The irony of the cost of getting fit is that theoretically it should be cheep.

If your goal is to loose weight, then hypothetically it's a decision to *not* spend money on food.

If your goal is to tone up, then one of the best is the Royal Canadian Airforce 5BX program, which was designed to be doable virtually anywhere with minimal props. One of the most well-rounded and over-all fit guys I knew started with 15 minutes of 5BX per day - which he supplemented with some aerobics and which he got up to one hour per day just to match his endurance - and the only thing it cost him was time.

That being said, let's be honest... economic investments can provide incentives.

It sounds like your goal is to loose weight, so how about this: Every time you feel like eating, consider what the cost of the food would be, and then stick that amount of money in a piggy-bank, and let that money go towards a vacation in a warm place with oceans and beaches, where you're going to look great in your swim-suit.

When you've achieved your goal, you tell us how much you saved up in order to be beach-ready... and then we'll all know what one might "pay" to get fit.

I think there is a psychological component to diets that causes you to believe that a system is "better" because you're paying money for it.

Several years ago I read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution book and decided to give his low-carb lifestyle a try, just for 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks was up, I felt so much better, looked better, and had already started losing weight, so I stuck with it. I ended up losing 40+ lbs. and all of the health issues that I struggled with (anxiety, blood sugar issues, fatigue, breakouts) went away. I didn't have to buy any special food, but I chose to just because I liked the Atkins products. But I have also done it just eating regular food you can get at the grocery store. You're going to be buying better food which almost always costs more than cheap unhealthy food, but at least you know that every penny you spend is going directly to your health, not lining somebody else's pockets.

After years of eating low-carb, I still love it. I almost never get sick, even when everyone around me is, and a recent physical showed I'm very healthy. I can't really say how much it cost me overall, but I would guess that I probably spend roughly 1/3 more on food than average. It still ends up being a lot less than a system you pay for or a gym membership.

It's important to separate diet and exercise. Both are important but you have to look practically at what works for your schedule and your lifestyle. If you have time to devote to strenuous exercise every day, then you may focus more on exercise. But if you're already busy, you'd do better to focus on your diet because that's where the real change is going to come from.

I recommend picking up a copy of Dr. Atkins' book, which you can get used for just a few dollars. It's very fascinating read even if you don't want to do the diet, and you'll learn a lot about how your body works.

I am doing the Atkins diet. It is an amazing diet where I can eat a lot of different foods and still teh pounds keep melting off.

I have lost 6 pounds so far ( this is the 5th day) and my husband and daughter who are also on it have each lost about 12 pounds. We spent nothing except for groceries. And use the website below for our guidance which is free.

There's a couple ways I would answer this. First of all, I know how to lose weight and I know how much effort it takes. So what you'd really be paying for is to skip that effort. If it takes you 6 months of serious dieting to achieve your 30 pound weight loss, how much would you pay to skip that 6 months of effort and have your ideal body right now?

The answer for most people is, thousands. They'd be willing to pay $1000 to skip 6 months of pain and get straight to their ideal body so they can learn how to maintain it from then on. It'd be a wise investment. But the problem is, there is no way to do it that cheap. The only way you could do it is with liposuction and I believe it costs more like $10 000.

So let's change the question a little. How much would you pay for the knowledge of how to lose weight through dieting and exercise? And let's also add another important question that will remain separate but compliment it. How much would you pay for the step by step action plan suited for your body and lifestyle?

So to help you out here, the price of knowledge on how to lose weight through dieting and exercise IS, and should always be, FREE. You can pay $15 for one person's take on it, but you will always be taking in the same knowledge from them. How to diet and exercise to lose weight was discovered thousands of years ago and it has not changed one bit since. There is nothing new, only different ways of explaining it.

Now for the next question. How much would you pay for a personalised plan for losing weight? I personally believe this should be no more than $100. I think $70 would be a maximum price for this, and there would have to be many considerations taken into the creation of the plan. I would only give money to someone who has a track record of creating working plans, who has some experience and knowledge in helping a person like me lose weight, and who will question me about my favourite foods, favourite exercises, and many other things that are VERY important when designing a personalised plan.

But I'll give you a tip right now. You are NOT going to stick to the same plan for more than a month. I am dead serious, whatever plan someone gives you, you'll try it, find a million things you don't like, and decide to change it yourself or give up. Very RARELY do people actually stick to the first plan they are given. The BEST way to build a personalised diet and training plan is to learn how to create one for yourself. You can do this simply by reading any of the million diet and exercise books out there or reading some websites! Like I said, there is nothing new, it is all the same thing that has been used for thousands of years.

