Over the past decade the price of fitness equipment such as treadmills and ellipticals has taken a seemingly divergent and in some cases somewhat contradictory course. If a consumer wanted a quality machine in the past, it was not unusual for them to have to pay upwards of 2000. Today, the quality of products at the high end of the market has skyrocketed while the quality of the low end has taken on an equally stratospheric course towards better quality. While you may have the means to spend 7000 on fitness equipment, the average consumer may feel the prices are a bit more reasonable in the lower ranges. Unfortunately the sub-1000 price point still has some serious duds and the sub-500 price point is full of substandard machines along with very few reasonable deals. In order to be sure that you get a good machine it is important to do your homework.

One brand that fits in this lower category is Proform Fitness, a subsidiary of industry giant Icon Health & Fitness. Icon is, without a doubt, the largest company in the market and because of this can produce a better product at a lower price. Of course this does not mean that any piece of equipment from this or any other Icon brand is a good deal; in fact that is one of the biggest dangers with the brand. Almost every Treadmill looks alike to the average consumer from the outside; unfortunately the insides do not always match up.

If a consumer walked into Sears, one of the largest Icon retailers, and looked at the lineup of Proform treadmills and ellipticals there it would be hard to see the difference between any of them except for price. Again price is not the best decider either because several that are at similar price points may be somewhat different. Some features that add money to the cost do not add value to the machine and may actually be detrimental to its lifespan.

It is important to remember that the salesperson is, most likely at a large store like Sears or Sports Authority, not very familiar with the machines and does not really care which machine is best for you. They have a line of customers to wait upon and you are just in their way to get to the end of the day. You can rest assured that most of the salespeople at stores like Sam’s Club and Costco probably have little ability with the equipment and some don’t even know how to start up the machine. So to know what you want, and what will be a good value, it would be wise to look up some reviews before traveling to the store and putting down your hard earned cash.

One of the best examples of what we are stating here is a recent sale at Sears. Upon walking in the store, the proud Crosswalk 405e was sitting on the floor with its’ normal price tag of 499. A few spaces down sat the Proform XP615 with a big sale tag on, also for 499. The 405e has about as much in common with the XP615 as an elephant has in common with the International Space Station. Maybe that’s a bit of a stretch but you would have to be about as bright as a burned out light bulb to buy the 405e over the XP615. The problem is that the average consumer looking at both models would have a hard time telling them apart in terms of quality.

Treadmills and Ellipticals are high ticket items. Make sure you do your research and are informed when you are shopping and you will certainly end up with a better piece of equipment at a better price.

Diet and exercise go hand-in-hand when youre trying to lose weight. By diet, I dont mean that you need to starve yourself or follow some fly-by-night fad diet. I simply mean that you should eat smaller portions, and your meals should be balanced, consisting of healthy foods from every food group.

You may try only cutting down on all the high-calorie foods and skip the exercise. You may cut down on your portion sizes. And, the weight will eventually come off. However, if you also include exercise in your weight loss program, youll discover that not only will the weight come off, but your metabolism will improve, your fat will be replaced by lean, muscle tissue rather than loose, jiggly flab, youll feel more energetic and mentally alert, and youll be better able to keep the fat off.

The human body was created to be active. It wasnt meant to live a sedentary lifestyle. Unless your health prohibits you from getting some sort of exercise each day, you should make an attempt to focus on the amount of physical activity you engage in. After all, most Americans dont get nearly enough physical exercise during the course of a day! Were all too busy sitting at our desks or in front of our televisions.

By the same token, if youre like the average American, who thrives on fast food or other high-fat, high-calorie meals, a change in eating habits is advised. You can still enjoy eating! But, if youre serious about losing those extra pounds and keeping them off, youre going to have to replace the greasy french fries with some healthy, fresh veggies. Instead of that 44 ounce Coke, drink more water. Try to include more fish in your diet, rather than a big, fat hamburger. Youll be surprised at how much better you look and feel, when you replace those heart-clogging, fat-producing calories with healthier food choices.

And, dont skip meals! If you regularly skip meals, your metabolism is going to slow down, youll feel sluggish, and your body is going to hang onto those extra pounds as protection against starvation. By eating regularly, your metabolism works better, and youre better able to lose weight!

