Information for a Healthy Life September 30 Issue 3 IN THIS ISSUE: - How to Evaluate and Purchase Quality Home Exercise
Equipment ***************************************************************** How to Evaluate and Purchase Quality Home Exercise Equipment If you are reading this, it is probably no coincidence you are thinking about buying home exercise equipment. We at IDEA think that's great news, because encouraging people around the world to get and stay active is what we do. Great news, too, since study after study proves what we've known since we were kids: moving around is good for us, mind body and soul. But we've also known someone (maybe even you?) who has brought exercise equipment home, only to have it end up gathering dust in the garage or doubling as a laundry hanger. Maybe you did not see the results it promised. On the other hand, perhaps you just did not enjoy the activity you performed on it. Whatever the reason, that is too bad, since fitness equipment not used equals health benefits not realized. We want to make sure this time, you take home equipment you will enjoy using . . . and use regularly. So, we've taken everything we've learned about home exercise equipment during our 15 years as the organization for health and fitness professionals worldwide, and distilled it into this informational guide. Better Equipment and More Choices than Ever The good news is, today's home exercise equipment is better constructed and more effective-and offers you more options-than ever before. With choice, however, can come confusion . . . especially since equipment now comes in so many shapes, sizes and types, and is often marketed through glossy direct mail packages and sophisticated infomercials. Prices can range from $50 to $5,000 and up. How can you possibly sort out all this information? Our panel of top international fitness experts offers you these tips on how to evaluate and choose quality exercise equipment. STEP ONE-Determine Your Goals Are you trying to lose weight? Do you want to get stronger or both? Knowing your goals in advance will help you make sure the equipment you buy will set you up for success, not disappointment. Determining your goal will narrow your search to far fewer options. STEP TWO-Don't Forget About You What activities do you enjoy most? Which don't you like? If you avoid taking stairs at all costs, you probably will not like working out on a stairclimber/stepper-decreasing the chances you will use it regularly. If you love to take brisk walks, a treadmill will give you a similar experience any time of day or night, in any type of weather. The more you enjoy the activity your equipment provides, the more often you will use it. STEP THREE-Set Your Budget How much do you have to spend? If you love that fancy, programmable $2,500 stairclimber at the gym, the $199 blue light special will probably prove a huge disappointment-but a basic, quality $600-800 model might work great. A good strategy is to spend most of your budget on one solid aerobic training piece, say a high-quality treadmill, then build around it with inexpensive strength training equipment such as tubing and dumbbells. STEP FOUR-Decide on Features and Functions From televised displays to digital readouts, much of today's equipment incorporates an amazing amount of high technology. However, these "bells and whistles" often come at a price. Ask yourself if timers, heart rate monitors, calories-burned displays and the like will motivate you. If so, and you can afford them, great. If not, rest assured that a basic, good-quality piece will provide just as effective a workout. And you can often duplicate many features by using kitchen timers, keeping an exercise log with handwritten entries, even learning how to take your own pulse. Other considerations include a reading rack, ease of adjusting variables such as tension, resistance and seat height, water bottle holders, and whether it folds up. STEP FIVE-Ask Questions! Ask about warranties, return policies, satisfaction guarantees, frequency and cost of repairs. In most cases, a reputable dealer will let you to try out your new equipment at home for a specified time period, say, 30 days, and allow you to return it for a full refund or merchandise credit. The dealer should take care of pick-up, delivery and set-up. Also, be sure to talk to the dealer about repairs and maintenance-they should have a trained technician on staff or on a consultant basis to handle repairs and maintenance. Most product warranties cover manufacturing defects and labor charges for at least one year. You won't enjoy the same service when buying direct by TV, direct mail or Internet! STEP SIX-Using And Storing Your New Equipment Many people anxiously await delivery of their new stationary bicycle or home gym-only to find it does not fit in the space they had planned to put it! Measure the actual footprint of your new equipment, and consider ventilation, electrical outlets, and noise problems for neighbors, even storage. Plus, consider placing a rubber mat under the equipment to reduce noise and absorb sweat and grease. EQUIPMENT CATEGORIES Aerobic Fitness Equipment Stationary bicycles work the legs through the pedaling motion of a bicycle. Some models are used sitting upright, others recumbent (seated). Treadmills let you walk or run at varying speeds. Some models simulate inclines of various degrees, and many incorporate timers. Nordic ski machines simulate the motion of cross-country (also called Nordic) skiing and exercises the legs and arms simultaneously. Stairsteppers/climbers duplicate the motion of climbing up a flight of stairs. Some add upper- body exercise by simulating a pull-up climbing motion with the arms. Elliptical trainers