Manufacturers of health and wellness products often give out free samples to gain new customers.
You may have access to wellness benefits through your employer or health care provider that you’re not using. For example, some employers offer discounts, cash-back rewards or gym memberships.
Staying fit and healthy can sometimes come at a premium price, but it doesn’t have to. From fitness to mental health, from apps to in-person events, there are tons of free tools and resources to help you along your health and wellness journey. Of course, it can take a little legwork to find these goodies, so we did it for you, sis.
Here are 19 health, fitness and wellness freebies you can scoop up today! (By the way, for in-person offerings, please check with your local locations for the latest updates and be sure to prioritize your safety and follow local COVID guidelines.)
1. Online workouts and classes
Get your daily exercise in — for free — with the umpteen workout videos available online. You’ll find every type of exercise on YouTube — from strength training to dance workouts to yoga. Some channels to try include Kai Simon for beginner and therapeutic exercises, Toni Mitchell for both fitness and vegan diet tips and Afrifitness for African dance workouts.
For other options, explore AARP’s Virtual Community Center or Meetup for both virtual and in-person offerings, or follow your favorite fitness influencers on Instagram for daily inspiration.
2. Workout and fitness apps
Access workouts led by professional trainers and coaches through one of the multiple free fitness apps available. Nike’s Training Club has an extensive library of free workouts, including sessions led by pro athletes like Simone Biles. And the Adidas training app gets you going with a workout plan tailored to your fitness goals.
If running or walking is your exercise of choice these days, log those miles with RunKeeper. And if yoga is more your style, try out Yoga for Beginners. These are just a handful of the many fitness apps available for free. (Tip: Access these apps on your Smart TV or streaming device or cast them to your TV for an at-home workout experience.)
3. Yoga classes at Lululemon stores
Attend a free yoga session inside one of Lululemon’s retail stores. See which locations are currently offering them, or browse their online classes here. Also, many local yoga studios offer community drop-in classes for free or by freewill donation. Do a quick search for “free yoga” plus your town or city to find classes near you, or try searching on Eventbrite or Meetup.
4. Free gym memberships
At-home workouts were a godsend during the pandemic, but if you’re ready to rejoin a gym or try one for the first time, take advantage of free trial memberships offered by some chains. For example, Anytime Fitness offers a free seven-day pass, 24 Hour Fitness provides a complimentary three-day trial and LA Fitness has a free five-day guest pass for you and a friend. Also, check out your local gyms, which may be offering incentives to bring back customers.
5. SilverSneakers
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you may have SilverSneakers. The program offers gym and community center memberships, online workouts, in-person classes and discounts on wellness products and fitness equipment — all at no additional charge.
6. Weight loss programs and support
Shape offers a free 21-day program that includes at-home workouts, nutrition guidance and community. For additional support during your weight-loss journey, browse through related Facebook groups or on Meetup for local gatherings.
7. Nutrition apps
Count your calories, log your meals and get nutrition guidance with free apps. MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, Start Simple with MyPlate and MyPlate Calorie Counter are a few to try. Most of the apps will have premium features you can pay for, but the free versions will meet your basic needs.
8. Healthy recipes and meal plans
The internet has no shortage of websites and blogs offering free recipes and meal plans. Whether you want Keto meal plans or vegan recipes, you’ll find them by doing a quick search online. Skinnytaste.com is an excellent option for seven-day healthy meal plans.
9. Free health and wellness courses
Thanks to the free course platforms Coursera and Udemy, you can access classes from some of the world's top universities, colleges and other resources. Try Stanford’s Introduction to Food and Health on Coursera, where you’ll learn practical and scientific ways to optimize the way you eat. Or explore a new aspect of health and wellness on Udemy, like aromatherapy, herbalism or self-massage using a tennis ball! And while you're there, be sure to browse the platform’s 700-plus free health and wellness courses. (Tip: Select “free” in the search filter to narrow down your results.)
10. Virtual health conferences.
Attend complimentary online summits and seminars on a variety of health and wellness topics. Browse Eventbrite to learn about upcoming events.
11. Free health and wellness samples.
Manufacturers of health and wellness products often give out free samples to gain new customers. Currently, you can grab free samples of Exederm cream, Plain Jane CBD products or Breathe Right strips. You’ll have to complete a brief form or join an email list; keep in mind, the offers are only available while supplies last. For more health and wellness freebies, check out FreeFlys, which rounds up the best samples around the internet.
12. Free meditation sessions
Find a Shambhala Center near you to participate in a free weekly meditation session that incorporates both seated and walking meditation. The centers also provide meditation instruction to beginners free of charge.
13. Free meditation and mindfulness app
Give yourself a daily mental health check-in with the Shine App. Described as a self-care toolkit, the app helps you prioritize your mental and emotional health with a daily meditation, access to articles and a way to log your gratitude.
14. Free games
Exercise your mind with AARP’s free word searches, crossword puzzles and other brain games.
15. National Parks access
The National Park Service has multiple free entrance days throughout the year, so get them on your calendar and plan ahead.
16. No-cost eye exams
The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers free eye exams through its EyeCare America initiative. The program matches seniors, 65 and older, with volunteer ophthalmologists who provide medical eye exams, and up to one year of follow-up care for some diagnosed conditions, often at no cost. Additionally, the program offers free exams for eligible and uninsured patients who are at risk for glaucoma.
17. Wellness benefits
You may have access to wellness benefits through your employer or health care provider that you’re not using. For example, some employers offer discounts, cash-back rewards or gym memberships. And some medical insurers provide products to help manage certain medical conditions, like blood pressure monitors, free of charge. It’s worth checking with your benefits coordinator or HR department.
18. Prescription drugs
Some supermarket chains, like Meijer and Price Chopper, for example, offer select prescribed medications for free regardless of insurance or copays.
19. Free playlists
Pump up the jams — for free — by accessing tons of playlists online from Spotify, Pandora or iHeartRadio. And of course, remember to check out our playlists curated just for you. Here's one for walking.
Harkiran Kalsi
