Elliptical Machines - Best Features To Look For In An Elliptical Trainer And Save Money Too!

Thinking about buying an elliptical machine or trainer? Before you start shopping, review our list of some of the best tips to help determine which elliptical trainer will work best for you and your current situation and how you can save money too.

Elliptical machines offer one of the best cardiovascular workouts. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned athlete, the elliptical trainer works with whatever your exercise level to give you the best experience for your fitness level.

A very important part of a successful cardiovascular exercise routine depends on the comfort level you experience while you're using the machine. An elliptical machine works well because it has a smooth, flowing movement that encourages you as you go.

It's important to note that a key part of its rhythmic movement depends on the length of the stride. There are some models on the market that have a 14-inch stride. But you should always buy a trainer with a stride length of at least 21 inches for optimal use.

You want to look for a machine with an adjustable incline and with varying levels of resistance. The incline feature will give you more aerobic activity. And as you become more experienced you can challenge yourself to an even more optimum fitness level.

The machine should offer a range of incline and resistance levels so you have a wide array of workout programs available to choose from. So when you decide to change incline or resistance levels during your workout, the change should be smooth and non-jarring so you can change the inclines any time during the workout you like, while enjoying an optimum workout routine.

Another important factor is to check and see how noisy the machine is? It's important when you're buying a new piece of home exercise fitness equipment to find a model that is quiet enough for you. When you work out, you want it to have a quiet, shushing sound, so you can listen to your favorite music or television program at the same time.

Check for good safety features. Make sure there is a cooling fan and warm-up and cool-down programs so you can work your muscles both comfortably and effectively.

Look for a heart rate monitor. It can help you work out smarter, not harder. With the heart rate monitor, you can be sure you're reaching your best aerobic/heart rate goals.

Look for upper arm handles that move smoothly with your normal routine. And with the dual-action upper body handles, you can get a complete body workout each time.

An LCD front panel display can give you a reading and monitoring system that's easy-to-understand and read. You can read the time, speed, distance, calorie output, hand pulse and other options in a very easy format.

Check to see what the maximum user weight is for the machine. Compare to the weight of the users in your household to ensure that they can all use the machine.

Do you have enough available space for the machine? Measure the area you plan to use and note the specs on so you can use the full range of motion without hitting a wall or a piece of furniture. An average unit will be about 52"x 24"x 62".

Try to find a fairly maintenance-free elliptical machine with a warranty of at least one year for labor and one to three years for parts so you have the ultimate workout exercise program each and every year. Whether you buy a new, used or refurbished machine read the warranty or guarantee first!

Check Consumer Reports magazine and see if they have a current elliptical machine review with ratings. You can save money by checking out prices online and comparing them to the prices in your local fitness or big box stores. Many online dealers offer free shipping. If you find the brand and model you want you can try it out locally and then compare with the online prices.

Some of the used sporting goods stores and used sports consignment stores have slightly used or refurbished trainers at much lower prices; some will be in remarkably good condition because many people buy fitness equipment and don't use it. If you really want to save a lot of money look for close-out sales, steeply discounted sales, lesser known brands and possible wholesale connections.

Keep these tips in mind when you're shopping for this great piece of home fitness equipment. These elliptical machines can give you a great workout, but as with all major purchases, it pays to know what to look for before you invest. Armed with these tips you should be able to buy the best machine and save money too.

About The Author-- For information on saving money on elliptical machines and best buy shopping for elliptical trainers online and offline go to http://www.Best-Treadmill-Tips.com a nurse's website for elliptical trainer tips, advice and resources, including info on elliptical machine ratings and reviews

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What You Should Know about Hydroxycut

You can't miss the commercial and Internet ads for Hydroxycut claiming you can lose as much as 4.5 times more weight than with diet and exercise alone. Taking such a supplement is tempting because it makes weight loss seem easy. You can supposedly have more energy, control your appetite, boost your metabolism to burn more calories, control your blood sugar levels, and experience stronger workouts.

Sounds too good to be true, right? That's because it is. Even though Hydroxycut recommends a low-cal diet with a moderate amount of protein, the supplement is not safe as a weight loss supplement.

Hydroxycut contains Gymnema Sylvestre, an extract found in India that supports healthy blood sugar levels. If you have ever eaten a healthy diet consistently with protein at each meal, you would know exactly how this feels. It gives you a sense of relaxation and calmness. The urgency to fill up on food diminishes. The goal is the same for Hydroxycut supplements. Just take the supplement with water before meals to experience the sensation that you are full and content.

