Keep Fit at Home

[iancnx]

Doc says I need to implement a lifestyle change PDQ.  Looking for any recommendation/experience purchasing a spin bike and a treadmill.

 

My budget for the treadmill @25,000 baht.  Looking at 3hp motor. 150kg max weight. 15 degree auto incline. 12 programmes. The Ongsa models are foldaway so could be space saving, though not essential.

 

My budget for the spin bike @10,000 baht. Just need to spin and would happily pay less.

 

I have been looking on Lazada but cannot fathom reliability of the brands.  I see they most likely are all Chinese in origin but rebranded.  Looking in UK online as a comparison has proved fruitless and even the pics don't correspond.

 

Any recent experience or knowledge of local brands such as those at Lazada below would be much appreciated.

 

http://www.lazada.co.th/shop-treadmills/?dir=desc&sort=pricedesc

[BKKdreaming]

Join a gym.........that will get you out of the house.....

 

Buy used dusty exercise bike and treadmill on Craigslist etc ? ,

then you can sell it again when it gets dusty again

 

Are you doing this for weight ?????   IF so then look at your diet ,

and then search Google and see how long you need to walk or pedal to burn 1 kilo , you will be amazed !

 

I have an expensive Schwinn exercise bike in my front yard , someone paid $400 , I paid $50 delivered , 

I try and use it for 5 - 10 minutes a few times a day when I walk past it  ,

if it was in the house it would soon get buried in clothes I was too lazy to put away.......

 

Really joining a gym is the best if one is close , second best is walking a mile or 2 a day

 

one thing my German friend did after he was told to exercise was to have one of his workers drive him 1-2-3km from work and then he would walk back to the shop.....so maybe take the bus a few stops and walk back home

 

Good Luck

[ezzra]

Don't buy anything expensive as soon, this treadmill will be turned in to a clothes hanger

and an item in the way and soon after it will be advertised for sale in some local website,

trust me, happened to me and happened to many of the people I know, take the advice

of BKKderaming and join a gym, where you get to meet people and have many choices

of activities and equipment to use.....

[williet98248]

Depends on your commitment.  I have an entire gym in my sala. I bought all the equipment second hand for satang on the baht.  My machine is an elliptical trainer that I paid less than half of new for.  I was also able to pick up a universal gym machine for 1500 baht and 500 baht to be delivered.  Probably cost 40-50 K when purchased new.  When it rains I use the trainer. and do weight training using my second hand weights and universal machjine. When good weather I am out on my bicycle for 25-40 kms.  A really big thing is changing your diet cutting wayyyyy back on sugar, salt, alcohol and calories.  My meals average 500-800 cals for about 2000 cals a day.  If you need to lose weight keep a food diary and limit yourself to less than 1800 cals a day plus the cals lost through your exercise program.  You will drop weight like crazy and put on muscle.  You can find 'weight training programs for old guys' on the internet.  I highly recommend the Life Plan by Dr Jeffery Life which is a fitness/diet book specifically aimed at older men.  Amazon or eBay.  Or I will sell you my copy.  Dr Life has the body of a 30 year old man and the face of a 74 year old man.  Five years ago I weighed 204 pounds.  This morning I weighed in at 182.  Waist from 39 inches to 36.  Motivation will be your problem.  Changing your unhealthy, smoking, drinking friends for health conscious people will help a lot.  I have a bike buddy and we push each other.  Try to get out on the bikes at least three times a week.  If you have to go to the bar to visit your friends have one  drink and then change to soda water.  That drink adds at least 140 cals to your food diary.  The packet of sugar in your coffee is 25 cals, etc.  Go home early and get a good night's sleep.  A good motivator is to get a 25 year old non drinking hot girlfriend and try to keep up with her.  Good luck.

[ChrisKC]

Starting an exercise regime is a serious business. Others have commented on the wisdom of not buying expensive equipment - they are right. In any event, you can buy a new, perfectly adequate treadmill for a third of B25000.

I suggest you start modestly until your body becomes accustomed to a sudden change. This means from the point of view of exercise by doing nothing more than a few minutes at a time. The last thing you need is to add injury to whatever existing problems you have.

 

Buy yourself some decent footwear that is comfortable and has proper foot support - that will be good for your back, too.

Get to your nearest open, traffic-free space - a park if there is one. Enjoy the fresh air, walk briskly for a few minutes and then rest, walk a little more. Go home and do it again tomorrow. Ask me to write a very basic walking schedule for you that will help you to build up your efforts while preventing injury.

Good Luck

[mankondang]

A life style change means that whatever you choose to adapt, the you stick to your routine religiously. There for choose an exercise program that you enjoy,....if you don't enjoy it, irrespective of the cost, you will not make it par of your life. From your OP it seems to me that cardiovascular training is your objective, and there is no easier way to do this than walking. It needs no training as it comes natural to us all. Your rout can vary, as can your distance, hence adding variety to ward off boredom. It costs very little, just a good comfortable pair of walking shoes. If your in the countryside then taking a camera with you may lead to some nice photos and add interest to your walk. As does walking with family and friends.

