Quit your excuses! Get fit… for free!

How many times have you heard someone say: “Wow, that guy’s fit!"? I know I’ve said it plenty of times myself, but is he really fit? You know, fit in the sense of physically in shape and not in the sense of drop dead gorgeous? HairyHiker.

There’s a section of our LGBTQ community that's heavily into fitness and the gym, but the love of keeping in shape isn't sexuality exclusive; the straight side of the fence enjoy it too. But the question still remains, what makes a person ‘fit’?

We all know health and fitness are good for us. It makes us look better, feel better, operate better on a day-to-day basis, and once you’ve done some form of fitness, you tend to know when you’re not feeling your peak best. Fitness lifts your spirit, and your insides work a lot better afterward. But let's look deeper than that, well, lower anyway!

Bum’s the word! Can I talk butts for a moment? Now, I’m not some kind of power top, but I do like to appreciate a nice ass. There are plenty of slim twink or average guys who don't do any form of exercise and still manage to maintain a trim body and bum (unfair!), but, or more so BUTT, you can certainly tell if a perky bottom is being maintained through some form of gay fitness regime. Indeed, there's something very nice about a fit, toned, worked-out set of cheeks, usually belonging to a jogger or cyclist.

We're sure there's a six-pack hiding under that teeny vest!

For other people, it might be an overall muscular body, nice pair of beefy legs, or even a legendary six-pack (mine is on a long-term undercover operation, but I believe it’s there somewhere), which gets all the attention. But, yes, six-packs: are they overrated or what? I don't need a guy to have one: I’m happy with someone that tends to have looked after himself to a degree, but a lot of guys work hard to get one, as if that very body part will gain them an elite membership to some very special club.
 

Gay fitness: no excuses!

One thing I think many of us agree on is that when we’re overweight, we tend to not feel good about ourselves. You may also not feel good about what other people think about you, although for the most part, this shouldn't be top of our list. Indeed, of course there are also plenty of us that are into gay bears, cubs and chubs! Regardless of your physical size, everyone likes to feel that they look attractive right? So, if you're feeling unfit and out of shape, do any of the following reasons come to mind? 
 

• "I don't have time for all that.”
• "I can't afford it: gym memberships are expensive.”
• "I don't feel confident enough to walk into a gym.”
• “I simply don't give a damn!”

Running is free and one of the best ways to lose weight (sorry, beach not included)

Now, if you’re reading this simply because of pictures of semi-naked men, or perhaps you're someone that's never exercised that much, ask yourself why. Is it for one of the reasons above? Time, money and/or confidence are often things that prevent most people from doing things. And if a lack of money is the case, then why not try and get fit for free?

Personally, I’ve been a low-income kind of guy for most of my life, and never had a gym membership until recently, but over the years I’ve indulged in a lot of free fitness. To start, walking is free, easy to do, and can be made part of your everyday life. I added jogging to that over the years, and still do so from time to time.

Live near the ocean? Swimming is one of the best forms of fitness there is and is free if you do it outside in the elements (the braver among you may even want to try wild swimming). And then there's cycling. This is even better as you get to sit down while exercising (!). Now, come on, you can't get better than that, can you?
 

Get motivated

If you're not used to exercising, then why not try some form of fitness within the next 24 hours. Go on, make that move! Sedentary exercise is good for you, but, if you haven't tried anything heart pounding, it's better than any drug (well, almost) that I've ever taken! The adrenaline you get from running just a few miles, well, it feels like your entire body has been flushed out with some cleansing fluid!

If you haven’t done it before, or for a while, you may cough and splutter for a bit, but don't let that stop you, as it's just your lungs having a clear out. You will feel so much better afterward. If the weather is too cold for outdoor activity, then give badminton a go, or any racquet sport: it will equally get your heart pounding but in short spurts rather than endurance.
 

If cycling gives you a butt like that... sign us up!

If looked after properly, our bodies will keep us active and able right up until our later years. I remember hiking up some hills about a decade a go: I was on a camping trip, carrying a 100-litre rucksack packed to capacity. It was HEAVY and a stunningly hot day, and I was struggling. One foot in front of the other up this steep rocky ascent, making slow but steady progress… and then I got overtaken by this very slim guy in his 70s. I was in combat gear, and we got chatting as he was ex-army. He told me he walked the hills each morning and had done since he retired. I was in awe of his fitness: even without my rucksack, this hill was a hard climb.

Only last year I was out cycling with a group of friends, and we were overtaken by this very thin guy: he was 75. One of the guys knew him, and said that he cycled 50 miles every day without fail.

Now these guys are perhaps exceptions: not everybody is going to love exercise to the same degree, but I do feel that we should strive to do some every day, and some decent form once or twice a week. So, when are you going to start making some changes?