Start exercising and losing weight now or face the facts later about your health.Start exercising and losing weight now or face the facts later about your health.

If you knew when you were going to die, would you really want to know? If you knew when you were going to lose your life, would you do anything differently? If you had a choice of living longer or living a better quality of life, which would you choose, longer or better? 

People say, if only they had known they were going to have this happen to me, they would have done things differently. IF ONLYI had not stressed so much about life. IF ONLYI had known this was going to happen; maybe I would have stopped smoking, laid off a few hamburgers and fries. Who knows? Maybe I would have taken the stairs more, ridden my bike, and had a medical check up more often. 

What if you could actively change the outcome of your life by eating better and getting daily exercise? What if you felt better, had more energy, less pain, and a better attitude toward aging? What if you approached life with more confidence, rather than dreading the day? The fact is you will never know ahead of time when your life will end. Life, love and logic never seem to be on the same page.  You can leave this earth anytime and for any reason. How you decide to live those days before you do go is your choice. You can continue down the path youre going with achy joints, low energy levels, high stress, and poor eating habits or you can choose a different path.   

The health of America is going to get worse before it gets better. Diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, heart diseaseare all at epidemic levels. And for the first time in history the kids of today are projected not to live as long as there parents have. The only way for the health of America to get better is for you to be personally responsible, change your attitudes toward exercise, and support one another in the process.  

The silent threesome of denial, pride, and lazy has been muted by the fantasy fitness land programs promises immediate results. This silent treatment is killing you from the inside out. Until a few years ago, it was thought that Americans were healthy.  Of course, thats not true. Weve had a health problem for years.  

In the good years, more money, more marketing and more-for-me attitudes enabled you to focus on making the big bucks. It allowed you to put off worrying about healthy bodies. The accent was on NOW and not later. But the fiscal wealth we accumulated years ago is NOW being drained by our physical healthcare costs. Eventually, your bad health will consume all the extra dollars you worked so hard to earn. Some of the responsibility falls with the big corporations, insurance companies and hospital groups. But at the end of the day, the buck stops with YOU.  

The reality of this situation bites; however, the solution is not to ignore it, but to encourage people to embrace it. Many of you have either given up on yourself or just flat out are living in denial.  Either way the choice is still yours. The fact of the matter is there is still hope for America and there is still hope for you, too.  

Dont let the buck stop with you. Take care of your own life before it takes charge of you. 

What if you knew that if you didnt exercise, you would face the CONSEQUENCES soon? 

What if you knew that your kids would do exactly as you do? Most people wait until something happens to them or to someone close to them before they change their lifestyle habits. There are no guarantees that healthy living will add one more day to your life, but what if it could? At the very least, what if your day-to-day quality of life could be better?  

Or worse yet, what if tomorrow a stroke, heart attack, or cancer struck your life? What then? The first thing to do is for you to face the music or embrace the reality of your health. Accepting your circumstances does not mean you are admitting defeat. It means you are starting to build a foundation in order to move forward.  

In a Nut Shell: 

Life sometimes has a way of giving us slight hints or sometimes shocking wake-up calls. The question is, Will you answer the call? Would your life be any different if you knew what the future held? Most of us would say it would be. The truth is in that old saying, We really are not promised tomorrow. You may not be able to change when you will die, but you sure can change how you feel each day through daily exercise and eating the right foods. What would your life be like if you felt better, had more energy and lowered your stress levels? Can you imagine? No one wants bad things to happen to their health. No one wants to pay the price for his or her bad decision, right? 

Are you going to let Denial, Pride, and Laziness keep their grip on you? There are no guarantees that exercise and eating will prolong death or ward off a disease. However, there is a good chance they can give you a better quality of life? No doubt our health as a whole will get worse before it gets better, but it does not have to be that way for you.  

The bottom line is: denying your health is a losing cause; entertaining pride is a waste of energy; and being lazy is no excuse for anything.  In the end, only you will be able to decide to accept the truth or deal with the consequences.

