Your 3 best investments for fitness?

wonderwomanwannaB

I've seen a lot of posts on workout tapes, exercise games, and technology (fit bits, heart rate monitors, etc) that people are using to help them burn calories. If someone was watching their cash but looking to get a great workout, what are the 3 things you would say are worth the investment?

Mine:
1. Subscription to SELF magazine. They share all the recipes and workouts online for free, but for me getting the magazine in the mail each month gives me a little bit of renewed motivation alongside some great ideas. I tear out the workouts and recipes and keep them in their own binder so I never get bored and can take them with me on a trip.
2. Building a "home gym" with little investments over time. I don't own any big pieces of equipment but over the past 5 years I've accumulated a couple different weights in dumbbells, a jumprope, one of those blow up balls, a resistance band, yoga mat, and (my favorite) 2 kettlebells. None were very pricey one their own and allow me to try different exercises.
3. 1 month with a professional trainer. I consider the time I spent doing Crossfit INVALUABLE. I worked with people who taught me good form and technique. I learned how to motivate myself through a workout and how to listen to my body. I couldn't afford to be a continuous member, but I know my time with them has prevented a lot of potential injuries and opened my horizons on exercise.

Things that barely missed the list: A good pair of cross training shoes (I LOVE my Vibrams even though I look like a hipster) my Gymboss interval trainer (It's not a necessary piece of equipment, but it does allow me to focus on certain workouts more intensely than if I were watching a clock)

Things that I always want and then decide it's not worth the cash: Heart rate monitor. I actually bought one once and then returned it. If you put one of these on your list I'd love to hear why you feel it helps. I just don't see the point of the investment but maybe that's because I just don't really understand how to use one to my benefit. I feel I would be too distracted by the numbers than paying attention to how my body feels.

kriskaryl

1. A good comfortable pair of cross-trainers. If your feet and legs hurt, you aren't very likely to want to work out.

2. An iPod shuffle or other similar product to tune out distractions.

3. Vanilla protein powder.

twiggysavage

1. IPhone and a variety of fitness apps. (They're what initially got me moving!)

2. My Vibrams. I love them so much. They're the most comfortable shoe I've ever had.

3. My Fitbit. It hasn't been delivered yet, but I bought it Friday. I can't wait.

Taylerr88

1. MFP.. even tho i didn't really invest anything. its by far the most important.

2. gym membership

3. dip belt

LeggyKettleBabe

1. Joining a gym

2. Getting a personal trainer

3. Believing in myself

Kirsty_UK

1. a good sports bra

2. properly fitted running shoes

3. a set of accurate kitchen scales

Laces_0ut

gym membership

food scale

good shoes

eena56

1. My elliptical machine

2. Heart rate monitor

3. New scales

BlondeToast

Oo it's hard to just pick 3!

1. Decent, comfy, well-fitting trainers suited to my gait
2. My HRM
3. My expensive gym membership which I justify by using fully!

Picola1984

Gym

HRM

Food scales

nanieterri

1 Watch what you eat

2 I joined Curves

3 I walk at less 30 min's a day even if it is in the house going from room to room

ehunte

1. my PT who pushes me beyond my belief in myself
2. my HRM - without it, I wouldn't know EXACTLY how many calories to eat back
3. my food scale 'cause I weigh everything I'm eating

eena56

1. My elliptical machine

2. Heart rate monitor

3. New scales

In reply to your question, I use the HRM every time I do cardio exercise as it allows me to train in the right zone for weight loss, and to do interval training with accuracy. I also love to see the progress I make e.g. With less effort can go further or longer.

Kateraptor

1. My Nike+ sensor-I use it when I run or walk
2. My new bicycle that inspired me to want to train for RAGBRAI this year
3. X-box Kinect and dance games. This is what got me moving and I still like to use it when I'm not outside playing.

Marks281172

1. Xbox with Kinect and Fitness Evolved 2012

2. Polar FT7 Heart rate Monitor

3. £19.99 a month membership to my local YMCA gym

sarahc001

I'm with Kirsty on #1 and #2:

1. Sports Bra (bouncing is no fun)
2. Running Shoes (if your foot pronates or supinates, getting the right footwear is a must)
3. My Polar FT7 HRM

Scale, Kitchen Scale, Measuring Cups, and MFP (free- yay!) narrowly miss the top 3.

DOElston

1. A gym membership
2. A good food scale
3. Clothes that fit me now

Flixie00

1. Time - making going to the gym of an evening my priority
2. Gym membership
3. PT

BrianSharpe

1. A good pair of running shoes.

2. Membership in a triathlon club

3. My home gym equipment ,we converted the garage to a home gym - it's taken a few years but we've acquired a multi-gym weight machine (if I was doing it over it would be a bench & free weights) , power tower (my dips & chin-ups still suck) , rowing machine and treadmill and an indoor trainer for my bike.

littlepinkhearts

Good running shoes

Treadmill

mp3 player

just bought a small set of free weights

eena56

1 Watch what you eat

2 I joined Curves

3 I walk at less 30 min's a day even if it is in the house going from room to room

Did you read the original post? None of these are investments

KahuNZ

1. MFP - first and foremost has been a great tool to see what I actually eat vs exercise (this is an investment in time!)

2. Kitchen digital scales - to be accurate in weighing food (not so much now as have a better idea of amounts but important when I first started logging foods)

3. My treadmill - using it!!

BrianSharpe

2. My new bicycle that inspired me to want to train for RAGBRAI this year

I've got a couple of friends who have done this ride, it sounds like a fantastic experience!

BigDfromNJ

1. Good pair of shoes
2. sports watch
3. water bottle:happy:

HotBodUnderConstruction

1. Food
2. HRM
3. Weights

tgmshierry

1. good shoes for exercise
2. food scale
3. myfitnesspal (the time it is soooo worth it(

DataBased

1. a good sports bra

2. properly fitted running shoes

3. a set of accurate kitchen scales

I'm with Kirsty_UK on the sports bra and the kitchen scales, so you can be more accurate in monitoring what you eat. Instead of the shoes, for me it's... time. The time I spend here on the site learning, reading, researching what people say, and figuring out how to apply it all to my life.

The Wii games I'm doing are great - but I'm sure I'll outgrow them one day. For me, they're my "gym" right now. My wish list includes future Wii games that are more challenging, though that'll take some time for me to work up to. I think I'd like Zumba, but I don't know that yet. And last but not least - I'd like a real golf membership and lessons to learn how to play the game without a Wii-mote. LOL!

1. A good sports bra.

2. A good, accurate kitchen scale

3. Time spent learning, researching, and learning to apply new knowledge to my new lifestyle.

TamaraGraceS

1) Trainer start off right
2) IPOD
3) Journal ( Fitness pal or in a book. Be true to yourself write your actual intake...food, water, drinks and even meds they all add up.Write what your feeling and make goals and stick to them!) :flowerforyou:

Grandysl

1. HRM
2. Good Shoes
3. Bowflex Treadclimber

(I have lost enough so I no longer feel the need for a mansier or a sports bro) :laugh:

wonderwomanwannaB

I was originally thinking just about the "workout" portion and things that you've actually found worth putting the $$ into, but a lot of interesting stuff here! I agree with so many people about the kitchen scale. 3 diet-related things I couldn't do without: food scale, multiple sets of measuring cups and spoons (That way I can just wash at the end of the day) and Pyrex containers for portioning out larger recipes for freezing and easy-pack lunches.

Lots of people saying HRM, hmmmm... making me rethink saving for a good one.

Rikki007s

bump