Have you seen the Biggest Loser armband? I had noticed this about three seasons or so ago and had to google to find out what it was but it is actually kinda neat.

You have seen this armband I am sure. It is a piece of equipment that allows people to track at all times what kind of workout output they are really doing as well as be able to track all of this on a computer.

The contestants on the The Biggest Loser use the bodybugg armband, which measures the number of calories that they burn, aiding in their weight loss efforts.

The Bodybugg, a device about the size of an MP3 player, is worn on the upper arm and tracks the calories burned by the wearer with 92% accuracy. The bodybugg program is the product of the Apex Fitness Group, a division of 24 Hour Fitness which is of course one of the show’s primary sponsors. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

The benefits of exercise are well-documented. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case with advertising claims for exercise equipment.Some advertisers claim that their exercise products offer a quick, easy way to shape up, keep fit, and lose weight. The truth is, there’s no such thing as a no-work, no-sweat way to a healthy, toned body. Deriving the benefits of exercise requires doing the work.

Before you jump into the next home fitness fad, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers this advice: Exercise good judgment and evaluate advertising claims for exercise products carefully.

Evaluating Fitness Equipment Claims

Read the performance claims with some skepticism. Beware of anyone that say the equipment can:

provide easy or effortless results or burn excessive calories. The claims may be true for athletes in top physical condition, but not for most people.
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Remember all the hype when the Wii Fit with the Wii Board cme out a couple of years ago? I was excited and picked it up right after it came out. Well there is a new Wii Fit game out and hopefully this game will be as addivtive as the last one was.

Features include

Weight training equipment is something that many home users need to know about when trying to start soe kind of fitness routine. I will try to analyze what kinds of equipment you need based on your body muscle groups.

First of all there are two kinds of equipment that you will need to know about. The first weight training equipment is weights and the second is the actual apparatus which would be benches and stuff.

Weight Training Equipment – Apparatus

I think that most people will start weight training with some kind of a bench. At the very simplest a bench will be a flat bench that will allow you to do flyes, sit to do dumbell military press, a place to put your legs on to do crunches, and a stable piece of equipment to do your tricep pushups. Once you decide that you want to get a bit more advanced you can get a bench that will have a movable back so that you can do incline bench, this addition is the only advantage though to getting an incline bench so do not drool over the incline instead of having a nice stable bench. Read the rest of this entry »

There are a dazzling array of shapes, styles and colors of mats on the market today and exactly which workout mat you choose largely depends on what type of exercise you are doing. From crash and tumble mats through to the sticky yoga variety, these mats are designed to provide the ultimate service in facilitating an optimum workout where you feel safe and secure.

All purpose mats are very useful if you are the type of person who does wide range of workouts. These mats are ideal for tumbling, stretching exercises like pilates and yoga, martial arts, physical restraint, wrestling, gymnastics and physiotherapy.

Aerobic mats are lightweight and have polyethylene foam infill to make them shock absorbent. They are usually waterproof and washable, hygienic and extremely hard wearing. The base is anti-slip and like most mats on the market, it does not include latex which can induce allergies. Read the rest of this entry »

The fun and fitness that is Wii fitness has no comparison, after a year or so I am still having fun with this thing. After running around the living room for half an hour, impersonating a tree, punching the air and whacking invisible tennis balls, any casual observer could be forgiven for thinking you might be a little off-the-wall.

But the Wii has revolutionized gaming. The main difference is that you experience it, you don’t just sit there and play! It is not like the old style of gaming where the only body part that moves was your thumbs. Oh no. The Wii is the perfect solution for those with sloth-like tendencies because it blends socializing with doing exercise that is actually fun! Playing the Wii involves stretching, balancing, an increased heart rate and getting very hot! Cast aside stereotypes of gaming being mainly a male (usually young male) pastime. Using the Wii can involve the whole family with friends thrown into the mix too. Put simply, it’s for everyone.

Currently, the Nintendo Wii games console has reached worldwide sales of 50 million units. The president Satoru Iwata expressed recently that it was “more than they could have possibly hoped for.” Read the rest of this entry »

If you hate gyms but want a toned and strong body, then considering an investment in some home gym equipment may be your answer. Also known as multigyms, home gyms let you consistently workout and help you build muscle, tone up and keep a healthy heart.

Home gyms are for those who want to change their body shape and become more toned and fit. Make sure to get a stack of hand held weights with a range of weight so you can build up. Using light weights every day leads to athletic toned arms and legs.

Your home gym can help you become stronger by toning your core muscles,  the smaller, more internal muscles attached to your bones. You do not need to have massive muscles to be stronger. If however you do want to build muscle and gain an eye catching six pack, then your home gym will do this for you too if you increase your weights gradually each week. Read the rest of this entry »

Investing in a special exercise trampoline leaves you feeling bright, active, totally happy and ready for more. And that is not an exaggeration. Thousands and thousands of people are using trampolines of all sizes, not just for fun filled days for the kids but as a serious fitness regime.

Trainers recommend it because it protects your joints, improves coordination and keeps you fit.

But the best part about this particular workout is that it is fun! Trampolining is a fantastic, safe way to exercise. Not only can you fit it around your physical abilities and needs, trampolining is flexible in terms of time and space. You can do it at home indoors (mini trampoline!) or in the garden.

All manner of people use it as a way to keep fit, from older people who need aerobic exercise that has less impact on their joints, right through to sportsmen and women, athletes and boxers who need extremely effective exercise. Read the rest of this entry »

Swiss ball, stability ball, fitness ball, balance ball, fit ball, large and small exercise ball are all names for the same type of bouncy, colorful balls you see in practically every gym. They vary in size, are inflated with air but are puncture-resistant and are made of pliable soft PVC. They are used in exercise and training as well as rehabilitation and physical therapy. Originally known as the Swiss ball, these elastic balls were created in 1963 by an Italian plastics manufacturer called Aquilino Cosani.

The benefits of exercising with a fitness ball is that a great many more muscles are engaged because of the unstable nature of balancing your body weight on the ball. Doing a workout on a hard surface does not encourage the muscles to respond as much, especially the deeper core muscles.

The core muscles are predominantly the back and the abdominal muscles, and exercising these greatly assists in supporting the skeleton. Read the rest of this entry »

With so many of us cutting out the expensive gym memberships and looking to home based fitness programs, investing in some items of home fitness equipment can be a motivating way to get you on the road to slim, fit and toned! Here are a few tricks and tips for getting you thinking about what you would like to create at home.

Even if you do not have much room there are ways to maximize your floor space to squeeze as much in as safely and effectively as possible. There are many choices out there from rowing machines, treadmills, elliptical machines and bikes and it can be rather overwhelming.

All in all there are three areas to think about when designing your home gym. First, consider what your physical fitness goals are for your gym. Is your aim to tone, build cardiovascular fitness, build up muscle or lose weight? These factors will depend on your sex, age and your health and fitness levels and social factors like whether you have a partner or family. Read the rest of this entry »