Greg Ryan best selling author of the Changing

from the “INSIDE OUT”, former employee of Kathy Smith

and a high profile fitness expert. Discover the five step

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Movement That Matters: Exercise With a Greater Purpose

 by: Gillian Hood-Gabrielson

You’ve seen the commercials Ive fallen and I cant get up! While this has been a topic of many jokes and late-night comedy skits, the reality is falling is a very real danger for many people. Too often falls can lead to broken bones, hospitalization, and sometimes life-threatening illnesses due to being confined to a bed while recovering.

A less extreme, but still real situation is when a person lacks the leg strength to get out of a chair. Or someone who throws out their back just picking up a child or the groceries from the trunk of the car.

Did you know that this is not inevitable? With consistent and effective exercise, you will maintain your daily activities without injury well into your sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond.

You may have heard the buzzwords functional training and core training mentioned in the latest fitness magazines. While these terms sound complicated, they are really terms for the most effective and exciting system of strength training being used today.

Functional training strengthens your body for the everyday movements it has to perform. This could be any type of movement, whether for a sport, your job, or just picking up your kids. Most injuries occur in the course of our everyday lives. Strengthen your body for these activities and you will sustain less injury. Functional training also improves balance. This is essential for preventing falls. A combination of strength and balance will give you the confidence to move through your day with ease!

Core training works on strengthening your core, your abdominal and low back muscles. Just as a house needs a foundation to build upon, so does your body. Work on the core first and every other exercise you add will be more effective and make you stronger. Many functional training exercises incorporate core training. There are also exercises that isolate the core for maximum benefit. Core training is the idea behind Pilates and is also used in yoga.

You can incorporate both types of training into your regular workout with equipment such as stability balls, medicine balls, elastic tubing, slides, and dumbbells. Some exercises require no equipment at all! Several videos and guides on the market can teach you many of these exercises. You can also hire a personal trainer for a few sessions so you can learn the proper techniques. These methods are more effective than traditional gym strength training machines because more muscles are used and the body becomes more coordinated and strong as a result. Machines do play an important role, however. As a new exerciser, you may not have the strength or coordination necessary for functional training. I recommend a combination of basic core strengthening and the use of machines to develop basic strength before starting the more complex functional and core movements.

One of the best and simplest functional exercises is the squat. We use this motion all day long getting up from a chair, or picking an object up from the ground, as examples. Learn to squat properly and do it consistently and you will remain strong, independent, and less prone to injury. A great core exercise for beginners is one you can do anytime, anywhere. While sitting or standing, pull your navel towards your spine. Concentrate on performing this movement without flattening your back it is important to maintain proper posture. This strengthens very deep abdominal muscles that are responsible for protecting your back. Try this exercise while driving when you stop at a red light, perform 10 repetitions. Your abdominals will thank you for it!

Think about it, do you walk around during the day doing leg extensions? What about abdominals crunches on the floor? While these exercises work targeted muscles and are good accessory exercises, functional exercises create a stronger, healthier body that will be protected from injury and provide a higher quality of life.

It is perhaps the Hollywood glitz and glamour that has everyone into the dieting and exercising fad. One of the most popular exercise programs is Pilates, which is especially designed to stretch, strengthen and balance the body through a series of routines. It combines both body movements and breathing patterns.

Pilates is known to increase lung capacity and circulation through exercises that focus on breathing. It also promotes strength and flexibility in the abdomen and the back muscles as well as improving on the coordination of the mind and the muscles. And because the program centers and emphasizes the importance of balance and posture, general health improves along with bone density.

It is perhaps these numerous benefits and the fact that Pilates can be tailor-made and incorporated in routines that make each class costly. Prices for classes range from $10 to $20 for group classes and about $50 to $100 or even more for individual lessons with trained instructors.

How did this start?

