Exercise Machine to use at home?

[Ginger]

So, DH has offered to buy me an exercise machine to use at home. I'm not looking to turn into an elite athlete, just shift a couple of kg's and tone up. are there any fitness experts out there that can recommend me a good piece of equip that is easy to use and gets results?
i'm thinking i like the look of a cross-trainer. i'm going to have to go and try one out i think. can anyone recommend a good brand/model?
TIA

[ktgirl]

I'm no fitness expert but I have a cross trainer and love it. It is great because there is no impact and it is a pretty good workout. I have been losing weight for a while but it slowed down recently but since I have had my cross trainer I have lost about another 4kg or so which is using it about 4-5 times a week combined with a healthy eating plan.

[ktgirl]

Thought I should add also I bought mine of ebay brand new for a few hundred $. What I would recommend is looking for one that has some built in programs on it. Mine has like a screen where you can choose programs like fat burner for example and it changes the resistance as you work out so you don't have to manually change it yourself to make it harder.

[Mother Goose]

I've had a cross trainer which I didn't use very often. I like the cross trainer at the gym but the one I had at home just didn't feel right when I was on it... I was never able to get a good rhythm going (I wasn't new to training so I knew it wasn't my technique). It also took up a lot of room.

A few years ago I got a treadmill for Christmas. It was from Workout World. I LOVE my treadmill. Sure I could run or walk on the streets but the treadmill gives me the convenience of not having to drag DD out with me or worry about weather. And it also makes me keep pace (if I'm out on the street I can cheat by adjusting my speed - the treadmill belt sets the pace and although I *could* adjust it, I don't). I am so in love with my treadmill that my people had to hide the power cable when I was injured because I just couldn't stay off it! PLUS it folds up so doesn't take up too much space

[Pony]

I have a bike and a treadmill. The treadmill lives in the garage now - it was a PITA because it folded but since the running bit lifted it had to be facing the wall for the folding to minimise space. I just can't cope with staring at a wall while I run. If I'm going to run indoors I need stimulation. Turning it around so it faced the TV meant that it took up heaps of space and I had the wall right at my back so in the event of me tripping on a lace (not likely but I'm a paranoid Polly) I would have been thrown straight into the wall - it kinda made me feel claustrophobic being jammed between the wall and the front.
The bike on the other hand doesn't take up much space and I can face it towards TV so I can watch TV while I work out.

I tried out a few cross-trainers but to buy one that felt really stable cost heaps more than a bike of a similar quality.

[mbear]

DH bought me a vibration platform.....stand on it for 10mins a day whilst it jiggles your wobbly bits, and thats a workout. I use it every second day...my body aches the next day as if ive just played a game of netball...theres a lot of pros and cons about this type of exercise (if thats what you want to call it), im noticing some difference - can fit into my pre-pregancy jeans now....but dunno if that has anything to do with the vibration machine. I think once i use it every day i will see noticebale improvements...my sister lost 10kgs whilst using it (over a good 6 mths...).

[Trillian]

I have a treadmill and I love it. I have it in our room and it's been easy to pull out from the wall and move to be able to use it as it has castor wheels on it. So I use it while watching the news on tv LOL. Only trouble is when DH comes in while I'm on it and asks how the fresh air is on my walk. Jackass

[Ginger]

lol at your dh trill
i've had a treadmill in the past, and tbh i didn't use it heaps.
i think i may have to go down to the local 'fitness warehouse' and have a try of a few things.
it's inspiring to see that people are losing weight with these things.

[Eluned]

I second the cross-trainer. Have had mine for about 5 years now and love it because it's low impact and doesn't take up too much space (although now I need the spare room for the nursery, I need to figure out where else in the house I can put it ).

[Glamourcide]

I have a 'training bike' I bought from Kmart for $80, which is really compact and sits next to the couch so I can watch TV while I'm exercising, or spread a newspaper out on the arm of the couch and read it. It's not the best quality, but using it for 30-45 mins a day combined with doing some light weight work in front of the TV (2kg weights for around $10 each from Big W) and sit-ups, push-ups etc on my living room floor, I've lost 8kgs so I'm just over halfway to my goal