Improving Fitness with a Heart Rate Monitor

When it comes to fitness devices, most of us are probably more familiar with the benefits of a pedometer than a heart rate monitor. But you might want to consider investing in one, if you want to improve your fitness even more. Exercise is about more than just how often you do it and for how long. The level (or intensity) of the exercise is just as important. A heart rate monitor can keep track of your heartbeats, allowing you to stay in the appropriate heart rate zone. In other words, you don’t want the intensity of your exercise to … Continue reading →

Insoles Comfort: Free-Flex

One of the last things we sometimes think about when it comes to exercise is comfort. And out of all the gear you could wear, shoes are the most important. In fact, wearing the right shoe could actually prevent injuries. I love my shoes. But they require inserts in order to bring the most comfort. I have gone through a variety of different insoles to find the right one. Needless to say, I ended up settling for what I had. It wasn’t until I was offered a free pair of insoles that I realized how much I really had been … Continue reading →

Fitness Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day around the corner, it might be the perfect time to give her the gift of health. Why not encourage her in the way of fitness? Of course, you have to be careful about this. You don’t want to hurt feelings. In fact, it’s probably a good idea to only give a fitness gift if your mother truly has a desire to make changes in her life or has already started to exercise. One of the best gifts you can give is a pedometer. It’s a great way to keep track of your steps and set goals. If … Continue reading →

My Perfect Water Bottle

I am an advocate for drinking water and lots of it! Whether it is for your workout or just regular day routine, you need to be hydrating. I also try to be green and tend to steer away from using individual, non-reusable bottles. I am always trying to drink 8 glasses a day which would be about 8 individual bottles! Instead I have decided to fill up a reusable water bottle for my daily activities and workouts. Finding a perfect water bottle has been a long, grueling process. I find one that looks alright, buy it because how else can … Continue reading →

More Gift Ideas for the Fitness Fanatics in Your Family

If you have a swimmer, biker, runner or walker in your family, then you might be struggling to familiarize yourself with the slew of exercise equipment on the market today, as you search for the perfect Christmas gift. Save some time and a lot of needless stress by reviewing the high-tech fitness gadgets listed below. Both items come highly recommended by experts (and mere mortals) who use them on a daily basis: Garmin Forerunner 405 Given its price this is a fitness item that you might want to reserve for a truly beloved family member. For $300 your resident fitness … Continue reading →

Looking for a Treadmill this Christmas?

If so, then you know it’s not as easy as banging out a letter to Santa and waking up to a PaceMaster Platinum Pro VR under the Christmas tree. Unless you are getting the exact replica of the treadmill you run on at the gym everyday, then you really need to do your homework. Treadmills come in a variety of sizes and feature a wide range of price tags. In a previous blog I listed some of Consumer Reports top picks for fold-up treadmills. If you have the space to accommodate a traditional nonfolding treadmill, fitness experts recommend you consider … Continue reading →

Treadmill Shopping Tips

Someone in America spent this Black Friday braving cutthroat crowds to snag a deal on a treadmill. It wasn’t me, but I did see quite a number of door buster ads featuring outstanding deals on popular home gym equipment. If you weren’t one of the brave fitness buffs who woke up at the crack of dawn to take advantage of deep discounts on treadmills, but you are still hoping one lands under your tree this Christmas, then this blog might be useful. Recently, Consumer Reports rated some of the best moderately priced treadmills on the market. The following machines scored … Continue reading →

How Effective are those Fancy Exercise Machines? Part 2

Continuing my series that looks into whether or not expensive exercise equipment advertised on TV is really worth going into debt over I’m turning my attention to the RealRyder. It looks like an indoor bike, but this is no ordinary stationary cycle. The RealRyder allows you to steer and move from side to side in your own home. Here’s what the company claims in its commercial: “After 20 years, the indoor cycling bike finally gets moving! … It tilts, turns, and banks like an outdoor bike — works out the core, upper body, legs, cardio, and improves balance the way … Continue reading →

How Effective are those Fancy Exercise Machines?

If you are trying to get into shape then those incessant commercials hawking fancy (see: expensive) exercise equipment are bound to catch your eye, draw you in and have you contemplating paying five easy installments of $99.99. But wait! Before you get out your credit card consider the information in this blog, which provides details on one of the hottest exercise machines on the market. The Skorcher promises to deliver major results in half the time, but does it? SKORCHER The Skorcher is a fitness machine that is designed to specifically target the thighs and butt. The commercial claims that … Continue reading →

Your Pedometer, Don’t Leave Home Without It

My pedometer broke. I don’t mean it needs a new battery, I mean it broke. It fell off my belt the other day and I drove over it with my car. I couldn’t believe it when I saw all the crunchy little pieces all over the garage floor. It’s been just four days since it broke and I feel lost without it. Pedometer Practice My pedometer helped to keep me on target with my work out whether I was actually on the treadmill or not. There’s lots of walking and steps I take every day without once going into gym … Continue reading →