Joseph Pilates is a performer and a boxer in England. His fascination for exercise and health issues stem from his being a sickly child. Determined to strengthen his body, he studied, practiced and developed exercises that will improve his health. True enough, he grew to be really strong, choosing professions that would utilize body strength and endurance.

When he was detained with German nationals in Lancaster, he taught fellow camp members the concepts and exercises he developed through years and years of self-study and training in yoga and Zen, not to mention all the other Greek and Roman physical regimens.

It was at this time when he began to devise a system of original “Contrology” exercises now known as “matwork,” which refers to exercise routines done on the floor. When he was taken to another camp where he served as caretaker, he devised equipment that would help rehabilitate his “patients. The equipment that he made was not much different from what is being used today by people who subscribe to the Pilates program. Spring tension straps are also used in routines to hold the feet and to support the shoulders, neck and head in routines.

Because of its focus on balance and flexibility, Pilates holds much appeal for dancers and performers. Some celebrities, actresses and models, in fact, are enamored by the graceful movements that are incorporated in each routine. Not only does Pilates help improve health and well-being, it also develops proper posture and blood circulation, preventing the occurrence of osteoporosis.

What is more, Pilates does not involve a lot of muscle stress because the routines are gentle and slow similar to dance. There is no running and jumping around. Practitioners do not even need to lift heavy things. This is the reason why doctors often recommend Pilates to patients who have back and spine injuries as well as those afflicted with Arthritis and other muscle ailments. The routines are also good for people who are undergoing rehabilitation and physical therapy.

Pilates is also good for people who are a bit older and those who are overweight. It is in essence a relaxing exercise program, which not only helps in the reduction of weight and improvement of health but also in de-stressing and relaxing the body, mind and the spirit.

About the Author

Shannon Brown is the editor of PilatesFactor. This site caters to PilatesFactor”> Pilates enthusiasts. You can visit the site at: PilatesFactor”>PilatesFactor

Your core is made up of the often neglected abdominal, lower back, and oblique, or rotator, muscle groups. Most of our movements originate from the core as it is a major link between our upper and lower body. It is also responsible for stabilization and is a key factor in developing power, speed, quickness, agility and coordination.

A strong core is essential for good posture and is vital in protecting the lower back from injury. On top of all of that, having a strong set of abs and lower back just looks good!

Perform all exercises using slow and controlled motions while focusing on the muscles intended to be worked. Do not use jerking types of motions. Stop immediately if you feel any pain or discomfort. Always consult your doctor before starting an exercise program.

1. Foot Tapper, (Oblique Exercise) - Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor about six inches apart and your knees bent. Position your feet fairly close to your body, arms at your side, shoulders on the floor or close to it and chin tucked. Squeeze your left oblique (side of abdominal) and tap your left foot with your left hand. Do the same with your right hand and continue alternating back and forth. Tap each foot 10 times. To increase the difficulty reach under the legs and tap the opposite foot.

2. Bridging, (Lower Back Exercise) - Lie on your back with your feet shoulder width apart, flat on the floor with your knees bent. Place your hands on the floor next to your hips. Contract the low back muscles and lift the hips off of the floor until your torso and thighs are in a straight line. Hold for 5-10 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat 5-10 times. A pillow is optional.

3. Lower Body Crunch, (Lower Abdominal Exercise) - Lie on your back, bend your knees toward the ceiling and raise your feet off the ground. Your thighs should be at a 90 degree angle at your hips with your feet close to your buttocks. Place your hands flat by your side. Roll your hips and knees toward your chest while contacting the lower abdominal muscles. Return to a 90 degree angle and repeat 10-15 times.

4. Planking, (Total Abdominal Exercise) - Start in a traditional push-up position with your back straight. Place your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders. Tighten your abs and lower back and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat. To isolate the upper or lower abs slowly extend one arm or leg out off the ground at a time alternating all four. A towel under the elbows is optional.