Here's a few suggestions for you. Look up the following topics and spend about 5 hours learning them. Calories, Macronutrients, Glycemic Index, Aerobic Exercise and Anaerobic Exercise. Now find a website that lists the macronutrients of different foods. There's plenty of them out there.. just type "how much protein in a banana" into google and you'll get a thousand sites explaining the macronutrients and calories of a food.

Also, forget the pushup/situp/squat challenges. They are for getting stronger, not losing weight. Do them for fun or as a challenge.

Send me an email or something if you want to know more.. I'm happy to share knowledge. Just remember that losing weight is about eating less and exercising. There's no magic to it, it's not rocket science, it's just eating less, exercising more. If you try a diet or training routine and you're not losing weight, it's because you're eating too much or you're not exercising enough. If you're exercising an hour a day and you're not losing weight it's because you're eating too much. It's really logical.

Good luck!

You may think this a "fluffy" answer. It is not. Most of my weight gain was due to sloth. Much to my surprise, I found that exercising my brain and, when having something upon which to focus, I actually forgot to eat. It's messing with my sleep patterns as well, but I will adjust.

"I'm struggling with finding a good system for losing weight. Currently I'm doing the 100pushup 200 situp challenges. I find the programs easy to fall back if you slip or fail a week. Which during the holidays was a great."

Not sure where this was supposed to go, but during the holidays almost everyone backslid.

"But more and more I'm looking at diet plans (Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers), gym memberships, workout equipment, and all I see is dollar signs.

I am not a psychologist, but it feels like you're obsessing. OCD, they sometimes call it. Programs often teach you to transfer the compulsion to said program. It becomes your new addiction.

"I mean I know my current weight is unhealthy but how much money do I need to spend to really have a good chance at losing weight and keeping it off."

Zero. Find something that inspires your passion and go for it. If you have to work that hard, it's probably not the answer you're looking for. Do you love to dance? Do that instead. Do you love to write? Or quench a thirst for knowledge? Try that. Passion burns a lot of calories, I've found.

"I'm just curious what other people are thinking about this. Seems like everyone makes the New Years resolution to trim down a bit."

New Years' resolutions frequently wind up in failure and guilt. Correct me if I am wrong. Take time for introspection. What really moves you?? Honestly? Determine the answer to that, and you've earned the key to the highway.

"Any success stores? How did you do it, how long have you maintained and how much did it cost you?"

Once I found that I did not really want to watch TV, I did not really want to play computer games (ok - a little), I looked deep inside and confirmed I wanted to write. I already do, but not like I do now. eg - In answering your question tonight, everything else disappeared. Every compulsion. Every obsession. I'm giving you a piece of my own success story - the success story! Please don't think I'm trying to pigeon-hole you into being a writer. You're very good, by the way. But it's true. Fill the void that is currently the quest for weight loss (it sounds very time-consuming) with something else. The rest will follow. Or, most of it.

"I know one should not put a price on ones health but these days how can you not?"

Live. Find anything else to do, but do not force yourself to commit to a regimen that upsets you, and costs you coin. I feel that this is the real truth that will set you free. Since the beginning of the year, and writing for Mahalo, I have lost 6 pounds. And THEY pay ME. Again, whatever it is for you, find it, and you'll have the real answer.

It's quite contradictory that one must pay in order to lose. When you are overweight for so long, you tend to forget that simple concept. You already paid so much to gain the extra weight, now in order to lose the weight, you should not pay anymore. That concept should be for people who try to gain weight (ie weight gain supplements).
I used to be overweight during the college years, just to realize later that there are no fast way or hardcore way to lose weight. The harder or faster the program, the faster I would gain the weight back. Here are what I did, and surprisingly, barely cost much. I lived with a room-mate for two months, and simply copied his daily regimen. He used to be overweight, too. When he moved out, I continued his daily regimen to stay fit. I'm in really good shape now, and it is so easy. It makes me realized how much money I have wasted, when the answer is the simpler, the better.

