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Help me find an exercise machine

post #1 of 37
3/9/09 at 4:27pm
Thread Starter 
OK, here's the background.

I want to rev up the metabolism (it sucks getting old). I'm eating pretty healthy already (lots of vegetable of all sorts, yogurt, and cutting calories) and I want to drop about 10 lbs.

I hate treadmills, but do enjoy elliptical machines. Any recommendations for a good, solid, elliptical machine?
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post #2 of 37
3/9/09 at 4:31pm
is there a reason you don't want a free weight set/bench?
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post #3 of 37
3/9/09 at 4:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by lee_44106 View Post
OK, here's the background.

I want to rev up the metabolism (it sucks getting old). I'm eating pretty healthy already (lots of vegetable of all sorts, yogurt, and cutting calories) and I want to drop about 10 lbs.

I hate treadmills, but do enjoy elliptical machines. Any recommendations for a good, solid, elliptical machine?

At the risk of being a douche, let me quote myself and why I'm looking at an elliptical machine.

Also, I don't need to get buff and all that 'cause I don't need to impress nobody.
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post #4 of 37
3/9/09 at 5:41pm
No doucheness, he didn't pay attention to you wanting cardio.

No comments on an elliptical machine, though, since I have a cheap stationary bike. Bad knees suck.
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post #5 of 37
3/9/09 at 5:43pm
Precor makes some of the best elliptical machines, but they're quite expensive. I can't help you with a particular model, as I've got an exercise bike myself.

One thing I recommend for any Fitness equipment is to search Craigslist for used gear. My bike was $600 new, and I paid $200 for it. Most people buy gear and stop using it, so you can get some great used deals. And you can use the money you save on buying some new, slim fitting clothes

Bob
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post #6 of 37
3/9/09 at 5:47pm
I think and elipticall machine is great for warmup and a general workout. But for really burning fat and maximizing cardio I would get a bike. Either a real one or a stationery one with variable resistance programs especialy hill climbing.
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post #7 of 37
3/9/09 at 5:57pm
I was going to say squat rack and 300 lbs of weights until you clarified for everyone. I second that a bike would be good, but it's no substitute for running outside. I think even if you have no one to impress, weights are a good choice for overall well-being anyway. If you want to drop bodyweight, just find more ways to walk and cut calories.
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post #8 of 37
3/9/09 at 6:58pm
Yep. Nothing will ramp up the metabolism and enable you to burn fat like weights. It's also far less time consuming than a bike or I'd imagine elliptical machine, not that I even know what the hell that is....but that guy riding the "Gazelle" comes to mind hehe.

Quote:
Originally Posted by robertorex View Post
I was going to say squat rack and 300 lbs of weights until you clarified for everyone. I second that a bike would be good, but it's no substitute for running outside. I think even if you have no one to impress, weights are a good choice for overall well-being anyway. If you want to drop bodyweight, just find more ways to walk and cut calories.
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post #9 of 37
3/9/09 at 7:26pm
A mix of weight training and cardio (high intensity or interval) would be your best combination. In that sense, buying a machine to do cardio is not good value for your money. You can get a decent weight set (power rack, barbells, bench) for a lot less than an elliptical machine/treadmill and, for cardio, just do jogging/sprints/burpees or take up a sport like basketball.
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post #10 of 37
3/9/09 at 8:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lee_44106 View Post
OK, here's the background.

I want to rev up the metabolism (it sucks getting old). I'm eating pretty healthy already (lots of vegetable of all sorts, yogurt, and cutting calories) and I want to drop about 10 lbs.

I hate treadmills, but do enjoy elliptical machines. Any recommendations for a good, solid, elliptical machine?

Just an FYI - cardio doesn't ramp up your metabolism, increased lean body mass does (weights).
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post #11 of 37
3/9/09 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dimshum View Post
Just an FYI - cardio doesn't ramp up your metabolism, increased lean body mass does (weights).

Depends on what type of 'cardio' you're talking about. High intensity work will up your metabolism and your body should burn fat long after you've stopped exercising. Low-intensity long-duration cardio doesn't do much to ramp up metabolism (unless somebody was *completely* sedentary before, like bed-ridden) and the fat-burning benefits only occur during actual exercise.

Stuff like burpees and tabatas are still considered 'cardio' although that term usually evokes the middle aged woman plodding along on the treadmill at 3mph.
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post #12 of 37
3/9/09 at 8:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dimshum View Post
Just an FYI - cardio doesn't ramp up your metabolism, increased lean body mass does (weights).

with the risk of going off topic, id like to say that any kind of calorie burning activity ramps up the metabolism, its a cycle, the more u burn the more u need stuff to burn.

back on topic:
I see a lot of middle aged guys in my neighbourhood jogging, they all look in quite a good shape so they can't be wrong. If I was in ur position, i'd start jogging. These machines take up so much space and really aren't much of a looker to have in ur house, thats before u even start thinking about money.
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post #13 of 37
3/9/09 at 8:46pm
Another option is to just go for the gym membership. If price is the reason why you'd rather get an exercise machine at home, there's a really good deal going on at 24 hour fitness. You can get 2 years of membership for 300 bucks from Costco.com. That's like $12.50 (actually exactly $12.50) a month!

This way you can choose to do some weight training as well (you'll like it if you try). Do squats!
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post #14 of 37
3/9/09 at 9:21pm
Super-burpees, 100+/ day. You are the machine, no elliptical necessary.
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post #15 of 37
3/9/09 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by oxide View Post
with the risk of going off topic, id like to say that any kind of calorie burning activity ramps up the metabolism, its a cycle, the more u burn the more u need stuff to burn.

back on topic:
I see a lot of middle aged guys in my neighbourhood jogging, they all look in quite a good shape so they can't be wrong. If I was in ur position, i'd start jogging. These machines take up so much space and really aren't much of a looker to have in ur house, thats before u even start thinking about money.

They are likely not wrong. But they could also be lifting when you aren't looking. They could also be eating right and doing high intensity cardio every now and then. I doubt you'll ever take home a girl who won't fuck you because your elliptical machine looks like it's looking at her.
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