Need Help Learning How to Use Your New Exercise Equipment from Fitness 4 Home Superstore?

At Fitness 4 Home Superstore, we're all about personal service! From the time you walk in the door, to the time your fitness equipment is delivered and set up, we're with you every step of the way - and beyond! You've probably figured it out by now, but we send this newsletter out to help you reach your personal fitness goals. Whether you're trying to lose weight, looking for a healthy recipe, or you're just looking for the latest exercise equipment, Fitness 4 Home Superstore is here to help out.

That's why we're pleased to introduce the latest addition to our personal service portfolio - How-to Videos!

Have you ever went out to one of those big box stores and bought something, taken it home and sat there with the user manual in your lap wishing that someone wouuld just tell you how to get started? Well, hopefully that hasn't happened to you! But we want you to know that if you ever need to know how to use your new fitness equipment, or you just need some tips on stepping up your workout, you can count on us.

Check out two of our latest videos on how to use a treadmill and how to use an elliptical:

Fitness Tips: How to Use Your New Treadmill

Exercise Tips: How to Use Your New Elliptical Trainer

If you’re looking for home exercise equipment, visit Fitness 4 Home Superstore and get the personal service you deserve. We have many advantages over big box stores and internet retailers! At Fitness 4 Home, you can try out our equipment and have it delivered to your home and installed by professionals. We also have an in-house staff of veteran fitness consultants that will help you choose the equipment that suits your fitness needs and your budget. Stop by any of our valley locations or visit us online and we’ll show you why BestFitnessDealers.com votes us the #1 choice for home fitness equipment in Arizona!

Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, how-to video, fitness equipment, exercise equipment

Diet – Sweet & Spicy Snack Mix

It's getting warmer outside and we all know what that means - parties! Few people can resist the big bowl of snack mix that will inevitably be present at every party you attend. Next time, you can bring the snack mix! Here's a recipe that's both tasty and healthy:

Ingredients

2 cans (15 ounces each) garbanzos, rinsed, drained and patted dry

2 C. Wheat Chex cereal

1 C. dried pineapple chunks

1 C. raisins

2 T. honey

2 T. reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. chili powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with butter-flavored cooking spray.

Generously spray a heavy skillet with butter-flavored cooking spray. Add garbanzos to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the beans begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Transfer garbanzos to the baking sheet. Spray the beans lightly with cooking spray. Bake, stirring frequently, until the beans are crisp, about 20 minutes.

Lightly coat a roasting pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. Measure the cereal, pineapple and raisins into the pan. Add roasted garbanzos. Stir to mix evenly.

In a large glass measuring cup combine honey, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Stir to mix evenly. Pour the mixture over the snack mix and toss gently. Spray mixture again with cooking spray. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep the mixture from burning. Remove from oven and let cool. Store in an airtight container and serve when ready!

Note: Instead of peanuts and pretzels, this Chex Mix version includes garbanzos and dried fruit. You not only increase the amount of fiber in the spicy snack mix, but also reduce the fat and sodium.

Serving: ½ cup, Fat: trace, Calories: 154

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

Challenge Yourself with Resistance Training Tips from Fitness 4 Home Superstore

Resistance training is the fastest way to lose weight, change your body shape, increase strength and improve your health. You can do it if you learn to make a sport out of it (or better yet, a game). Take the time to learn proper technique, apply a high degree of vigor to every workout and see just how good you can get.

Here are just a few of the positive effects of resistance training:

· Lose weight by burning extra calories each day

· Reduce your waist size

· Reduce your risk of diseases related to obesity

· Decrease risk of injury

· Develop stronger bones

· Decrease your BMI

Resistance training helps you accelerate your metabolism, which helps you burn fat, creating a leaner, younger looking body. Additionally, as your body becomes stronger, your body is also better equipped to defend against health issues and illnesses that can affect your body.

Resistance training also is a wonderful way to increase not only your muscle strength – but the strength and flexibility of your connective tissues improves as well. So, if your joints feel like tight or weak, weight training will help increase your flexibility, while also giving you more energy during the day.

The after burn and healing of the stretched muscle is what makes resistance training effective at increasing the metabolism to burn more calories and build muscles mass. For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an additional 50 calories per day. While that might not seem like a lot, it does add up and can either allow you an extra in terms of food or condiments for the day or can be used as banked calories saved for a better weight loss effect.

Here are some examples of resistance training activities:

• Water aerobics
• Using an exercise ball during ab exercises
• Circuit training
• Using dumbbells and other free weights to build muscle
• Using an elastic exercise band to add resistance to your workout

Fitness 4 Home Superstore has a wide variety of resistance training equipment to fit your exercise needs – visit one of our Valley stores today to find out more!

Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, strength training, fitness equipment, exercise equipment

Fitness Equipment – Product Spotlight: The True TSX Total-Body Elliptical

Thinking of purchasing new home fitness equipment but not quite sure what you’re looking for? Check out what could be the best addition to your home fitness equipment lineup – The True TSX Total-Body Elliptical from Fitness 4 Home Superstore.

The TRUE TSX Total-Body Elliptical is the only elliptical cross trainer that offers a specially designed and patented side-step footplate that allows the user to do an upper body isolation workout.

SoftStep™ Footpads
A common complaint among elliptical users is pain or numbness in the ball of the foot. To alleviate this problem, the TRUE TSX is equipped with SoftStep orthopedic pads to help minimize foot fatigue.

25 Resistance Levels
Geared to start at a low 10-watt setting, the TRUE TSX gives even novice users an effective workout their first time on the machine. And with a challenging 300-watt maximum setting, there is plenty of top-end resistance to challenge you, even if you’re already in great shape.

