However, some of the best aids can be purchased

1. A Sports Mat This is a very popular item. They are also called stretching mats and not terribly expensive ranging from $7 to $40. They are great for doing your warm-up and stretching exercises. They are also used when doing pilates and yoga. They can be stored easily, either under the bed and rolled up stored upright in a closet. Some mats have a sticky film coating which helps you to remain steady during your workout and aids balance. 2. A Workout Diary This might seem like a strange fitness item but it can help with your motivation. When you start off a new fitness regime it important to keep track of the type and number of exercises you are doing. If you have it with you, it's easy to check where you're at in your daily workout. You could use an ordinary notebook, but the workout diary is purposely designed for keeping note of all your workout activities and some give space for nutrition notes, so it can double up as a food diary. The cost is around $20 or less for one of these diaries and is well worth it. 3. Sporting Socks Socks aren't always the first item on your fitness list, but they are a vital element in your sport attire. Nowadays, you can find just about every kind of sock designed for every type of sport. Let's not forget that socks are a buffer between the shoe and the foot and so they can help prevent blisters, calluses and other such nasty and uncomfortable shoe-friction problems. Choose wisely and research your socks before buying. The general cost is between $7 and $15 and they vary in materials from light-weight synthetic to high-quality wool. 4. A Good Water Bottle Now you probably think that a water bottle should not be on this list, but think again. Statistics have shown that you're more likely to drink the required 8-10 glasses of water if you are in constant possession of a water bottle. If you are serious about keeping hydrated while exercising, then there's a product on the market called a Hydration pack. It's an insulated pouch that you where like a backpack when you're running, cycling, walking, etc... and to drink from this water-filled pouch you bite down on the end of a flexible tube that hangs over your shoulder. While a bog-standard water bottle will set up back around $5, you'll probably pay between $40 - $100 for a hydration pack. The choice is up to you and depends on your level of activity.