A while back, I read an interesting statistic that increasing the incline on your treadmill by 2% will burn 25% more calories. Today, I put that to the test in a controlled experiment.

At my usual pace of 3.3 MPH, I walked for 20 minutes (1.09 miles) with no incline. The treadmill console displayed 115 calories burned and 36.2 fat calories burned.

I reset the treadmill and walked another 20 minutes at 3.3 MPH, but with an incline of 3%. This time it said I burned 143 calories and 44.9 fat calories.

(143 – 115) / 115 = .2435

(44.9-36.2) / 36.2 = .2403

Pretty darn close to 25%! (Assuming of course that the treadmill programming is realistic.)

The extra calories burned during a 20 minute workout isn’t much, but add that up over a longer workout several times a week, and it really starts to make a difference.

So the next time you are on your treadmill, kick up the incline 2% and burn those extra calories.

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I have to exercise in the morning before my brain figures out what I’m doing.  ~Marsha Doble

Commit to be fit.  ~Author Unknown

2 miles is 2 miles is 2 miles. ~Home Fitness for Women

Walking: the most ancient exercise and still the best modern exercise. ~Carrie Latet

Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness. ~Earl of Derby

Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. ~Jim Ryun

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley

One step at a time is good walking. ~Chinese Proverb

Set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there. ~Bo Jackson

Just Do It. ~Nike

I’ve never personally been interested in elliptical trainers in the past. Years ago, I tried a few out in a sports store and I found them to be extremely awkward pieces of equipment. I have short legs and the stride length on these machines wasn’t natural for me at all. And it always seemed that the machines were too wide and my knees were feeling pressure from the angle within minutes.

So, why did the ProForm Stride Select™ interest me? First of all, because it’s a ProForm. (I love my ProForm treadmill.) Secondly, I liked this elliptical because it has an adjustable stride length and appeared to have a narrow width. (No awkward or painful range of motion.) Third, it was affordable!

The Stride Select™ also has all of the other features you would expect from ProForm exercise equipment: a built-in fan, MP3 dock, fold up design, a heart rate monitor and iFIT® compatibility.

I have to admit, that at first, I wasn’t crazy about the fact that the elliptical was powered by resistance. What? No motor?? But the more I thought about it, you get a better (and quieter) workout by using resistance, while saving your electric bill from an extra burden.

One definite drawback to the ProForm Stride Select™ elliptical is the weight limit. Its weight capacity is only 275 pounds, which means a lot of the big guys out there can’t use it.

The bottom line is that the ProForm Stride Select™ is a quality elliptical on a budget price. I’d even buy one myself if I didn’t already have two pieces of exercise equipment in my too small house.

Stride Select™ Shape up your leg muscles by changing your workout stride. Stride Select™ allows you to switch up your workout or find a better individual fit. The 1-Step™ SpaceSaver® Design compactly folds up your elliptical for easy storage, saving you nearly 3 feet of space. Combined iFit® Workout Card Technology and the MP3 compatible music port, this elliptical will whip you into shape in no time!

First, you must realize that you can NOT spot reduce. Fat burning occurs throughout the body, not in a specific spot. You have to slim down your entire body to slim down your thighs. BUT you can focus on firming, slimming and tightening your problem areas while you burn the fat. And that can give you those thinner thighs you are looking for.

One theory of working out without bulking up is to work the same muscle group for consecutive days. Yes, this is contrary to what you’ve heard before about alternating muscle groups when weight training, but that advice is given to men looking to increase muscle mass and avoid injury while training so hard. (This article is not about weight training or increasing muscle mass.) Just think about dancers or runners and the hard thin thighs they have from doing the same daily workouts and you’ll realize that it works. Just be careful not to overdo it and hurt yourself.

Here are a few exercises you can do at home, that if done correctly and consistently can help create thinner thighs:

Basic Squats – Place your feet hip-width apart, tighten your abs and slowly lower yourself like you are going to sit down in a chair, until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Keep your chest lifted and keep your knees over your toes. Slowly return to standing.

Wide Squats – Do the same motion as the basic squat, but with your legs in a wide stance and your toes pointing slightly outward.

