“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

Inspired by this story, I decided to write out a comprehensive guide to creating an inexpensive working out plan. For my plan, I decided to set my budget at $50 a month. Even the poorest college student should be able to afford this, so there are no excuses.

The program

Since buying exercise books is out of our budget, we’ll have to go online to find our work out plan. If you’re already in-shape: find a bodybuilder who has a physique that appeals to you and then copy his routine. If you’re out of shape: start with this and focus on eating healthy.

Total cost: $0

The equipment

College students: your gym should be free, take advantage of that. If you are no longer in school: see if your employer offers any incentives for physical activity. When I worked at [a major retail chain] I could get reduced rates on gym memberships. Even if you can’t get a discount, there are plenty of inexpensive gyms.

Total cost: $0 – $25

The supplements and diet

Proper nutrition is essential for losing weight and building muscle. To get ripped we’re going to need protein, fats, and oils.  On this budget I recommend picking up a tub of Six Star Pro Nutrition Strength Protein Powder, it’s the best inexpensive protein powder that I’ve ever used. For fats and oils, buy a 90-Count bottle of Nature Made Fish Oil (if you follow the link you can get a bottle for $0.89). Also begin substituting all unhealthy aspects of your diet, like fast food and soft drinks, with nutritional alternatives, like vegetables and water.  A frozen bag of peas and carrots costs about $0.98, mix it with a couple eggs and you have a delicious lunch that costs less than McDonald’s. By eating healthy you’ll actually save money.

Total cost: $25

What next?

This program is meant to be a no excuses introduction to exercising. You will eventually outgrow it. I recommend going to the gym, although I have heard plenty of great arguments for working out at home. Whichever choice you decide to make will require you to spend more money. If you don’t think you can afford moving up to a more comprehensive routine, start a side hustle. But that’s another story for another time.

“The Way is in training.”

– Miyamoto Musashi

It’s been 28 days since I embarked on my first 30 day challenge.

In honor of this, I’ve decided to share my experiences from the past four weeks, and summarize what I learned.

• Once you get into a routine, working out is easy.

Seriously, the hardest part of the whole challenge was “finding time” during the first two weeks. After about 10 days of dragging myself to the gym, exercising stopped feeling like a chore and I started looking forward to my daily lift. While I had planned on missing about three work out days, I ended up never missing a single one.

• Eating healthy is really easy.

When planning my challenge, I scheduled in three cheat meals a week. I figured that between the holiday season and social obligations, I’d end up eating left over Christmas cookies, fast food, and unhealthy snacks at least twice a week. Never have I been so wrong. Over the past four weeks, I’ve eaten one cheat meal. After this month, I don’t think I have any interest in eating sweets or fast food ever again.

• I’m a dirty liar (and lazy)

At the beginning of the challenge I promised to post about the following:

Weight training
Nutrition
Epigenetics
Supplements
Gyms
Bodybuilding
And much more

If my math is correct, I wrote about less than half of those topics. Instead I wrote about subjects that I actually had expertise on, like juicing and hydrotherapy.

• Having a goal turns days into minutes.

Dale Carnegie said it best, “Research men rarely have nervous breakdowns. They haven’t time for such luxuries.” This past month was completely stress free. While all my friends got worried over trivial matters, I was too busy to join them. January is usually considered to be the bleakest and most depressing month of the year, yet I enjoyed it more than I did October, November, and December. I’m even kind of sad that the month is almost over. Of course, had I not made a goal for myself, I guarantee that I would have gotten stressed and depressed.

Final thoughts:

Taking up a 30 day challenge was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. This was one of the best months I’ve ever had and I feel like I accomplished a lot. I’m definitely looking forward to starting on my next goal.

P.S. Just because working out is no longer my 30 day challenge, doesn’t mean that I’m abandoning it. In fact, I plan on keeping exercise as a major part of my life.

“Water is the driving force in nature.”

– Leonardo Da Vinci

Building on yesterdays post, I’m going to describe some of the many benefits of hydrotherapy:

• Improved Circulation: Cold water forces blood to migrate to the organs, while hot water causes blood to move towards the skin’s surface. Alternating between hot and cold, gives you the best of both worlds; as it stimulates circulation throughout the entire body.
• Increases mental clarity: As previously stated, cold water causes blood to rush to the organs. Your brain being one of those organs. I cannot even begin to describe how alert and honed my mind feels during a contrast shower. It’s like NZT, except a thousand times cheaper and available right in your own bathroom.
• Relieves depression: According to science, cold water stimulates the brain’s production of Norepinephrine; a chemical that combats depression. (Side note: after taking a contrast shower, I usually start randomly laughing. Most likely because of the increased Norepinephrine levels).
• Prevents acne: Hot water opens pores, while cold water closes them. By ending a contrast shower with cold water, your pores will be sealed and safe from getting clogged.
• Reduces joint pain: Taking a contrast shower is basically like wrapping your whole body in IcyHot. It’s great for relieving sprains and backaches, and can even prevent arthritis.
  
• Maintains healthy skin: Hot water will eventually dry out the skin, by alternating between hot and cold you greatly reduce damaging your tissue.
• Boosts energy: The Japanese Shinto (pictured at the top of this post) used to practice Misogi as a daily ritual. While their procedure was done for religious purposes, it had practical benefits as well. Because of the increased circulation and mental stimulation that contrast showering provides, the body also receives a major surge in energy. For several hours after showering, I feel incredibly alive and vital.
  

If you have any hydrotherapy related questions, post a comment, send an email, or shoot me a Tweet. I’d be more than happy to answer.