The Fitness and Health Report
Information for a Healthy Life
http://www.AdvancedFitness.com
December 2 Issue 5
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Runner's World Rates the Top 10 Treadmills
- The Smooth Treadmill
- Sensible Weight Management
Runner's World Rates the Top 10 Treadmills
In this months issue of Runner's World the editors
evaluated the 10 best treadmills. We at TreadmillByNet were
very pleased to have our exclusive Smooth 7.5HR treadmill
rated among the top brands. The conclusion was, "Today's
treadmills are better than ever. In particular, most brands
have improved their stability and controls. Meanwhile, they
continue to offer a dazzling variety of features."
They went on to say, "We're not surprised
that treadmills are getting better. With surveys consistently
placing treadmills at the top of home-exercise-equipment sales,
the major manufacturers have to keep improving their products
to stay competitive."
"Whatever your reasons for running, today's
treadmills can duplicate almost anything you might do on the
track, road or trail. And you can run at any time of the day
or night, with no concern for weather, traffic or other hazards.
Convenience plays a big role in the growing popularity of
treadmill running."
The review focused on higher-end "home"
or "residential" treadmills priced between $1,400
to $4,500. This is the range of machines that can withstand
the rigors of a regular workout from a dedicated runner. The
article goes on to say that you may find cheaper models with
similar features, but they will not hold up over time.
The Runner's World staff evaluated each treadmill
by the following criteria (which is what you should consider
when buying a new treadmill):
Cushioning - How well the treadmill's belt and
deck absorb the shock of your footstrikes? This does not necessarily
mean you want a treadmill that has the softest feel.
Stability - The smoothness of the ride is probably
the most important quality of a good treadmill. Is it solid
and secure? Or does it flex, jiggle and hesitate as you run?
Actual Pace - This is the pace accuracy based
on actual distance in comparison to the display reading. The
rating below is based on an 08:00 minute display. The closer
to that time the better the accuracy.
Decibels - This test how loud the treadmill
is at an 08:00 pace. The lower the number the quieter.
How the Treadmills Rate:
Actual Decibel
Cushioning Stability Pace Ranking
-----------------------------------------------------------
Smooth 7.0 7.9 8:01 70
True 6.9 8.7 8:00 71
Landice 7.1 7.6 8:06 72
Life Fitness 6.3 6.9 7:55 72
Pacemaster 6.1 6.9 8:09 74
Precor 6.4 5.6 7:58 76
Image 7.2 6.7 8:04 73
Cybex 5.3 7.0 7:50 72
Star Trac 7.0 5.7 7:53 74
Tunturi 5.8 4.2 7:50 71
You'll find many of these popular treadmills for sale at
http://www.advancedfitness.com
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The Smooth Treadmill
The gang at TreadmillByNet were very pleased
to have our Smooth brand included in this elite club of the
"10 Best Treadmills." The Smooth 7.5HR is sold exclusively
and direct from the manufacturer. We were only one of two
models that is sold direct. This allows our prices to be considerably
lower then the majority of the other models that were evaluated.
In addition, our price was the only one that included shipping.
The special features listed in the article were:
Stores information on up to 4 different users; Touch-hand-grip
heart-rate monitor picks up signal in 5 to 7 seconds and shows
instantaneous heart rate on display.
According to Runner's World, "the Smooth
receives high marks for stability, which we consider the most
important treadmill attribute." In addition it had one
of the highest ratings for cushioning. Our rating for "Actual
Pace" was one of the most accurate. And the Smooth 7.5HR
had the lowest decibels rating for noise level. One final
note, we offered the best overall warranty of all the brands
listed.
Selling direct from the factory gives us the
opportunity to offer you the best deal for a treadmill that
can accommodate the serious and not so serious runner. We
encourage you to check out our full range of Smooth treadmills
at http://www.advancedfitness.com/equip/smooth.htm.
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8 Keys to Healthy, Sensible Weight Management
If you've ever tried to lose weight - and who
hasn't?- you've probably tried every fad diet and weight loss
gimmick there is. It's the same old story every time. As soon
as you quit the program, the pounds come right back on . .
. and then some, leaving you frustrated, depressed and feeling
like a failure.
Are you ready to try an approach proven effective
over the long term? As the world's leading membership organization
for health and fitness professionals, IDEA has spent more
than 15 years reviewing weight loss information, research
and programs. And we've used our expertise to develop a common-sense
weight management approach that really works!
It's Time To Get Real
The following principles are adapted from GET
REAL: A Personal Guide To Real-Life Weight Management. This
groundbreaking book was written by Daniel Kosich, PhD, one
of the world's foremost authorities on fitness and health.
GET REAL outlines the three most important elements of successful
weight control: regular activity, proper eating and (perhaps
most important) a positive attitude, including high self-esteem,
self- empowerment and a healthy body image.
What makes his approach so unique-and so successful
for those who use it-is that GET REAL is not a "diet"
or "program" designed to be followed for a short
period of time. Instead, the book's lessons provide a sensible,
livable blueprint for lifelong change and long-term success.
Dr. Kosich invites you to ask yourself where
you want to be in 10 years. "It's not what you do for
the next 10 days, or 10 weeks, or even 10 months, that determines
where you'll be in 10 years," he says. "It's what
you do for the next 10 years that counts." To get started,
Dr. Kosich recommends that you follow the eight keys listed
below to adopting a healthy lifestyle.