About the Author

Jim Phillips is a physical educator and owner of home-exercise-secrets”>home-exercise-secrets

Fly fishing — it doesn’t work, does it? When I first watched someone fly-fishing, I saw them release the line that went out far in the water. No sooner had the fly hit the water it was being jerked back and reeled in. Even today, I still don’t understand how this method catches any fish. Yet it does, so I am told. See, I have never been fly-fishing.

It looks like so much more work too. I’m used to the worm, bobber, sitting on a short foldable chair, having some great conversation ever once in a while, sipping on a beer (okay root beer so we don’t X factor this article), relaxing and waiting for the nibble. Or, is it praying for that nibble. Okay, either one.

If you talk to a fly-fisherman, he says his method is the best. And the same is uttered from a by-the-seat-of-the- pants fisherman as well (cute description huh, I thought so too).

What makes the difference than? Is it technique? Is it the water type — salt or fresh? Is it the type of fish you are going after? Is it the equipment or supplies? Is it the bait offered?

Okay, back to the first question — what is the difference? The right answer is “all of the above.” You can also throw in the temperature, weather and time of day you are fishing as well. The right answer still is, “all of the above.” And it all depends on the right combination of all these items performed in a step-by-order method too. You don’t want to toss out the fly without the line. Well, I guess you can but the chances of seeing that fly again is next to nil for sure.

Marketing is not any different from fishing. If you are tossing out the wrong hook to the right fish, they are not going to bite. If you have the right fish and hook, and the wrong technique — fly-fishing instead of butt, wait and pray fishing. This too will not get many results.

This is why so much emphasis is placed on your needing to know your target market. Because if you don’t you are forever going to be trying what different lures, hooks and techniques that wear you down as well as your resources trying to figure out what is the right combination. You can’t catch flounder in a fresh water or blue gill in salt water.

Many times, and without knowing it because you are just glad for the business, the fish pick you. So, what are you attracting? Lets take 15 minutes today and begin an exercise that answers that question.

Okay, where were we. Getting late in the day. Oh, yes, what are you attracting? Since I write mostly for service professionals, let me present the “how-tos” for you. If you own a retail store or have a much larger client base, you can do the same by calculating just the top “A” list by revenue generated.

I recommend starting this process by hand to get the “feel” of it and then you can move it over to Excel or a similar software as it grows. Yes, you have my permission to allow this fish to get bigger in this “fish tale.”

On a new sheet of paper, turned sideways or landscaped, in the far left hand side create the first column. Now write down the first name of you client (or last name or both). If you don’t remember their name and you had given them a nickname, use that. It doesn’t matter as long as you know who they are.

In the second column, title it “M/F.” You guessed it, “male or female.” I knew I didn’t have a “dah” market reading this. Now, go down the column and write in the answers next to each name.

Next column, title “M/S/D/U” = married, single, divorced, unknown. Go down the column and complete again.

Remember, before you move onto a new column you want to complete the previous column as much as possible — there is a subconscious reason for this I don’t want to go off topic to explain, so I’m asking you just trust me on this. Please.

Here is a list of other demographic type of information you want to continue in this same format: Age, time zone, number of children (if any), how long a client, marketing resource (how did they find you or you them), fee, and service type.

As you continue to go through and complete each column you will begin to see some patterns on the type of client you are attraction as well as how they became your client (the source).

Continue with this project by adding more distinctions over the next week. As you complete each column, another important fact will emerge for you that you will want to review. If you are missing some information, you might want to pick up the phone and call that past client and ask a great reason to get back in touch with them and renew your name in their mind.

When you begin seeing the patterns emerge, like you work mainly with 90% males, or everyone lives in a certain area, or all are divorced, etc. Some of these patterns are going to be obvious and some aren’t. This is why this exercise is good to complete at least once a year. I do this even though I now have software that does it for me. There is nothing like ink and paper to open my outside-the-box thinking that doesn’t emerge when reviewing a printed report.

