Consumers are faced with many different equipment options to try and meet fitness goals, and sometimes it can be confusing. So here is an easy-to-use reference guide that will help determine what type of equipment is best suited to you.

Directly below is a summary comparison of elliptical trainer vs. treadmill vs. exercise bike training options to show the physiological benefits of each. This information presents an effective way to decide which is best for your individual needs, and help you get started on the right path to fitness.

Treadmills - Maximum opportunity to increase cardiovascular, weight loss and bone density.

• Burn more calories than bike or elliptical
• Build maximum lower extremity bone density
• Customize workout with Decline / Incline features
• Minimal impact with SOFT deck technology

Elliptical Trainers - The benefits of weight-bearing exercise without the impact.

• Low impact workout that's easy on body and joints
• Arm handles allow for a full body workout
• Lower perceived rate of exertion
• Burn fewer calories per hour than a treadmill

Exercise Bikes - Low impact. High performance.

• Low-No impact workout easiest on body and joints
• Available in upright and recumbent, for virtually every performance level
• Most economically priced piece of equipment
• Lowest calorie burn / hour compared with a treadmill and elliptical

Treadmills:.......

This popular form of weight-bearing exercise offers you the best opportunity to build bone density in the lower extremities and greatly improve overall muscle tone. Unsurpassed for a cardiovascular and fat-burning workout, the treadmill can help you to burn 50 to 250 more calories an hour versus a stationary bike or an elliptical machine.

While running and walking generally create more impact on your bones and joints than exercise bikes or elliptical machines, most high-end treadmills are constructed with surfaces that help to absorb impact and pounding. This provides a big advantage over outdoor workouts on asphalt or concrete.

Most treadmills also include electronic features and settings that allow you to customize your workouts to meet your specific fitness needs. Almost all models include speed and incline settings and can be programmed for individual calorie-burning, speed and mileage goals.

Besides offering all the benefits of an outdoor walk or run (without the hassles of obstacles or the environment) in the comfort of your own home, the treadmill has proven to be the clear training choice for achieving maximum fitness results in the shortest amount of time.

Ellipticals:

Part treadmill, part stairmaster, and mimicking the pedal movement of an exercise bike, the elliptical trainer offers a unique combination of fitness benefits, without the impact on knees, back, hips or joints. This weight-bearing exercise allows you to burn calories more efficiently than non-weight-bearing workouts, plus effectively builds bone density.

More than just a lower-body exercise, arm handles combine with leg motion to provide a total body workout. In addition, the elliptical helps to create a lower "perceived rate of exertion" - you do more work and burn more calories while feeling like you're producing less effort.

This cross-training-style machine can also typically be programmed through electronic settings to meet your specific goals of calorie burning, speed and distance. One other unique advantage is that the elliptical can also be "pedaled" backwards in addition to forward, to effectively work a full range of leg muscles.

The elliptical has proven popular with those who are looking to receive the benefits of a full-body, weight-bearing workout, without the stress and pounding.

Exercise Bikes:

Although they have been in existence for years, exercise bikes have returned to the forefront of the workout scene. This is due in large part to advances in technology, improved designs and the immensely popular "spinning" programs that allow participants to simulate outdoor cycling in the comfort of their own homes or a group classroom setting.

Unlike other forms of "weight-bearing" exercise (such as running or walking), exercise bikes offer participants an opportunity to increase their heart rates without substantial stress on knees, ankles, feet or hips. In addition, built-in resistance features allow you to tailor your workout to your specific goals, by simulating hills, flat ground and rolling terrain. Many models even offer electronic features, which allow you to program the bike for a specific goal or workout. This is very helpful for achieving effective, measurable results.

Generally available in recumbent or upright designs, stationary bikes are designed for practically every level of performance and body design, whether you're an experienced cyclist dedicated to improving your peddle stroke or a weekend warrior simply looking to break a sweat.

True Fitness Technology, Inc. specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of premium quality cardiovascular and flexibility products. TRUE’s innovative and award-winning products are among the best in the fitness industry and enable users to look better, feel better and play better.

To learn more about True Fitness product lines, either look for their line of Home Fitness Equipment or Commercial Fitness Equipment. at http://www.truefitness.com

Treadmills vs. Ellipticals vs. Bikes?

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Swim to Lose Weight and Stay Fit

Showing up is all it takes.

Swimming is a terrific way to tone the body and get in shape with very little stress on the joints. This makes it the perfect exercise for any age; all you need is a swimsuit and to find a suitable time at the pool, many have designated adult swim times or family sessions. However, sometimes the prospect of getting in the pool, especially if you consider yourself less than accomplished, can be daunting. The following is my response to a question on how to start on a major weight loss target, and highlights my main mantra which is, "keep on showing up".


