How to Shop for a Home Treadmill

Shopping for a home treadmill can be very intimidating! There are so many different brands, models and styles it can be next to impossible to choose the right one for your home. For most people, buying a home treadmill is a major investment. It’s also a good investment for those who have decided to make a conscious effort to be fit and healthy. That is why it is important to put together a checklist that identifies attributes that are most important for you and your workout. Here are some tips that should help you out:

1. The first thing you should consider when choosing a treadmill is the construction. A well-constructed treadmill is something that everyone in your family can enjoy. You will want a treadmill that is built with high alloy steel or aluminum frame that is strong enough to support the heaviest person. Some machines come with a weight limit – make sure that limit won’t inhibit your workout.

2. Quality is also very important when shopping for a home treadmill. Better quality treadmills provide cushioning to limit the impact on your knees, ankles, hips and lower back. Your body absorbs up to 2 ½ times your body weight when your feet hit the belt. You’ll also probably want a treadmill that has 1.5 to 3.0 horsepower to regulate power and prevent surges. One key thing to remember is that a larger motor will probably run cooler and require less repair and/or maintenance! Don’t forget to check the length of the manufacturer’s warranty – the longer the better!

3. How will you be using your home treadmill? Will you be walking? Jogging? Running? Depending on the type of exercise you’ll be doing, you may need a machine that is sturdier than others. Always keep in mind that you get what you pay for! A heavy-duty treadmill can withstand running as well as walking, but be prepared to spend more money. If you’re planning to use a treadmill purely for walking, you probably don’t need an expensive, top-of-the-line machine.

4. Watch out for noise! A major consideration for a home treadmill is the amount of noise it can produce. A loud machine can drown out a lot of noise – kids, television, oven timers, etc. And some small, repetitive sounds can drive a person crazy and provide you with one more reason not to exercise. We recommend testing a treadmill before you buy it. Turn it on and step on it so you can assess the noise level and see if it’s something you can live with.

5. One feature that is absolutely necessary for a home treadmill is an emergency stop button or a safety key. If you or one of your family members accidentally trip, stumble or fall, you can pull the key or push the button to turn the machine off automatically. Remember – this is a machine and not a toy! Don’t leave anything to chance.

6. And finally, don’t forget the bells and whistles! The newest models come with many extra features, but if there’s one we recommend as a necessity, it’s a heart rate monitor. Using a heart rate monitor during your workout will help you adjust the speed or incline to keep your heart rate in the optimum zone. It’s a good investment in your health!

These tips, along with your own personal preferences, should make choosing a home treadmill easier for you and your family. At Fitness 4 Home Superstore, we carry some of the best home treadmills from trusted brands like True, Vision and Spirit. Stop by any of our three Phoenix metro superstores and check out our selection. Don’t forget your checklist!

Labels: treadmill, home treadmill, shopping for treadmills, fitness 4 home superstore, fitness equipment, home fitness equipment

Healthy Living – Prepare for the Holidays and Beat Winter Weight Gain

With the holiday season quickly approaching, you’re probably already thinking about how you’ll possibly make it through without gaining 10 pounds. Homemade stuffing, spiral ham, pumpkin pie and eggnog will beckon your senses and threaten all of the hard work you’ve put in over the past year. This season, be prepared with a five-point plan to beat the winter weight gain.

1. Keep exercising! When it’s 5 p.m., pitch black and cold outside, you’re probably more likely to want to curl up on the couch, watch television and eat some comfort food. Don’t let yourself get lazy. Hop on your treadmill for 30 minutes and stick to your schedule!

2. Don’t go to a party hungry. Fill up on high-fiber fruits and vegetables before a party to curb your desire for empty-calorie party foods. Eat baby carrots, salad or an apple so you can stay away from brownies and cheese logs. Social eating in an environment with a lot of food choices can lead to overeating and an overdose on calories. Prepare yourself and eat healthy foods before you go.

3. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is loaded with calories! Celebrations usually involve drinking and it’s easy to take in calories that you aren’t even aware of. Drink lots of water or diet soda to help pace yourself and dilute the calories from alcohol.

