Cassey Maynard's 5 ways to be active without a gym membership

Unfortunately, not all of us are natural gym junkies and if the thought of spending an hour surrounded by sweaty, buff bodies and fighting for your turn on the elliptical makes you want to run in the opposite direction, we feel you.

But, there are ways to get fit without a gym membership; the secret is to get a little creative.

Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.

Instead of going for a drink or dinner with your friends, organise a fit date. Stretch it out with yoga or sweat it up with a dance class. Get the conversation and heart-rate up with a hike or a long walk. Whatever you choose, all you need to do is get moving together - this is such a great way to get your activity levels up and will also help you avoid that nasty hangover - win win!

Yep, that’s right! Take the office outdoors and next time you have a meeting, suggest walking with your colleagues – it’s such a great way to stay active during the working week. It’s important to try and integrate as much movement as possible throughout your day. That way you won’t feel guilty for not hitting up a gym pre or post work.

If you thought you needed a good hour or two to be able to do a workout, you thought wrong! It’s time to change your mindset and embrace Tabata. Get your phone out and set up your timer for a four-minute sweat session. Tabata is made up of 20 seconds of activity and 10 seconds of rest. Choose two exercises and alternate between them. My personal favourites are burpees and squats, but you could also try a sit-up and push-up combination!

The beauty of this is that you can do it from anywhere at anytime. Why not try it outdoors in your lunch break? You’ll be going back to work pumped-up full of energy and high from the endorphin rush.

Go back to your youth and skip it out. All you need is a skipping rope and a few minutes – I guarantee you’ll get your heart rate up and your body sweating. Skipping is perfect if you’re short on time, and want to squeeze in a quick workout. Need a challenge? Try and hit 50 skips in 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds then repeat.

Kick start your core with this quick and easy ab workout. Start with 16 fast bicycle runners (lay on your back with legs lifted to a 45-degree angle and arms behind your head. Pull one leg and the opposite arm so your elbow touches your bent knee) and then do 16 slow, controlled sit-ups. The challenge is to complete as many rounds as you can. This little workout will BURN, but it won’t leave you too sweaty, so it can be easily be done during your busy work day.

Please note: The tips throughout this article serve as broad information and should not replace any advice you have been given by your medical practitioner.