Free ways to lose weight and avoid paying expensive gym memberships

You don’t need to fork out on personal trainers and gym memberships, says MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry

We all know we should move a little more and look after ourselves to protect against future ailments.

But if the idea of paying a chunk of money each month to a gym membership you hardly use puts you off, don’t fret! There are loads of ways you can get fit for free or cheap, which is especially good for those starting out on their health journey who might not have the confidence to go to the gym just yet, too.

Find something you enjoy

Before we look at what you can do to get fit for free, here’s the best bit of advice you can follow: find something that you love doing. For some people that might be running or dance, for others it could be lifting heavy things.

It can take some time to find the right thing, too – so stick at it and try lots of different activities. But when you’ve found something you love, you’ll find it so much easier to get out and do it even on the days you don’t feel like exercising. Consistency is the key to good health – and that is much easier if you love what you’re doing to keep fit!

Start with walking

Walking is free, can be done anywhere at any time, and is easy to fit around a busy day. Start with incidental walks – get off the bus a few stops earlier, park at the far end of the car park, walk around while you’re talking on the phone. Meet up with a friend or ask a colleague to join you for a lunchtime walk to get your steps in together while getting some social time in, too.

The ideal walking pace is to keep a conversation while being slightly out of breath while talking, so going with a friend is a good way to test this! You can also look into local walking clubs or join a hiking group if you want to tackle more challenging walks in the mountains and rolling countryside the UK has to offer. For serious walking, you will need some basic gear, such as proper walking shoes. But getting started takes the trainers in your cupboard, a spare ten minutes here and there, and if you want, a good podcast or music on your headphones!

Join a run club

If you want something more fast paced than walking, or you’re ready to take your walking experience up a notch, running is great cardio. You will need some proper trainers for this, but that’s your only outlay – and it will save you risking painful injuries, so it’s worth investing in a good pair.

Local run clubs vary in style – some are for advanced runners, but many welcome beginners and have people who run at all paces. You might need to try a few to find a group of people you connect with, but when you find the right group for your running pace and fitness level, it’s a fantastic way to be sociable while getting fit. Having a regular meeting each week also helps you keep your commitment, as you’re accountable to others who expect you to turn up.

Dance at home

There’s nothing more mood-boosting than having a quick boogie. And it’s really easy to get a few dance breaks in during the day, too. Anything that raises your pulse and gets you a little out of breath is going to help on your fitness journey, so make it fun with dance!

Dance (carefully) while you brush your teeth, while you’re waiting for the air fryer to cook your dinner, or while you’re hoovering. Stick on your favourite upbeat music and get yourself moving. It’s a really fun way to get together with the family, too – why not make up a dance routine together, or have a family dance-off?

Do bodyweight workouts

You don’t need heavy dumbbells or fancy equipment to get fit. Your own bodyweight is a great place to start. There are lots of calisthenics exercises that can be made progressively harder, so you can work hard with your bodyweight for a long time into your get-fit revolution.

You can also add resistance bands, which can be found for under £10 for a set, to add some extra difficulty to your workouts. Bodyweight workouts don’t have to be for super muscley aims either – there are lots of workouts available for people with limited mobility to help with staying mobile and building strength. Look online for free calisthenics workouts on YouTube to get started!

Join a green gym

If you love being outdoors, doing some good, and getting fit at the same time, a green gym is perfect for your fitness choice! Green gyms help in their communities by turning up to improve green spaces. This might be helping a school create a new allotment, planting wildflower seeds on grass verges, or even helping community centres with the upkeep of their garden. You meet with your fellow green gymers each time too, which means you’ll build a social circle of like-minded people, too.

Go for a swim

Swimming is one of the most affordable activities anyone can do to get fit. Local authority pools in your area will have some adult classes or free swim times, and at affordable prices compared to private leisure centres. Aquarobics is a popular class for many, as it’s a joint-friendly workout that helps improve your fitness without putting stress on your hips and knees. Your local pool might also have more advanced swim classes or groups to join, so it’s worth asking to find out what’s on.

Make the most of free passes

Finally, if you want to test the waters in the world of gym activities, check out the options available at your local gyms. You will often find great deals and discounts like free day, two-day, or even week-long passes to tempt people to signing up to a membership – and it means you can try different gyms before you commit.

You can also check out pay as you go classes, which make getting fit more affordable while you’re in the process of finding the activity that motivates you to move. Some gyms and leisure centres will offer short-term options such as block buying classes for a discount or a month-long pass without a membership, which is a perfect way to try things out before you decide to join a gym.

Some of the brands and websites we mention may be, or may have been, a partner of MoneyMagpie.com. However, we only ever mention brands we believe in and trust, so it never influences who we prioritise and link to.