4. Don’t fall off the wagon. If you do happen to overeat, make up for it by cutting calories and exercising more for a few days. Keep in mind that 100 extra calories per day is the equivalent of 10 extra pounds per year!

You can still have fun. The holiday season is about spending time with friends and family. Just remember that you’re there to celebrate and not to eat a lot of high-calorie food. Make the most of your time and stick with it!



Labels: diet tips, fitness 4 home superstore, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, weight control, weight loss control, weight loss program, weight loss tips

Diet - Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Love Italian food? You don’t have to cut it out of your diet! Lasagna is typically loaded with cheese, high in fat and calories but this healthy recipe cuts 400 calories, 25 grams of fat and 14 grams of saturated fat.

1-lb. lasagna noodles
4 tsp. olive oil
1-lb. sliced mushrooms

¼ tsp. dried oregano

4 large cloves garlic, minced

4 bunches fresh spinach, stemmed and washed

2 C low-fat ricotta cheese

2 C tomato sauce

1 C shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

½ C breadcrumbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

First, bring a large pot of water to boil (make sure the water is salted) and prepare a large bowl of ice water. Add the lasagna noodles to the boiling water and cook until they are just about to get soft. Quickly remove the noodles from the pot and put them in the bowl of ice water to cool and stop them from cooking. Drain the noodles and lay them out on paper towels.

Next, heat 2 tsp. olive in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add half of the minced garlic and cook until mushrooms are browned on edges. Set aside in a strainer to drain excess liquid.

Using the same pan, wipe the excess oil and then add the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Throw in the rest of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Toss in the spinach and cook until it is wilted. Put the spinach in a strainer and drain excess liquid.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

In a medium-sized bowl, add the ricotta cheese, nutmeg and salt/pepper to taste. Make sure the mixture is stirred evenly.

Next, cover the bottom of a large, deep baking dish with a thin coat of tomato sauce. Next, add a single layer of lasagna noodles. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the noodles and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Add all of the mushrooms on top of the cheese and sprinkle with 1/3 of the breadcrumbs. Add another layer with noodles, ricotta, spinach, mozzarella and another 1/3 of breadcrumbs. The next layer will be noodles, the rest of the ricotta, mozzarella and the remaining tomato sauce. Finish it off with a layer of noodles, mozzarella and breadcrumbs.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Servings: 8, Fat: 11g, Calories: 419

Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, healthy diet, healthy eating, healthy food, low calorie, low fat, low-fat

Diet - Asian Stir Fry

Try this Asian Stir Fry recipe to maximize flavor. Don’t forget to watch your portion sizes!

¾-lb. peeled shrimp, thawed
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 T canola oil

¾ C onion, sliced

3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ C fresh snow peas
1 ½ C red peppers, chopped
1 ½ C peeled carrots, chopped
1 ½ C broccoli florets, chopped
2 T low-sodium vegetable broth
1 T fresh lemon juice

First, drain all excess water or juice from peeled shrimp and move to a large bowl. Add salt and cayenne pepper to shrimp and toss until coated. Next, heat the canola oil in a wok or stir fry pan on high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp and sauté. Stir frequently and heat for 5 minutes. Move the shrimp from the wok back to the large bowl, leaving the liquids in the wok. Add the onion and minced garlic to the wok and sauté about 3 minutes. Then, add the snow peas, carrots, broccoli florets and low-sodium vegetable broth to the wok. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are al denté (tender but not overcooked), about 4 minutes. Return the shrimp to the wok. Add lemon juice and cook on medium heat for 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve.

Servings: 6, Fat: 2.5g, Calories: 153

Need a little extra? Try serving over a bed of brown rice and add a dash of low-sodium soy sauce!

Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, healthy diet, healthy eating, healthy food, low calorie, low fat, low-fat

Healthy Living – Improve Your Health with Flax Seed Oil

Flax seed oil could be one of the most important health-promoting supplements next to multi-vitamins. Nearly every system in your body – cardiovascular, immune, circulatory, reproductive, nervous, and joint – can benefit from the natural properties of flax seed oil.

