Top 5 Fitness Investments?

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LJSpady
LJSpady Posts: 311 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello folks.
Like many, I'm being hit hard by the recession, and I so I want to get the most out of the investments I'm making in my fitness as far as equipment. I'm wondering what everyone thinks are their top 5 fitness investments. It can be anything, a video you think is good, food program, a class/membership to something, anything like that.
I'll let you guys know that I've already invested in a gym membership, a heart rate monitor, a camelbak, and I own a bicycle.

Here's a list of investments I've been considering investing in:
1. A trainer
2. A weighted vest
3. Kickboxing lessons
4. Dance lessons
5. Resistance bands.
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Replies

  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    My best investment was a gym membership. I bought mine through Costco and got a great deal!
  • yeabby
    yeabby Posts: 643 Member
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    If your gym has classes I'd say you don't need to invest any more.

    Otherwise you may invest in a few videos so that on the days you don't feel like going to the gym you still have no excuse not to workout.
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    My very best investment was a heart rate monitor.
  • wearystar
    wearystar Posts: 72 Member
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    i'm dying for holiday sales so i can get a yoga balance ball... i love working out with them!
    but i'm guessing your gym has them...

    if your gym offers classes and you want to dabble in dance try a Zumba class, my university gym had them and i went to every one. i wish i could find some local ones, i would definitely sign up for that.
  • OneBryteSmile
    OneBryteSmile Posts: 808 Member
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    My best investments (so far):

    1. MFP (although it is free I still invest my time on this site everyday and it has changed my life)
    2. My treadmill
    3. A HRM
    4. Dumbells
    5. Running sneakers

    Adding a 6th
    6. Bootcamp classes. I started going to a workout bootcamp two months ago and it has truly helped me a lot to get back into exercising and I've had amazing results from it.
  • K1Teacher
    K1Teacher Posts: 324 Member
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    Since you have a gym membership, I'd say the next best investment would be the personal trainer. That way you could get the MOST out of your membership and they really DO push you harder than you ever thought possible.
  • claire_xox
    claire_xox Posts: 282 Member
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    These are my GUESSES about what MFP's will put up!

    1. HRM
    2. 30DS DVD
    3. ZUMBA on wii
    4. resistance bands
    5. ... whatever lol

    my personal favs have been
    1. Endomondo app on iphone
    2. biggest loser game on wii
    3. 2kg dumbells
    4. headbands and sports bra
    5. treadmill
  • RodrigoLoureiro
    RodrigoLoureiro Posts: 3
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    Heart rate monitor and vo2max test... helps to know which zones to train to maximize weight and fat loss
  • deninevi
    deninevi Posts: 934 Member
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    My top 5:
    1. Gym membership
    2. Jillian Michaels DVDs
    3. Kettlebells-20lbs and up
    4. Kettlebell DVDs
    5. Few fun games on Wii
  • audigal2008
    audigal2008 Posts: 1,129 Member
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    My best investments (so far):

    1. MFP (although it is free I still invest my time on this site everyday and it has changed my life)
    2. My treadmill
    3. A HRM
    4. Dumbells
    5. Running sneakers

    Adding a 6th
    6. Bootcamp classes. I started going to a workout bootcamp two months ago and it has truly helped me a lot to get back into exercising and I've had amazing results from it.
    Me 2!! :) All of this!...oh and Jillian Michaels dvds, ouch mmmmm :)
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I have a HRM, and a gym membership, which I think were the only necessities, really.

    And when it comes down to it, you can lose weight without them, but personally, I NEED them.

    I also think my cheap little hand weights were pretty smart.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
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    Hello folks.
    Like many, I'm being hit hard by the recession, and I so I want to get the most out of the investments I'm making in my fitness as far as equipment. I'm wondering what everyone thinks are their top 5 fitness investments. It can be anything, a video you think is good, food program, a class/membership to something, anything like that.
    I'll let you guys know that I've already invested in a gym membership, a heart rate monitor, a camelbak, and I own a bicycle.

    Here's a list of investments I've been considering investing in:
    1. A trainer
    2. A weighted vest
    3. Kickboxing lessons
    4. Dance lessons
    5. Resistance bands.

    I own NONE of the things you posted that you want or have LOL and I've lost 73lbs in one year :D What I did invest in was good running shoes (walking shoes first but now I'm on running shoes), an elliptical machine (about $800 which is a lot but I had a free one from Craigslist before that). Otherwise I walked on the road/sidewalk for the first 50lbs lost.

    Oh number one thing for me was a GOOD sports bra, I was a 40DDD when I started and even now I'm a 36DD and the Enell brand bra saves me. It's about $60 and SOOOOO worth it.

