We are suggesting that you bite the bullet and cut out the booze and cigarettes. As a reward, join a gym. I can pretty much guarantee you that the monthly fee will be less than it costs for a pack a day smoker and less than a few nights out at the bars. In addition, if you are committed to using your new gym membership to the fullest, you will be far less tempted to cheat and return to your booze and cigarettes. This is because it is much harder to workout the day after having a cigarette or even one drink and also because you will want to look as good as everyone else at the gym. Being surrounded by in-shape, good-looking people is a huge motivator to keep showing up for your workouts and not to do things that make reaching your fitness goals more difficult. Who wants to be the fat, hungover person who smells like cigarettes in the gym? No one.

Added benefits are better sleep, increased productivity at work, greater energy during the day and less mindless eating. All of these things help you save money. You’ll be less likely to need medical care, which can also be a huge money-saver.

Let’s be clear. This is a trade. Don’t just join a gym and keep the booze and cigarettes on board. That’s like wearing a life preserver and wearing lead boots. Get rid of the bad stuff and treat yourself to a gym membership.

Here’s how it works. Find some empty space in your home or apartment. You really only need one and a half body lengths in any direction. (I’ve actually done prison workouts in a 400-square-foot studio apartment so don’t say you don’t have the space.) Now, think of what you would do to stay in shape if you were confined to this space. This is why it’s called a “prison workout.”

Things you can do to build strength and keep off the pounds are push-ups, sit-ups, squats, jump squats, running in place, jumping jacks, high step running in place, lunges (forward, backwards and sideways) and mountain climbers (start in a push-up position and alternate thrusting your knees forward like you are running up a mountain).

The most important thing about a prison workout is to keep moving. Your heart rate will rise and you will enter a fat-burning range as you build strength.

How does this save you money? Gym memberships cost anywhere from $20 a month in rural areas to $400 a month in New York City. Until the economy improves, why not pass on expensive gym memberships and develop a prison workout that you can do at home?

Other ways this saves you money is that you have access to food and drink at home so you do not need to buy expensive bottled water at the gym. And, people who exercise are generally happier, make fewer emotional purchases, and are less likely to eat emotionally than people who do not exercise.

Develop a prison workout. Your body and your wallet will thank you.