Flax seed oil is derived from the seeds a blue, flowering plant that grows in Western Canada. This natural oil, also known as Linseed oil, contains the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids which are required for the health of almost all of the body’s systems.

Flax seed oil contains omega-6 and omega-9 essential fatty acids, 50% more omega-3 oils than fish oil (without the fishy after-taste!), zinc, protein, fiber, B-vitamins, potassium, lecithin, magnesium and more.

Research studies have shown that flax seed oil has many benefits including the following:

• Helps to increase weight loss in people afflicted with obesity
• Shortens the recovery time for fatigued muscles after a workout
• Assists in healing sprains and bruises more quickly
• Helps protect against high blood pressure, swelling and water retention
• Increases immune function
• Increases energy and stamina
• Increases metabolism, making it easier to burn fat
• Improve the absorption of calcium
• Strengthens bones and nails
• …and much, much more!

Flax seed can be taken in seed, oil or capsule form and can be found in the vitamin section at your local drug, grocery or department store! Add flax seed oil to your diet today and start improving your health!

Labels: flax seed oil, diet tips, fitness 4 home superstore, healthy lifestyle, healthy living

Fit Fitness into Your Busy Schedule

By this point, we should all know about the benefits of exercise and living a healthy lifestyle. Yet finding the time to incorporate a fitness program into our daily lifestyle can be difficult and sometimes disappointing! Here are a few tips that will help you fit fitness into your busy schedule:

1. Don’t Ride… Walk! How many times do you find yourself frustrated while sitting in heavy traffic, waiting at a stoplight or trying to find a parking space? Chances are, you could have avoided that frustration by leaving your car keys at home and walking to your destination. Stop using your vehicle to take short trips and start walking instead. That convenience store at the corner is just a quick walk away and won’t take that much more time than driving would. Not only will you get some fresh air AND a little exercise, you’ll save some wear and tear on your car as well! You can also use this time to clear your head and enjoy being outdoors.
   
   If your destination is just too far away and you do have to drive, try to park as far away as possible. That little bit extra can go a long way and remember… it all adds up!



2. Don’t Chain Yourself to Your Desk! At work, we often find ourselves sitting in front of a computer for very long periods of time. Wouldn’t it be nice to “take a break” and still get some work done? Instead of calling one of your office mates to deliver a message, walk over to their desk and hand-deliver it. This is an excellent way to stretch out those stiff muscles after sitting down too long.
   
   If there is an elevator at your office, don’t use it! Granted, if it’s more than 6 flights, you are probably ok taking the elevator. But if it’s less than that, take the stairs. Climbing the stairs will get you some great exercise and you’ll still get to the next floor faster than your co-workers who are still waiting for the elevator. Plus, you can avoid that uncomfortable elevator silence!
   
   Another way to add exercise into your work day is to turn your real breaks into “revitalization” breaks. Bring your walking shoes and take a quick walk. It doesn’t matter if you’re indoors or outdoors as long as you talk at a moderate pace for 10 minutes. That is enough time to get your heart rate up and you won’t even break a sweat in your work clothes. Use this time to reduce your stress level or invite your co-workers for a little social time! You’ll all benefit from your daily work walks!

3. Don’t be a Couch Potato! No, this doesn’t mean that you can’t watch television. We all do it! It does mean that you should utilize those boring commercial breaks to add in some exercise. Take a “physical break” from television and climb your stairs a few times, lift some light weights or do some stretching.
   
   Use wireless headphones and watch television while you’re working out on your exercise equipment if you just can’t miss that show! Also, be creative with the things you can do at home to combat a dormant lifestyle and get moving! Have a push mower? Use it instead of riding around on your rider mower next time you need to mow the lawn. You’ll thank yourself later!

Use these tips to incorporate exercise into your busy schedule. You’ll find that taking the time to get a little exercise in throughout the day will help you in your fitness plan and help you relieve stress. The benefits will always outweigh the drawbacks in the long run. You CAN fit fitness into your busy schedule and live a healthier lifestyle!



Labels: fitness at home, fitness busy schedule, fitness 4 home superstore, fitness at work, fitness on the go

Exercise – Improve Your Workouts With A Stability Ball!