    I now own weights just some free weights from 5-20lbs, a treadmill (my mom's old one that she wasn't using), the elliptical, good shoes, good running pants.

    So my top 5 in order are:

    1. Good sports bra
    2. Good shoes for whatever your work out is
    3. Elliptical or treadmill (you can find them cheap used)
    4. Ipod or some music player and some tunes

    LOL I guess I only have 4 that I count as super important other than MFP itself!
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
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    1. Water Bottle
    2. Proper fitting shoes
    3. Proper fitting workout attire
    4. HRM
    5. And most important of all, yoga pants.
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
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    1.) Decent bicycle (and definitely not one of those expensive ones off the showroom floor at somewhere like Bike Barn...lol)
    2.) Shoes
    3.) Expanding the grocery budget
    4.) I'll mix these two - a flash drive that's able to connect to the TV and seeking out torrents of workout videos to put on said flash drive (you didn't say it had to be ethical, right?!)
  • debbiequack
    debbiequack Posts: 275 Member
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    Best Investments by price.

    I'm fairly cheap so here's my list-- hardly any of it is expensive. I didn't go the gym route-- too expensive. I also think trainers are over rated. They help with motivation but IMO many give bad advice and don't know a lot about behavior change (I'm in the mental health field). For example, the ones I have had push so hard that I ended up quitting. I do much better at my own pace (I have been exercising, on my own for three years now).

    From most expensive to least:

    1) Good running shoes (100)
    2) Exercise TV (not sure how much this costs, but it's added into my cable bill)
    3) a couple of good DVDs (30)
    4) exercise mat (12)
    5) set of dumbells





    Free stuff:

    1) MFP
    2) cardio trainer for the android-- also syncs with polar heart rate monitor
    3) bodyrock.tv has free, GREAT workouts

    You don't HAVE to spend much money at all.

    Best,

    Debbie
  • ooOOooGravy
    ooOOooGravy Posts: 476 Member
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    hmmm mine are:

    1. MPF - by far - freeeeee! :)
    2. Running Shoes - keep my feel in best shape - cant put a price on keeping your feet healthy whilst running
    3. Exercise Bike - found on FB for £5 for winter
    4. Road Bike - Summer and Dry weather bike :) - found at a auction for £5 (love my bargins)
    5. Blackberry, apps for recording on MPF recording training sessions cals. burnt :) - all part of my cheap monthly contract
  • almonds1
    almonds1 Posts: 642 Member
    Options
    Hello folks.
    Like many, I'm being hit hard by the recession, and I so I want to get the most out of the investments I'm making in my fitness as far as equipment. I'm wondering what everyone thinks are their top 5 fitness investments. It can be anything, a video you think is good, food program, a class/membership to something, anything like that.
    I'll let you guys know that I've already invested in a gym membership, a heart rate monitor, a camelbak, and I own a bicycle.

    Here's a list of investments I've been considering investing in:
    1. A trainer
    2. A weighted vest
    3. Kickboxing lessons
    4. Dance lessons
    5. Resistance bands.

    your number 1 would be my number 5...... here is mine

    1. food
    2. water
    3. exercise
    4. food
    5. food
    6. rest (this one is free)
  • BlondeViki
    BlondeViki Posts: 33 Member
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    1. Definitely, definitely, definitely a free gait-analysis at a running shop, followed by a proper fitting pair of trainers. I can't stress enough how this has helped my exercise! I ruined my feet running in cheap trainers and regret not getting better ones sooner.

    2. Good sportswear - doesn't have to be expensive with all the discount places around (Sports Direct here in the UK is great). In fact, I reward myself with new sportswear more than I do with cake now!!

    3. Healthy, nutritious food - no point in putting myself through all the pain if I'm going to fuel myself on rubbish (though I do like the odd piece of cake!)

    4. Handweights - useful in quite a few DVD programmes, but also an easy thing to pick up and do a few reps when watching tv etc

    5. DVDs - great for getting me active when it's raining or there's some other reason I don't have the time to get out of the house to exercise


    4.
  • JohnnyStorm
    JohnnyStorm Posts: 43 Member
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    Great Post!

    1) TIME (to prep food, exercise and log it all)
    2) Gym membership
    3) Food processor
    4) Equipment (good running shoes, lifting hooks)
    5) Supplements (good MV, BCAA's)
  • CP533
    CP533 Posts: 10
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    1. MFP
    2. Good trainers
    3. ipod/other music device
    4. workout DVDs for rainy days (personally like Davina's and 30 day shred)
    5. HRM

    bearing in mind the recession, as you said, I personally think these are cheap - much more so than personal trainer, gym membership, etc etc, yet still effective. I cancelled my gym membership when money became tight and probably wont ever renew it as I prefer getting out and running/hillwalking etc anyway

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