This post was written by guest blogger Maria Ginsbourg 
My name is Maria. This year, I decided to forgo a gym membership to save money. When it’s sunny or cloudy, I bike, run, walk or roller blade. When it rains or snows, I follow free online exercise videos. The Internet has hundreds of them, and they help me stay fit and on budget. Here’s a list of my favorite websites:
Exercise TV
Exercise TV has hundreds of instructional videos, and they come in a wide variety: cardio, weight lifting, bootcamp, dancing and yoga. For cardio fans, I recommend Kendell Hogan’s Explosive Cardio, Bootcamp Cardio Burn, and Power Cardio Burn. People who want a low-impact cardio routine can Walk a Mile with the always-smiling Leslie Sansone. For yoga fans, I suggest Tom Morley’s Thighs Hips and Buns Yoga, Maura Barclay’s Yoga Sculpt and Meaghan Townsend’s Beginner Yoga. Exercise TV has a number of strength training videos as well. Cindy Whitmarsh has videos for Incredible Abs and Tank Top Arms. John Spencer Ellis has a strength training video for the Lower Body.
Yoga Yak
YogaYak has over a dozen free yoga classes, which range from 30 to 60 minutes. I often suffer from stress-induced shoulder and back pain, and so I love Michael Riel’s Yoga for Neck and Shoulder Pain. Diane Jacobs’ Hatha Yoga Flow 2 is great for spinal elongation.
Yoga Today
Yoga Today offers a free video every week. You have to register to see it, but the sign-up process is quick and painless. Their videos are set in beautiful outdoor locations, and the teachers often offer some words of wisdom. Their classes are often challenging and range from 50 to 60 minutes.
Baba Ramdev
Baba Ramdev is an Indian yoga guru. It took me a little while to get past the chanting, but I was in a great mood for days after doing his classes on Pranaayam (yogic breathing) and Yoga for Active Meditation. Meditation and yogic breathing help me feel more positive, patient and focused. Breathing exercises and meditation are great activities for people who want to exercise but can’t work out due to an injury.
Sadhana Vinyasa Flow
One thing that I missed about working out in a gym were the long 90 minute yoga classes. Fortunately, I found one such class online. It’s called a Sadhana Vinyasa Flow. It’s a gentle class, in which the movement follow the breath.
YogaMazing
Last but not least, Youtube has channel called YogaMazing. The host, Chaz, creates truly interactive yoga shows. He invites viewers to submit requests and tapes them.
Hopefully these videos inspire you to exercise. I’m sure your body will thank you.