Any advice on equipment?

N

Nixxta

New member
Hi all,

I'm just getting started on my weight loss journey after the birth of my second child.

Can anybody give any advice on the best piece of equipment to buy. I don't want to go and get the most expensive thing the shop wants to sell me, but the one that will work the best for losing weight and gaining fitness.

Any thoughts anybody has time to share with me would be very much appreciated.

Nixxta:eek:
 
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A good pair of athletic shoes. That's probably not the answer you expected but along with the support of your feet they offer, putting them on will get you in the mindset "ok it's workout time now."

A small set of dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench would also be on the cheaper side and you'll be able to do many exercises with them. Aerobic dvd's are also a decent choice.

I don't think I know anyone who's family has bought a multi-gym of some sort and it hasn't ended up disassembled in the garage. Just be prepared to dedicate a room or large space to it if you do buy one and want to use it on a regular basis.
 
As KMH said, shoes are critical.

However, you might consider not buying any equipment at all. The money might be better spent on a gym membership, where you can try out far more equipment than you could ever dream of buying.
 
Thanks guys for taking the time to reply. I do have a good set of shoes, but will need new ones fairly soon, as these ones have taken a pretty good beating.

At this stage, I'm not interested in a home gym, as it's only cardio work that is my focus right now. My first preference is not to work out at home (and therefore a gym membership would be great) unfortunately I have a three year old, and a four month old, and I am unable to "get out" of the house to exercise. I could go walking with a pram, but three year old legs can't keep up, and if he takes his bike, it is very difficult to keep control of both along a road, and in the park he doesn't last the distance.

By the time I get to the other side of dinner and get the kids to bed, I am just too exhausted to even think about doing any exercise, and I know that this will be too easily an excuse not to do it.

BTW - did I mention hubby also needs to lose weight, and has said he will use it too? So already our gym memberships etc will have doubled, so home equipment is also looking a cheaper option in the long run.....

Have a great day!

Nixxta
 
Nixxta, sorry -- I didn't realize your situation.

I still think it might be a good idea for you and your husband to get one of those 2 week intro memberships. Just work out a schedule between the two of you, if it's possible, that will allow both of you to try out the different equipment there at least 3 or 4 times.

In your mind, you may be thinking a treadmill is best, but you might find that an elliptical works out much better -- or vice versa.

It's a big investment, so "try before you buy" is definitely worth considering.
 
I agree with TomO, even a two week membership will help you decide if you're interested in a treadmill, an elliptical, or a stationary bike. Some gym even offer one or two day passes, another good idea just to try out the cardio equipment before you make a decision.
 
The YMCA that I joined has daycare VERY cheap... like a dollar for an hour. You can get alot of exercise done in an hour! You might check into that as well.

To be honest, I like the elliptical vs- the treadmill... it burns some crazy amount of calories and I sweat my ass off when I use it. Makes you feel good!
 
I got a stationary bike with swinging arms for less than 100 bucks. It's not top of the line but it gets me off my duff and moving.
 
most gyms have some sort of baby care these days - alternativly do it late at night or early in the morning when your partner is still home to care for the child (I have 4 kids, this is what i do)
 
Thanks again guys for taking the time to post me.

Gyms are not an option for me right now, the only ones that are available to me have very "un" cheap day care, and hubby is recovering from a recnet heart attack so he is very limited in what he can do around the house once he comes home from a very physical job.

This was the reason for looking entirely at home cardio equipment. I was leaning towards the tready, only because you are forced to keep up with it, rather than the elliptical, where it's my own steam that pushes it, and therefore you can slow down.

To be quite honest, I'd much prefer to get out and walk, and when I was working, I would walk 8km to and/or from work each day, which was great. Unfortunately with the new little one, it's not an option, unless it's really late at night, and I'm just TOO tired right now. I know it will be an easy excuse for me not to do it, whereas with the equipment outside, when he is asleep, me and 3yo can go out and do it. Hubby gets up at 6am as it is for work, and bub usually has a feed between 4-5.30 so I need to be home for that.

Enjoy losing those kilos......

