Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

Exercise equipment is very expensive and even if you appreciate that using it is an investment in health and longevity, it still can be very difficult to fit it into a home budget. But used home exercise equipment might be a way to go. Since most equipment last for literally decades and even with constant use will probably still have a lot of life left in them regardless of the age. But where to find some good used exercise equipment and what should you look for before purchasing?

Before you start your search for used exercise equipment you should decide on the type of equipment you think would be of the best benefit to you. Take a trip to your local home fitness center and check out the types of equipment available. While looking at the equipment be sure to inspect the exercise equipment for quality of workmanship and if you are looking at gym equipment in a gymnasium you should look for the normal wear and tare. This information will become vital when considering used exercise equipment.

Obviously most people would turn to eBay when looking for used home exercise equipment, but keep in mind that there is usually a large shipping cost for this type of equipment if you purchase it from someone outside of your immediate area. However eBay does allow you to narrow your search to a specific range of miles around your home so that you can pick up something. It’s recommended that for something as expensive as home exercise equipment you’ll want to arrange with the seller to inspect the pieces beforehand or pay in cash in person after winning the auction, if the piece is as advertised. It’s never a good idea to just pay for something this expensive without having inspected it first. Craig’s List online is also a good place to shop for used exercise equipment and some prefer it since it isn’t worked around an auction but is more like a huge garage sale instead.

You may have flea markets nearby that sell exercise equipment. Goodwill, Purple Heart, the Kidney Foundation, and even the Salvation Army often sell good equipment from their donors. You can easily find them online or in the phone book.

It’s important to inspect and try out the used home exercise equipment you find anywhere before you Read the rest of this entry »

Just a couple of days ago I stayed up mighty late to watch fireworks displays. And I decided it’s time for me to create some fireworks of my own by committing myth-murder!

I see hundreds of people daily at my chosen profession as a personal trainer. I am unceasingly amazed at the questions I receive regarding “quick fix” topics.

That is the FIRST Myth I am here to stomp out of existence. There is no such thing as a healthy quick fix in the fitness world and anyone who tells you there is probably also has their own Internet site promoting instant wealth in only 30 seconds per day! Ladies and gentlemen, it took more than a month or two to put the weight on and it will take longer than that to take it off in a HEALTHY fashion. Patience, discipline and steadfastness are the keys to honest, long-term success.

“But I read that you can target certain areas to lose weight!” Myth #2 is about to bite the dust. The human body will burn off body fat where it wants to, not necessarily where WE want it to. I am one of the very fortunate few who loses pesky inches from my waist first. That is particularly awesome because of being in my 50s. Most people will lose in their limbs before anywhere else. And ladies, it is a fact that the chest area will decrease most of the time, whether that’s what we want or not! You can’t target an area and count on getting results in one spot. Oh, and by the way, I always ask what it was that a person read and I usually find out some popular publication is the culprit. Check your sources and resources carefully! Magazines are out there to make money and they don’t often do worthwhile fact finding.

“I heard…….” Myth #3. If you heard something on the radio, television, or from a friend’s mouth, check out the source of information. If there is no scientific basis for what has been put out there, it probably isn’t completely true.

For those of you beautiful ladies who are perimenopausal, menopausal or post-menopausal, don’t fall for the most common script out there. Read the rest of this entry »

Exercise treadmill is a home exercise equipment but used also by cardiologists. It is also well known in the medical circles by many alternative names such as exercise ECG, Stress test – exercise treadmill, EKG – exercise treadmill etc. But before we get onto see the medical relevance of this wonderful simple exercise equipment, let us see what it does to our everyday life and how.

You are hard pressed for time, but you are aware that you are slightly going out of shape. And, your physician has advised you to reduce weight and get back into shape. It is here that the exercise treadmill comes to your rescue. One strong supporting point in its favor is treadmill is amongst the top calorie burning equipment.

What Does a Treadmill Do To You?
Basically, an exercise treadmill is used for general screening of heart to find out how good its general is and how it responds to stress or exercise. When you walk on the treadmill, physicians collect data like your cardio electrical activity on ECG while monitoring the blood pressure. These data can be interpreted later to find out whether the heart asks for additional oxygen as a reaction.

Stress test on treadmill helps doctors in determining the heart’s ability to withstand exercise. This in turn helps in determining the appropriate level of exercise so that an exercise regime is developed for persons in need. Apart from this, there are various other reasons, such as determine the causes of chest pain, for your doctor to go for stress test.

That apart, a survey conducted by Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association tells that people spend more on treadmills than other exercise/fitness equipments. The basic realities that go in support of exercise treadmill are the unbeatable workout on cardiovascular muscles and high rate of calorie burning. In a joint study, VA Medical Center in Milwaukee and the Medical College of Wisconsin put the calories burnt on treadmill on top of the list of calories burnt by other exercise machines. After a 60 minutes’ workout treadmill burns an average of 865-705 calories.