When you get to a slowing down place, pull out the description again of your ideal client. Now, see the averages for this measurement chart in comparison to your ideal client. How is it different? Were there any ideal clients on the list — put a star next to them or highlight them?

Is there a gap between the two? Can you see what the gap is? Is it obvious? Do you need to build a bridge of things to evolve with that moves from the island to the mainland? If yes, what is it?

Okay, you’ve got your work cut out for yourself. I agree. Then again, this exercise is the top one I recommend to all my clients, workshop participants, and teleclass attendees. I have even had seasoned professionals resist completing the exercise because they felt they knew everything there was to know on this already. If you feel this same way, its okay. Let it evolve and see if something grows.

Much to their surprise after they completed the exercise. In fact, Jim, an insurance agent from Arizona wrote me an e- mail after a recent teleclass that did the assignment, yes, with that same reluctance, saying,

“Damn, Catherine, you’re good. The exercise eat at me until this morning when I gave in and did the exercise even though last night I convinced myself that I already knew all the answers. I discovered way too many holes in our marketing. My whole staff is excited. After I introduced it to them in this mornings staff meeting, we had to cut the meeting short because everyone couldn’t wait to get back to their office and do the exercise.”

(c) Copyright 2003, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

About Author: Catherine Franz is a marketing industry veteran, a Certified Business Coach, Certified Teleclass Leader and Trainer, speaker, author, and Master Attraction Practitioner. For daily, weekly, and monthly marketing,nonfiction writing and deliberately creating ezines and other newsletters, visit: AbundanceCenter,” target=”_blank”>AbundanceCenter, mailto:catherine@abundancecenter or 703-671-5677.

If you are having a busy day, a few short breaks for exercise at work can improve your mood and your body at the same time. Do yourself a favor and squeeze in five minutes of fitness - you’ll be glad you did!

Set your computer to remind you when it’s time for a brief 5-minute workout, and plan to have at least four 5-minute exercise breaks throughout the day.

Here are eight ways to exercise at work:

1. Step outside the building and take a brisk walk around the parking lot. While you exercise your cardiovascular system and muscles by walking fast, the excess tension in your system drains away so you return to work feeling relaxed and refreshed.

2. Ride the elevator to the bottom floor and then climb the stairs back up to your floor. If your building is four floors or shorter, repeat. If your office building has no stairs, you can buy an inexpensive workout step and keep it in your office. The exertion of step climbing helps work out stress and emotion.

3. Stand about two feet away from your desk, bend at the waist, and place your hands on the edge of the desk to support your body. Hold for thirty seconds and then stand up straight and take several deep breaths. Repeat twice more. Stretching your back helps release tension in the spine and shoulders.

4. Keep tennis balls in a desk drawer and grab two of them when you feel tense. Hold one tennis ball in each hand and squeeze as hard as you can for eight seconds. Release and relax; then repeat several more times. This exercise conditions the forearms and increases hand strength.

5. Keep a set of resistance bands in your office to use for exercise. If you feel irritated, take the highest-resistance band and use it for lateral raises (place one end of the band under your foot and hold the other end in your hand at about waist height; lift the band straight out to the side).

6. Keep a set of dumbbells at the office. Do some strength building exercises for the arms and back.

7. Stretch to relieve tension and stiffness in joints and relieve your mid-afternoon energy slump. You can even keep a yoga mat in your office for stretching and yoga poses.

8. Use your office walls as workout equipment: Stand about eighteen inches away from the wall or door, place your hands on the surface at about shoulder height, and do vertical push-ups. Challenge yourself by moving farther away or changing the position of your hands on the wall. You can even do one-handed push-ups vertically - it can be a great introduction to the real thing.