1)Every morning: a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (the raw kind by Bragg's) with honey and a glass of warm water before breakfast. What it does is to flush your liver dradually to get your digestive function back in order so that you don't retain and burn calories efficiently. Cost: $10

2)Forget the six small meals. They're actually very inconvenient and slow down your overall digestion, because your body will be in digestion mode all day. Just eat the regular 3 moderate meals. breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, dinner at 6.

3)Calories substitution: All I did is simply eat more vegetables and I didn't even count the total number of calories at every meal. Why? Vegetables are low in calories and filled me up. Also, a small bowl of soup before every meal also really helps the craving. I made myself eat these items first, even if it's just half a handful. I still eat what I want, it's just because of these extra vegetables and soups simply gave me no more room to eat the high calories food, thus decreasing the overall calorie intake. Simple, isn't it?

4) Exercise? Doing 100 pushups and 200 situps is guaranteed for failure. Why? it's simply too hard, and not enjoyable, that's why you fell off the plan. When it is too hard, your body are also more likely to try to reward itself by being hungrier. What I did was nothing that hard, but simply popped in a power yoga video (the one by Bryan Kest) every morning. Sometimes I switched with Tae-Bo. They are not too hard, and fun and actually healthy for you. Cost: $25. If you want it free, download a different aerobic video from Youtube every morning. Variety and free!

5) Do not step on the scale everyday, instead step on the scale on only one chosen day of the week for every week. Do not expect to lose 5 pounds a week. That's too fast, and you will gain back. I lost 3 pounds a week following the regimen. But after two months, I lost 24 pounds, and I still had the rest of the year to stay fit. I am five foot five and currently 130 lbs, quite muscular and low body-fat (from power yoga? yes!), and been like that for a year now. I used to be 192. Now that I slimmed down, I also incorporate some more intensity in workout regimen: bodyweight exercises with a weight vest two times a week (for you, this is later since weight vest does cost money).

--That's it, five simple steps, and cheap but really work. Why? Because it's easy, and it's not costly at all, and it will change the way you think about exercise and health. Add one more resolution to your New Year: "Be patient and consistent for at least two months." Good luck with your new year's resolution!

Really, you shouldn't have to pay for a diet program. Although they are great, and you have support when you need it. (If anything I'd join Weight Watchers) But, there are plenty of things you can do at home, for free, to help you lose weight.
Instead of ditching all your old habits right away, which is a failure set up. Slowly cut out your bad habits, late night snacking, candy, soda.. ect. Don't do it overnight as it will shock your body, and you will have strong cravings. If you want a late night snack, try eating turkey, just plain old deli turkey. If you need some candy try dark chocolate, which has antioxidants and will actually help you lose weight.
Don't put your goals to high, losing weight too fast is unhealthy. So set reasonable goals, if it took you awhile to put on the weight, chances are it will take awhile to get the weight off. Grab a buddy, if you can, to go walking, or jogging, with you. Having someone to workout with will double your chances. Get moving! Without doing some form of cario, you won't see any results. You'll simply gain muscle but you won't be burning off enough to shed those pounds.

All in all. There are plenty of ideas, tips and tricks across the Web. So to speak, you need to burn more calories then you eat. Cut back those calories and get moving! Don't expect to see many results for at least 3 weeks. Most importantly, don't get discouraged, stay motivated.

I want to begin by saying that losing weight, per se, is not always what you want to do. There are unhealthy methods to losing weight, and there are healthy methods to losing weight. What you want to do is lose body fat rather than weight.

There are several ways to approach this, but I think a change in your lifestyle is the cheapest, easiest, and healthiest way to do this.

You could pay for programs like JennyCraig, you could pay for a gym membership, but you could also change your diet and exercise habits for free. Here are some neat ways to lose weight:

1. Being hungry is like working out. The pain of hunger could be strong, but the pain of lifting weights or running endless laps is not so pleasant either. Hunger pains are very much like withdrawal pains- theyre hard to bear at first, but after time they are not so bad. Keep in mind your metabolism works on a schedule- your biological clock remembers when you usually feed it, so eventually it gets hungry around those times. It never hurts to be a soldier and live through it, because it will eventually go away. I sometimes go hungry for the heck of it, because its not unhealthy to be hungry (obviously unless you're doing it for days on end). But skipping a meal and going for a walk is an excellent idea every once in a while.

2. Try to switch it up. Its often hard to develop new habits in an attempt to beak old ones. Picking up a new diet sounds fun and exciting at first, but seldom do people stick to it. Go for a jog one night, do calisthenics another night, skip a meal tomorrow, lift weights the next day. The point is be creative, that way you will enjoy it and it will keep your interest alive.