The active ingredient in Hydroxycut is Gymnema Sylvestre. Taken from the leaves and stem of plants to treat diabetes, this substance is also known for its ability to curb the craving for sweets, aid digestion and lower bad cholesterol. Each of these benefits, in turn, are said to help you lose weight.

The other ingredients listed for Hydroxycut:

- Chromium Picolate

- Garcinia Cambogia Extract

- Alpha Lipid Acid (ALA)

- L-Carnitine and Hydroxy Tea

These are harmless supplements commonly used to enhance weight loss.

The effectiveness of these ingredients as weight loss supplements are questionable and still require clinical evidence to prove how they can help obese consumers shed pounds.

The ideal weight loss plan that includes Hydroxycut lasts eight weeks and is paired with a healthy diet and exercise. As far as the dosage of Hydroxycut, it is important to stick to the recommended dosages to minimize side effects. More isn't always better.

The label suggests that during weeks one and two and seven and eight you take a lower dosage to adjust to and ease off of the fat burning effects of the supplement. Consumers have experienced nervousness and the jitters when they didn't adhere to the label's dosage recommendation. A caffeine-free version of Hydroxycut is also available.

Of course, you can't escape side effects if you use supplements to enhance your weight loss and Hydroxycut is no different.

Potential side effects include:

- increased blood pressure

- higher heart rateheadaches

- drowsiness

- nose bleeds

- restlessness

- blurry vision and acne

While mild compared to the harmful effects of other weight loss supplements and weight loss drugs, it is important to be aware of any possible drug interactions and to discuss the use of Hydroxycut with your doctor. Take control of your own health and learn everything you can about the supplement before including it in your weight loss plan.

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Maintain Successful Weight Loss

Losing weight can be a challenging task, and when you have achieved your weight loss goal, how do you maintain your successful weight loss? Here are some good suggestions

Eating Habits

The first thing you can do is to make sure that you maintain the diet lifestyle that you used previously to lose all that weight. Obviously in order to maintain successful weight loss, you have made certain changes in your food intake and eating habits. Now is the time to permanently inculcate those habits into your lifestyle. If you get back to your old eating habits, you will definitely pack on the extra pounds again, and this time, due to the metabolic and chemical changes that occurred in your body during the initial dieting, it will be harder to lose and maintain successful weight loss the second time around.

Correct Mindset

You need to condition your thinking patterns into believing that you will keep that weight off after a successful weight loss goal has been achieved. Those thoughts will assist you in develop healthy eating habits that will help you maintain a trim and healthy body. Self affirmation; visualizations and meditation can help you to get into the right frame of mind to achieve this end. By developing the right mindset, you can keep yourself from reaching out to grab the next mouthful of your favorite custard pudding at the next family get -together!

Exercise

This is a crucial step to maintain successful weight loss. Without proper exercise, you can never achieve long term success in your efforts to lose weight. Select the right exercise that you can enjoy, have loads of fun doing it and gives you a great workout at the same time. There are plenty of exercises you can select from but do talk to your physician before embarking on any rigorous physical activity.

Support Group

Sometimes what you need is that extra dose of motivation to keep you going to maintain successful weight loss. A public proclamation isn't always necessary, but putting your integrity and your pride at stake by sharing your weight loss goals with a few of your close friends or family members can go a long way to keep you focused on those weight loss program. Remember to choose wisely, and do not share them with those who have a negative attitude and who will most likely dampen your enthusiasm to lose weight.

To maintain successful weight loss can be an exhilarating process, if you know the right way to do it and have fun in the process. Remember, you will always gravitate towards things that brings you pleasure, and if you want to maintain successful weight loss permanent, make the process fun and rewarding by take the necessary step to inculcate these four tips we share into your lifestyle.

Top Online Weight Loss Programs

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Robert Hemken Jr. reviews online dieting programs. His straight forward reviews can be read at My 5 Star Review

Instead of Buying a 24 Hour Fitness Center Membership

The 24 hour fitness center craze caused a wave in the United States. With the growing amount of working professionals, as well as increased demand upon schedules due to international business and competition, Americans needed access to fitness centers at all various hours of the day and evening. Fitness enthusiasts were suddenly working day shifts, and frustrated due to the fact that gyms weren’t open when they were available to work out late in the evening. The opening of the first 24 hour fitness center caused a chain of them to jump up all over the country due to the sudden high demand brought about by their availability. The 24 hour fitness center even allowed red eye passengers to work out after a long business trip if they needed to.

