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Why Elliptical Trainers are Growing in Popularity!

If you work out at a health club you probably noticed that in the last few years there are fewer treadmills, because they are being replaced by elliptical trainers. And although treadmills still outsell ellipticals in total numbers, elliptical sales are growing at a faster rate.

What is driving the popularity of elliptical trainers? There are two factors that make elliptical trainers so appealing:

Benefits of a Low Impact Workout

Most types of exercise require some type of impact and/or reverse action. For example, when you walk each step is impacting force on your ankles, knees and lower back. That impact is minor in comparison to running, which can be as much as 2.5x your body weight. Over the years that constant pounding can result in long-term injuries and strains.

Elliptical trainers reduce the hazards of impact through an elliptical motion.It feels like you are naturally walking or running without any real impact or reverse action, and yet it is a weight bearing exercise that contributes to building muscle and bone density.

If you look at the side of an elliptical trainer you’ll notice the shape of the motion is like a flat circular pattern. Budget ellipticals tend to be more circular and bouncy, while quality machines have a flatter circular motion and more of an even stride. Regardless, the elliptical motion significantly reduces the impact to your joints, and that is why elliptical trainers are appealing to older individuals and people with injuries. It is becoming the exercise machine of choice for the “baby boomers.”

Benefits of an Upper and Lower Body Workout

The concept of exercising the upper and lower body simultaneously is revolutionary. An elliptical workout utilizes the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps. There is no other machine that offers this benefit. You are not only exercising more muscle group, you are also optimizing your energy expenditure. That means it is taking less time to achieve more results, like burning calories and increasing your cardio capacity. A number of elliptical trainers allow you to reverse the motion, thereby emphasizing resistance to even more parts of your muscles.

By exercising more of your muscle mass you improve fat mobilization, which results in burning more calories and building muscle endurance more efficiently. Certain experts have suggested that this dual action process reduces the perceived rate of exertion. In other words, you are exercising harder without a noticeable difference from a less strenuous workout.

The benefit of an upper and lower body workout, combined with low impact exercising, are the reasons why elliptical trainers are so popular. And there is one other feature that should be noted. In comparison to treadmills, elliptical trainers require considerably less maintenance. That is due to the fact there are fewer moving parts, and less wear from impact.

If you haven’t tried an elliptical trainer, get to your local health club or a fitness equipment store and take one for an elliptical spin. Avoid the budget models and test the machines that are at least $1,000+. They have a more natural elliptical motion and are more stable and durable.

You’ll find that an elliptical trainer can have a major impact on your health and fitness.

Fred Waters worked in the fitness equipment industry for a number of years and is author of the Elliptical Trainer Rating and Review site. Check out the latest reviews on over 40 of the most popular elliptical trainers, and get important buying tips from the Elliptical Buyer’s Guide.

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Vitamin B-2

Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was once
known as Vitamin G. You will see Vitamin B-2 described as
Riboflavin on the back of vitamin bottles and in other food
packaging.

An interesting and curious fact about Riboflavin is that it
is naturally produced by the bacteria in your gut. Although
it may not be produced in sufficient quantities to prevent
deficiencies. Intestinal production, however, can reduce
the symptoms of a deficient state.

Some experts claim that B-2 deficiency is the most prominent
nutrient deficiency in North America. Those who eat a diet
largely constructed of refined and fast foods may be at
risk. And of course, alcoholics are at higher risk of B
vitamin deficiencies. Low-income individuals may also tend
to be at higher risk due to diet.

Problems with blood proteins may lead to deficiency. And
states that block or reduce the uptake of riboflavin into
the cell can also be responsible for a deficient state.
Therefore, just having an adequate supply of Riboflavin in
your food does not necessarily preclude deficiency.

Brewer’s yeast and organ meats are sources that are high in
Riboflavin. Lower amounts may be found in milk, eggs, green
leafy vegetables and some fruits.

As a side note, I once had a biochemistry teacher whom
offered two pieces of advice to his students. He told us to
drink a gallon of water per day and to take some brewer’s
yeast every day. As I remember it, he talked about how
brewer’s yeast was excellent food for the cellular processes
of the body. That was probably due to the fact that
brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of the b vitamins.

Drinking a gallon of water per day was slightly unusual
advice as most experts and nutritionists agree that 2 liters
is an adequate intake. This biochemistry teacher was
recommending twice that amount. Remember to consult with a
physician before changing your diet, supplement or water
intake.

Riboflavin is very important in cellular metabolism, the
process by which your body produces usable energy. It is
important in forming the coenzymes that are necessary to
make ATP, which is the energy currency of the cells.