Worry-free Warranty
The TSX is made of the toughest materials and components available, so TRUE can offer one of the best warranties in the industry. You should feel confident that the TSX Elliptical Cross-Trainer will be a part of your healthy lifestyle for years, or even decades to come.

Want to know more? Stop by one of our Arizona Fitness 4 Home Superstore locations today!

Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, fitness equipment, home fitness equipment, exercise equipment, home exercise equipment, ellipticals

Diet - Chipotle Shrimp

Even though shrimp is higher in cholesterol than most meat and poultry, it's lower in fat and saturated fat. And fat, not cholesterol, has the greatest effect on blood cholesterol. Shrimp also has omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that's good for your heart.

Ingredients

1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled (about 3 dozen shrimp)
2 T. tomato paste
1 ½ tsp. water
½ tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp. garlic, minced
½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
½ tsp.fresh oregano, chopped

Directions

Rinse shrimp in cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside on a plate.

To make the marinade, whisk together the tomato paste, water and oil in a small bowl. Add garlic, chili powder and oregano. Mix well. Using a brush, spread the marinade on both sides of the shrimp. Cover and place in the refrigerator.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler. Lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Put the shrimp in a grill basket or on skewers and place on the grill. Turn the shrimp after 3 to 4 minutes. The cooking time varies depending on the heat of the fire, so watch carefully.

Serve immediately!

Serving: 8 shrimp, Fat: 2g, Calories: 73

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

Get Your Kids Involved and Fight Childhood Obesity from Fitness 4 Home Superstore

In this day and age, going outside to play just seems like something we used to do when we were kids. Biking, roller skating and hide-n-seek are becoming a thing of the past and being replaced by things like watching television, playing Guitar Hero, and surfing the net. Sadly, children are becoming more sedentary and they spend longer amounts of time in front of a screen and less time doing physical activities. As a result, kids are heavier than they’re ever been and child obesity is of great concern.

Prior to the digital age, children were eager to go out and play, unknowingly engaging in physical activity that burned off the calories they consumed in meals and snacks. Full of energy and eager to use their imagination, children played games for hours on end with their friends, begging for just a few more minutes before they had to return to their homes to have with their families.

Those days are quickly becoming a thing of the past. The lives of children are changing and there is a considerable difference between then and now. In fact, some kids loathe going outside to play. They spend hours upon hours playing video games or watching television, and more often than not, eating their breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in front of it. Their energy is gone and replaced by a lethargic feeling brought on by excessive amounts of junk food eaten between meals. This unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle doesn’t have to be a reality for your children.

Get them involved in physical activity! It not only keeps childhood obesity at bay, it will make them feel better and have more energy to do the things they love to do.

Your health is important to you. You probably work out or exercise on a daily basis and eat foods that help you maintain your fitness. Why not involve your kids? If you find that you’re going for a walk in the evenings just to get some exercise, bring your kids along with you. Not only will everyone get some exercise, but you’ll also be able to spend quality time together. It may be a struggle to get the family on the same page at first, but after awhile they’ll all look forward to it.

Maybe your kids prefer to play video games like Madden ’07 or NBA Shootout. If that’s the case, get them outside for some more family fun. You can toss around a football or have punt/pass/kick contests. Play a pickup game of basketball or see who has the best shot with a game of “horse.”

Your kids can also workout with you at home. If you already have fitness equipment like a treadmill or a bike, you can teach your kids how to use them - as long as they’re supervised! They can even watch their favorite television shows while they exercise.

All of these things, combined with good eating habits, will keep you and your family healthy, happy and fit. With a little planning and a little motivation, you’ll be able to spend more time with your kids and help them fight obesity at the same time. They’ll thank you for it later!



Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, strength training, fitness equipment, exercise equipment

Fitness Equipment – Product Spotlight: The Personal PowerBlock® Set

Thinking of purchasing new home fitness equipment but not quite sure what you’re looking for? Check out what could be the best addition to your home fitness equipment lineup – The Personal PowerBlock® Set from Fitness 4 Home Superstore.

PowerBlocks are perfectly balanced. They are the heavy, compact and easy to use. PowerBlock is the only quick-change dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs. Start with a 50 lb set, expand to 90 lbs, expand again to 130 lbs.

Dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise tool ever developed for strength straining. Now you can have rapid access to a whole rack of dumbbells at home in the space of just one pair! How do you get up to 37 pairs of dumbbells in 18" x 22" of space? PowerBlock!

Want to know more? Stop by one of our Arizona Fitness 4 Home Superstore locations today!



Labels: fitness 4 home superstore, fitness equipment, home fitness equipment, exercise equipment, home exercise equipment, dumbbells

Diet – Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

It’s getting warmer outside and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to break out the grill! Try this recipe for grilled Portobello mushroom burgers as a great alternative to a regular all-meat patty. They’re healthy and taste great!

Ingredients

4 large portobello mushroom caps, 5 inches in diameter
1/3 C. balsamic vinegar
1/2 C. water
1 T. sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional
2 T. olive oil
4 whole-wheat buns, toasted

Directions

Clean mushrooms tops with a damp cloth and remove their stems. Place in a glass dish, stem (gill) side up.

To prepare the marinade, whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, cayenne pepper and olive oil in a small bowl. Drizzle the marinade over the mushrooms. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, turning mushrooms once.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill. Lightly coat the grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.

Grill or broil the mushrooms on medium heat, turning often, until tender, about 5 minutes on each side. Baste with marinade to keep from drying out.

When they’re done, place each mushroom on a whole wheat bun and top with veggies you like – tomatoes, onions, lettuce, etc. Serve immediately.

Serving: 1 burger, Fat: 9g, Calories: 283

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