The economy may be in the toilet, but that's no excuse to flush your workout regime down with it. You may have dropped your monthly gym membership or cut back on pricey fitness classes, but that doesn't give you carte blanche to sit on the couch watching Seinfeld re-runs.

We asked Toronto-based fitness expert Mark Mancino to find us five cheap workouts. Here are his suggestions:

1. Walking/Running: Get yourself a decent pair of running or walking shoes and you're off to the races. Turn it into a social event and grab a few friends or join a local running/walking group. You can make it even more fun by
mixing in some interval or hill training. For example: sprint or speed walk for 30-60 seconds, slow back to steady
pace and recover for two minutes and repeat. By varying your work/rest ratios your run/walks will never get boring. Moreover, you will benefit from the tremendous health and conditioning benefits of anaerobic exercise.

2. Hiking/Snowshoeing: Again, get yourself a decent pair of hiking shoes or a cheap pair of snowshoes and get outside. There are countless scenic hiking trails to choose from. Ask around for a great one in your area. Then find a
few you like that match your fitness level and go to it. Pack a lunch and make a day of it. Not only do you take
advantage of the strength and cardiovascular benefits, your spirit will benefit greatly from getting out in the
fresh air and reconnecting with the elements.

3. Circuit Training: A quick walk over to your local park will provide you with ample equipment to get an
incredible workout. Combine a few sets of walking lunges with vertical pull-ups on the jungle gym, some push-ups, a few sets of squat jumps and some lying leg raises, or perhaps some bleacher or park bench step-ups. Some
horizontal pull-ups, a few v-sit pikes, some prone supermans and some stair sprints or windsprints and in no time
at all you have gotten an intense full body workout. To make it a little more fun and dynamic, grab a swiss ball or
a few kettlebells and go to town. Grab a few friends and hire a qualified exercise specialist or personal trainer
for an hour to put together a routine for you, and of course to make sure you are doing everything safely.
Minimal financial output - huge health and conditioning returns!

4. Yoga: Whether you're looking for an intense workout or in need of a gentler, more calming practice, yoga fits
the bill. Grab a yoga DVD and mat and you're set. If you are looking for a vigorous workout, look for an Ashtanga
or a power Vinyasa video. If you're looking to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and calm the mental
noise, look for a traditional Hatha style video. Alternatively, most studios offer "karma" yoga sessions which are
donation-based classes conducted mainly by teachers in training. Simply shoot the instructor whatever you can
afford, if anything, and you are good to go. Any way you choose to go about it, yoga packs a broad spectrum of
benefits into a single workout.

5. Local Sports Clubs: What in the world happened to going down to your local sports club and joining in on a
pick-up basketball game? Or better yet, get the boys and/or girls together and create your own game. No need to
limit it to basketball either - consider beach volleyball, ultimate frisbee, soccer, flag football. The possibilities are endless and you'll actually have fun too!

Have you found some cheap workout alternatives? Please share them with us!