You’ve seen those big, inflatable stability balls before – either at the gym, or maybe someone’s kids were playing with one. Well, although kids might find them fun to play with, stability balls are actually a very effective exercise tool! You might be thinking that “Exercise on a ball – seriously?”. Yup – stability ball training is “serious” – seriously effective, and seriously fun! It’s amazing the ways you can challenge your body in ways you never thought on an inflatable piece of rubber!

You might be a bit skeptical, especially when bombarded with infomercials for “the newest equipment and programs”. But, unlike the “newest” fad, stability balls actually got their start with physical therapists and orthopedic specialist looking for tools to help rehabilitation – back in the 1900’s! Besides being a great tool for treatment and rehabilitation of injuries, they are also used to help prevent more serious physical problems prior to their occurance.

Stability balls are large, heavy-duty, inflatable balls that are generally rated to hold up to 600 or 700 pounds. And, they are comfortable and supportive, since they conform to your unique anatomy due to being air-filled. Using the ball makes it easy to get into and out of different exercise positions because it gets you off of the floor. Stability balls offer you a fun, safe and highly effective way to exercise.

The ball is a great way to improve muscle strength and endurance in all of the major muscle groups. Training with the ball improves muscle tone, increase muscle endurance and strength, restore or improve flexibility, enhance spinal stability, complement your resistance and aerobic training programs, help you lose weight, and lastly, improve your balance, posture and coordination.

Maintaining proper alignment on the ball stimulates your body's natural motor reflexes and encourages the body to react as a whole, integrated unit. Movement like this is similar to how you move about in a normal day - and training on the ball challenges the whole body to maintain correct posture and balance, and to perform dynamic exercise movement. When using the ball correctly, your body uses not only your major muscle groups, but also utilizes various “stabilizer muscles” that may not have been previously challenged using traditional exercise equipment. Not only does this help you increase overall muscle strength, but those “stabilizer muscles” help you keep your body in proper position during your other workouts, helping you to avoid injury.

As you work out on the ball you will find that it is especially effective in targeting your abdominal and lower back muscles. The ball is especially well-suited to improving ab and lower-back strength, as well as to bettering functional strength, flexibility and balance. Even while training other muscle groups, the ab and back musculature is simultaneously working to balance and stabilize the body. Strong postural muscles and proper posture are important for relieving and preventing low-back pain.

The ball is ideal for stretching and offers additional options to traditional static stretching. Traditional stretching usually requires you to stretch on the floor and it can be difficult to move into and out of stretching positions.

The brilliance and simplicity of the stability ball is rolled into one word--balance! Because the ball demands balance, you'll work muscles you never knew you had or challenge them in different ways. The challenge of maintaining perfect posture, on a round and mobile surface--is exhilarating, fun and incredibly effective in building functional strength, and challenging your ab and back muscles like never before! So, add a stabilizer ball to your next workout – and have a ball!

Healthy Lifestyle – Seven Tips for Healthy Dieting

Every diet that comes along promises “quick weight loss” or “loose fat now”. And, no matter which diet you choose – in the short term, many of these diets can be successful at fulfilling their promises. But, maintaining healthy eating habits in our society is a life long challenge, not a three-month program. Its a challenge in which the payoffs are well worth the effort.

So, once you’ve started your diet and exercise program, how can you make sure that in the long run, you keep your weight down to where you want it? Well, here’s some simple tips to help you accomplish this!

1. Get organized. Plan snacks ahead so when the urge to eat hits you there is something "good and easy" to reach for.

- Peel carrots, cut celery or cucumbers ahead of time so they are handy.
- Place no more than 10 (50 calories) pretzels in a baggie for a snack.
- Drink water, ice tea, V-8 when you feel like snacking. Tell yourself if you're still hungry
when you finish the drink that you'll have a snack.
- When the urge to snack hits you, go out and walk around the house five times.

2. Get rid of all (or most) junk food in the house or ask a family member to hide it.

3. Don't let yourself use the old excuse at the grocery store, "The cookies are for the kids. They're not on a diet." Remember if they end up in the house, they will probably end up in your mouth.

