If you're new to working out, you don't need to invest an arm and a leg to get started on your journey. Weight loss occurs when you take in fewer calories than you expend on a regular and consistent basis. Combining exercise and nutrition to create a deficit of 500 calories a day will result in a 1 lb. per week weight loss. A number of online resources provide free workout plans and nutritional tips to help you reach your weight-loss goals without spending a dime.
Equipment-Free Workouts
If you don't have the luxury of a fitness center, and you lack equipment at home, you can choose from weight-loss plans that don't use any equipment. A number of websites allow you to follow along with their workout routine, build your own or print out the routine and take it with you. The American College of Exercise's ACE Get Fit page provides a number of workouts, including the At Home (No Equipment) Workout. The workout includes a warm-up, workout and cooldown with descriptions and pictures of each movement.
The "Fitness" magazine website also provides a number of workout plans that walk you through a fitness routine using pictures and descriptions of each exercise. In addition to strength-building routines, the website also offers help with cardio activities, including walking and treadmill workouts.
Exercise Videos
If you enjoy following along with a routine, à la group exercise, you can find online resources for fitness videos that don't require a monthly membership. Exercise TV provides free, full-length videos ranging from just a couple of minutes all the way up to an hour. You can narrow your focus by body part, workout style, instructor or length of video. One of their workout plans provides a series of videos specifically geared toward weight loss. With more than 80 full-length videos, you have a wealth of information to search through to find the type of routine you can stick with.
"Fitness" magazine online also offers short videos to follow along with. These videos clips walk you through a particular exercise, then each clip is strung together with other clips to form an entire routine.
Personalized Fitness Plans
Some websites provide free, personalized fitness plans, with the option to upgrade to a paid plan for a nominal fee. Websites like FreeTrainers.com and "Fitness" magazine online provide these options. In both cases, you have to register and provide some personal information as well as your goals. For instance, if you want to lose 20 pounds, you would enter that goal along with your current weight and your perceived fitness level and the number of days you plan to work out each week. FreeTrainers.com provides you with a generated workout plan that you can download or print off, while "Fitness" provides you with a personal fitness tracker where you can enter your exercises and workouts as well as your food consumption.
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