Connect with us

Fitness

Running – Getting Fit on a Budget

Published

on

If you want to become fitter and healthier, running is a really great option. Let me take a minute of your time to explain what it is about running that makes it so good and why if you are serious about getting fit and healthy you should give it a go.

The main reason that running is so good is because of how affordable and cost-effective it is to do. It doesn’t require you to sign any contracts for long-term gym memberships, it doesn’t require any expensive equipment and you can continue to do it no matter your location. All of these points make it a much better option than many other exercises that people choose to do. This is because it requires next to no money, the only things you will need to spend money on for running is petrol, for getting you to locations to start your run from, and some very basic gear that you will need.

Another great thing about running is that the changes to your diet that you will need to make do not come at a high cost. You can buy and eat all the right foods at a really small price and still become really good at running. This is not the case for things like bodybuilding, which require a high number of very large meals in order to excel at it.

Here are the basic foods that you will need for running. None of them are expensive and they don’t take long to prepare either, which saves a lot of time in the grand scheme of things.

Cheap And Essential Foods For Running

Pasta – Pasta is an incredibly cheap source of carbohydrates, which are essential for running as they are what supply the body with energy. Slow-releasing sources of carbohydrates are more suited towards long-distance running as they release their energy over a long period of time. This makes sure that runners have a steady supply of energy for the duration of their run. Preparing it doesn’t take long either, most pasta takes no longer than 12 minutes to cook to perfection.

 Bananas – All runners should include some sort of fruit in their diet and bananas are a perfect choice. They are cheap to buy and take zero preparation time – all you need to do is peel them and off you go. They are a superb source of energy and contain a high amount of potassium, which is fundamental for the muscles to contract.

 Lean Beef – Lean meats have very small fat content compared to other kinds of meat. Lean beef is also packed with protein, used for growth and repair, and full of iron, which can help to fight fatigue, which is a common problem for runners. If lean beef is too expensive you can opt for standard beef. This is still high in protein but contains a much higher fat content.

Low-Fat Yogurt – Bananas can be added to low-fat yogurt to make an ideal cheap meal for runners. Low-fat yogurt is high in protein and calcium, which are both essential things for runners. It requires zero preparation as well, simply take it out of the fridge and eat it.

Broccoli – Broccoli and other green vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which are essential to runners. This is because they help to fight free radicals that can cause damage to the body. When cooking broccoli it is a much better idea to steam it rather than boiling it as this makes sure that the highest amount of nutrients stays within the broccoli.

Minimum Gear?

As was mentioned earlier one of the only costs of running is the basic gear that you will need. There isn’t much you really need, there are loads of running gear out there but you don’t need most of it.

The main things that you will need for running are a comfy pair of shoes that you can run in (they don’t necessarily have to be running shoes) and some light clothes that will keep you warm when you are out. You may want some additional things such as something to hold your music player but a comfy pair of shoes and some warm clothing are the bare minima.

If you want to get fit and healthy but are on a budget why not give running a go? It costs very little and you can do it absolutely anywhere. The food you need for it is also very cheap, which isn’t the case for many other sports.