EIGHT KEYS TO A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Key #1: Don't Rely on Magic
As much as we might want it to be true, there's
simply no magic way to achieve a healthy body weight. Many
of the "magic" pills, potions and powders can lead
to significant weight loss for a short period. But the vast
majority of people who lose weight using these approaches
regain the pounds within a couple of years.
No short-term program can help you maintain
a healthy weight. It's not what you do for the next six weeks
or six months that counts. It's what you do for the rest of
your life-including regular activity, healthy eating and maintaining
a positive attitude and self-image-that determines your ability
to stay at a healthy weight.
Key #2: Forget the "One-Size-Fits-All"
Mentality
Many of us think we need to look like the superfit
models, actresses and athletes we see on TV or in the movies.
And advertising messages reinforce the impression that thinness
equals happiness. The truth is, we're all very different.
Body weight and shape are influenced by factors we can't control,
including genetics. Your genes determine the number of fat
cells in your body as well as your metabolism.
This doesn't mean you're destined to be heavy,
or that you can't lose weight if you need to. It does mean
your progress in a sensible weight management program will
be unique. It also means that your ultimate healthy weight
may be different than you think.
Key #3: Develop a Positive Self-Image
Weight management is often promoted as a process
of learning to change the things you dislike about yourself.
This attitude becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy-it makes
you focus on disliking yourself. Effective weight management
is just a natural extension of your desire to take responsibility
for your health and take good care of yourself. Don't get
in the rut of "If . . . , then . . . " thinking-"If
only I lost 30 pounds, then I would be happy with myself."
Instead, practice acting "as if." Acting "as
if" you are a person with the ability to nurture and
care for yourself may well be the first step to becoming that
person.
Key #4: Set Realistic Weight Goals
Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is
important for good health. But a healthy weight isn't necessarily
the one that's suggested by a height/weight chart! There are
many techniques for estimating a healthy weight. One of the
easiest is to shoot for the lowest weight you've been able
to maintain for at least one full year since age 21, when
you were active and eating a prudent diet. Who knows-you might
be at your healthy weight right now!
Ultimately, you should focus on taking care
of yourself today, not achieving some future weight goal.
There's no rush, since maximum effective weight loss is about
a pound a week.
Key #5: Learn to Play Again
Regular activity is one of the few proven predictors
of successful weight maintenance and significantly reduces
a number of health risks, ranging from cardiovascular disease
and high blood pressure to breast cancer. Unfortunately, we've
forgotten what children already know-that activity is fun!
We've also forgotten that exercise is an act of caring and
self-respect, not work or punishment. These are great reasons
to rediscover the joys of play!
But if you think of exercise as drudgery, it
won't become part of your healthy lifestyle. Find activities
you enjoy and you're more likely to stick with them. Be sure
to follow the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendations
of 30 minutes or more of aerobic exercise on most days of
the week. Aerobic exercise is the type that sends a lot of
oxygen to your heart and muscles. Walking, swimming, bicycling,
and group exercise classes (step and high/low impact aerobics)
are all great examples of aerobic exercise.
Key #6: Get Stronger
"Lift weights? Me? Never!" If this
was your initial reaction, think again. Resistance training,
whether with weights, machines, elastic bands or tubing, even
in water, does more than aid in weight control. It also helps
maintain good posture and reduce the risk of diseases such
as osteoporosis. Strength training just twice a week will
bring you a long list of benefits. Plus, stronger muscles
burn more calories even when you're at rest.
It's important to practice good technique with
each strength training exercise, though, so consider working
with a qualified fitness professional, such as an IDEA Member
group fitness instructor or personal trainer member, at least
a few times before you try it on your own.
Key #7: Harness the Power of the Pyramid
Some weight control programs focus on what you
eat instead of emphasizing exercise and active living. The
problem with this approach is, people have a tendency to look
at eating with a rigid, always/never perspective. And that
doesn't work for very long for most people. How many of us
can eat nothing but cabbage soup or grapefruit for an entire
week!
Instead, try the 80/20 approach. Eat what you
know you should 80% of the time, and leave 20% for acknowledging
and accepting that you're not perfect! That way, you won't
set yourself up for feeling guilty or testing your willpower
against cravings for foods you know you don't need much of.
Follow the U.S. Food Guide Pyramid recommendations to nourish
your body in a healthy way, with plenty of fresh fruits and
vegetables, grains and water.
Key #8: Be Patient and Persistent
Plan and choose attitudes that demonstrate self-acceptance
and self-care. It takes practice. Most experts recommend that
you keep a simple log or record of your new healthy self-care
habits. Just take a few minutes each day to note what activities
you did, a general description of the foods you ate, and the
of positive things you did to take care of yourself.
Most importantly, don't be in a hurry. Most
health professionals will tell you it takes at least six months
for a new habit to become part of your lifestyle. Keeping
records helps you stick to your healthier habits until they
become second nature. And take it in small steps. That's how
most things happen . . . in real life.
This information furnished as a consumer education
service of IDEA (http://www.ideafit.com/), the Health &
Fitness Source, as part of our mission to "Make Fitness
Happen" worldwide.
************************ Important Resource *********************
Expert Health Advice
Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry, M.S., publishes
a
FREE email newsletter, "Fitness, Health, and Weight Loss"!
It's
packed with insider info and inspiration! To start your free
subscription, send any email message... mailto:Fitness-on@mail-list.com
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Copyright 1999, The Fitness Superstore. All rights reserved.
