Thrifty Thursday-Tin Can Gym

We try to efficiently use what we have with regard to everything from
food to fuel to clothes and toiletries.
It's more than just making do for me,
I enjoy the challenge of thinking outside the box
to create what I need in my life,
or what can enhance my experiences.

Exercise has been a part of my life for many years.
The long lasting practices of yoga and a daily walk have helped me to sustain a healthy lifestyle.
Bike riding is a family activity that we all relish.
Recently, running has been added to some of my free time.

Having been diagnosed with osteoporosis last year,
it became clear that strength training would be necessary
in order for me to improve the health of my bones.
With no need to spend money on a gym membership,
it was easy enough to devise a workout routine for very little cost.

Enter  
The Tin Can Gym.





With the assistance of these cans from our pantry,
an exercise ball we had lying around,
and a good book from our local library,
I was able to fashion a workout program that was challenging and fun.

Now, being a thrifter and yard-saler, I know that weights can often be found for a song.
I figured, why spend even a little bit to have something else laying around that I would have to find a place for, when I can use what's right in my pantry?
Love things that do double-duty.
Other containers that would work in a pinch are:
 vinegar or water jugs filled with either water or sand,
bags of brown sugar or coffee,
jars filled with grits or oatmeal,
and
any bottled beverage (juice or water).

So these days, two to three days a week,
I participate in a 20-minute strength-training routine
that helps me feel that I'm taking part in the long-term maintenance of my health.

someday we'll have our own

Once we have our farm, the opportunity to build strength 
will be easy enough to incorporate throughout the  day.  Lifting feed sacks, moving dirt by hand, 
and the everyday activities that need to be done will lend themselves well to increasing bone mass. 
After all, I plan to be a longtime gardener and homesteader.
Maybe we'll call it The Farmstead Gym.

What's your favorite way to get fit?

This book has jump-started my strength workouts.