are sort of a cross between a ski machine and a stairstepper, and put your legs and feet through a circular, up-and-down motion. Rowing machines work the back, arms and legs. Aerobic riders exercise the arms and legs simultaneously through a push/pull motion. Strength Training Equipment Free weights, sometimes called "barbells" or "dumbbells," are among the most common forms of home exercise equipment. Multi-station machines, also known as "home gyms," typically use resistance created by either rubber resistance or cables attached to plated weights or flexible poles. Bands and tubing are lightweight ways to strength train at your home, office or while on the road. This information is furnished by IDEA, the Health & Fitness Source, as part of our mission to "Make Fitness Happen" worldwide. http://www.ideafit.com ********************** Important Resource ********************* Build a leaner, energized, fantastic body and unstoppable
motivation ************************************************************* Staying Motivated One way to stay motivated is to constantly remind yourself that a worth-while pay-off lies ahead; a new, healthy, strong you is emerging. Effective, consistent exercise will not only improve your overall health and fitness, but will also improve your appearance, energy level, and social interactions. Also, look forward to the many psychological benefits as well: confidence, self-esteem, and relief from depression, anxiety and stress. If you are serious about your health and well-being, you will take action and begin an exercise program, and you will benefit in all these ways. Once you see the results, you will become even more motivated. Action creates motivation! Set Goals Goal-setting is another great way of staying motivated. Goals focus your workout program and clarify what you are trying to achieve. As you attain each goal, you gain encouragement and further motivation. Here is how to achieve the goals you set and obtain the results you deserve. 1. Make sure your goals are measurable: A vague goal, such as "I want to be fit," gives you nothing to shoot for. Decide when and what you are going to achieve, such as "I want to lose 2 percent of my body fat by August 1st." 2. Be realistic: Make sure your goals are attainable. If you set your expectations too high, you will get frustrated and will be more likely to quit. Make sure, however, that your goals are not too easy; they should be challenging. When you achieve a challenging goal, your pride and satisfaction will create more motivation. 3. Set short-term goals as stepping stones to your "ultimate" (long-term) goals: If your long-term goal is to bench press 200 pounds in one year, then set short-term weekly or monthly goals of the weight you will need to bench press to achieve your long term goal--develop a plan. It is a lot easier to accomplish a goal one day or week at a time, such as increasing 2.5 or 5 pounds a week, than it is to think that you need to increase your bench press by 50 pounds. Make It Fun Another way of assuring that you stay motivated is to make exercise fun. If you perceive your workout as a chore, you more than likely will not stick with it. Here are some techniques for making your workout something to look forward to. 1. Add Variety: If your weightlifting is getting tedious and boring, change one of these factors: - Vary how often you do an exercise and the number of sets and reps
you do. 2. Include Friends and Family: Training with a workout partner not only makes your training session more fun, safe, and intense, but will also increase the likelihood of your showing up at the gym. Make sure you pick a partner whose goals and interests are similar to yours and who is willing to spot you correctly and motivate you to do your best. 3. Fight Discouragement: If once in a long while you blow off a workout because you choose to go out with friends, just accept and enjoy your choice--do not feel guilty. Otherwise, the sense of failure can make it harder to get yourself back on track. Focus on how much progress you have made so far, not on how far you have to go. 4. Expect and Prepare for Plateaus: If you feel you have reached a plateau and/or are bored, do not give up--this is a natural part of working out. Make sure to vary the exercises, sets, repetitions and order of your workout--continually search for new ways of making your routine fun and exciting. 5. Schedule your Workout: If you always exercise on the same days at the same time, your routine will become a fixture in your life, not a whim. Not going to the gym will feel unnatural. Including exercise into your busy schedule will be an adjustment, and staying motivated will be equally challenging. Change is difficult for many people. However, if you have the willingness to work through the initial emotional discomfort as you move step by step through a safe and effective program, you will find the confidence, commitment and determination that will ease the way. When you begin achieving great results, the excitement and fun you experience will make the change well worth the effort Action creates motivation! Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful benefits of a healthy, active lifestyle. Chad Tackett is president of Global Health & Fitness ************************* Cool Tools ************************** The search engine Snap.com has an interesting and fun channel for people currently exercising or considering starting a workout program. You'll find under their "Health & Fitness" category "Top 10 Lifestyle Tools". There are links to the following features: 1. Fitness tool-kit They also have a "Find A Fitness Program" for running, walking,
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