About the Author

Carol Wiley, LMP, is a licensed massage therapist in Bellevue, WA. For more exercise articles, visit bellevuemassagetherapy/exercise-program”>bellevuemassagetherapy/exercise-program”>bellevuemassagetherapy/exercise-program.

Fitness, Stretching & Exercise Selection For Women By Phil Beckett
Copyright Physique Concepts Inc.

In addition to stretching the muscles involved in cardiovascular exercise, you need to stretch each specific muscle you train in a fitness program.

When you stretch your muscles it helps to provide better physical performance, prevents injuries, and can help to improve your posture.

When muscles are stretched, the elasticity in them improves which will help to increase your range of motion and improve the quality of your movements.

Never stretch a cold muscle; meaning you should always make sure your muscles are warm before stretching. It’s usually better to do a more extensive stretch at the very end of your fitness program, but light stretching between exercises is fine.

Stretching doesn’t take a long time, and it shouldn’t, but you do benefit tremendously from it.

Stretch only after the muscle has been properly warmed-up. Again, the best time for a complete stretch is when your exercise session has been completed.

By the time you have finished your specific weight lifting program, which will be about 35 - 45 minutes in length, your muscles will have warmed up as much as they can possibly get.

Remember any womens fitness program must always include a warm-up and proper stretching for maximum effectiveness and to prevent injury.

When you do this you will indeed experience the terrific benefits a good weight training program will give you.

Exercise Selection:

For you to succeed in your over-all womens fitness plan you need to select at least one exercise for each major muscle group in your body. This will help to promote well-balanced muscle development.

Another important part of your over-all fitness plan is the order your exercises are performed. When doing a range of weightlifting exercises, it’s better to start with the larger muscle groups then perform exercises for the smaller muscle groups.

Performing your fitness program in this manner will allow you to be exercising at your best during the most demanding exercises when fatigue levels are the lowest and you feel fresh.

Another important area of exercise selection is the total number of sets per exercise and total number of sets per exercise session.

A “set” as it relates to womens fitness is the number of successive repetitions of a single exercise performed in succession without stopping.

Now the number of sets per exercise and per exercise session is really going to depend on exactly what your goals are.

Always treat your very first set for each muscle group as a warm-up, as was discussed in the warm-up section above.

Then the rest of your sets will be determined by whether or not you are using a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level womens fitness program and what your particular goals are.

To find out more about how to determine sets, exercises, etc. you can visit:

womens-health-fitness/womens-fitness” target=”_blank”>womens-health-fitness/womens-fitness

Regardless of the number of sets performed, all sets and repetitions have to be done with proper exercise form and under complete control.

Exercise Form Or Technique:

One thing that always seems to be missing in most womens fitness programs, and the most common and critical training mistake is exercise form or “technique.”

Too much weight usually results in poor form, which decreases your ability to get results and also increases the risk of injury.

Examples of poor form or technique include, but aren’t limited too

- Bouncing the bar off your chest when performing a chest press;

- Using your hips for momentum and over extending your back to initiate the bicep curls;

- Arching your back or bending backwards when performing a shoulder press during the resistance portion of your fitness session;

- Using momentum in any exercise;

- And training at a fast tempo.

Be aware of these types of mistakes and remove them.

Phil Beckett is one of the world’s most experienced weight loss, health, fitness and nutrition experts. He is the C.E.O. of Physique Concepts Inc. He’s helped thousands of women succeed with their weight loss, health & fitness goals over the past 14 years. Phil also specializes in the research end of women’s weight loss products.

Fat burning exercises are the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that involve most of the major muscle groups. Your body will burn a higher percentage of calories from fat with lower intensity cardio exercises.

Fat burning exercises are the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that involve most of the major muscle groups. Your body will burn a higher percentage of calories from fat with lower intensity cardio exercises.

Fat burning exercises include walking, jogging, running, elliptical exercise trainer workouts, cycling and swimming. The key factor to keep in mind is the more muscle groups you use, the more fat you’ll burn.

