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Here’s What Happened When I Gave Up My Gym Membership for a Year

By U.S. News & World Report

I used to be a gym rat. Ever since joining my first gym as a senior in high school, I was hooked on weight training and never looked back. In college, I first joined, then worked at, the campus gym. When I graduated, I quickly settled on a gym in New York City. Even when I gave up my membership six and a half years later, it was because I had access to a gym in the building where I worked part-time. For more than 10 years, I couldn’t imagine going a few days — let alone a few weeks — without hitting the gym.

That all changed a little over a year ago when I started working full time on my own business. I couldn’t fathom going back to paying the steep prices for New York City gyms, especially when I had the limited income that comes with starting your own company. Plus, I would be traveling a lot and didn’t want to pay for a gym when I’d barely be around to use it. So, I made the tough call to not rejoin a gym.

[See: 10 Signs You Should Break Up With Your Gym.]

Over a year later, I still don’t have a gym membership and I’m in better shape than ever. My upper body strength has dramatically increased and I’ve lost inches all over. Here’s how I make it work:

1. Take advantage of on-demand workouts.

I used to think I couldn’t get a good workout in my own home. Turns out, I was wrong. With a set of 10-pound dumbbells, a yoga mat and a resistance band, I’m able to get an intense total body workout right in my living room. There are many apps or online workout videos to choose from; these are three of my favorites:

— Nike Training Club: I first used this app years ago while traveling. At the time, I was used to lifting very heavy weights, so I didn’t think I’d even break a sweat. Boy, was I wrong. The 15- minute “get focused” workout left me dripping in sweat and sore for days. This app is like having a personal trainer in your pocket, with audio and visual guidance for every move. There are over 100 workouts, including cardio, interval training, strength training, yoga and more.

— Daily Burn: This website offers a 30-day free trial so you can play around with the workouts and see if you like it. After that, it costs $14.95 per month for unlimited workout videos. There are over 700 workouts you can filter by time, equipment needed, difficulty and more.

— Crunch Live: If you like fitness classes, Crunch’s live online fitness studio is a great choice. They offer a 10-day free trial, then it’s $9.99 per month. Choose from over 85 online workouts inspired by Crunch Gym’s most popular classes, including Pilates, barre workouts, yoga and boot camps. Crunch’s top instructors lead all workouts.

2. Take it outside.

Running outdoors always came naturally to me, but it wasn’t until I gave up my gym membership that I realized how easy it is to make the outdoors your gym. I spend a few days per week doing interval sprints on the running path near my apartment, using an interval timing app to change up the work and rest ratios. For example, I’ll sprint all-out for 20 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds. Changing up the work-to-rest ratio keeps your body guessing. You can also get in a solid strength training workout using your own body weight. Try pushups, triceps dips on a bench, pullups on a tree branch or metal bar, box jumps onto a bench or stone steps, or walking lunges up a hill. If you have access to a set of stairs, sprinting up and down can be a fantastic workout.

[See: The 10 Best Exercises You Can Do for the Rest of Your Life.]

3. Search for online discounts.

During my gym days, I never was a huge fitness class person, in part because I didn’t want to pay for classes when I could plan and carry out workouts on my own. Once I started working out on my own, however, I discovered how many great deals you can get on fitness classes. For instance, the last time I checked Groupon, it was offering a deal at a local boxing gym (three classes for $30), a month of unlimited yoga for $32 and an unlimited month at an independent gym plus two personal training sessions for $29. Living Social and Gilt offer similar options, and you can search by zip code to find deals near you. I use these deals periodically to supplement my home or outdoor workouts.

4. Take advantage of free fitness.

With the weather warming up, free fitness events are popping up everywhere. Check local publications or websites to see what no-cost events are happening near you. If you’re in a major city, you can try out Nike Run Club or search the Fitbit Local website to find free exercise classes happening in your area. In New York City, I take advantage of free yoga in Bryant Park, fun group fitness classes at Athleta in Flatiron, Ironstrength fitness classes with Dr. Jordan Metzl and free boot camp workouts with The Rise NYC. You can even schedule workout dates with friends whose gyms offer guest passes.

[See: 10 Excuses for Not Exercising, and Why They Won’t Fly.]

5. Try the barter system.

If you know people in the fitness industry, ask if you can exchange your professional services for training sessions. I did this last year, when a personal trainer I know was looking for help building his blog content and social media following. I created content for him for four months in exchange for free personal training sessions. Even one session a week can make a big difference in maintaining your fitness.

More from U.S. News

Please Don’t Fall for These Fitness Trends, Experts Beg

How to Be the New Kid in Fitness Class

7 Reasons No One Likes You at the Gym

Here’s What Happened When I Gave Up My Gym Membership for a Year originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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