I have been active all of my life, so when I find myself not finding the time to exercise or be active, it really kills me. When you’re just starting on your medical path, you’ll find that exercise kind of starts to fall by the wayside. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN. By the end of my application cycle, I felt so out of shape… I could barely go up 3 flights of stairs without feeling winded! No bueno. I was just so focused on medical school medical school medical school that I didn’t really take time for health and wellness. Also, I barely had money after all of the funds I spent on the MCAT, secondaries, flight and hotels for interviews, etc. By the end of the cycle, I told myself that I have to do better. I wanted to start back practicing healthy habits for my mind, body, and soul before I start medical school. I realized that I needed to start making it a habit now, so that I won’t have to think about it once the rush of medical school demands are thrown at me, I’ll already have a system in place.

As I mentioned, my wallet looks at me and laughs LOL, not really but I sure don’t have money to be spending at these boutique gyms and studios. And I’m not going to lie, I like the finer things in life just like anyone else. I thought I couldn’t go to those fancy high tech gym studios while also holding on to my coins, but guess what?! I can! You can too. Let me put ya on game to get your body (and pocket) right!

Join a gym

Planet Fitness is the way to go! You can be a member for less than $10/month. I’m a Black Card Planet Fitness a month for only $10 extra. So for $20/month, I get unlimited access to a great gym with everything that I need.

If you are still in undergrad, postbacc, or current medical student, you’re lucky! There should be free access to the university gym. When I was in undergrad, I took full advantage of this luxury. Coming from a university with sports as its center, our gym was pretty well endowed with everything I possibly wanted: indoor track, cardio machines, free weights, racquet ball court, and even a rock climbing wall. Additionally, my school’s gym offered group exercise classes in the facilities ranging from bootcamp to yoga. So, head over to your university’s gym facility and see what they have to offer!

Boutique Studios

Yes, you can be bougee on a budget. I stopped by this cute little yoga studio by my house one day, inquired about membership, heard the prices, and took my happy butt right on out the door. $250 for 5 sessions?! Not on this planet, or the next.

Here’s the trick: COMMUNITY CLASSES. You can get the same classes for a fraction of the price or even free by joining community classes. I went to the website of that same overly priced studio and found that they offer community classes on certain days of the week. Currently, I now attend yoga class on Mondays and pilates class on Tuesdays at that same boutique studio. Ready to have your mind-blown? I attend for FREE! I also attend a Saturday morning mat pilates at another studio for $7. I love that studios offer community classes. I think its beautiful that they find it important to support the community’s well-being, aside from their monetary gain. As medical students, it’s very important to pay attention to your mental health and support your mind and body through such a stressful period. It’s nice to know that your resources aren’t limited by money, because hello.. medical student (aka broke young adult).

At-Home Workouts

 

No equipment needed. Youtube has tons of videos for any workout your heart desires! I hook my laptop up to my tv, grab my mat,  and have my own personal class with myself. I do yoga, pilates, and bootcamp.

I personally like the popsugar youtube videos.

If you do want to use equipment, go for it!

At home equipment essentials:

yoga mat

hand weights ( I use 10 lbs)

kettlebell (10 lb or 12 lb)

ankle weights (5 lbs)

resistance bands (assorted by color based on difficulty)

 

There you have it, my little secrets to staying fit and healthy while making my wallet look good, too. Now, go out there and be the best version of you, there’s no excuse!