Regular visits to the gym are a great habit to get into if you’re interested in your personal fitness. However, it can also be an expensive and inconvenient habit in the midst of a busy schedule. Between driving to the gym, getting changed, and showering off, you can easily add half an hour to a workout that’s already tough to fit in. And depending on the establishment, membership fees can be a little bit heavy. This is why a lot of people prefer to go for long runs, or lift weights at home.

Rather than just telling you to do workouts at home, however, we want to talk about a few simple things you can do to get more active in ways that will feel like natural additions to your day-to-day life.

Find Home Exercise Equipment

This is not simply telling you to work out at home. Rather, it’s a way to make a home workout feel every bit as effective as one in the gym. Most of the equipment you find in the gym is quite expensive, and for that reason anything suited for the home can feel a little bit cheap by comparison. That’s not always the case though. Keep an eye on sites like Amazon and you may find gym-grade weights and machines at reasonable prices. Better yet, make a habit of browsing relevant categories at Coupon To Pay and you may find special codes or discounts that you can apply to the purchase of exercise equipment. You get the idea. With a little bit of hustle, you can find what you need to stay regularly active at home without feeling like you’re getting inferior exercise.

Join A Team

One of the best ways to stay active without feeling like you’re simply going through the motions of an exercise routine is to join a team of some kind. During the summer, there are lots of good options. You can probably find a soccer or tennis league, or if it’s more your speed you can replace your childhood gear with combat softball bats and find a “beer league” softball team to play with. For that matter, you can even opt for something like a cycling club or kickball league! Particularly among young adults (who miss the intramural structure of college), adult sports leagues are quite popular in a lot of cities and towns. It gives you a way to get some exercise in a social setting.

Buy A Bike

Yes, it can be that simple! Many people like the idea already these days thanks to increasing awareness about environmental concerns. By buying a bike, you’re doing your part to cut back on carbon emissions by driving less. But you’re also getting some functional exercise by getting around town on the strength of your own legs. Of course, you probably won’t be able to drop driving altogether unless you live in a fairly small town. But even trips to the closest Starbucks for coffee, or perhaps to the office and back each day, can often be made on a bike. It’s a healthy, responsible habit that doesn’t feel like it’s just another workout.

Try A Yoga Program

This may sound like it’s just a recommendation of a specific exercise program, and in a way it is. But trust us: once you get in the habit of doing yoga, either every morning, once every other night, or whatever suits you, it won’t feel like a forced workout. Instead, it tends to feel relaxing and meditative (albeit strenuous at times). Programs like Daily Yoga allow you to enjoy professionally designed routines in the comfort of your own home, as if you’re taking a quiet, uncomplicated class. Even if this has never been your thing before, you may be surprised how much you like it. It’s an excellent way to get in some extra, relaxing activity.

In the end, there are all kinds of ways to increase your activity without relying solely on the gym! These are just a few to get you started.