3. Breathe with your stomach. I know this sounds strange, but most people breathe with their abdomen rather than their diaphragm. If you begin to breathe with your stomach then you will naturally burn more calories as you get on with your day.

4. Eat less portions. Try to cut out fast food altogether. Dont eat immediately before bed. Your body does not like foreign substances and chemicals. If you give it too much aspartame or other junk, it will either try to eat it, flush it out, or block it off. Yes, coke zero has less calories than regular coke, but keep in mind all of the chemicals that neutralize the calories are a burden on your immune system, which takes a hit at your health. I would say drink plenty of water as well, the more junk you flush the more efficiently your metabolism will work. Remember that feeling good tastes better than any food.

5. In the winter months, perhaps open your window a bit when you sleep. Dont make it dangerously cold, but its good to be chilly because your body needs to generate heat for itself, and it does that by burning calories.

I want to end by saying that self discipline is a must. You wont get anywhere unless you make the decision that you truly want to be more fit and healthier, and the hardest part is the beginning. So if you can soldier through the beginning then it eventually gets easier and you feel much better!

Dude its simple to get fit drink Black Coffee STRONG on a empty stomach and hit the gym SIMPLE :)

If I could hand over $25,000 and someone waved a magic wand to get me there, sure! I'd be happy. Who do I make the check out to?

But since it doesn't work that way, not one penny. Let me explain.

Struggling with your weight is something many people don't understand unless they've been through it. If you're like me, you sort of hit a desperation and you find yourself willing to hand over your life savings in order to see results -- especially after you've tried anything and everything and nothing much happens.

I don't over eat. Mind you, my choices may not exactly be the best. But calories and fat really aren't my issue.

I'll admit I'm not the biggest exercise enthusiast. I; like a lot of others, spend a lot of time on my bum online. I work online and so it's not just a free time thing. I'm sat here most of the time! That is a big issue for me.

I've spent so much money on weight loss diets, weight loss fads and weight loss books. For what? Apparently, to make someone money and to give myself just a bit of momentary hope.

Weight loss is like anything else, the mindset has to be there. You have to be willing to do what it takes in order to reach your goal.

Then, you have to figure out how weight loss works along with how your body works.

Once you do that, you don't have to spend money AND you will get results.

I'm selling nothing here - but I'll hand you the secrets for free.

When you wake up in the morning, eat. Don't wait til you check your email and Mahalo dollars :). Within the first fifteen minutes of opening your eyes, breakfast should be on it's way to your tummy. The majority of those who are lucky enough to be at a healthy weight without trying, do this. When you eat breakfast, consume the majority of your calories then. Why? Because this is when you are going to be most active and so you'll burn more calories after breakfast. Something filling like oatmeal is a good choice.

This took me a long time to really believe in because if I eat breakfast, I want to eat more all day. Happens each time I have breakfast and so how the heck am I supposed to lose weight like this? Well, apparently it kicks your metabolism into overdrive.

The second thing is to balance out the water in your body. This is important for both men and women, but admittedly more important for women as we tend to 'hold' water a bit more.

You do this by consuming more water. I know, sounds nuts. But it does work. To be as untechnical as possible ... it works like this: The vast majority of people don't drink enough water. Since your body kind of needs water to survive it goes into survival mode when you aren't drinking enough of it. When this happens, the body won't release any more water than it absolutely has to. And so you get the extra weight AND your metabolism slows down massively. This creates a two part problem. SO water is important. How much to drink and a more detailed explanation of why this is so very important can be found here: http://www.ehow.com/how_5010875_lose-sizes-just-drinking-water.html

Keep a food journal. So many times we tend to forget what we're actually eating. And sometimes that's because we drink ao many of our calories. Calories we drink count as inches on our waistlines too!

Don't fall into the trap of drinking diet sodas. These things have so much sodium you really aren't doing yourself any favors. Skip out of sodas all together unless you're willing to switch to Diet Rite. Diet Rite has the carbonation soda drinkers crave without the carbs, calories, fat or sodium! They are available in several flavors. Finding something you actually like shouldn't be too difficult. Personally, I like the rasberry.

