Over half of all women set a New Year’s resolution to improve their health, so we’re guessing you did too, sis. We hope you’re winning your goals, but if you could use a little help, we’ve got you covered. From classes to product samples to dietician services, we’ve rounded up the best freebies to help boost your health and wellness journey.
- Free gym passes. Many fitness chains offer complimentary passes or trial memberships so you can “try before you buy.” For example, Anytime Fitness, Crunch, Gold’s Gym, Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness and 24 Hour Fitness offer free passes ranging from one to seven days. Your local YMCA or independent gym may also offer complimentary passes.
- Free yoga classes. Attend free yoga classes at your nearest Lululemon store or access their online yoga videos. You can also find free community classes on Eventbrite, Meetup or at local yoga studios.
- Free exercise apps and websites. Explore a wide range of workouts through free fitness apps and websites like AARP’s fitness library, Adidas Runtastic, Nike Training Club, Under Armor Map My Fitness, Yoga for Beginners and, of course, YouTube. Create your own home gym experience by casting the apps from your phone to your TV or accessing them on your Smart TV or streaming device.
- Free running guides. Always wanted to pick up running but didn’t know where to start? Access free running plans from Adidas Runtastic, Lululemon and Runner’s World. Also, apps like Asics Runkeeper, Nike Run Club and Under Armor Map My Run can help you track your walks and runs and provide coaching, running guides and additional resources.
- Free workout playlists. Bring some extra energy into your workouts with the right beats. Check out our curated playlists or browse the numerous exercise playlists available on Spotify, Pandora or iHeartRadio.
- Free fitness and wellness support. Access free health, wellness and fitness videos and webinars through AARP’s Online Fitness platform in partnership with LIFT session. Topics include Sticking with your Gym Routine, Nutrition to Manage Peri/Menopause and Mindfulness for Stress Management. Also, check out the AARP Virtual Community Center for interactive health and wellness classes and workshops.
- Free meal plans and recipes. In addition to websites and blogs, your local grocery store is an excellent source for healthy meal plans and recipes. Browse your supermarket’s website or stop by customer service, where you may find printed recipes, healthy lifestyle magazines and other resources.
- Free nutrition apps. Record your meals, count calories and get nutrition advice with free apps like Lose It!, MyFitnessPal and Start Simple with MyPlate.
- Free food and exercise log. Journal your weight management journey with Day Designer’s Weekly Food And Exercise Log printable.
- Free dietitian services. Many supermarkets, including Publix, Stop & Shop and Wegmans, offer healthy eating and lifestyle advice from registered dietitians and nutritionists at no charge. Resources vary by supermarket chain but can include individual consultations, in-store events, webinars, meal planning and online videos.
- Free diabetes resources. Price Chopper’s Diabetes AdvantEdge Program provides customers free diabetes resources and supplies, including a Blood Glucose meter and medication.
- Free health screenings. Many pharmacy chains offer complimentary health screenings. For example, Project Health, available at select CVS store locations and mobile units, provides free blood pressure-, glucose- and cholesterol screening. In addition, the program offers free counseling for smoking cessation. Also, check out your supermarket’s pharmacy; many, like Price Chopper, have complimentary free blood pressure screening and other tests.
- Free COVID tests. Get four free at-home COVID tests through COVID.gov. Have expired tests? Before tossing them, see if they’re on the list of tests with extended expiration dates.
- Free heart health resources. Stay heart-healthy with a wealth of free resources from the American Heart Association. The organization’s Life’s Essential 8 checklist and My Life Check are great tools to assess your heart health and make improvements.
- Free eye exams. The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers eye exams through its EyeCare America initiative often at no out-of-pocket cost. The program matches seniors, 65 and older, with volunteer ophthalmologists who provide medical eye exams — and follow-up care for some diagnosed conditions — at no cost in many cases. Additionally, the program offers free exams to eligible and uninsured patients at risk for glaucoma.
- Free health and wellness samples. Browse free product samples on the freebie site FreeFlys or go directly to your favorite companies’ websites to see if they’re offering samples. Current products include Breathe Right strips, Ensure Life, Medcoat Pill Coating and Xyzal Allergy 24HR.
- Free brain health resources. Learn how to support and enhance your mental well-being with AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health resource library. Also, Brain & Life magazine offers a free bi-monthly subscription.
- Free health courses. Explore just about any health or fitness topic you can think of on free course platforms like Coursera, edX and Udemy. Current offerings include Managing Your Health: The Role of Physical Therapy and Exercise; The Science of Well-Being; Plant-Based Diet to Reverse Health Damage; and Managing Happiness.
- Free games. Exercise your mind with AARP’s word searches, crossword puzzles, trivia and other free brain games.
- Free national park admission. Take in some fresh air at your nearest national park. The National Park Service has six free entrance days in 2024.
- Free meditation classes. Attend live virtual meditation sessions at Shambhala Online. Courses include meditation for beginners, book discussions and advanced meditation practices.
- Free mindfulness apps. Find your calm with guided meditations, relaxing music, sleep sounds and more. InsightTimer, the Healthy Minds Program and the UCLA Mindful App are free to download and use.
- Free wellness benefits. You may have access to wellness benefits through your employer or healthcare provider that you’re not using. For example, some employers offer discounts, cash-back rewards, gym memberships, health screenings and weight management resources. And some medical insurers provide products to help manage certain medical conditions — like blood pressure monitors — free of charge.
- Free wellness programs. Mayo Clinic Health System offers multiple self-guided programs to enhance your wellness journey. Options include month-long courses like Discover Gratitude and Kickstart Kindness or a year-long in-depth program focusing on various healthy-living topics.
