I need to lose a serious amount of weight and get fit, but due to knee problems exacerbated by the excess weight, a lot of exercise is almost impossible, e.g., running. Even walking is a bit of a strain on the knees at the moment.
I tried the gym but all the stairs in the place are killing me, as is the monthly fee, so thought I’d get one piece of equipment for the house. Can only be one, though, as there’s no space for more than that.
Treadmill would be a waste of money, as I can walk in the park, so was thinking of an exercise bike or a cross trainer, both of which I quite enjoy.
Which one would give quicker results?
I’ve also seem some 2in1 machines, which is a brilliant idea, as I could alternate, but are these machines any good?
I value my life too much to risk the London traffic.
Also, the roads are crap, it rains too often and I spend the daylight hours at work, so I’d have to ride in the dark. Too many opportunities for an excuse not to go out, so I’m looking for something to do at home.
Yeah, I know it’s boring, but it has the advantage of hardly using your knee and when you do it’s in a “weight free” medium and it’s your choice how hard to work it. (You’re doing it for exercise fitness, not to win races.)
Swimming would have been my next suggestion (was a life guard few years back, so i did a lot of swimming, works all major muscle groups).
I hate to say it, but people that buy exercise machines rarely use them after a while (losing a certain amount of weight), my sister brought a running machine and it looks great packed away all the time…
Do something you enjoy, and incorporate it into your life…otherwise you won’t keep it up
Which is why I’m looking to get either an exercise bike or elliptical trainer for home, as I enjoy both types of exercise, and could do that in all weathers, without the need to drag myself to the gym/pool (which is out anyway, as water with its reflections plays nasty tricks on my brain, leading to seizures), wasting easily 30min in travel alone. And, I could watch TV or read a book while doing the exercise, something which isn’t all that easy if riding a bike on the road or swimming in a pool.
I’ve been using the cross trainer in the gym for a couple of months now. I’d not been in a gym for 15 years so it was a shocker to begin with but it has made exercising a fairly pleasurable experience and I have noticed massive results from it. Ok, so it’s probably an expensive
machine and has lots of programs built in but there will be 2nd handers about with low miles
The big benefit seems to be the whole body is at work and it gets your heart rate up which is vital for making an impact on the lardy bits, while the impact on joints is relatively low (compared to say, treadmills).
Go and have a bash on one in a gym and see what you think. That’s what my choice would be.
Shewoolf: I need to lose about three stone… Which is why I need to go for low impact, but still ideally have quick results to shift some of it, so I can start moving about more.
Banny: I’ve only used the treadmill, bike & elliptical in the gym, and the treadmill is too hard on the old joints, the bike is OK and the elliptical is a bit heavy going. So, I thought the elliptical is probably the way forward, as it seems to knacker me even at the very low levels, so it probably makes me work harder.
Once you got the croc’s out the moat and gotten a bit fitter try rollerblading is gr8 for my knee issues! Its low impact until you fall over! Wrap up warm and you’ll sweat those kg’s off. Bang the ol’headphones on and nip down to Tesco’s carp park at night when it quiete. Fuggin ace R & R
3 stone is perfectly doable but break it down into smaller chucnks to feel like your making progress. 1st goal should be half a stone, then aim for double figures (ie + 10lb’s) before you know it you’ll be aiming for a stone.
As well as using the elliptical/cross trainer try and incorporate some weight training as that will speed up your metabolism and aid weight loss too.
Good on you for taking the initiative and doing it. Don’t forget to also moderate your food and stick to a healthy diet
If its out of the 2 i would say the bike is best, the x trainer is good and works lower and upper body your still supporting your weight on your knee’s. you could get a 2in1 but you should spend more money on this so your getting the best out of both machines.
Which is why I need to go for low impact, but still ideally have quick results to shift some of it, so I can start moving about more.
