13.7 Myth: Physical Activity is Time Consuming, Expensive, and Inaccessible

Some people believe that physical activity is too time consuming, expensive, or inaccessible to incorporate into their day to day lives. Although many choose to plan their exercise, engaging in physical activity for health benefits doesn’t require detailed planning, equipment, expensive clothes, or a gym membership. Engaging in any moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, even in short bursts, provides health benefits (CDC, 2018).

If you’re looking for exercise options without monetary cost, consider YouTube or library-borrowed workout videos, and workout ideas available for free on Instagram, blog sites, and through apps. You can also find exercise videos through video streaming services you might already have. Get creative with the materials you have available around you. Fill milk jugs with water to use as weights. Use a desk, chair, or the edge of a bed for tricep dips. Consider a membership to your school’s Rec Center—on most campuses, it’s free or a minimal fee for students. Also consider low-cost options, such as student discounts to exercise classes and used workout equipment from yard sales, Nextdoor, and Facebook Marketplace. Some on-campus communities have borrowing programs for sharing and exchanging goods and services, including exercise equipment. Check with your Housing and Residential Life staff to see if this opportunity exists for you, or create one of your own.

Another way to make physical activity more accessible and fit into your schedule is through your work. If you’re job-hunting, consider employment opportunities that are more active and give plenty of opportunity for adding physical activity and strength training to your day, while also getting paid, such as:

• Moving services;
• Dog walking;
• Personal Care Attendant;
• Babysitting or caretaking;
• Car washing and detailing;
• Housekeeping;
• Tire changing and repair;
• Building and construction, such as drywall installing;
• Yard work, including shoveling in winter months;
• Landscaping, groundskeeping, and nursery work; or
• Waiting tables.