I'm Spending Money to Get Fit. Here's How Much I Pay Monthly

It took me seven years to uncover the dirtiest lie in fitness: You can get the same fitness results for free as you would spending it on training, as long as you want it enough.

My experience has taught me this isn't always true. The proof? I've been trying to get fit without spending money since the beginning of college, with limited success. I've spent years stressing and self-recriminating, barely seeing results that vanished when I stopped paying attention.

One and a half months into hiring a personal fitness trainer, I'm in the best shape I've been in since college. It's costing me cash, but I'm happy to trade money for results. Below, I'll get into how much I spend monthly, including expenses that weren't obvious to me going in.

I spend $640 monthly to get fit

I spent about a year waffling over spending money on getting fit. I wanted it -- believed it would work, even -- but that price tag? Atrocious. It took me time to pull the trigger. Now, though, I can confidently say that getting in shape is even more expensive than I expected.

I spend approximately $640 monthly to get fit. Here's the breakdown.

The biggest expense is hiring a personal trainer at a private gym. It's not cheap. But I figured it would be worth trying for a month (it was). When it worked, I doubled down. Now, my spending on meals and such makes up a big part of my fitness budget.

Protein is the single-most important thing after training, according to my trainer. It helps me build and maintain muscle, part of my fitness goals. In my case, I need to eat even more than typical -- I'm a 26-year-old guy of above-average height, and I have a high metabolism. Lots of folks may be able to spend much less than I do to meet their nutritional needs.

How I'm affording it

Getting fit is something I've wanted to do for a long time. It's personal. It's also a big part of my budget. I'm affording it through a mix of luck and cultivating a thrifty lifestyle. Living with family instead of a studio apartment saves me more than $900 monthly. But that's not all.

More ways I save money while getting fit:

• Joining group classes: They're up to 50% less expensive than 1:1 sessions.
• Using Amazon rewards: I use my Prime Visa to get 5% back on protein powders.
• Earning extra income: I have more time to earn income now that I'm not spending long hours at the gym. (My training sessions are about 30 minutes per session.)

Hopefully, this offers you insight into what it could cost to get fit and stay there. You could spend anywhere from $29 to $166 per session with a fitness trainer, according to findyourtrainer.com. How much you spend on nutrition will vary depending on your lifestyle and fitness goals.

One more thing: The average American household spends an average of $488 per month on healthcare. Getting fit under the supervision of a professional is an investment in my health. I don't know what the future will hold, but I feel more secure knowing my body is in good hands.

Affordable alternatives

It's possible for many folks to spend much less than $640 monthly to get fit. You can snag a Planet Fitness membership for $10/month, and more experienced gym-goers might want to pick up a $34/month LA Fitness subscription. Neither option will hit you in the savings account quite like hiring a personal trainer.

Purchasing at-home exercise equipment is another option. You pay upfront, and should you want to get rid of it, you can recoup some of the costs by reselling the equipment online. These days, you can buy a complete at-home adjustable dumbbell set for as little as $99 from Walmart. Higher-quality sets and equipment like treadmills can quickly ramp in price, however.

Spending money isn't the only way to get fit, but it sure helps. It's possible to trade money for motivation, expertise, and ultimately, results (thank you, friends who regularly comment on my progress; it can be hard to tell in the mirror). Since money helps me meet my goals, I'm willing to spend it.