4. If you blow it at lunch, don't write off the rest of the day.

5. Try to plan your meals at least one day ahead. The more decisions you leave to the last minute, the more chance you have of grabbing something quick and fat.

6. If you find yourself becoming very hungry mid-afternoon, or in the evening, eat a bit more nutritious food at mealtime, or anticipate the in-between-meal hunger and plan a nutritious snack.

7. Don't be too hard on yourself. Occasionally, feel free to reward your hard efforts with a treat once in awhile - one treat here or there won't be the end of you. Just be reasonable!

Diet – Chilled Pineapple Gazpacho

Looking for a quick, easy, and refreshing recipe that’s also no-fat? Try this recipe for Chilled Pineapple Gazpacho!

1 fresh pineapple, slightly under-ripe
½ cup peeled, diced red bell pepper ( ¼ in. pieces)
½ cup peeled, seeded diced cucumber ( ¼ in. pieces)
¼ cup finely chopped minced red onion
½ Serrano chile, seeded & minced
1 tbsp chopped, fresh cilantro
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
Pinch of sea salt

Juice pineapple, or peel & core the fruit, then puree in a blender and strain.Pour juice into medium bowl.Stir diced red bell pepper and peeled, seeded diced cucumber. Add minced red onion, Serrano chile Add cilantro, season to taste with fresh lime juice and sea salt.
Cover & chill until very cold, about 2 hours. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.

Makes 4 servings.

Healthy Living – Add Garlic For A Longer Life

by Bob Lachniet
President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Garlic – that wonderful little clove of stuff used in everything for flavor, actually is also a wonderful tool for improving your health! Garlic has long been considered a herbal "wonder drug", with a reputation in folklore for preventing everything from the Plague to the common cold and flu! Herbal medicine has used it extensively, and for good reason. That pungent smell that is associated with garlic comes from the sulphur compounds in garlic. Garlic also contains a wide variety of phytochemicals, including allicin. When you cut garlic, the sulphur containing amino acid alliin is broken down by enzymes to form allicin.

Recent studies have shown that eating a clove of garlic daily can help prevent a heart attack. Argentinean researchers have found that an enzyme found in garlic called alliinase, helps improve blood flow to your heart. And, you can unleash additional amounts of alliinase by letting fresh chopped garlic stand for 10 minutes prior to cooking with it. It has also been suggested that organically grown garlic may have higher sulphur level sand hence greater benefit to health.

Studies have also shown that consuming garlic generally has the following physical effects:

• Garlic lowers blood pressure a little.
• Raw Garlic is a potent natural antibiotic and, while far less strong than modern antibiotics, can still kill some strains of bacteria that have become immune or resistant to modern antibiotics.
• Garlic helps reduce atherosclerotic buildup (plaque) within the arterial system. One recent study shows this effect to be greater in women than men.
• Garlic lowers or helps to regulate blood sugar.
• Garlic helps to prevent blood clots from forming, thus reducing the possibility of strokes and thromboses (It may not be good for hemophiliacs).
• Garlic helps to prevent cancer, especially of the digestive system, prevents certain tumors from growing larger and reduces the size of certain tumors.
• Garlic helps to remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body.

In conclusion, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that you can boost your health by eating garlic on a regular basis. Let your imagination come up with new ways of incorporating them into your daily diet - ideas that will really suit you and fit in with your family eating preferences.

Equipment - Do You Need a Heart Rate Monitor for Your Workout?

You want your cardio workouts to be effective. Whether it’s on a treadmill, elliptical trainer, or exercise bike, it seems like the only way you can really tell if you had a good workout is based on how you feel afterward. Yet, we all have our “good days” and “bad days” – and using a subjective measure based on how you feel might not be the best way to judge how good your workouts are.

But, there is a solution. If you want to get more exact with your precision cardio, you can use a heart rate monitor in addition to evaluating your rate of perceived exertion. The heart rate monitor will tell you exactly what your heart rate is as you're exercising, which means you can then increase or decrease your intensity to get a precise workout. Many types of cardio equipment have heart rate monitor programs, and you can also purchase your own heart rate monitor (which usually consists of a chest strap and wrist watch monitor) at many sporting good stores (not to mention at Fitness 4 Home Superstore!) And, one benefit of a heart rate monitor such as a Polar® Heart Rate Monitor is that you can also take them with you – perfect for travel, as well as those types you exercise outside.

