Get Grossed Out – Then Get Serious

203lbs all in one place

I’m taking one for the team here. I’m putting myself out on the line to get more readers and perhaps motivate someone, even if that someone is me. In Roominations’ version of the Biggest Loser, I am using my own profile to inspire me to lose weight in 2010.

I’ll turn 51 next week and I, like many Americans, have to lose a little weight. OK, OK a little is a relative term, let’s get precise. If I can get from 203lbs to 175lbs I will feel much better. This is my New Year’s Resolution for 2010 and I’m committed to achieving it.

This picture might gross you out. It is the wallpaper on my phone and I use as a personal reminder not to reach for that jelly donut and instead to press on for another 5 minutes on the bike. Caution, a smile, ROFL, (roll on floor laughing) or nausea may result from viewing this photo for too long.

A couple of years ago, cycling was a great form of exercise for me. That was about 40 pounds and two years ago. Because I live in Minnesota, I need to bring that workout inside for half the year. I am fine with putting my road bike on a trainer, but I’ll readily admit the better way is to go with an exercise bike machine. There is nothing like the kind of workout and metrics you get from a good machine. The performance measurements are essential if you are working toward a goal. Plus the resistance and programming for hills and speed is something stationary trainers can’t provide. Those increments of victory and increased levels of programming will put you in better shape to start the outdoor season from the first signs of Spring.

Sports Unlimited, an online retailer of all kinds of sports equipment, has an excellent quick guide to purchasing Exercise Bikes

Don Ball of Sports Unlimited says, “A recumbent bike is an excellent choice for people, particularly for those who don’t ride on a regular basis.  Recumbent bikes take pressure off of the spine and reduce the possibility of your back bothering you while you ride. The fact that this bike converts to a rowing machine is awesome.  It has long been determined that rowing uses more muscle groups than any other single form of exercising, and it even works the abs.  This bike is affordable and provides some variety for the workout.  Generally the mental aspect of workouts is the toughest part.  Combine this with some dumbbells, and you can have a great workout in your home with little space requirements.  Resistance training, some form of weights or bands, is as important as aerobic such as bike, rower, treadmill, or elliptical workouts.”

Stamina recumbent bike

Sports Unlimited has a great deal on the Stamina Conversion II recumbent exercise bike/rowing machine, number 15-9003A.

Ball also has seen purchases of exercise equipment pick up at this time of year, even into January as people get serious about changing their lifestyle. Sports Unlimited uses Manna Distribution for high-speed, white-glove delivery, so your equipment will get to you fast and you are excited to get your program underway.

Relieve Back Pain by Reducing Belly Fat

Tons of folks suffer from back pain. The National Institutes of Health estimates Americans spend about $50 billion a year on treating back pain. A commonly held belief is that if you have back pain, your problem is with your back, but for many that is just the place where the pain occurs, the true cause is in the tummy. For me, it’s a rather large tummy.

Weight gain that is concentrated in the belly as opposed to distributed evenly throughout the body is a major cause of back pain. A study this spring by the University of Illinois suggests even modest amounts of exercise can help reduce belly fat, and with it potentially the pain in your back. On the more serious side, belly fat is also a predictor of potential heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Another key to losing the belly fat is working on overall muscle mass, which when increased will improve your metabolism rate. This will help you burn calories faster and when combined with sensible eating contribute to a lost of belly fat. It’s a good cycle that is difficult to begin and harder to continue on a regular basis.

As the winter months approach, making sure you have a routine that is enjoyable and varied is important to sustaining your exercise commitment. Some home gyms or exercise machines are specially designed to work your core muscle groups including much of the overweight concentrated in the belly, others provide a more full body workout. In this video,you’ll notice this equipment, called the Lean Machine, is fairly versatile with a small weight selection in the back and an apparatus for stretching and aerobic exercises.

Other back pain sufferers claim an inversion table works wonders to relieve their lower back pain. Can’t wait for your new machine, here are some back pain exercises from the Mayo Clinic.

One of the online fitness stores that uses Manna Distribution Services is Fitness Beast – They have a concise fitness product comparison table you may find helpful. Products purchased from Fitness Beast will get to you in 2-5 days, so relief is on the way fast.

Fun with Exercise Equipment – No Really!

Summer is a good time to exercise outside for sure. OK that’s obvious, but it’s also a good time to plan on buying exercise equipment so those winter months don’t set you back. Living in Minnesota we relish the summer to be active outside. The American Heart Association has some summer tips for getting into a healthy routine.

The long term key to staying in shape, however, is a commitment to staying active in the winter. The debate about home gyms vs. paid gym membership boils down to this: do you have the willpower and discipline to enjoy the exercise? If you can’t do that in the convenience of your home, then trudging out at 5AM to the gym when it’s 15 degrees outside is not a better incentive.

I saw these two tweets while researching this blog post that got me going on the idea of reviewing new exercise equipment.

I thought 1) old equipment can be a drag and 2) what is a Hula Chair? For number 1, having websites that give you a breadth of reviews and buying comparisons are helpful, here are a few

• Fitness Gear 101
• Exercise Equipment Review
• One Shot Fitness
• Smooth Fitness

Now about that Hula Chair, I’ve never tried one, but judging from this clip from the Ellen Show, it does look like fun.

Exercise Equipment as Sexy as You Are – or Want to be

From a design standpoint, fitness equipment has had … well … issues. From your grandmother’s olive green exercise bike, to the latest “As Seen on TV” practical gizmo collapsible for easy storage, but still a potential eyesore.

ooo Uuuggly!

But as homeowners become more “design conscious,” manufacturers are focusing on well designed fitness equipment that is sleeker,more space efficient and pleasing to the eye. I mean it figures if you are shaping your body on a shapely machine it’s got to give you a little extra feeling of confidence. Light and sleek, is the idea. Here’s an example of a stair-stepper with style, the 1190ST Stepper from Diamondback.

yeah that's sexy

And the M3 indoor cycle by Keiser will give you images of climbing the Pyrenees or speeding down the Champs Élysées wearing the yellow jersey. The cylindrical, style and neutral look should blend with any décor. So, fitness equipment is on its own shape up program to be as sexy as you are.

that's hot!