be more convenient and faster, but people have been exercising long before the advent of modern barbells. There's Egyptian art from the time of the Pyramids depicting people training with sand bags and heavy rocks ;)

 Check out this home bodyweight workout and/or some of Paige's options like Total Body for Beginners (graduate to Total Body for Beginners 2 after 4 weeks) - you can mix and match exercises from those options after a while to keep things interesting. You can also improvise weights - check out the "weights" I started with for one example. Since you're a student I presume you have both books and a backpack - a backpack full of books makes for a great improvised dumbbell, so does a shopping bag with water bottles, assorted random furniture, small children and any other movable objects you can pick up and transport ;)

Melkor - since the question of equipment-less workouts comes up a lot, perhaps a link could be added to the stickied FAQs?

There's also Cosgrove's Your Body Is a Barbell for bodyweight exercises

Good point ;)

Excellent! Thanks Melkor, and while I have you here.. Does it matter that there's not a whole lot of protein in my diet? Isn't it important to have some in your diet while you're doing this kind of stuff?.. Protein has got to be the most expensive macronutrient :(...

Depends on what you're doing for diet and exercise - protein needs are all over the map from 0.8g/kg for the sedentary population to 1.8g/kg for strength trainees and dieters.

 Helps to not have a whole lot of lean mass there - the average 110lbs woman should aim for about 90g/d (110lbs/2.2lbs/kg=50kg, 50kg*1.8g/kg=90g), adjust up or down with (1.8g/2.2lbs=)0.8g per pound you're higher or lower. Once protein needs are filled and you've got your quota of essential fatty acids the composition of the rest of your diet doesn't matter; there's no reason to be carb-phobic. 

 One can of tuna has roughly 1/3rd of your daily protein needs and the tales of mercury are very much overblown as far as canned tuna is concerned as long as you don't live off 3 cans a day or something. And eggs are pretty cheap; oatmeal has a lot of protein for a grain, and milk is always nice.

I suggest getting a workout DVD or two and doing them. I like the Biggest Loser's Cardio workout and their Power Sculpt. I had to quit them for quite a while because I have/had(/wish I didn't have) bad knees...but since you mentioned that you ran, you obviously don't have huge problems with the knees.

The cardio workout, at least level one, is great.  About 20 minutes and you feel like you've worked out your entire body.  I usually followed that with the Power Sculpt workout to 'tone'.  In less than an hour, I got sculpting/toning and cardio done.  Of course, you can separate the workouts if you need breaks from studying (I know I always did).

Lots of pushups help sculpt the shoulder/arm area...I usually do Jillian Michael's "deck of cards" workout while I watch TV.  Pull a card, and do the reps on the card.  Face cards are ten reps, and aces grant you one minute of rest.  Spades are reverse crunches, clubs are crunches/situps, diamonds are pushups, and hearts are squats/lunges/arm weights (bad knees means I'd rather not do lunges) or whatever other calisthentic recommended in above posts.  This workout gets you 84 reps of each...and is a pretty decent workout.  Just remember you have to pull the cards one after another...no resting until you hit the ace!

Ok.  I am good at chiming in late.

I don't have the money to join a gym either.  I do exercise videos.  There are some that use light hand weights.  My hubby was telling me the other day that he could see that my butt was firming up.  I have noticed that I am starting to see more definition in my arm.  I have been losing 1-2.5 lbs. a week when I am persistent and make sure that I do it 5 or 6 days a week.

 A lot of people have had great results with p90x.  I've been doing it for about a month.  All you really need is a resistence band for about $20.  If you could afford a pull-up bar for $40, that would be good as well.  The program takes about 75 min/day 6 days a week.  It's not a weight loss system, but a way to get a relatively fit person in excellent condition.

This forum has a lot of before & after pictures...http://forums.teambeachbody.com/groupee/forum s/a/tpc/f/5082996357/m/1801096661

Technically the program costs about $120, but if you are really hard up you can technically just download them off of the Internet

Original Post by gorgeous_jen:

Excellent! Thanks Melkor, and while I have you here.. Does it matter that there's not a whole lot of protein in my diet? Isn't it important to have some in your diet while you're doing this kind of stuff?.. Protein has got to be the most expensive macronutrient :(...

Tuna packs quite a punch.  Right now I am eating a Clover Leaf Lemon & Pepper Flaked Light Tuna right from the can.  It has 18 grams of protein with a total of 110 calories ($1) and it tastes great.  Later today I am having a Clover Leaf Fresh Thai Herb Yellowfin Tuna Steak with 24 grams of protien with a total of 140 calories ($1.80).

We go hiking. Pack a heavy bag, bring a snack and climb some hills (or mountains). This burns a tremendous amount of calories, builds muscle and is fun. Besides, it is also a great stress reliever--would be a nice break from studying. 

I've heard that a full water bottle is equal to 1 lb.  and if you use sand you can get a 2 lb. weight (if you live by the shore, it's free).  Also, you mentioned that you were a student, try the library.  I'm sure you can borrow exercise dvds which is free!

Simply walking is an amazing way to stay fit! I walk daily for an hour and a half (sometimes more when I am feeling peppy) and it seems to be good cardio. The best part is all you have to do in order to walk is step outside... or even inside (if there are lots of stairs & room - ha ha) 

Jumping rope is also a good one! A Total Calorie Torcher & Butt Shaper for sure!!! 

And if you have a lot of canned food around you can do arm curls with them! 

What could also be contributing to your "flabby & soft" self is perhaps what you're eating? I know you are on a tight budget but looking at the ingredients you are eating is still very important! 

I agree with giasbash, walking is a great way to get fit.  That's pretty much all of my cardio (I walk 3-3.5mph for an hour (trying to be) daily).  Walk uphill that fast--you'll definitely feel a burn in your thighs and your butt.  Is there a playground nearby? You can use your own body weight for resistance...at a playground near my house there are parallel bars that I do dips on (I weight about 140 and can do 5 reps in a row *happy*), i use the jungle gym and horizontal bars for chin-ups/flexed arm hangs.  Jumping rope and hula hooping are also good to do.

I am a student and money is tight for me, too.  If your school has a football or basketball (or any other sports) team, you should check out your college's gym.  I always thought one had to be on a sports team to use it, but that's not true.  If you pay tuition, the gym is for you, too.  My school's athletic trainers were happy to help me get started on a program. 

Yeah I love walking. It's just that I don't have the luxury of devoting a whole hour of my time per day to walking. Plus walking doesn't do anything to build strength or anything.. and there aren't any hills to walk up here.

Hahaha. Sport? I wish! Obviously you're not aware you're talking to the most uncoordinated person.. ever.

I checked and there aren't any exercise dvds at my uni's library... and you have to pay for membership to the gym :O

After exams I will put all of your advice to work ;)

You can also find tons of exercise videos on YouTube.

If you want to go video route try your local library - I used to check out a dvd a week and if I found one I really liked would invest in it (buy it)

There are so many ways to build muscles with no weights- push ups dips and stuff as Melkor linked

Cheap sources of protein for me - eggs I have egg beaters (1 cup) for breakfast wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla 200 cals 32 grms protein and 12 grms fiber.  I also hard boil eggs add 2 egg whites to a can of tuna and protein up the wazoo. Chicken breasts are great too - oh and cottage cheese excellent 13- 14 grms per 1/2 cup serving - Peanut butter is cheap but fat content high and also high calories.

I find if I don't do enough protein I get very hungry and crave junk.  I try for my body weight in protein grams each day but I'm following the New Rules of Lifting guide - but I don't do protein supplements / shakes very often due to the cost.