Be realistic. I don't know what you weigh, but I do know you didn't go to bed Monday night at a healthy weight only to wake up in shock Tuesday morning. You didn't gain it overnight, you will NOT lose it overnight. And unfortunately, it takes some people longer to see any results. Many times, that's why people give up. For instance, I have to cut my calories and follow the rest of what I've said here for about a month before I see anything. Mind you, after that it goes much more quickly. It's just a struggle and very frustrating to get to that point.

Listen to your body, it tells you when enough is enough. The next time you eat - pay attention. Right before you go too far your body will give off an involuntary sigh. This means stop. Never, ever take another bite after this sigh.

Determine why you're eating. What I mean is, are you really hungry? So many times we eat for other reasons...enjoyment, boredom, habit, etc. Ask yourself each time you go to eat if you're really eating because you're hungry. Only eat when you're actually hungry -- BUT never allow yourself to get to the point of extreme hunger. Getting to this point means you'll eat far too much almost always.

My last bit of advice is to not deprive yourself to the point you can't take it. If you want that piece of cake, have it. But have only enough of it to ssatisfy you. Being miserable and denying yourself any pleasures will just haunt you when you find yourself eating everything in sight because you can't take it any longer.

I realize I basically delivered a weight loss book to you myself, but I know the struggle of losing weight. I've done it this way -- a very scientific, no fad way. This is what works.

http://weblogs.cltv.com/features/health/livinghealthy/gym%20rat.jpg

I joined a local gym and pay about $40 for my membership. I can go as often as I want, even multiple times a day. I started about a year and a half ago and I lost 15 lbs and tons of inches off every part of my body and I've toned up my muscles in all parts of my body as well. I'm happy with my progress. I do circuit training at my gym - it's about 25 machines and you can get a workout done in 30 minutes. Sometimes we do 30 second intervals, 30 seconds or 60 seconds and it is changed everyday to vary the workout. And they also change the intensity of the machines daily - it is either light, medium, heavy or heavier so that it challenges your body to work harder every day. That way it isn't too routine. You want to keep your body guessing about what your workout will entail.

Image of circuit training circle
http://www.hydratone.com/images/circuit_training_and_hydraulic_%20fitness_equipment.jpg

At my gym they also do weight loss challenges a few times a year where they ask us to write down everything we eat and log all the calories we consume all day. The challenges are usually 8 weeks and they really motivate us and guide us on what to eat and how to increase our workouts. They actually read all our logs and give us feedback and tell us where we could make specific improvements. I appreciate all the time and encouragement that my gym gives me. I feel that it helps me stay motivated and it keeps me coming in 3-4 times a week. You win prizes if you lose the most lbs and inches during the challenge. They also keep a chart with our names on it and we mark down everyday that we come in the month so that we can track how often we are coming and you win prizes for coming the most times in that month. I like seeing how many workouts I've done every week and month.

It is a small gym kind of like Curves. It is just for women and that makes me feel more secure. I don't think I could work out at a gym with a lot of people. I like how small my gym is. We all know each other and that makes it a very social place to be and makes the workouts more entertaining. Plus we all motivate and encourage each other. IT helps to have a buddy to keep you on track too.

I would say that when looking for a gym - find a place that you feel comfortable, that you see yourself coming to multiple times a week and look for a place that can offer you some personal time and guidance without you having to pay for that extra like with personal trainers that charge $40 or more an hour. I would try to find a place where you are not just a number. Everyone at my gym knows me and knows how to motivate me and they really care. That is what keeps me coming back and that all keeps me on track.

So in summary I pay $40 a month and this is my second year at this gym. So it comes out to about $500 or so a year. I don't have to pay for any extra special attention at my gym. They offer it as part of my membership.

http://www.opushotel.com/images/generic%20internal/opus_fitness%2002.jpg

Pazaq--you ask "How much would I spend to get fit?"

For starters, $10.52. At Amazon, you'll find _8 Weeks to Optimum Health: A Proven Program for Taking Full Advantage of Your Body's Natural Healing Power_, by Dr. Andrew Weil. http://tinyurl.com/yz9e8lv

I picked this book up recently because I did want to lose a few pounds, but I really wanted to work through his recipes and try out some of his suggestions for modifying my eating habits to make them healthier. My problem isn't weight as much as it is a wish to avoid cancer and other diseases of aging and ill effects from processed foods.