“Let me take your points one by one. The first one about not swimming too well. That means you do swim a bit, and a bit is all you need to get this thing rolling. When I came back to swimming after 30 years off, I started easy, I did what I could because I knew that as time passed I'd get a little bit better and a little bit better until I was really getting somewhere. Now when I say easy, I mean easy, like 25 meters and then a rest, then another 25 meters and so on. Never push it past where it's fun, and don’t put pressure on yourself, just wait, keep showing up at that pool and doing what you can, and soon what you can will be quite a bit. It's the keeping on that's the trick. Forget the "burn", who needs to be in discomfort all the time, just keep on "doing what you can" and the consistency will win the day. It's like water on stone, the outcome is never in doubt, and the little drip will go right through that stone.

As for your second point "how do I even get started", well you have started, you know an exercise you can do and improve on, and you need to focus on the first 5 lbs. not the rest. If you look at too big a task, you'll say, "oh forget it, it's too tough to lose 96 lbs.". But how about 5 lbs. to start, is that do-able? Then let's do it!! And when we've got that wall knocked down, we'll go for 8 lbs. next time. So take it in little pieces, that's what I'm doing with my program, I do what I can and I don't fret over what I can't, that would be a waste of my energy. Let's do what we can, set a "do-able" target and GO FOR IT. But don't tell yourself, it's "only the first or whatever", IT IS THE ONLY TARGET!! Focus, keep it in front of you and REACH it before you even think of the next step. Water on Stone!!”

Author: Gordon Black is a world-ranked Master swimmer and Canadian national record holder. A member of the British swim team in the late ‘60s, after thirty years out of the pool, last year Gordon returned to competitive swimming in the Masters forum. He offers an online weight loss, fitness and motivational coaching service through his web site http://www.gordonblack.com where his competitive comeback is chronicled.

Swimming To Lose Weight

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While inner beauty may essentially define a woman, obtaining external beauty is strongly desired by many women globally. What woman does not want to look her best?

Of course, we all want to look our best wherever we go, whatever we do. It is natural for you to enhance your beauty by adopting various beautification techniques.

Since the beginning of time, beauty has almost been synonymous with womanhood. Often one of the best compliments you can give a woman is to acknowledge her beauty.

Countless women enjoy warm and uplifting feelings when their beauty is recognized. This might lead us to wonder what really counts the most when enhancing a woman's beauty.

There are a variety of answers to this question. But, in my opinion, a woman's beauty is determined by her eyes. Beautiful eyes speak for themselves and can be mesmerizing. I could go on and on describing the power of beautiful eyes.

When you realize that your eyes are blessed with such power, then it is in your best interest to protect them. However, eyes face several problems including the common emergence of dark circles under the eyes.

Dark circles refer to the shadows under your eyes that are caused by a variety of factors:

* There is a natural fat pad under the eye that begins to lose shape as you age. This process causes shadows under the eyes.

* Sometimes, these dark circles are just a reflection of the blood vessels and capillaries that are present in large numbers in the area under your eyes.

* Often, the shape of your face and features seem to make these dark circles appear prominent. For example, if you have prominent or protruding cheek bones and deep-set eyes, the dark circles under your eyes are more visible.

* Some people might have attacks of allergies, sinus problems, and, more serious, leaking capillaries that will make dark circles more prominent.

* The medical reasons for dark circles under your eyes are poor diet, lack sleep, and poor or irregular blood circulation.

Dark circles do not need to be a problem. There are a number of promising treatments to help deal with dark circles under your eyes. Don't lose faith. Remember, there are many other women worldwide who experience the same problems.

Most importantly, there is certainly hope for you in the form of effective solutions that presently exist for dark circles.

* Some ingredients that are purported to help are: water, glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane, polysilicone 11, silica, and more than a dozen other elements. In about a month of using creams with these types of ingredients, the dark circles under your eyes will likely become less noticeable.

There are many products available to treat dark circles. Despite the promise of such products, you cannot expect chronic dark circles to disappear overnight.

Dark circles may have been forming unseen and unnoticed for months or years. Only when they reach a noticeable stage do you start searching for solutions. Even the best eye creams will take some time to work their magic for you.

To allievate dark circles under your eyes, you may want to look into a new product called Eyederma(TM). We have read good and encouraging things about this new under eye treatment. Eyederma(tm) was created to effectively fight and prevent signs of aging and fatigue around the eyes. Pictures we have seen of results seem to indicate that this product is extremely effective in diminishing dark patches under your eyes. Eyederma™ is available at reputable eTailers such as Amazon.com and http://www.bodestore.com

Consider using these creams to enhance the vibrancy and beauty of your face and eyes. Eyederma(TM) and some eye creams can help rejuvenate the appearance of your eyes and make them more beautiful and attractive. I hope these tips are useful in helping erase those dark circles under your eyes once and for all and enhancing your overall beauty and appearance in the process.

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

Author: Written by the V-Team, courtesy Kamau Austin, publisher. The V-Team writes articles for the health and fitness enthusiast. Their timeless health and fitness tips are at the Fit After Forty Blog. See more useful news and tips about reducing dark cycle around the eyes with Eyedermaat http://www.healthandfitnessvitality.com/blogs/fitnessblog.htm

Get Rid Of Dark Circles and Look Younger

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Cholesterol is a soft, waxy, fat-like material that is made by the liver. Cholesterol serves many vital functions, and is part of every cell in the body. Our bodies require cholesterol to maintain healthy cell walls, make hormones, make vitamin D, and to make bile acids.

