In this guest post Sarah Bruce takes us through the decisions she made when buying her first ever price if exercise equipment

Exercising is simply moving your body.

Thanks to the newer wrist-based technology gadget available out there, we can lock in our 10,000 steps per day and feel better about ourselves at the end of the day. But what if you are someone who simply cannot get 10,000 steps in throughout the day?

Home based exercise tools

When faced with the diatribe of getting 10,000 steps in some way or form, I began to research for a home exercise machine that reunites the following characteristics:

1. It is the closest thing to walking.
2. It will not require for me to spend an hour at it.
3. It will not take too much of my living space.
4. It will burn maximum calories for the time that I can give it.
5. It is fun to use.
6. It is CHEAP.

My personal solution

After doing extensive research, and after looking in the internet for off market prices for machines, my choice ended up being the Air Walker, also known as the Gazelle. At $89 dollars on sale, the basic model was very light, easy to put together (just push the pedals up or down for storage), and super easy to use.

How it works

The Gazelle model that I purchased is mega basic. It has a calorie counter, and its “air pedaling” format asks that you hop on and start moving your legs gliding back and forth. The handles that enable faster movement work as low-impact, weights for the upper arms.

The suggestion is that you allow your body weight to fall on your knees, and that you bend them, do not lock them. As you pedal back and forth, just listen to music and follow the rhythm. The gliding motion is quite refreshing and it almost feels like a swing, which (to me) was a plus. According to the calorie burner, this type of motion, depending on your weight (an average 150 lb. person) can burn anything from 3 through 10 calories per minute.

This sounds about average, and not unrealistic. At the same time, the leg motion allow me to achieve an average of 1,000 steps every 16 minutes depending on my speed. I am slow, so I take my time. What was surprising though is that, even though I was doing low-impact aerobic activity, my heart rate went up to my own calorie and fat burning rate level. My pulse was quite fast. The reason behind it is that the activity was engaging, and kept me in continuous movement for over 25 minutes, without me even noticing. This is what showed me that this was a keeper!

Post workout

After my first workout, I noticed that the large thigh and calf muscles felt like I had been jogging! This is because I had been putting my own body weight on my legs, using my own weight as balance. Since the activity allowed my legs to glide, the weight was evened out through each stride of my legs.

At the same time, the emphasis that I was putting on the activity let me move faster, allowing me to achieve a quicker, faster-paced movement that is more conducive to calorie-burning. After the first 25 minutes, I was already sweating. The YouTube videos that I checked out suggested no more than 35 minutes in the air walk machine, and to go slowly and build up resistance. They are correct! I used the next 10 minutes for slowing and cooling down, and was still able to slide in another 1,000 steps in my wrist monitor.

As with every exercise that raises your heart rate and increases your blood flow, my serotonin and endorphin levels went through the roof. I was immediately in a great mood, and taking a shower that evening was a pleasure, since my body felt like it was put to use for the right purpose. Someone who works a job like mine often tends to sit a lot. I needed this type of exercise to propel the blood flow in my leg area and avoid any risk for a blood clot, which are the silent killers of people who do sit-down jobs.

I am sharing with you some additional information in case you are in my same situation. As with everything, please do not start a diet or exercise program without first consulting with your health provider.