The TV is a low hum in the background, just loud enough to wake you up. A glance at the clock shows that you have four more hours of well earned sleep--ye gods, Woe betide the thing that arrested you from your slumber! You can't remember leaving the TV on, but you don't recall turning it off, specifically, so you can't blame anyone. A homely but muscle-bound figure is squirming back and forth in some metallic demon they're calling an exercise machine while a voice over proclaims that thirty minutes a day in their contraption is all you need to stay fit and lean. Your eyes wander askance to your belly, and for a moment, however brief, that 1-866 number flashing across the bottom of the screen seems attractive.
But how do you really know that this exercise equipment is going to do you any good? Sure, the gear looks nifty, but what elevates it above regular working out? The grim truth? Not much. Those testimonials aren't lying, usually. The exercise equipment works, and in the case of well established brands (like Bowflex), it even works well. But the first, prime ingredient to getting in shape is motivation. For a lot of people, seeing a giant piece of exercise equipment two feet from the bed is all it really takes. For the rest of us... well...
As exercise equipment goes, those giant machines aren't always the best choice. Sometimes, all you really need are some free weights and a good thick, firm mat to jump around on. Mirrors help too. Aside from letting you check yourself for good posture and warning you if you're doing something wrong, they'll also scare you into doing just five more minutes of your regime. Unless you're already in shape, in which case... grr. I and the rest of the overweight world dislike you intensely. Don't let that keep you from a healthy regime, though.
Still, if you're determined to use one of those gargantuan exercise machines, it's a better idea to go to a gym that sports that sort of gear. Then you can get a feel for what sort of workout suits you best, and you'll also have access to the gym-nutters floating around, who'll offer up their opinions on everything from the optimum weight load for someone in your "size bracket" to the best workout to help thin down your problem areas.
They key to losing weight, however, doesn't actually lie in exercise equipment. It lies in keeping your body active during the entire allotment of time for your workout. Five minute breaks kill a workout. Thirty second breaks to quaff a bottle of water are fine. So when you finish your arm curls, move immediately into your squat-thrusts, or whatever else you have planned, instead of loafing around for a few minutes to get your wind back.
Otherwise, your body just won't get the idea. And the next time you wake up to one of those horrible exercise equipment commercials, you'll still be tempted to call that flashing yellow phone number.
Whenever you consider buying exercise equipment finances are on the brain for sure. The reason for this is that exercise equipment can be very expensive, especially if you want to buy a full body system that will help you lose weight and get in shape for the long haul. While exercise equipment finances may be a concern to you, they are not a reason not to buy the exercise equipment that you want or need. You may have to alter your plan a bit, but generally you can put a financial plan in place that will allow you to get the equipment you need.
One great idea when you want to buy exercise equipment is to look into financing it. This is not at all a silly idea, since some exercise equipment can cost into the thousands of dollars. Many equipment retailers have their own financing terms in which they will allow you to pay on your balance a bit each month until you own the machine. If you have a decent down payment you can have very small monthly payments so that you really do not have think of exercise equipment finances in a big way. Even if you have a two or three hundred dollar down payment you might find that you can make payments as small as $50 a month for some of the best exercise equipment on the market.
Another way to afford your exercise equipment is by purchasing it on a credit card. This is often a good idea if the financing terms through a retailer are not attractive to you. Many time retailers will offer you the chance to finance your equipment but the interest rate is so fantastic that it is not worth it. If you have a good relationship with a credit card company you can basically finance on your own through your credit card. Even if you purchase a couple thousand dollar piece of exercise equipment you may only need to pay $30 a month, and if you pay $50 you will pay it off even more quickly. This is a good idea only if you can afford to make the payments each month and the more you pay each month the smarter this type of financing is, so you don't pay crazy amounts of interest.
When you consider buying exercise equipment finances are sure to make you cringe, so think outside the box. A lot of people buy exercise equipment and then do not use it so they sell it at a loss. Why not take advantage of their loss and buy it from them? You can buy like new exercise equipment from individuals in just about every area of the world if you look in newspapers and classified advertisements. There are many retail chains that only sell gently used exercise equipment to those that want it but cannot or do not want to afford to pay the full retail price for the equipment. This is a smart way to go if you want your exercise equipment right now but finances hold you back from doing just that.
You can also look into layaway programs at your exercise equipment retailer. Because much of the equipment is costly there are often layaway programs that will not charge interest and will allow you to make monthly payments on the product. You won't be able to take your equipment home with you right away, but you can find other things to do in the mean time until you have paid it off. If exercise equipment finances just are not there to buy your equipment right now, then this is the most practical way to approach the issue. You will be making strides toward getting the equipment that you need or want, but you will not be jeopardizing your financial status in the mean time.
Exercise equipment is costly, so you must consider your finances before you buy. If you are considering buying exercise equipment finances have to be considered in one way or another. If you have to save for awhile, finance, use a credit card, or buy used equipment these are all very legitimate and responsible ways to approach such a purchase. Until you are able to buy the exercise equipment that you want or need you can continue to use free weights, go to the gym, or use the equipment you already have.
Both Bill Urell & Psmith are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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