Different type of exercises will burn more sugar rather than burning fat. Sugar burning exercises involve brief spurts of movement followed by rest which results in more sugar that is used for fuel instead of fat.

Sugar burning exercises include sprinting, tennis, racquetball, basketball, and golf. While these are great sports that benefit your overall fitness condition, they are different type of exercises that will not burn as much fat like fat burning exercises will.

To burn fat effectively, exercise at a moderate pace for a longer period of time. The residual effect of this type of aerobic exercise gives you the most benefits.

These aerobic fat burning exercises increase your metabolism which means you’ll burn calories long after you exercise. People who exercise on a regular basis develop more fat burning enzymes than people who don’t exercise at all.

By doing just twenty minutes of fat burning exercises you get those fat burning enzymes working. So if you are just starting out, exercise for at least twenty minutes and work up from there as your fitness level improves. Try to set 3 days a week as your goal to workout and work up to 5 days as you become more fit.

Home treadmills and elliptical exercise trainers are perfect for fat burning exercises. These fitness machines will give you the slow, aerobic, long duration types of exercise that work best to burn fat.

They are the most popular pieces for home gyms because they allow you to stay fit in any weather condition. They are easy to use and cost efficient because quality fitness equipment will last for many years.

If you want to reduce body fat, eating properly will always help. But by combining it with fat burning exercises, it will give you the excellent results you are looking for.

Copyright 2005 Treadmill Info All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

6 Advantages of Free Weights Over Exercise Machines

 by: Jon Gestl

Meet Sarah.

About a year ago, Sarah saw an infomercial about a “multi-unit” workout machine. The announcer called it a “revolutionary” piece of equipment, claiming that people would see results in “just 2-4 weeks”. It exercised all major body parts and the female model shown using the machine said it “was safer and more effective than free weights.”

Intimidated by gyms her whole life, Sarah knew having her own home gym would be the key to her finally getting into shape. She had heard that machines were safer than free weights. Besides, the machine came with “easy to follow video instructions”. The price was steep, but as Sarah imagined changing her body, she got her credit called and grabbed the phone.

On the day of delivery, Sarah was surprised to see it took up twice the space she was told it would, limiting space in her already cramped den. Excited to get started, she popped in the video, and hopped on the machine. Sarah soon found that she, at 53″, was too small to fit on the machine for some of the exercises. She continued on anyway, trying to ignore the fact that her lower back and knees were starting to hurt a little.

Sarah used her new revolutionary machine exactly three more times. For the last six months, it has been her unofficial clothes hanger.

What happened? Sarah thought she was buying a machine that would be very easy to operate and be a safe alternative to free-weights. Unfortunately, Sarah and many others are misguided by heavily marketed hype by machine developers. When it comes to effectiveness, particularly for the beginning exerciser, free-weights (i.e., dumbbells) rate much higher than expensive machines in terms of:

1. Cost. Three or four sets of dumbbells would have cost Sarah less than 10 times the amount she spent on her machine. As she gets stronger, she would have to buy more, though even a full set would not set her back nearly as much as the machine did.

2. Space. Dumbbells take up far less space than most of the exercise equipment sold on infomercials. You can easily place them in a closet, out of sight under the bed, or in a corner. There are even dumbbells you can adjust (i.e., PowerBlock) that allow you to adjust the poundage on one set, eliminating the need for single-poundage dumbbells.

3. Variety. Most machines are designed as one-dimensional. Even the most extensive multi-unit machines will allow exercisers to perform only a limited number of movements in a restricted range of motion. Free-weights can be used in ranges of motion based on the exerciser, not a machine. Use free weights along with benches or Swiss Balls and you have multitude of exercise options.

4. Suitability. Sarah couldnt use her “multi-usage” machine for certain exercises because the machine was too big. This is not an uncommon problem. Even though most machines have adjustable seats, arm pads, and lever arms, there are limitations to their range and some may not fit the very small or very large person. However, if you can grab a dumbbell, you can use it.