As Dr. Weil tells us in the early pages of the book, it takes a while to develop new habits, and he starts you out really slow. The first week he asks you to clean your cupboards, and make sure to eat salmon and broccoli twice during the week. He asks you to take a walk every day. He builds slowly, and allows you to make incremental changes that build, over time, into a truly healthy lifestyle. If you need to lose weight, you will, and even more importantly, if you are trying to improve your health, you will. (And you don't need to buy this book at Amazon--I found it in a local Half Price Bookstore).

If you pay money to a company to prepare food for you in specific portions, what are you learning about how to prepare healthy food for yourself? Nothing. They did all of the work, all you did was eat. That's what you already do if you go to fast food establishments, so there isn't a new habit here, is there?

But if you start slow, and perhaps you decide (for example) to buy a better grade of oil, make it virgin olive oil or cold pressed canola instead of the cheaper oil in most grocery stores, you'll not only know which is better for you, you'll be careful in how you use it because this oil represents the true cost of healthy food. The same with eating organic. Our current marketplace rewards those who produce unhealthy foods by subsidizing it and letting them sell it cheap. And any diet plan that doesn't let you get your hands on the food and learn how to fix it is doing you a disservice.

Consider pampering yourself with good vegetables, better kinds of fish and meat, and because you're paying more for the better food, decide how large you think the portions need to be to satisfy your need for calories without breaking your pocketbook. Wouldn't you much rather buy a good piece of wild-caught salmon instead of a microwave casserole and putting a profit on the balance sheet at Nutri-System or Jenny Craig?

Beyond the diet food industry, there are a lot of dubius diet plans (books, web sites) in the world. And the quick weight loss ones are doomed to fail for many reasons. So I'm here to encourage you NOT to go on a diet, but to simply change to eating healthier, and take a walk every day, and you will gradually lose the weight.

Be sure to drink enough water and get enough sleep. There was an interesting program on PBS's NOVA about Sleep: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3410/01.html that shows how not getting enough good sleep will impact your weight and general health.

Finally, read a book that makes you think about food in a different light. For me, Frances Mayes' _Under the Tuscan Sun_ was an adventure of learning to live in a new land but also finding the wonderful foods growing on her 5 acres, and how eating changed when she had no supermarkets and instead shopped small markets with fresh foods available. I was inspired to eat healthier (this book may make you want to go wallow in the produce at your farmers' market!) The film is cute, but the book inspired me to eat interesting and healthy foods. She has a few recipes in there, if you're very adventurous. :)

It would be remiss to go through this discussion without suggesting that you see your physician for a physical to be sure you're healthy and that the food choices you make won't aggravate an underlying problem. I think you'll find that after a physical (who doesn't hate the scale in the doctor's office?) you'll have some hard facts to hang your goals on.

Good luck. I'll offer just one caution about Dr. Weil's book--his recipe for whole grain apple muffins is uncookable. That recipe would make great hockey pucks, but I modified it so tastes like a muffin (no unhealthy ingredients, just better proportions). If this answer works for you and you'd like that recipe, I'll transcribe it from my notes in the book and post it somewhere for you.

It really depends how dedicated you are and if you are willing to change your lifestyle.

I would pay nothing.
Discipline, will power, a plan and sacrifice is what is needed.
Of course, some people who have none of things need to pay someone to give them confidence to do so.
Yes, with so much free information and resources available on the web...
personal strength and commitment is what people are paying for.

1. Eat only healthy, unprocessed foods.
2. Eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, nuts, carbs.
3. Drink at least three liters of water a day. No alcohol.
4. Exercise one hour a day. 30 minutes cardio and 30 minutes strength minimum.
5. Reward yourself with a decadent food binge every 7-10 days.

buy cheap gym pass...

then good diet.... and good exercise... as little as possible i'd pay.

You're right. There are tons of companies who claim to "help you get fit" if you buy THEIR product and no one elses. Adding up the cost of the special drinks, microwave foods, exercise machines and more.

It's an industry many are trying to cash in on.

I don't spend anything. I walk and ride my bike in my neighborhood for free. I grow my own garden food for enjoyment (and it helps my pocketbook and waistline), and have very little equipment.

It doesn't cost an arm and a leg to get fit. Just find something you enjoy and do it. For free.

Rather than putting your money into a system, I'd put it into quality food, and the right food. I'm another one that started doing Atkins years ago and lost a good deal of weight (45 pounds). I kept it off several years, and then I gained it back during pregnancy (which won't be a problem for you). But when the time was right, I went back to it and so far have lost 30 pounds.