What if you could get the benefit of a 24 hour fitness center without actually going to one? Most people, myself included, became addicted to the 24 hour fitness centers. It is where a great deal of Americans have their first productive and positive fitness experiences, as well as make the most gains from their efforts. However, the truth is that these experiences are simply due to the mechanics of the machines within 24 hour fitness centers, which can be duplicated through other means.

You can have amazing and wonderful gains outside of 24 hour fitness centers as well. While a 24 hour fitness center may be a good thing to have at your disposal, it is not the only way for you to find fitness success. In fact, using conditioning techniques and methods utilized by the Armed Forces, as well as martial arts instructors, you can bring strength and tone to muscles that you never even knew that you had.

Basic Training for the United States Armed Forces requires no weight training at all! That’s right, the United States Military uses only cardiovascular activities, such as running and calisthenics, and body training, such as push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. They manage to transform and out-of-shape human being into a fit and trim soldier in a matter of 12 – 18 weeks, all without a 24 hour fitness center!

While it may be hard for you to believe, you are the only tool that you need Your body-weight can be used to put up plenty of resistance for exercises that you can do for almost every muscle in the human body, all with the same affect as training in a 24 hour fitness center. While it may be necessary for you to use some dumbbells for a handful of the exercises, you can still achieve the majority of your gains without any weights at all. The same combat training techniques used by the armed forces can change your body right before your eyes, from the comfort of your own home.

You are your own 24 hour fitness center! You will be able to do many variation of push-ups to work the upper, center, and lower pectoral region. You can also do vertical push-ups to build your shoulder strength. Chair dips can be used to tone and strengthen your triceps, while leg-raises can assist with you abdominal region. More abdominal and leg exercises can be used such as lunges, scissor kicks, crunches, reverse-crunches, bicycle-kicks, and traditional sit-ups. Eight count body builders were always one of my favorite combination exercises! All of these without a 24 hour fitness center…

Your imagination is your own 24 hour fitness center limitation. You can still use your 24 hour fitness center when you can, but don’t limit yourself by not working out because you’re stuck at the house. You can use back-packs filled with books as a weight for curls and even tricep kick-backs. I have even used water bottles in a bag to give some extra weight. Little diamond push-ups will give your chest and triceps a workout that you won’t forget, and stair calf-raises can give your legs that extra strength that you were looking for. Don’t forget to use the backpack in conjunction with the calf raises and squats!

24 hour fitness centers are only a tool, but not the only tool. You can truly find your own 24 hour fitness center by utilizing a combination of your actual 24 hour fitness center, and your virtual 24 hour fitness center created by your own imagination, with your body, and the privacy of your own home. Don’t limit yourself by sticking only to the mainstream techniques that are marketed to you. The United States Military sure doesn’t! There are no 24 hour fitness centers in the field of combat, and American Soldiers are some of the finest specimens of fitness in the world today. Make your dreams come true by creating your own virtual 24 hour fitness center today.

Discover The Extreme Weight Loss and Fitness Secrets That Personal Trainers In Hollywood Charge $97/Hour To Teach FOR FREE at http://www.FitnessTuning.com

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Tips for Finding Effective Weight Loss Diets

Are you looking to lose weight for the summer? How many pounds do you need to lose? Why do you need so badly to lose weight during the summer? Is it all about the sun and the shiny beaches? Or are you just dreaming about buying trendy swimwear? Oh, don’t tell me it is all about a trendy bathing suit!

Don’t you wish to be in shape during the winter as well? It is true that winter clothes cover up your physical form. What does it matter that nobody sees your body during the cold months? After all, isn’t it good to stay in shape year round?

If you prefer to preserve your wonderful summer form for the whole year, you will have to work hard. Working out will help a lot but it is not enough. If you want your perfect body to become a reality, you will have to try some weight loss diets.

I do not recommend working for your body just until the spring end. Why is all this fuss? When the summer ends, this is still your own body after all! You have to believe that weight loss diets will work if only you keep them for the whole year. Now, let us talk about your usual eating habits.

I remember when I was a child that my parents were always trying different weight loss diets. I was always wondering why they were doing all this. I will never forget one of my father’s weight loss diets. I remember once when my brother and I were eating our usual lunch. We were cramming ourselves with ham and cheese sandwiches. But what about my father? He was eating just saltine crackers and tuna. My father looked so hungry. And probably he was!

I can think of loads of different weight loss diets. When people decide to try weight loss diets, he or she can think of so contrary weight loss diets and they will do anything to lose some pounds. From eating just meat and no bread, to living on fruits and vegetables, so many different weight loss diets have been developed nowadays.