Benefits of Exercise Treadmill
1. Treadmill lets you exercise indoors avoiding bad weather
2. Adjustable speeds accommodates both running and walking
3. Little or no impact on heels, knee ankles, back and as a result fewer injuries. As a result you can run for years
4. High end treadmills allow adjusting of speeds and inclines so than running or walking uphill/downhill is Read the rest of this entry »

While building a good home gym can cost more than a membership in the short term, over the course of your use of the equipment you will find working out at home to be much cheaper.
So how do you know what kind of equipment to buy in order to outfit your home gym? Planning your home gym is really based on four factors: your goals, level of commitment, the amount of room you have for equipment and the amount you can spend on your gym.
When choosing what exercise equipment to buy for you home gym, remember that if you start off with the basics you can always add additional equipment later on. This is better than buying exercise equipment that will later be used as a jacket hanger. A very expensive one at that!

Of course you don’t want to plan to buy a weight bench, treadmill and exercise bike if your workout space is the corner of your living room, you can’t afford any of it and you really just want to train to run a 5K. If you can’t afford or don’t have room for the equipment, or if it doesn’t meet your fitness goals, you aren’t likely to use it.
So let’s look first at your fitness goals and current level of activity. If you’re starting from scratch, both physically and equipment-wise, you’ll want to start slowly, maybe with some barbells in light weights, a yoga mat for stretching and doing other exercises on the floor, and maybe an exercise bike or a treadmill. Now would not be the time to invest in an elliptical machine or a strange piece of equipment you’ve never used before (really, there’s never a good time to invest in equipment you’ve never used).
On the other hand, if you’ve been working out a gym and suddenly have extra room in your house (say a child just left for college and you’d like to take over his room) you know what kind of equipment you like to use, so whether it’s a treadmill, a rower, or a Read the rest of this entry »

A career as one of the personal trainers can be a rewarding one. Not everyone is suited to become a personal trainer, but for those who are addicted to the world of health, it is a great career option.

Becoming a personal trainer is a hard accomplishment and requires many steps to become successful.

Becoming One Of the Successful Personal Trainers

There are many steps that you need to take to become one of the successful personal trainers.

Hire a current personal trainer so that you can study his or her teaching methods.

Sign up for some classes related to personal training.

Consider going to some form of college for a health related degree.

Research on internet classes related to personal training licenses.

Practice your skills by helping your friends get into shape.

Hire One Of The Personal Trainers

This is by far the most important thing that anyone who is interested in becoming a personal trainer can do. Hiring a successful personal trainer is a great way to study the methods of a fitness trainer who enjoys the success of the fitness industry. By hiring one of the qualified personal trainers, you can learn from the real professionals, which will improve your knowledge on teaching fitness to others.

Sign Up For Personal Trainers Classes

Another great thing to do is to sign up for local fitness related classes in the area. Different fitness techniques are offered through gym classes or by a personal trainer. You can take this opportunity to learn the techniques that you can use to teach your future clients once you have completed your training.

Consider Going To A Personal Trainers College

The best personal trainers have college education in a field relating to health. Provided you have the time and the financial means, it’s best if you can go back to college and get a diploma in the fitness field.

Research On Internet Classes Relating To Personal Training Licenses

The information available about becoming a personal trainer on the internet is dense. You should do your research on the various personal training license classes offered online. While these online licenses are not as ideal as an actual college degree, they will bring you some sort of security as to when you start your personal training practice.

Practice Your Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most popular pieces of workout equipment available is the exercise treadmill, and with good reason. These work-horses can be used by people of virtually every fitness level depending upon whether the user walks, jogs, runs or designs a custom exercise program. The beauty of a treadmill workout is that the exercises are so easy to vary simply by slowing down or speeding up the treadmill’s setting. Many people also invest in an exercise treadmill as an alternative to running outdoors on days when the weather is inclement, thereby getting rid of the tired excuse of “the weather was too bad.”

Once you’ve decided to purchase a home treadmill for your daily workouts, you shouldn’t rush right out and buy the first good-looking piece of exercise equipment you see. This can not only hurt your pocketbook, it can hurt you. Finding the best treadmill for your workout regimen requires some research and plenty of comparisons so that you don’t get burned. Check out sites that have treadmill reviews and compare features before buying. Some of the best sources of treadmill ratings can be found at sites run by trainers or gym owners.

There are four basic questions you should ask yourself when you shop for an exercise treadmill:

• What are my specific exercise needs (what do I need/not need)?

• How good are the parts and construction of this treadmill?

• What price range can I afford?

• How good is the warranty on this treadmill?

Understanding your exercise needs is as simple as knowing what you really expect to be doing once you get your exercise treadmill home. Be honest – not everyone works out by running a mile every day, and many of us shouldn’t! It will be primarily used to walk a few miles at a leisurely pace. If you weight 130 pounds, your needs will be different than a 275 pound man who will be running at top speed or creating a varied workout each day. Do you need a console that provides a dozen custom exercise programs, or simply a heart rate monitor?