Reverse Lunges – Keeping your torso straight, step one foot back about 18 inches. Bend both knees until your front leg is parallel to the floor and your back knee almost touches the floor. Keep your weight on the heel of your front foot.  Using your back leg, push back to a standing position. Repeat with the other leg.

Tap Lunges - Similar to the reverse lunge, but as you bend your knees, lean your body forward and tap the ground with your hands.

Side Lunges – Step wide out to the side with one leg and bend that knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep your other leg straight.

(Check out this Thinner Thigh Workout video for a demonstration of the above exercises.)

Freestyle weight training, Pilates and Yoga are also recommended exercises to strengthen and tone without adding bulk. These exercises have the benefit of working more than one muscle group at a time.

Also remember to vary your workout once your body has gotten use to it. Your body will adapt to your routine approximately every four to eight weeks, which could cause your to hit a plateau. Mixing things up keeps your muscles alert and keeps the fat burning.

“What’s the number one reason people do not work out?”

Is it lack of money? Lack of motivation? Perhaps they lack the ideal workout plan?

Nope. It’s TIME. Or rather the lack thereof.

“We know that 50 per cent of the population doesn’t [exercise] and the most commonly cited barrier to exercise is lack of time.” This quote comes from exercise researcher Martin Gibala, a kinesiology professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.

Gibala put his theory to the test in a study that was published in the Journal of Physiology. In it Gibala compared a group who exercised “traditionally” — 90 to 120 minutes per day — with another group exercising far less: Only 20 minutes per day and only three days per week.

That’s a whopping one hour per week folks.

Did you know that Jon Benson’s “7 Minute Muscle” plan calls for only five 7-minute workouts with resistance training (weights or bodyweight) plus only 9 minutes cardio a few days per week?

And that actually works? Yeah… you bet it does.

If you do the math, that’s about an hour per week as well.

This is the “Level 1″ workout. There are three levels depending on your goals and exercise tolerance.

Find out more here –

http://www.7minutemuscle.com <--- brief is best!

Back to Gibala's study:

In just two weeks both groups showed improvement in both exercise performance and oxygen uptake. (Remember, fat burns in the presence of oxygen.)

The kicker is that both groups were almost identical in their improvement. Why? Because the brief exercise group trained with greater focus and more intensity -- exactly how Jon suggests you train.

This is just one of dozens of studies that confirm the benefits of shorter but more intense workouts.

However, there is a catch: Train too hard and you will shut down your fat-burning furnace.

Your body perceives over-exertion done over an extended period of time as a sign of pursuit. It can trigger an ancient hormonal sequence that says, "I'm being chased by a tiger! Horde the fat!"

The body literally shuts down what it considers to be unnecessary activity in favor of self-preservation. And guess what? Burning off those hips and love handles is not a biological necessity.

You have to learn when to hit it hard AND when to rest and recover.

Finally, you have to put yourself into the proper mental state in order to see greater results in the shortest period of time.

Jon devotes an entire chapter to putting your mind into your muscle to make gains faster than ever befor in "7 Minute Muscle." You can read more here --

http://www.7minutemuscle.com <— brief is best!

Just remember these three key points:

1. Time is the greatest barrier to fitness.
2. Workouts can be short and very effective.
3. The body goes where the mind directs.

Until next time, train smart.

Basically, you work out on a vibrating surface which causes your muscles to contract in order to keep your balance.  (Similar to the concept of using a stability ball for your ab workouts.)  Apparently it works so well that they actually discourage you from using the ProForm Activator for more than 10 minutes, 3 times a week. 

Rumor has it that people are standing in line at gyms to use the ProForm Activator.  Benefits include more calories burned, increased muscle strength and toning, reduced back pain, better circulation and increased bone density. Perhaps this piece of equipment is something you should consider adding to your home fitness routine.

What do you think?  Is vibration training right for you and your home gym?  Learn more about the ProForm Activator here.

With so many different brands of home treadmills and treadmill features, how do you know which home treadmill to buy?  Basically, you have to look at your needs and how they fit with the features and cost of each particular treadmill.  You need to consider your height, weight, where you will keep your treadmill, what you plan to use the treadmill for (walking, running or both), and of course, your budget.