The food we eat can also play a big part in the amount of cholesterol in our bodies. If we eat an excess of food containing saturated fat, the liver will produce more cholesterol than the body needs. Our bodies will also absorb cholesterol directly from food that contains cholesterol.

In nature cholesterol is only found in animal based foods, but some food processing can cause other foods to have cholesterol as well. Foods fried in animal fat or tropical oils, have also been found to contain cholesterol. Saturated fat is also found primarily in animal based foods.

Cholesterol on its own can not dissolve in the blood. Tiny particles called lipoproteins deliver cholesterol to and from the blood cells. There are two lipoproteins that work with cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL).

LDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Bad” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream to the tissues, where it can be used or stored by the body. The reason this type of cholesterol is referred to as “Bad” is that this is the cholesterol that can build-up and clog arteries. This is what happens when there is too much LDL in the body.

HDL cholesterol, often referred to as “Good” cholesterol, carries cholesterol in the blood stream from the tissues to the liver. The liver then expels this cholesterol from the body. A high HDL level will tend to protect against heart attack and stroke.

There are other factors that can affect your blood cholesterol levels. Some of these factors include being overweight, lack of exercise, inherited health traits, increased age, and gender. Women after menopause tend to have higher cholesterol than before menopause. Women also tend to have a higher HDL level throughout there lives than men. This may help to explain why women under the age of 80 usually experience lower rates of heart disease and stroke than men.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a high cholesterol level is considered to be over 200 mg/dL for your total cholesterol. Total cholesterol is calculated as (LDL + HDL). This however, is not the only figure that you should be concerned about. You also need to have a HDL level greater than or equal to 45 mg/dL, to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Total Blood Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 200 mg/dL

Borderline: 200-239 mg/dL

High: 240 mg/dL or higher

HDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: 45 mg/dL or higher

LDL Cholesterol Levels

Desirable: less than 130 mg/dL

Borderline: 130-159 mg/dL

High: 160 mg/dL or higher

Find more articles like this: http://www.GreatestHealthSupplements.com

Author: Patrick Lewis Founded Greatest Health Supplements in mid 2006. Patrick had worked in Information Technology for over 20 years, and had struggled with stress related illness for the past 7 years. Patrick soon discovered that there was a lot of misinformation out there about proper health and diet, some of which was actually coming from his doctors. Patrick has since set out to debunk some of these myths, and to provide alternative points of view, based on research and information found on the internet.

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How To Get Rid of Stretch Marks

If you have stretch marks, you are likely haunted by how they look. When you first got them they were light pink or purple lines along your skin, then the color faded and they changed to a different color of flesh, becoming classic stretch lines.

These marks are caused by the extensive stretching of skin. Those lines are actually small tears in the top 2 layers of the skin. It is the scars from that damage to the skin that you refer to as stretch marks. If you have stretch marks you likely already know the result; the discolorations are embarrassing, and are something that you would love to get rid of.

There are a number of items on the market that have been created to do just this job. For the most part they are oils or creams that need to be massaged into the affected areas and are supposed to help firm up the skin, make it suppler, and also diminish or get rid of the stretch marks altogether. The ingredients that do the trick are Vitamin E oil and cocoa butter. For the best results, use of these creams should begin as soon as you realize stretch marks are forming. The sooner you begin using them, the better the results.

There are also some prescription products that are known to help reduce the look of stretch marks. A commonly heard of item is Retin-A. This medicine can only be acquired with a doctor’s note, but for those who have relatively new stretch marks, this can be a great healer. It is known to remove the redness in those new scars and make the resulting lines much less pronounced. Unfortunately it can only be used on stretch marks that are less than a year old.

By far, the most successful stretch mark treatment is going for full out cosmetic laser security. While it is very costly, many people who have thousands of dollars at their disposal will use this method of stretch mark removal because of the success rate. Many of those who have taken this route to try and have their marks removed have done so because they have had the scars for a number of years, and no other methods worked. The way laser treatment works is to actually break down the tissue in the skin to change the appearance to be more like the surrounding skin. But it will not be perfect the first time. It could take a half dozen or more laser treatments to notice real results, and it will not work on all people.

The best solution to deal with stretch marks is not to get them in the first place. Since stretch marks are actual damage to the skin and it’s tissue, many times, they cannot be repaired. So, the better option is to stay healthy and keep close tabs on weight gain and muscle building. Also, make sure to keep up with a vitamin and mineral rich healthy diet, as well as drinking a lot of water.

Author: Dianne Keenan is writer, and a mother of four. Having gone through four pregnancies, she knows all about stretch marks. You can read more about her personal experience of getting rid of stretch marks at http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Get-Rid-Of-Stretch-Marks

How To Get Rid of Stretch Marks

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