From paying expensive membership fees for equipment and services they’ll never use to waiting for machines or weights to become available, there are many reasons why people avoid the gym. Plus, there’s the chaotic environment and fitness enthusiasts with questionable gym etiquette to consider.

However, regular exercise has been proven to bring numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally, such as enhancing your mood and reducing your risk of chronic disease.

The following tricks will allow you to stay fit without having to deal with inconvenient closing hours and other people’s sweaty pieces of equipment.

Read on to discover 13 cheap or free ways to take care of your physical health without hitting the gym.

#1 Stair-Climbing

Why use the steps at the gym if you have steps at home? The best part of this simple exercise is that it requires no equipment.

Research shows that stair-climbing helps strengthen and tone your leg muscles. It keeps your leg arteries flexible, allowing blood to move more easily.

A healthier blood flow in your legs, in turn, equals a healthier heart and body, the Mayo Clinic’s Sports Medicine writes.

Only two flights of stairs climbed per day can lead to 6 lbs (2,7 kilos) of weight loss over one year. You can also double this by challenging yourself to take two additional flights of stairs than what is needed every day.

The same situation applies to the workspace. When you’re at the office, you should consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

#2 Household Chores

While chores may seem tedious, seeing them as an opportunity to get up and get your body moving can add some needed motivation.

Cleaning windows, mopping, vacuuming, and gardening may not replace the morning jog, but they can actually contribute to your daily physical activity.

#3 Gardening

While tending your garden, you perform squats and lunges without realizing it.

Additionally, this therapeutic activity allows you to strengthen your arm muscles while you carry bags of mulch and other supplies and when you dig, rake, and use a push mower.

Anyone with a green thumb will tell you that, sometimes, a busy day in the garden can equal an intense gym workout.

#4 Active Transportation

This one is rather straightforward. Instead of driving or commuting to nearby destinations by bus, you should consider biking or walking.

If you struggle with this tip, here’s a little fact to motivate you: in addition to reducing your carbon footprint, walking 1 mile (1,6 kilometers, a block and a half) makes your body burn 100 calories, says Timothy Burnett, Ph.D., an instructor of kinesiology at Oregon State University Cascades.

There’s still another factor to consider, according to Burnett.

“If you weigh more than 150 pounds (68 kilos), you will burn more than 100 calories per hour and if you weigh less, you’ll have to walk farther to burn the same number of calories. The more you weigh, the more mass you have to move around, meaning you’ll burn more calories.”

#5 Jumping Rope

Jumping rope makes for a quick, affordable, and effective full-body workout.

With only a pair of training shoes and a jump rope, you can exercise your lower body muscles (calves, thighs, and buttocks), upper body (shoulders and biceps), and abdominal muscles, as per Healthline.

Plus, many people find jump rope more enjoyable than other cardio workouts, like running on the treadmill or jogging.

#6 Find A Workout Buddy

If you feel self-conscious about jogging outdoors or can’t find the motivation for calisthenics in the park, you can ask a friend to join you. That way, you can both encourage and push each other to reach your goals.

Making excuses to ditch your workout for a new episode of your favorite show is harder once you’ve set a time and place to meet weekly with your friend.

Unless you live in a fitness community, you probably have at least one buddy who finds it difficult to get up from the couch, too.