5. Functionality. Exercising with free-weights increases the likelihood that the effects of the exercise will cross over into real-world situations. Think about it. How often during the day do you lie in a diagonal supine position and push weight up like you would on a machine leg press? Probably never. But how often are you required to do activities that are biomechanically identical to the squat? Sitting, getting in and out of a car, crouching down to pick something upall the time! Properly using free weights will increase the functionality of an exercise to real-world situations.

6. Safety. It seems counterintuitive to consider free-weights as safer than machines. Most of us have heard (somewhere..) that we could get hurt with dumbbells and that machines were “safer.” Maybe just the idea of someone doing a huge bench press lends itself to imagining the likelihood that one might lose control of the same amount of weight if they ever attempted it.

Safety during exercise is more about proper form, technique, concentration and control rather than exercise apparatus. Someone can get hurt on a machine just as easily as with a dumbbell if incorrect form is used. As always, if you dont know how to do something, find someone (i.e., a reputable trainer) to show you how.

Safety as a result of exercise is a long-term issue. It is not necessary for the body to stabilize itself or the weight during movements on most machines, because the weight apparatus is fixed. Key stabilizer muscles are then never given the chance to get stronger. Free-weights allow the exerciser to utilize core muscles and allow multi-plane movement that forces the exerciser to strengthen stabilizer musculature, which support joints. Over the long-term, free weights are superior to machines for building a stronger, more functional body.

You dont need to spend a fortune on a piece of exercise equipment that youll never end up using and wont suit your needs. A few sets of dumbbells are effective, intelligent alternatives to buying equipment, especially for those setting up their own in-home gym or workout area.

Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the outdoors as the leaves start to turn colors, the sound of kids laughing on their way to school.

Ah, the crisp cool breeze, the invigorating feel of the outdoors as the leaves start to turn colors, the sound of kids laughing on their way to school.

Fall is the time for new beginnings. New classes, new curriculum, new programs, new start. Youve relaxed over the summer and now youre ready to reach higher, push further.

Youre pumped. Youre excited about starting a new season. You’re ready to tackle new challenges.

Theres nothing like feeling the momentum of new beginnings. If youve been wanting to lose weight and get into amazing shape, why not use this momentum to your advantage?

Momentum is one of the most underrated factors in achieving a better body.

Momentum can give you what you need to start an exercise program, stick with it and reap major rewards.

As we all know, its very easy to do something when we feel excited about it. This is not a bad thing if you learn to use it.

This initial excitement does wear off eventually, but by the time it does, you could be so far ahead already, that maintenance is easy.

Why not use this initial excitement to kick-start your treadmill exercise program?

Plan a program that you can get excited about, something that will push you just beyond where you are at right now physically. Then go for it! Dont wait until that excitement wears off. Do it! Live in the moment.

With that in mind, here are 3 steps to planning a treadmill exercise program that gets results:

1) Grab a journal or notebook and write down everything you want to achieve in vivid detail. How do you want to look? How do you want to feel? What would you like to fit into? etc.

Reread this vivid description at least once a day. By keeping in mind the end result, youll be highly motivated to push yourself further.

2) Start exercising and make notes on every workout session that you do. How long did you go? What was your perceived exertion? How many miles did you cover?

3) Review your workout session notes every week and then add something a little bit more challenging to the next weeks workout.

For example, if your average exercise time last week was 20 minutes up your average time to 30 minutes. If your perceived exertion was 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 then up it to 7. Make these little adjustments every week and you will be progressing leaps and bounds towards your fitness goals!

Plus the inspiration you get from charting your progress will keep you going long after that initial momentum is fizzling out.

By following these steps and using the fall momentum to inspire you, starting a treadmill exercise program becomes both exciting AND easy. Learn to use momentum to your advantage and youll achieve more than you ever dreamed possible!

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