3 Cheap Ways Bust Body Fat — And Why It’s Worth the Effort

Do you keep telling yourself that you can’t afford to lose weight? While it’s true that a limited budget makes it harder to afford personal trainers and diet plans, these things aren’t necessary for healthy weight loss. There’s a lot you can do to lose body fat without spending a fortune. When you do, you’ll do more than save money on weight loss — you’ll improve your health too.

Why Excess Body Fat Is a Big Problem

A high body fat percentage is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and early mortality. Excess fat also interferes with sleep. Obesity is the biggest risk factor for sleep apnea and has even been linked to restless legs syndrome. Since sleep deprivation also makes it harder to lose weight, this can be the start of a vicious cycle of sleep loss and weight gain.

How to Test Body Fat Percentage Cheaply

The numbers on the scale aren’t the best indicator of body fat. While people who are overweight or obese tend to have too much body fat, even slim people can carry excess fat, STAT News explains. People who carry excess fat around their midsection are especially at risk regardless of their body weight. That’s because visceral fat “can surround vital organs like the pancreas, liver, and intestines,” according to Harvard Medical School.

If you’re not sure if you have a healthy amount of fat, use body calipers to test your body composition. With options under $15, body calipers are the cheapest way to measure body fat percentage. You can do skin fold testing at home, but consistency is key for accurate results.

As far as the ideal amount of body fat, 6 percent to 24 percent is considered healthy for men, while women should aim for a body fat percentage between 14 percent and 31 percent.

3 Cheap Ways to Lose Fat

Skip the Expensive Diet Trends

From diet pills to celebrity meal plans, there’s a whole industry around weight loss. But these fads are expensive, ineffective, and sometimes dangerous.

What you eat is important for weight loss, but you’ll have more success if you focus on your personal nutritional needs rather than the latest trends. That may mean cutting back on processed foods, practicing portion control, or switching from soda to water, but it shouldn’t involve eliminating food groups or severely restricting calories without talking to your doctor first.

Once you’ve developed a healthy meal plan, use free tools to stick with it. MyFitnessPal, MyPlate Calorie Tracker, and Lose It! are three free apps for healthy weight loss. If you want a fitness tracker, skip the expensive Fitbit and Apple watch and buy a budget-friendly alternative like the Garmin Vivofit 3 instead.

Design a Budget-Friendly Workout Routine

Losing weight is important if you’re overweight or obese, but that’s not all you need to change your body composition. You also need to build muscle. Muscle fights frailty and increases your metabolism so it’s easier to maintain a healthy weight.

You don’t need an expensive gym membership or fancy home gym equipment to lose fat and gain muscle. Affordable workout equipment such as pull-up bars, free weights, and resistance bands let you work out for cheap at home. If you’re on the hunt for affordable workout clothes and sneakers, check out Nike. Between flash sales, Nike coupons, and cashback offers, it’s easy to get what you need without spending a lot.

Before designing your fitness routine, schedule a fitness assessment with Dynamic Fitness & Medical Training. These fitness professionals offer medically guided fitness training so that you can optimize your workout.

Focus on Fit, Not Weight

You could buy a fancy digital scale that tracks your weight and even syncs with your fitness tracker, but scales aren’t the best tool for measuring body fat. If you want a cheap and easy way to keep an eye on body fat, pay attention to how your clothes fit. Taking photos in your favorite outfits is an easy (and free!) way to monitor how your body composition changes over time. If you want a more streamlined way to track your body progress, try the free Progress app which uses selfies to log your fat loss journey.

Whether you’re a healthy weight or overweight, excess body fat poses a big threat to your well-being. Instead of assuming that weight loss and strength training are out of reach, get creative with affordable ways to fight fat and build a healthier body. For more help and tips on getting in shape contact Dynamic Fitness & rehabilitation in Tampa Florida for your muscle activation and personal training needs.

This article was written in collaboration with Sheila Johnson