Not all parts are the same

Next, look at the treadmill’s parts. Key features you should look for in treadmill reviews include:

•The Motor – A motor of at least 1.5 horsepower is essential. The higher the horsepower, the cooler the Read the rest of this entry »

When you go looking for weight loss information, how do you know what’s hype and what works? Weight loss forums get real busy this time of year. After the holidays, you’re back to bemoan the fact that the weight’s back and now what?? Everybody has their two cents to contribute.

Some of the more institution-like websites that deal with weight loss information are a bit stodgy and dry. This information, while for the most part credible, is plenteous, to the point where you begin to feel like digesting it all might take months. You’ll also find caveats galore. “Don’t do this if you’re on a salt restricted diet” or, “if you’re genetically disposed to …”, leaving you thinking you need a battery of tests performed to distinguish the do’s from the do not’s. Unless you can and want to spend a few months figuring out your own custom weight loss program, this type of weight loss information may not be news you can use right now. Credible, but maybe TMI for your immediate needs.

There’s no shortage of weight loss information books, from chic and trendy programs to scholastic tomes. The academic books, written by people with degrees in nutrition, contain accurate information. The trendy books – ones that read, ‘The (insert now-household name) Diet’ would not have become household names if they didn’t work for some people. Therein lies the rub. What if you’re not one of those people? You might even have tried one of these in the past and found it did not work, even though your neighbor lost 20 pounds with that method. This type of weight loss information carries its own caveat, that being that it might not work, although the theory and science is credible.

Then there are the so-called ‘miracle’ diets and pills. Some are plain snake oil remedies, which don’t work for anyone. Others employ herbs like ephedra or hoodia, which, while they work, can be super dangerous to your health, used improperly. Ephedra is a powerful stimulant and is best avoided, except in very narrow circumstances and under strict medical supervision. Hoodia is a plant native to the Australian outback. The aboriginal tribes make use of it when making long treks through the desert, in search of food. It suppresses the appetite, for sure, but is not a recommended lifestyle. Any qualified herbalist will tell you that both herbs should be used with caution, if at all.

So, where do you find practical, accurate weight loss information?

What’s not often mentioned in any of these venues is that losing weight has a largely psychological component. This is why your neighbor lost 20 pounds on the X diet, while you gave it up after a month of fruitless effort. The psychological factor is key to your success. The bottom line is your motivation and counting calories. That’s all there is to it.

So here’s my two cents. Allow a week to prep up for the effort. Just like quitting smoking, you’ve got to mentally prepare yourself. List every reason you can think of that motivates you to lose weight. Nothing’s too silly. Stick your list on the frig or hide it in your purse. During this week, make a food diary which details every bit of food you ingest. No cheating. Add up the calories for each day and divide by seven. That’s your average current caloric intake. If your weight loss goal is one pound per week, deduct 500 calories from your average and plan your menus accordingly. Weigh yourself on the morning of day one. Exercise will naturally enhance reaching your objective. Be hard on yourself and stick with the program. Fewer calories equals weight loss. This is the common sense approach to weight loss information that works for you.

Wow it’s the start of a new year again so it’s time to make another effort at kicking bad habits and taking on good habits
such as: joining a Gym to get fit and lose a few pounds. When most people join a gym, motivation runs high for the first couple of months and it’s great, but then they start to lose interest, this usually happens around March or April, some times sooner. People get tired of doing the same old routine with little or no results. Boredom overtakes and they quit. There are a few secrets to maintaining a successful training program:

1. There must be a plan of action based on the person’s goals
2. Progress must be tracked and logged.
3. The program must be interesting and appealing
4. It must be changed every 4 to 6 weeks for greater results and the keep its appeal.

Many people who are new to the fitness scene follow the same training routine day in day out for a couple of months and then give up in despair.

So what is the solution?

Those people could employ the services of a Fitness Trainer to keep them motivated and provide them with sound exercise routines that are interesting and will actually work.

Fitness trainers are qualified experts in analysing and creating a fitness program that is right for you and your goals. They will provide you with a certain program depending on your “fitness level,” and create it according to your needs, and keep you stimulated and inspired by giving you the correct exercises that will not bore you and you will not wish you were somewhere else.

If you are considering a Fitness Trainer, keep in mind that they will vary in fitness education and skill.

Here are some factors to consider when hiring a Fitness Trainer:

1. Proof of Certification
To ensure your success,
They must be certified by a highly accredited Fitness Institute. This implies greater knowledge and higher quality.

2. Education and Training
Choose a Fitness Trainer who has acquired a very high level of education and training in the health and fitness field.
They will have the edge over the others regarding your results and value for money.

3. Gives the right attention to you.
A good fitness trainer will provide his or her Read the rest of this entry »