Nixxta
 
Treadmill!! I have 2 young children also, my husband comes home late from work so i dont get the chance to go to the gym. I have had my treadmill for the longest time and never used it. I started jogging/walking on it 3 days ago and i absolutely love it! Put some dumbells in your hands and you get a better workout. From what i remember pilates worked really well too.I still have to find mine.:)

good luck to you :)
Jo
 
crazy4beadz said:
Put some dumbells in your hands and you get a better workout.Jo
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No, please don't do that. That is a very good way to injure yourself. That is one of the biggest sources of orthopedic surgeon's incomes. When you do weights, do real weights. When you do cardio, forget about the weights -- it's all about taxing your legs and heart.
 
If they're the little pink 5 lb. ones, yes, put them away. If you can't go to a gym to do weight training, you still could get a weight bench and some decent weight dumbbells. You could use that for one arm rows and bench presses. You could do a military press just sitting on a kitchen chair without arms. Add some squats, and you've got a pretty decent full body workout.
 
Hey TomO

You've got me intrigued now! Can you tell me the problem with using small dumbells while doing other work? I see people all the time holding them while walking around the streets (but that's here in Oz, maybe different over there?)

When I first began my "get fit" journey, before the birth of number two, and husband's heart attack number one, I was doing a program with personal trainers, and I'm sure we used them, and I'm racking my brains to remember what with, I don't think it was with cardio stuff, but we definitely held weights while doing step ups on aerobic steps. What's your opinion on that?

Thanks for letting us newb's in and giving us assistance!

Enjoy,

Nixxta
 
Frankly, most personal trainers here in the US are complete frauds. They pay $300, study a few hours for a test, and hang out their shingle. They read up on the latest fads in exercising, and advise their clients accordingly.

The bunny dumbbell stuff while doing cardio started decades ago. A lot of hucksters promoted it as a "magic" way to lose more weight, supposedly because you increased the resistance. In reality, what you're usually doing is putting stress on bones and joints that's completely unnatural -- and that's what keeps the orthopedic surgeons in business.

Aerobic = oxygen. In other words, your muscles are getting enough oxygen to function without going into their glycogen stores. Holding a couple of 5 lb. weights won't change that one iota, but it CAN put a lot of repetitive stress on your wrists and your elbow.

Perhaps the personal trainer believed that when you held these little weights, somehow that would strengthen your quads and your knees. I guarantee you -- if you want to do that, squats will accomplish that much more effectively and safely.

One of the biggest problems with mixing cardio and weights is form. The weights you're carrying tend to ruin your cardio form, and the cardio tends to ruin your weight lifting form.

If you don't believe how difficult it is to have proper weight lifting form, sit on a kitchen chair and try to do a proper military press, with perfect control, even using the bunny weights you already have. You'll probably find your arms bowing out on the way up, the weight shaking back and forth, too rapid a descent, incorrect breathing, etc. etc.

Form is absolutely critical with weight training. It takes concentration. Anyone can do it, though. It just requires focus.

So with a treadmill at home, a bench, and a couple of 15, 20, or 25 lb. dumbbells (you'll have to figure out the right ones to start with), you can design a perfectly good cardio / weight training routine that is both safe and effective.

By the way, here's a nice little video on the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise:
 
I can't believe people still use treadmills. Elipticals are the way to go but they're much more expensive. I always hear about this "walking" thing from middle aged people looking to lose weight. Even at a brisk pace you'll be hard pressed to break a sweat let alone really exercise. Trade in those walking shoes for a bike or a pair of roller blades.
 
that one guy said:
I can't believe people still use treadmills. Elipticals are the way to go but they're much more expensive.
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Remember, we're talking here about a forum member who already has a treadmill, and can't leave the house very easily.

I don't particularly like treadmills either, and if you want to do HIIT, they're pretty difficult to use. But they're better than nothing!
 
Treadmill is all i have at this moment, and really dont have the extra $$$ for anything else. I have 2 kids, my husband comes home very late..I have known a lot of people who lost weight using the treadmill and they now look great. yes you can break out a good sweat on that thing..:)
 
I recently bought an elliptical machine and I love it. I really feel it in the hips and thighs and then if I rotate the other way I feel it in my lower stomach. I started out slow, 10 minutes first week and then increase to 15 minutes. 20 minutes each morning is my goal since I work and I don't have time for more. I finish my workout with 100 crunches and some floor pushups and squats. I really feel like that is a good morning work out for me. I also walk a lot. I am new at this so I can't tell you I have amazing results but hopefully in a couple of months I will.

Get a double stroller and get out and walk with those kids. You will all have a great time. Good luck.
 
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