I recently learned that if a person eats a "normal" diet and gains weight, or attempts to diet by portion control and exercises and nothing happens, it's a genetic problem that includes insulin resistance. The only real answer is to eat low carb. It's not a diet at that point, but a "way of eating". Just as a person with gluten intolerance doesn't eat whole wheat bread, no matter how good it is for others, those with insulin resistance dare not eat like others. I end up feeling like I'm fighting the flu if I do: tired out but unable to sleep deeply; a bit achy and head-achy; trouble concentrating. And of course I gain weight.

I know I have to do this for life. And the great thing is that the longer I'm on it, the more my weight and body normalize. My blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides etc. are all normalizing too.

Is it expensive? Yes and no. Meat and good vegetables are more expensive per pound than flour and flour products. On the other hand, I'm not hungry nearly as often as I used to be, and I'm satisfied and satiated with less. I almost couldn't get through the soup I just had for supper: it's a addictive sort of French onion thing with lots of cauliflower, onions, celery, cabbage, and smoked sausage. That's the thing: unlike filling up with fiber, which merely fills your stomach, eating enough protein and fat makes your actual cells satisfied. You no longer have cravings. I was in a bakery yesterday where the air was filled with the scent of brownies baking, and even though I hadn't had supper and only a snack of a few almonds for lunch, I didn't want them. And I used to be a brownie fiend!

And I am on NO prescription drugs whatsoever. Most people my age are on at least one; usually for blood pressure or cholesterol. My husband also eats the way I do, and he is on no medication. Before he ate this way his blood pressure was dangerously high. He took off about 40 lbs.; the first 30 he didn't exercise because he didn't want to blow out his bad knee. So in a way it's a huge savings, because we have almost no medical expenses. There was a time when our co-pays for our family was over $200 a month--a decade ago, when co-pays were lower than they are now. In today's dollars it would be more than $400. And that would be most of our current grocery budget for a family of 5 that includes a teen boy.

I would encourage you to give a low carb diet a shot--Atkins or the Drs. Eades are probably the best-researched ones, and ones with a good clinical track record. And exercise: they'll tell you to do that, but that can be a pleasant walk, not an expensive membership!

Well if you are dedicated to it then you will be successful. What you need to do is get a personal trainer. I would spend the most 400$. If you want to lose weight that bad. You will lost alot of weight if you have a good personal trainer who is strict. You also need to wake up every morning that will motivate you to lose weight. Take a picture of a body you want and post it where you will see it everymorning. Trust me this will motivate you to do it. Think about it this way everyone can lose alot of weight. Why makes you think you cant? The only person that is stopping you from doing it, is yourself. So stop eating all those fatty foods and eat vegetables for awhile!

You will hardly believe if I say that you need not spend a dime to get and stay fit. It is entirely what I do and I have gained not more than 2 kgs. over the last 15 years (you won't believe it) despite eating everything I wish for, including lots and lots of icecream, chocolates, rice, red meat, oily and fatty stuff. I am still a mere 59 Kgs.

Here are my tips. You need to follow every one of them and they are pretty easy to follow;

1. Do not drink water or beer for at least an hour after your lunch/dinner/supper etc. (this alone is very effective and one of my friends lost a whooping 7 kgs. in just 3 months).
2. Try sprints (100 mts., 200 mts., 400 mts. etc.) after a thorough warm up. Sprints are more effective as compared to jogging. If it is no possible, go for jogging empty stomach (you can have very light fillers) in the morning.
3. Push-ups and sit-ups are helpful, but they do not contribute much. They just tone and build muscles (I am not telling you to quit them). Rather, try skipping and other aerobics as much as possible.
4. Eat vegetables and fruits as much as possible (fill your stomach up to brim with them).
5. Reduce intake of sweets (Try not to take it at all) and fats. They are more harmful than oil because they supply you with instant energy and do not let your stored fat burn.
6. Drink lots of water. Water takes away a considerable amount of fat with your urine and sweat.
7. Go to bed early and rise early in the morning.
8. Quite drinking alcoholic beverages (even beer).
9. Carry on with your push-ups and sit-ups.

Just try them and tell me. You won't risk anything because you don't pay anything to anyone. You will benefit for sure. Once you achieve your targeted weight, you can start enjoying your favourite foods again but if you carry on following the above steps, you won't gain weight ever.

Hope that helps. Thanks