The secret to fat loss with your cardio program is to work out within the proper heart rate range. Short of getting tested by an exercise physiologist, the best way to figure out the heart rate range you should be working at is by calculating your maximum heart rate and then calculating certain percentages of this rate to work at for your warm up and cool down, your moderate pace, and your interval pace. This will be a good starting point, though keep in mind that this calculation is based on the "average" person -- something that none of us is!

To estimate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 226. (Men would subtract their age from 220.)

226 - your age = age-adjusted maximum heart rate

Now, take your age-adjusted maximum heart rate and calculate the following percentages for the various parts of your workout.

• 60 percent for your warmup and cooldown
• 65 to 75 percent for your moderate pace
• 75 to 85 percent for your vigorous or interval pace

For instance, a 40-year-old woman's estimated maximum heart rate is 186 (226 - 40 = 186).

• 60 percent of her max = 112
• 65 percent of her max = 121
• 75 percent of her max = 140
• 85 percent of her max = 158

Keep in mind, however, that this calculation can be off by as much as 15 beats, so use the rate of perceived exertion as well. Also take into account that your heart rate can vary depending on which activity you choose. Different activities use different skills and muscle groups, so an experienced swimmer will have a lower heart rate swimming than she does when running. Keep that in mind as you vary your cardio choices. Also, some exercises that you do while sitting down, like riding a recumbent bicycle, won't get your heart rate as high as those that you do while standing, such as walking hills outside. So use your heart rate monitor and evaluate your rate of perceived exertion, but also learn to listen to your body.

Lastly, one nice feature of many heart rate monitors is the ability to calculate the calories you’ve burned during your workout. Remember, the best way to lose weight, is to burn more calories than you take in. It can be pretty easy to figure out your intake, but getting an idea of what you’ve burned during the day can be more difficult. Wearing a heart rate monitor for a few days, can give you an idea of how much you burn during the day, as well as helping you calculate how much cardio you’ll need to do to burn off those pounds!

Diet – Chicken Spinach Pizza

Looking for a quick, easy power meal? Try this recipe for Chicken Spinach Pizza. It’s high protein, low carbohydrate, and healthy fat – is perfect for that big meal after your workout!

Chicken Spinach Pizza

3 tbsp Marinara sauce
1 ready made flat bread or pita
1/3 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and drained.
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
¾ cup chopped precooked chicken
1 tbsp sliced fresh basil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Spread the marinara sauce over the flatbread, then top with feta, spinach, chicken & basil, and finally season to taste with the salt & pepper. Bake it at 375
for 6 minutes.

Serving: 1 serving
Protein: 62g
Carbs: 24g
Fat: 21g (10 saturated)
4g fiber

Exercise – Time To Consider An Exercise Bike

by Bob Lachniet
President - Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Now that Fall is here, the weather is getting nicer, the holidays are approaching fast – and, it becomes increasingly difficult to keep that weight off! Yet, now is the perfect time to start on improving your exercise program! One great way of doing that is to improve your cardio workouts with an exercise bike.

Exercise bikes have changed quite a bit in the last few years. Where before, they seemed to be nothing more than just a bicycle frame, a wheel, and a resistance belt connecting the two, now you have a wide variety of options in both style as well as resistance.

Exercise bicycles now come in two major styles – recumbent and upright. Upright exercise bikes are great for those who prefer a classic seated position – and they are perfect for those that want to try spinning workouts at home like they may have experienced in the gym. Recumbent bikes put you in a seated position more like you would find while sitting in a chair – these are great for people that have avoided exercise bikes in the past due to back issues.

When it comes to resistance levels, you now have a wide variety of choices. The resistance belts are still there on some bikes, but now you can also choose from motorized resistance and magnetic resistance bikes. The advantages of these types of bikes are that where before, you’re workout was based only on how hard you pedal against a resistance belt, now you can “dial in” preset or customized workout programs, which not only provide variety to your workouts, they can also help you stay in a “fat burning” or “cardiovascular workout” zone – or anything in between!