But when you are searching for your weight loss diet, it is important to judge your current condition and to be sure how many pounds you need to drop. All weight loss diets serve for different needs. Your own diets must be s nutritious one. Consult a dietician. Have you even discussed weight loss diets with a dietician? I assure you that a professional dietician will help you to choose the best one of all weight loss diets.

Probably you need some help when it comes to weight loss diets. Some research on the internet will be a good beginning. There is plethora of information about weight loss diets on the World-Wide-Web. Your computer is just next to you. You may find weight loss diets that work. Get online and search for weight loss diets. Stop mumbling about your extra pound and try to take them off with weight loss diets that work.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning weight loss. Learn more at Weight Loss Diets

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Home Gym Exercise Equipment - The Facts Revealed

Do you want to workout on a regular basis from now on? Well if you are considering it then I would say it is a very good idea but the thing is you should stick to it and continue your workout no matter what. You may be considering between two options on how to go about your workouts. It should be either to join a gym or go on and purchase home gym exercise equipment

There are lots of disadvantages in going to a gym. First thing is you should go to the gym daily and if it is not near your house then you'll have to travel to the gym and that itself will take you a lot of time. And what with working out for an hour or two and coming back.

If you have a tight schedule then you will not be able to make a commitment. But if you have home gym exercise equipment, then you'll have no worries. You just need to get home and starting working out by finding the time. You can workout early in the morning or in the evening. It's your choice.

If you join a gym then you should pay the membership fees which would be high depending on the gym. Home gym exercise equipment will also require you to invest in some money but this money depending on the type of home gym you purchase can be covered within a month or a year. So it all depends on the home gym you go for.

Joining a gym means you'll have to listen to the trainer and workout according to what he says. And you can't try different forms of exercise when you are the gym. But with home gym exercise equipment, you can follow the type of exercise training that you like.

You may want sports conditioning or weight loss or muscle toning or training in martial arts. So it depends on the fitness equipment you invest in.

There are a lot of problems when choosing home gym exercise equipment a well. Some equipment offer some type of condition training. Some are designed for weight loss, some for muscle toning. Some for Martial arts and some are specialized for sports training.

The thing you should look for is a home gym exercise equipment that specializes in all these fields. These home gyms rely on elastic bands for resistance along with clipping systems and anchoring systems.

They are inexpensive and not bulky at all. They are quite portable and versatile. The top player in the resistance band market is Bodylastics and It offers up to 250lbs of resistance.

The home gym I use and recommend is Bodylastics. Read more about Bodylastics

Read more about exercise equipment.

Harry James Ramsay is a student expert at muscle building who recently quit from doing workouts in the gym after buying the Bodylastics System.

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Rapid Weight Loss Diets - 3 Keys to Help You Choose

There are so many "so called" rapid weight loss diets out there that it is sometimes difficult to choose one that's right for you. There are positives and negatives for all of them - it's all about finding a fit and sticking with it - the longer you stay motivated the more likely you will be successful in your quest to lose weight.

If you have found yourself making excuses not to eat healthily you need to stop for a moment and visualize how you want to look in 3-6 months time. Forget how you are feeling right now and imagine how you'll feel when you have lost 20 pounds and are able to fit into those snazzy jeans once more! Weight loss takes time but it is worth it for all the positives it brings.

Everyone has the odd hiccup, it's important that you realize we all make mistakes and sneak in a piece of chocolate or a biscuit here or there - it is how you respond to these lapses that results in either success or failure. Choose the best rapid weight loss diets, don't get downhearted - get back on track and most importantly - NEVER GIVE UP!

Right, with all that said I'd like to offer you 3 keys that any of the rapid weight loss diets you are considering should have:

1.) Be sure the diet isn't too drastic.

The reason most rapid weight loss diets fail is because they are unsustainable. They might involve a severe restriction of calories or completely cut out many essential nutrients (like carbs or fat!), both of these factors can affect your ability to stick with the program for long enough for it to make a difference - and even if you do, you're likely to pile the weight back on when the diet is finished. Choose a balanced diet and one that allows for occasional indulgences and you will ensure you remain motivated long enough to see dramatic weight loss results.

2.) Be sure that you choose a rapid weight loss diet that is easy to follow.

Many rapid weight loss diets contain great information but they are laid out in such a way that it is nigh on impossible to understand what to eat and when. You should make sure that any potential diet has a weekly menu set out in such a way that you know exactly what you should be eating each day.