A partial list of deficiency symptoms include fatigue,
sensitivity to light and dermatitis. Nerve tissue damage
and retarded growth in infants and children can result from
a deficiency.

More detailed and technical information about Riboflavin can
be found at emedicine.com. If you have any doubts about
your health as it relates to Riboflavin, ask your doctor for
a proper diagnoses and treatment. Each human body is
different with different needs and contraindications, that
is why it is important to consult your physician.

This article is for information purposes only and is not
intended to prevent, treat or diagnose any health issue. If
you have or think you might have a health condition or
issue, please contact your primary care physician for proper
diagnoses and treatment. The statements in this article have
not been evaluated by the US FDA as far as I know.

You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, free of charge, as long as the author bylines
are included and any hyperlinks are left active on web
pages. You may make minor editorial corrections only.

David Snape writes for All Things Pondered: http://allthingspondered.com - where you can have your say and (almost) anything is pondered. He also writes for To Be Informed: http://tobeinformed.com - a site supportive of health, fitness and wellness.

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5 Ways To Stay Motivated

Do you remember the day you first joined your gym? Wasn’t it a great feeling, knowing that you had finally taken that first step towards living a healthier life? Making a conscious, positive decision to improve is rewarding, and hopefully we’ve all kept that promise to ourselves. But try as we might, it seems that there’s always a handy excuse to not exercise.

While gym attendance peaks around January, it slacks off every March/April as people forget about their New Year Resolutions. Summer BBQ’s and vacations tend to make people stay away from the gym, and six months later holiday parties and planning to the same thing. Finally, we can all relate to those days when we simply don’t want to work out!

The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a trade association serving the health and fitness club industry, reports that the average health club member in the United States spends only about 90 days at the gym per year.

The purpose of this article is to help you STAY MOTIVATED to exercise! We don’t just want to help you with the ‘how’ of exercise - we want to help you with the ‘why’ too! We want you to look forward to exercising!

So what can you do to stay motivated? Here are five great ideas to help us all keep that inner fire burning..

1) Find an exercise buddy! When we know that someone else is going to meet us at the gym at a certain time, we will automatically be much more likely to show up ourselves. After all, who wants to abandon their friend? Don’t have a friend at the gym? Invite one along! She will appreciate the invitation, and will be much healthier for it!

2) Get to know people in the gym! One of the many reasons why women enjoy the gym so much is that it’s part exercise facility and part social club! Visiting with friends and family while we’re exercising makes the time go by so fast it hardly even seems like we’re doing something good for us. It’s great to get out of the house or office and just have some fun with other ladies!

3) Talk with your doctor! We all know that exercise is good for us. From helping to prevent cancer to lowering our blood pressure to helping us fit into that swimming suit, exercise is the best thing we can do for ourselves. Even with that knowledge, it’s sometimes encouraging to hear about our progress from our doctor. Here’s a hot motivation tip: ask your gym for a copy of your fitness records (monthly body fat analysis and measurements) and then share that information with your doctor. He or she will be so happy that you’re exercising, and will encourage you to continue!

4) Chart your progress! The CEO of a Fortune 500 company once said “What gets measured gets done”, and that advice is as good for us as it was for that business. Take the time to keep a food journal, an exercise log, or simply write down your fitness goals. Post it where you will see it every single day (on the ‘fridge, in the car, on the mirror, etc.). Life is just so busy these days, a constant visual reminder of our goals may be just the motivational push we need.

5) Give yourself a reward! Sometimes the ‘big picture’ can be too intimidating. For example, if you have 80 pounds to lose it’s tempting to think “It’s too much! I shouldn’t even try.” That’s one of the biggest motivation-killers out there, so combat those discouraging thoughts by rewarding yourself for smaller accomplishments. Treat yourself to a manicure when you lose that first five pounds. Buy a new outfit when you’ve lost ten pounds. Take a mini-vacation when you’re halfway to your goal. Give yourself small rewards for achieving smaller goals, and guess what…..many small steps make up a long journey! Before you know it, you’ll have accomplished your overall goal!

There are many other ways to give yourself the motivation to succeed. Try some of these tips today - the only thing you have to lose is the fat!

* Copyright 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not required for the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long as they are used in their entirety, are properly credited to Pick Up The Pace, and are accompanied by our website link: www.letspickupthepace.com.

* The information in this article and on this site is for general reference purposes only and not intended to address specific medical conditions. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam. Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, you should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional. No information in this article or on www.letspickupthepace.com should be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any medical condition.

Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit http://www.letspickupthepace.com for more information.

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