SWEETIESAL

I've gone from couch potato to gym aficionado in the past year so when I read that one of the first things people give up when faced with having to tighten the purse strings is their gym membership, it got me thinking!

In a survey conducted by Legal and General people have voted with their feet by stating that their gym membership would be the first luxury they gave up. Now, obviously, keeping fit doesn't have to go hand in hand with a gym membership as there are lots of ways you can keep fit for free!

I think for me, an easy thing to start with would be walking, jogging, running and basically just getting up and out. I never would have thought I would have recommended this back in the day, but having recently had to take up a spot of running before the Manchester 10K, I have a new appreciation for getting out and about rather than sweating it out in the gym!

If weights are more your bag then don't think that no gym membership equals no weight lifting! For those of you who need lighter weights, tins, water bottles and resistance bands can be thrifty ways of pumping iron at home. If you usually lift something a little more weighty than a tin of beans, then fear not, you can use body weight as a tool very effectively!

It's also worth bearing in mind how useful the internet can be in terms of picking up free workouts, you can access yoga, pilates and other exercise classes virtually on YouTube. Staying fit definitely starts in the kitchen so check out online recipe forums and cancelling that gym membership doesn't need to be a big deal!

Back in the day I would have just thought, ah well no more gym, but since going to the gym and enjoying it then I definitely think there is no excuse to stop keeping fit! You just have to be creative...!