Exercise and Staying Fit in a Recession

So what does exercise and staying fit have to do with the recession looming in the U.S economy? It has plenty to do with coping through these stressful times. Neglecting exercise causes health problems which leads to more expense when things are financially tough. You can save tremendously on healthcare costs by doing everything you can to remain healthy and exercise is crucial. Let’s look at some tips for keeping yourself fit in a recession:

If you don’t exercise your health will deteriorate. This is especially true as you get older. During the stress of a recession, those who have a job will be looking for a better job and those who were laid off will be looking for another job. This can mean that the person will spend many hours in front of a computer sending off resumes and writing cover letters to the different job boards. Sitting in front of the computer for hours on end with no exercise can create circulation and weight problems.

You don’t need to enroll in an expensive gym to exercise. You don’t need more expense during a recession. Did you know that you could exercise every day totally for free? Walking every day doesn’t cost a dime. Doing sit-ups and push-ups before going to bed are totally free. Don’t add to your recession stress by making investments where you see no return. Going to a gym or fitness center takes time and if you don’t follow through with it, you’ve lost all that money.

Don’t worry too much. The news about the recession and all of the layoffs can be worrisome but you would be better off putting your energy into some exercise. Worry can lead to inactivity which can cause weight gain.

But I don’t have the time to exercise. Ask yourself if you will have the time to stay in the hospital when you start to develop health problems because of being overweight or stressed out. Even if you have not lost your job yet, health insurance copays for hospital stays can be quite steep.

Dump those cigarettes. And anything else that is extremely expensive and bad for your health. To get through a recession or a job loss, you have to cut corners. Smoking causes you to go to the doctor more. You pick up more colds and have more stomach problems. Smoking costs productive time. In fact, when companies start to target employees for layoffs, you can be certain that the smokers are at the top of the candidate list. If you consider that 1 cigarette burns for 7 minutes and the habitual smoker consumes 10 of them in a day then 70 minutes of work time are lost each day.

If you are going to buy exercise machines, get them at yard sales. Remember that things are tough in the U.S. economy and one must be frugal when in the middle of a recession. You can pick up some very nice bargains at yard sales on exercise equipment. This is because most Americans get exercise equipment and it just sits in the garage or a spare room never used. When times get tough like in a recession, the exercise equipment is the first to go on sale on the front lawn.

Ride your bike and walk a little. By doing so you will not only get your exercise but you will also save tremendously during the recession on the high cost of gasoline.