How To Get Your Family Involved In Exercise And A Healthy Lifestyle

There is growing concern at the present time about the poor level of fitness among the general population, as a result of obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. The medical profession is anxious to convince the public of the importance of improving health through better diet and more exercise, in order to combat the increasing likelihood of conditions like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Now more and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of elliptical machines, as a way of getting the whole family not only involved in the exercise, but actually enjoying it too.

Overtaking Treadmills

Elliptical machines or cross-trainers, such as Proform Ellipticals, are now overtaking treadmills as the workout equipment of choice for the family, including both younger and older members. There seem to be a number of reasons for this. One is that the machines are very versatile, providing exercise for all parts of the body while avoiding the painful impact involved in treadmill use. Another reason is that most elliptical machines incorporate features that appeal to users right across the age spectrum, thus making them uniquely suitable for family use.

Whole Body Workout

The versatility of Proform Ellipticals arises from the fact that most models incorporate upper body poles or handles, enabling you to exercise your upper as well as your lower body — not just your arms, but your chest, back, and shoulders. At the same time, you are utilizing all the muscles in your lower body, including quadriceps and hamstrings — and you can even pedal backward, which works your leg muscles more intensely. The workouts are aerobic as well as muscle-building, so you can burn more calories and fat in less time — in fact, you can achieve a full-body workout in around 20 minutes.

Benefiting the Whole Family

However, what makes machines such as Proform Ellipticals so good for family use is that they can benefit everyone, from the young to the old. For older people, including over 65s, the main attraction is that, unlike treadmills, they avoid any impact or jolt to the body, which can damage the joints. With elliptical trainers, the movement mimics the path of your hip, knee, and ankle joints as you walk or run, and in addition, many models incorporate articulating foot pedals, which adjust to your stride. Consequently, exercising on these is absolutely safe for people with hip, knee, and back problems. What is more, it is a weight-bearing exercise, and thus helps in building bone density and fighting osteoporosis.

On the other hand, younger users of Proform Ellipticals have no excuse for getting bored while working out, as most models feature a compatible music port for MP3s and iPods. For both younger and middle generations, there is either iFit Live or iFit workout card technology, which enables you to customize your workouts and to be taken through them by the voice of a certified personal trainer. With iFit Live, you can even race against real competitors around the world.

The home versions of Proform Ellipticals do not necessarily have all the features you would find at the gym. However, they do have the advantage that they can be put away or moved around easily, and even taken outside in the summer. This is really the best chance you have of getting your whole family enthusiastic about fitness programs, and not only having fun but avoiding nasty diseases further down the line.