As the holidays approach, a feeling of dread creeps in. Not only is money taking tighter, but your pants are, too. Its the same old story. Colder weather keeps you stuck indoors, while the yummy holiday cooking fattens you up. Not this year. Not me! I refuse to acquire those holiday pounds and you can, too. No, you dont have to sign any contracts at an expensive gym. You can get the body you want on a limited budget.

You might not realize it, but workout videos are more fun and exciting than they used to be.

Workout videos are also much less expensive than a gym membership or buying home workout equipment like a treadmill or elliptical trainer.

If the thought of buying workout videos reminds you of leg warmers and striped leotards, youve got some catching up to do. Youre not stuck with the boring workout videos of the 80s and 90s anymore. Believe it or not, the same sought-after trainers who get paid the big bucks to train celebrities could be on call to train you in your own home for pennies a day.

Some of the newest fitness trends are available on video.

Ballet:

Have you always envied a ballet dancers lean and graceful body? Several ballet videos are now available as workout videos. One of the most popular choices right now was created by the famous New York City Ballet. Although you wont learn to be the next prima ballerina training with exercise video at home, you will shape and lengthen your muscles for a graceful body.

Belly Dancing:

Shimmy your way to a sizeably successful waistline. Whether you want an instructional video to teach you proper belly dancing technique or you just want to exercise with belly dance moves, you will find a wide variety of videos available.

Exotic Dancing:

You read that right. If youve ever thought it would be fun to learn sexy moves, then this is for you. In the privacy and safety of your own home, you can bump and gyrate to your hearts content. I have also heard that laughter is great for your abs, so you will have that covered as well, especially if you have a mirror in your workout room.

Yoga or Pilates:

If youre looking for a sleek, lean body, firm core, or more flexibility, then there are hundreds of yoga and Pilates videos to choose from. Youll find yoga for adults as well as yoga for kids. Yes, kids get stressed, too. Yoga is a nice way to teach them to relax.

Fitness videos for kids:

Oftentimes kids may be the best motivators. If you put in a Sesame Street dance video and your three year old asks you to dance with Elmo, you might hardly say "no".

Once youve chosen a trend or video you are interested in, set a distingguished instant each day to "meet" with your personal trainer. Its best to rotate at least two different forms of exercise (or videos) to avoid repetitive use strains. You can do different videos each day, or alternate a stroll , bike ride or other activity you enjoy on your non-video days. As long as you are moving, youre keeping those spare pounds from firmly attaching to your body.

So, dont sign that costly gym membership agreement just yet. Blow the dust off the exercise videos in your cabinet, get some nice walking shoes, or check out the hottest trends at your most beloved online store. Its the frugal way to go.