The most important thing to consider when choosing a treadmill is the motor.  Treadmill motors are rated by peak horse power (HP) and/or continuous horse power (CHP).  You should look for a higher CHP as this is the better indicator of how well your home treadmill will perform over an extended period of time. This is especially important if you are heavy, plan to run on your treadmill, plan to use your treadmill often or have multiple people using the treadmill.

You should look for a treadmill with a belt of at least 18 inches wide and 50 inches long.  If you plan on running or you are tall, you should consider a running surface of at least 55 inches in length to accomodate a longer stride.  

Also keep in mind the weight limit for the treadmill you are buying.  You will want to choose a treadmill that has a maximum weight limit of at least 50 pounds more than the heaviest person using the treadmill.

One great way to determine the quality of the treadmill you choose is the warranty.  The better the warranty is, the better the treadmill usually is.  Look for a warranty with a minimum of 5 years on the motor, 2 years on parts and 1 year for service.

Other features to consider when choosing a treadmill are maximum incline, maximum speed, built-in programs and fancy extras like a television screen.  Only you can determine what is necessary for your individual needs and what conveniences you can’t live without. 

Compare Treadmills

Proform is more budget conscious.  Landice treadmills are higher end.

ProForm Treadmills

Sole Treadmills

Epic Treadmills

Buy new or used treadmills at BigFitness.net

Have you tried everything under the sun to get a flat stomach, only to come up disappointed? Have you fallen prey to all the gimmicks, fad diets and shameless infomercials promising you that elusive flat stomach that you desire?

Well fret no more, I’m going to let you in on the two ‘secrets’ that will help you shed unwanted fat and reveal your toned, flat stomach once and for all.

The first secret for a flat stomach is eating supportively. While this doesn’t seem like a secret at all, most women get this wrong in spite of their best – but misguided – efforts. Women have fallen prey to low-fat, low-carb, Hollywood, grapefruit, South Beach and every other over hyped diet that marketers can dream up, all in hopes of shedding those unwanted pounds. But eating supportively is isn’t about dieting or deprivation; it’s about moderation and balance. While cutting carbs or fats out of your nutrition plan might give you a temporary loss of a couple of pounds, it’s typically followed by a drop in metabolism and a weight gain of more than you lost in the first place once you go back to your old eating habits.

So what is eating supportively? Eating supportively is having protein and carbohydrates at every meal. It’s grazing on 4-6 meals or snack each day instead of missing meals and then gorging yourself. It’s enjoying a healthy breakfast and not drinking your calories. But most of all, eating supportively is enjoying the foods you love in moderation instead of in excess.

If eating supportively is the first secret to a flat stomach, then what’s the second? The second flat stomach secret is resistance training. Unfortunately, just as fad diets have stood in the path of women achieving the flat stomachs they so desired, so have the myths of spot reduction and cardio being the best method for fat loss. Late night infomercials have long promoted gadgets that promised to spot reduce those trouble spots that women struggle with and sucked us in with testimonials from fitness models that undoubtedly picked up a nifty paycheck for endorsing their wares. But spot reduction is a myth. Think about it – have you ever met someone with a flat stomach and fat arms? Didn’t think so. If spot reduction was possible then undoubtedly one of these happy customers would have toned and tightened their stomach, yet kept their flabby arms.

The other myth that has led women astray is the belief that cardio is the best solution for fat loss. Treadmill manufacturers have sold the virtues of the ‘fat burning zone’ and led us to believe that we could plod along on a treadmill watching Oprah and before long a flat stomach would be ours. These two myths have diverted us from the path of what really does work – resistance training. Resistance training is a flat stomach’s best friend because not only does an effective resistance training session burn plenty of calories while you’re doing it, but it keeps you’re metabolism revved long after you’re done. One recent study showed that you’re metabolism would stay elevated for over 36 hours after a resistance training session.

Try to get that out of an aerobics class.

And there’s another benefit of resistance training when it comes to getting a flat stomach. The lean muscle that you gain will raise you’re resting metabolic rate and help you burn more fat all day long, each and every day.

There you have it, two ‘secrets’ that are guaranteed to boost your metabolism and give you that flat stomach you’ve been longing for. So ditch the diet books and the aerobics classes and start eating supportively and resistance training. Before long that flat stomach will finally be yours.

About the Author

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women’s fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book – Fit Yummy Mummy – Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to http://www.fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: “The Five Ways To Boost Your Metabolism.”