3.) Consider the total cost of the program.

There are a great many rapid weight loss diets out there that cost an arm and a leg - you need to buy the book, the membership, specialist foods and supplements and umpteen other features to ensure success. Many people see the weight loss industry as a money spinner and have little regard for the health (or the bank balance!) of the consumer. Keep your eyes open for blatant marketing hype and don't spend over the odds.

There is no better time to transform your body than right now - get researching and find the best of the rapid weight loss diets for you. By far the best diet I have found is Fat Loss 4 Idiots, it follows each of the 3 keys you've learned above and a review of that program can be found by clicking through the link here - Fat Loss 4 Idiots Review.

I hope you enjoyed this article and I look forward to hearing of your weight loss successes - simply visit my site above and leave a comment. Take care!

You have now learned some of the keys to choosing the right rapid weight loss diet, but wait - there's more! If you want to lose the most fat possible you need to discover the hidden fat loss secrets that the top fitness professionals want to keep for themselves by visiting Fat Burning Tips. By doing so you will be ready to create the body you have always dreamed of. Diet isn't everything - there are some other weight loss fundamentals!

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An Introduction To Weight Loss Surgery

An Introduction To Weight Loss Surgery
By Kent Pinkerton

Weight loss surgery is done to remove excess fat collected in various parts of an obese person’s body. Weight loss surgery is also known as bariatric surgery. A bariatric surgeon is qualified to perform this complex surgery. MGB or mini gastric bypass is a laparoscopic surgery, which is simple and inexpensive. It is widely used and is believed to be the safest and most effective bariatric surgery. The entire operation takes only about thirty minutes and the patient is hospitalized for less than twenty-four hours.

Bariatric surgeons first recognized the scope for surgical weight loss while performing operations, which required the removal of large segments of a patient's stomach and intestine. They saw that most patients undergoing such operations were unable to maintain their pre-surgical weight. Keeping this observation in mind, they were able to recommend similar modifications that could be safely used to produce weight loss in obese patients.

Bariatric surgery works by helping to reduce food intake. It does not hinder with the normal absorption of food. After the surgery, patients must stick to the guidelines and restrictions that their surgeon prescribes. Even though the guidelines may change depending on the surgeon, the patient must follow the surgeon's instructions. Patients who learn to eat slowly, eat less, and avoid drinking too many fluids are usually the ones who see the best results. In certain cases, the operation alters the digestive procedure. This causes the food to be in an indigested and incompletely absorbed stage. In such cases, the food is eliminated along with the stool. Surgeons are trying to perfect the operation to avoid such situations.

Prior to the surgery, a patient is made to sign a consent form. This is an acknowledgement from the patient that they have received and understood information provided about the procedure’s benefits and risks. Bariatric surgery has proved to be a huge boon for many obese people. It has helped people attain better health and life styles. It is important to get it done at a reputed clinic by a surgeon who has successfully conducted similar surgeries.

Weight Loss provides detailed information on Weight Loss, Weight Loss Pills, Weight Loss Programs, Weight Loss Products and more. Weight Loss is affiliated with Safe Weight Loss Surgery.

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The Truth About 6 pack abs Review

The truth about 6 pack abs is by far one of the best books out there today. It was written by Mike Geary; a certified Nutrition Specialist and personal trainer. This book will basically take you through the exercises you should be doing as well as some great meal plans that will help to melt that fat away and build a sexy lean rock hard 6 pack or flat stomach.


This book is geared towards both men and women and really focuses on just the abdominal muscles and meal plans to help melt away your stomach fat.

This book will teach you different exercises that will promote great 6 pack gains, as well as Fat Burning workouts for your entire body. Mike teaches in his book that ab exercises will give you the muscle but shedding your body fat will really make them noticeable.

Mike also takes you through some very good short but very effective cardio training, that will have you burning those fat calories off in no time. These cardio sessions are very good, I have tried them and I enjoy them. The thing that really impresses me about this book and that I found to be very helpful are the full color pages that demonstrate the 20 different ab exercises that Mike has given to you.

In the beginning of the book Mike also starts off by explaining to you what the different stomach muscles are and what they do, and really goes into some good detail. This book is exactly what you need if you are looking to get a great 6 pack or a rock hard flat stomach. This book will teach you everything you need to know and then some. I would definitely recommend this book to anybody who is struggling to get a 6 pack or who is tired of seeing no results with their current routine. For more information on this incredible book visit:
Truth About Abs