In these rough times it is difficult to think about joining a gym with the commitment of signing on for one, two, or even three years.  You can exercise at home and save yourself both money and time if you buy a piece of fitness equipment such as an elliptical trainer that you can use at your convenience in the comfort of your own home.

Elliptical trainers give you a smooth stride mimicking your natural walking motion.  These exercise machines are especially good for weight loss and cross training.  If you decide to buy an elliptical, read the fitness tips below to get the most out of your exercise workout.

Lifespan’s 5 Cross Training Fitness Tips

Tip #1 Sleep and Your Resting Heart Rate: Regularly check your early morning resting heart rate and try to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night.

Tip #2 A Balanced Training Program: Follow a format for your daily workouts that includes warm-ups and stretching.

Full Body Warm-up
Fully Body Stretching
Agility Drills
Your Sports Specific Workout
Full Body Cool Down
Fully Body Stretching

Tip #3 Cross Training: Differentiate your weekly routine with workouts that target other muscle areas. Using different programs on an elliptical combined with other forms of exercise such as swimming, biking, and weight training will benefit your body.

Tip #4 Mentally Prepare: “Your body will only perform as well as your mind thinks you can.”

Tip #5 Monitor Your Heart Rate: One feature of Lifespan elliptical trainers is the ability to monitor your heart rate during your training, using the contact heart rate sensors on the elliptical.

At home workouts will not only keep your budget lean, but the convenience benefits can also be a life-saver.  For additional information on elliptical trainers please visit www.lifespanfitness.com

With the ongoing financial crisis in the U.S., and daily reports of stock market volatility, the stress being had on many Americans is enough to turn into a heart attack or stroke! Many people have been facing financial challenges while everyone anxiously waits for the wild stock market and economic ride to be over. While cost of fuel, job security, and value of investment portfolios are out of one’s control, there is one part of life that anybody can still control – Fitness! In the midst of adversity, there is a tremendous opportunity for everyone to “seize the moment!” Give yourself the greatest gift you can give to yourself – the gift of health and fitness!

With many employers today offering a more expanded and sophisticated employee health and fitness program, it’s understandable that employers are now seeking intelligent and fit employees. Let’s face it, what good is a stock portfolio if you don’t have a healthy body and mind to enjoy it? How effective will you be if you just lost your job and you’re interviewing for a new one if you’re stressed and out of shape?

Financial Benefits of Wellness and Fitness

Since reducing expenses and saving money are now top priorities for many Americans, imagine how much money we can save by showing them the financial benefits of a healthy lifestyle! People with the greatest health risks or who have chronic diseases can especially benefit by taking simple steps towards a healthier lifestyle.

The Preventive Medicine Research Institute (PMRI), in collaboration with eight hospitals, conducted a demonstration project to determine if comprehensive lifestyle changes could be a safe and effective alternative to bypass surgery or angioplasty. If you were to imagine the personal savings one could achieve by avoiding the cost and emotional strain of a heart bypass or angioplasty: After one year of implementing healthier behaviors, exercising regularly, eating right, and focusing on managing stress, almost 80 percent of the study participants were able to safely avoid heart surgery or angioplasty, and Mutual of Omaha calculated saving almost $30,000 per patient in the first year. In a second demonstration project with Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, comprehensive lifestyle changes reduced total healthcare costs in those with coronary heart disease by 50 percent after only one year and by an additional 20 percent to 30 percent when compared to a matched control group. The great news is that not only do costs decrease for insurance companies, but also for individuals in their personal out of pocket expenditures for healthcare!

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