Of course, these bikes now require a power source – even with some of the bikes with resistance belts. Why? Well, those bikes from years ago may have only had an odometer and if you were lucky, a speedometer. Now, many bikes feature LCD or TV displays, cooling fans, and audio systems! Depending on the bike you choose, control panels now can give you instant feedback on your workouts, monitor your heart rate so that you can maximize your workout, calories burned, not to mention speed / distance / time.

Yet, all of these choices can make finding the right exercise bike for your needs seem like a difficult task, made more difficult if you stop in one of the “big box” stores. For the best way to not only understand more about the types of bikes (and types of options available), but to also find the best bike for your fitness needs, visit one of Fitness 4 Home Superstores 3 locations today!

Healthy Lifestyle–How To Get More Protein In Your Diet

We all know that your body needs protein. Every time you work out, you break down your muscles a little bit, and you gain muscle as your body rebuilds itself – and compensates for your newly increased activity level. Not to mention that your body also needs protein to maintain bone mass and your immune system. And, the main building block for all of this - is protein!

Yet, at the same time, the protein that you may be getting in your diet up until now, may not be enough to fuel the “rebuilding”. How, then, can you increase the amount of protein in your diet – in a healthy way?

Well, one way of increasing your diet’s protein is to look at how some vegetarians have done it! And, if you are a vegetarian, the following ideas are of even greater importance.

Eggs – That’s right – add an extra egg to your breakfast! And, if you’re worried about how healthy that might be, don’t. A quick and easy solution is to buy Egg Beaters (or their equivalent). These aren’t egg substitutes – they are 100% real eggs. Yet, they are low in cholesterol, easy to store & use, and allow you to truly measure the protein you’re adding to your diet. And, they don’t cost that much more – check Trader Joes or Costco for great deals on eggs!

Cottage Cheese – It seems that every time we try to improve our diets, one of the first things that gets cut out is cheese, due to the fat content. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pick up some non-fat cottage cheese! Cottage cheese actually has a full complement of amino acids – and is a great source of protein.

Legumes – This includes beans, peas, and lentils. These not only provide a good secondary source of protein, but also are a good source of fiber for your diet as well. And, they are nutrient-dense, which means you get a good source of nutrients without having to over-eat! For example, 1 cup of black beans gives you 15gm of protein, and if you really want to go high on the protein scale – try cooking up some soybeans! (Think edaname – simple, healthy, and tasty!) 1 cup of cooked soybeans can give you up to 31gm of protein – similar to what you would get from a small chicken breast – and they make for a great snack between meals!

Keep in mind that if you are a vegetarian, you can risk deficiencies in certain dietary minerals and vitamins, such as iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12, which is found only in animal products. Vitamin B, including B12 and folate, is found in green leafy vegetables, fortified cereals, grains and soy milk. Some experts recommend that vegetarians take a multivitamin to get enough B vitamins. Calcium can come through green leafy vegetables, including mustard and collard greens and broccoli. It's also found in soy milk and soy products. Iron-rich foods include dark green vegetables, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, whole grain and fortified breads, and cereals.

Diet – Grilled Shrimp with Jalapeno-Cilantro Salsa

Here’s a hot & spicy recipe for shrimp – not only a great source of protein, but this recipe also gives you a little bit of healthy fat from the olive oil. Serve with your favorite steamed veggies!

2 lb. shrimp – peeled
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1c chopped garlic – peeled and lightly crushed
1 tbsp peeled and roughly chopped ginger
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed & seeded, and roughly chopped
1 tbsp Dried red pepper flakes
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fresh lime juice from one lime
Salt & Pepper to taste.

Mix the cilantro, garlic, ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes and oil in a blender – puree until smooth, adding oil to keep things from getting too gooped up. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides as needed. Move to a bowl, and add salt & pepper. Thin the mixture with the lime juice. You can either use immediately, or cover & store in the refrigerator for up to a day (but bring back to room temperature before serving).Grill the shrimp until done, serving immediately with the salsa.

Makes 4 servings.