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It's that time of year again. You've consumed your own body weight in mince pies and gin, while the most strenuous exercise in weeks was a sozzled bout of dancing on New Year's Eve. It's resolution time, and somewhere near the top of your list is adopting a more healthy, active lifestyle.
Such resolutions traditionally also lead to new gym memberships – also known as the forking out of large sums of money to alleviate indolence guilt. In a recession, pouring money down a communal shower's plughole may seem even less appealing, and according to Mintel the average gym membership in 2009 cost £442. That's about £37 per month, with some chains charging significantly more than that.
So perhaps it's no wonder that 23 per cent of consumers say they have already cancelled their gym membership, with a further 6 per cent saying they plan to do so, according to the report, which is out this week.
Home gym
"A home gym is the most cost-effective way of keeping fit, but it comes at price: motivation," says Ray Klerck, a personal trainer. "You have to be diligent about training, otherwise your fitness purchases – and your expanding belly – will soon be gathering dust."
But you don't need to fork out for high-end equipment. There are plenty of accessories that aren't too pricey but will help make your workout more effective and more interesting. A set of dumbbells can cost under £50 – Punsheon advises not to bother with expensive names, as "a lot of the time, you're paying for the brand". And weights can slot into your lifestyle: do some reps while you wait for the pasta to boil or while watching TV. Swiss balls cost around £15 and can add a little 'boing' to abs training and improve core stability and balance. At only about £10, a skipping-rope will help you add bursts of high-energy cardio to your workout, aiding weight loss while taking up almost no space and no cash.
If your budget is bigger, Punsheon recommends TRX bands: "They give you a whole body workout – you could even survive on just that one bit of kit. They cost about £100, but they are equivalent to the whole gym." Just attach the suspension straps to a steady point (like a doorframe), says Punsheon, and you'll have installed "the hottest piece of kit in the industry" in your own home.