Yes, diet and exercise are important ingredients for successful weight loss! You dont have to be miserable in the process of losing weight. Just remember the following points, if you want to shed those pounds and keep them off

Dont starve yourself! Eat regularly to ward off hunger. Focus on eating smaller portions perhaps several small meals each day would work best for you.
Make sure that the calories you consume are nutritious and include foods from each food group.
Find an activity or two that you enjoy, so that exercise time isnt dreaded. If you enjoy what youre doing, youll be more likely to stick with your exercise routine.

A few healthy lifestyle changes can make all the difference in your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Note Before beginning any diet or exercise program, consult your medical professional.

1. Stay away from orthopedic belts. We don’t recommend them because 1 a good pair of running shoes provide more cushioning 2 they hold in heat which shortens belt life, motor life, and electronics life 3 the increased weight of the belt shortens bearing life in the rollers.

2. Do your research and get several price quotes from several different stores. Typically, the more you deal with the various companies, the better deals they will come up with such as discounts, free product, financing specials, etc.

3. Tread carefully when buying over the Internet. Some companies, like Landice and True, will void your warranty if bought over the Internet and some have restrictions on delivery distances from an authorized dealer. If in doubt, call or email the factory. Another issue related to Internet buying is delivery. Many of us in the business know how difficult it is to ship a single treadmill or elliptical without having it damaged so deal with a company that has been doing it a long time and has already learned how to do it. Another issue to keep in mind is what you are going to do if you dont like the machine. Most companies accept returns but the cost to ship the treadmill back to the factory can easily cost hundreds of dollars so it is quite an expensive trial test if the machine is returned. Also curbside delivery literally means what it saysthe trucking company will sit it on the curb and its your problem to get it into the house, so either pay for inside delivery or have help ready. Another issue is servicesome internet companies have good service networks and others dont but remember that you probably wont get the type of personalized service you should expect from a local dealer.

4. Do take care of your treadmills. Whether they require quite a bit or little maintenance, keeping the treadmill or elliptical clean and the walking belt lubricated on the treadmill can be the difference between having a great treadmill or a money pit. Refer to our Treadmill or Elliptical Care Pamphlet for maintenance instructions.

5. If you are considering used machines, really do you homework, and then do it again. We do rebuilding jobs for local health clubs all the time and do this work occasionally for people who are buying health club models for the home but to do it right costs quite a bit and if someone is telling you they have a used or rebuilt at an amazing price, you typically aren’t getting the entire story.

6. Since buying a treadmill is a huge investment for most people, choose your dealer and factory carefully. As with any product, a brand new company may not be around in a few years, parts can be very specific to machines and spares may not be available if the factory isnt around. A dealer for a reputation for high quality and personalized service is necessary for some people. Other people feel confident in servicing their own equipment, so figure out which one you are and buy accordingly. If you know one end of a wrench from the other, you might want to save a few dollars with an Internet purchase. Others may need to pay for the full-service price you should get from a local dealer but if you pay the higher price, demand the higher service level.

7. Treadmills and ellipticals are different than many other home appliances. Remember, we rate a treadmill average if it has a breakdown only once every 5 yearsthats average! Extended warranties can make sense if the manufacturer has a short warranty and if you get it from a reputable extended warranty company. Remember the dealer is typically not the warranty provider and many have gone out of business over the years and others are hard to deal with. For instance, UTS Icons warranty company is the best we have ever dealt with. If you get an Icon machine, buy the UTS warrantyit will be well worth it. UTSs number is 800-677-3838. Also, Sears has a good extended warranty program and it typically pays for itself if you use the machine. On the other hand, we have had problems with the company called N.E.W. and many others have gone out of business so do your research on your warranty company if you have never heard of them.

8. A great final tip is if you want to save a bit of money. Due to the influence of Asian parts, the lower end treadmills and ellipticals are getting better and better while the price is holding the line and the ones being made today in the 800 range are much better than the 800 machines made 10 years ago. If you need to save a few bucks and your doctor says it is OK, use a few degrees of incline always when you use your machine. If the machine is well maintained and if you use a bit of incline on the treadmill, you can get by with a bit less of a machine than you might otherwise need. The incline allows gravity to take over quite a bit of the workload from the drive system. A treadmill used with just a slight incline will last much longer than a comparably cared for treadmill that is used at a flat level.