Cardiovascular exercise, for promoting/recuperating from heart disease does not encourage resistance training, such as weight lifting, so joining a gym restricts you to the treadmill, bike and possible swimming, which is another good form of cardiovascular exercise, but take longer to achieve the same results as walk-in, but their combinations have pleasant outcomes.

Whichever exercise program you chose, may I wish you health and happiness from it.

[mcfish]

What happens if you decide to expand into weight training as well? Your going to end up with a whole gym in your house.
Stop this nonsense and join a gym.

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[ChrisKC]

5 minutes ago, mankondang said:

A life style change means that whatever you choose to adapt, the you stick to your routine religiously. There for choose an exercise program that you enjoy,....if you don't enjoy it, irrespective of the cost, you will not make it par of your life. From your OP it seems to me that cardiovascular training is your objective, and there is no easier way to do this than walking. It needs no training as it comes natural to us all. Your rout can vary, as can your distance, hence adding variety to ward off boredom. It costs very little, just a good comfortable pair of walking shoes. If your in the countryside then taking a camera with you may lead to some nice photos and add interest to your walk. As does walking with family and friends.

Cardiovascular exercise, for promoting/recuperating from heart disease does not encourage resistance training, such as weight lifting, so joining a gym restricts you to the treadmill, bike and possible swimming, which is another good form of cardiovascular exercise, but take longer to achieve the same results as walk-in, but their combinations have pleasant outcomes.

Whichever exercise program you chose, may I wish you health and happiness from it.

Most of your comments here I like but sticking to anything "religiously" is not good advice. One should have a plan that can be adjusted in the light of circumstances.

[robblok]

I got a complete home gym, I know of a few others who have one too. But in general a gym membership is much better. (for most people that is).

 

If you do want to buy buy a rowing machine concept 2 (yes above your budget) but its much better for you and will give you more bang for your buck. All those cheap tredmills are just that cheap treadmills they can't compete to one in a gym. A concept rowing machine is much cheaper than a gym quality treadmill (and you train more parts of your body) but you get something high price that you can even (for a price) connect to a computer and see your self row or even compete to others and you got loads of training programs.

 

But like others said.. go for a gym membership. You need to change your life.. that is hard.. do it gradually and like mankodang find something you like. 

[robblok]

4 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

Most of your comments here I like but sticking to anything "religiously" is not good advice. One should have a plan that can be adjusted in the light of circumstances.

 

I disagree.. once you start slacking.. its far more easy to slack the next time. Believe me from someone with years of gym experience. The moment you start to skip sessions (and don't plan new ones) you will fail. 

 

Now planning in a week without training.. sure it can be done.. but the moment you start skipping out it usually is a downhill experience.  

 

That does not mean you can't switch a day (not a problem) or go on a holiday but these should be rare exceptions. The moment you start skipping sessions regularly it will only get worse. (sickness is a good valid excuse)

 

Maybe you are stronger (mentally) then the people I know but they all say the same. Heck its even the same for me if i start skipping the parts in my training that I enjoy less I would never do them. 

[ChrisKC]

As I see it, the OP is needing exercise for health. not fitness reasons. If he has not done any meaningful exercise recently, or ever, he needs to start gradually before embarking on expensive equipment or Gym memberships.

For the first few weeks, he needs only appropriate footwear and no special equipment. When his psyche and his body is acclimatised to his new regime and believing he will stick with it, then he can consider something more elaborate.

[1FinickyOne]

I would definitely start your program at a gym... making the effort to go out of the house w/intent is helpful. If you feel you will maintain the program after 6 months, then maybe you want to begin making a home gym... good luck.

[Deserted]

It's okay to exercise outside also. Just need to do it early or late in the day if you have the time. 

[bark]

Treadmills and exercise bikes, will end up being a place to hang your clothes. Main did !

All you need to do is walk every night for 45 minutes, and a good pace.

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

As I see it, the OP is needing exercise for health. not fitness reasons. If he has not done any meaningful exercise recently, or ever, he needs to start gradually before embarking on expensive equipment or Gym memberships.

For the first few weeks, he needs only appropriate footwear and no special equipment. When his psyche and his body is acclimatised to his new regime and believing he will stick with it, then he can consider something more elaborate.

 

Yes as you see it.. never occured to you that fitness and health are the same thing. Walking just does not cut it. My dad a heart patient does around 10.000 - 15.000 km per year on his bike. Walking is just not enough according to his cardiologist. But I am sure you know better. 

 

BUT i am making the assumption here that this is about the heart, and for that you need more than walking alone. 

 

But you are right about one thing.. easing yourself into a training program should always go gradual .

[dotpoom]

Whenever I feel overweight I dust off my Hula Hoop that I bought a few years ago in a sports shop in Mike's shopping mall. Metal with foam covering (light). 15 mns. at a time about 3 times a day and in a few weeks I feel good again.... It doesn't take long to get into the swing of it (pun intended).

[kingstonkid]

A simple exercise is to walk up stairs either in your house of in your condo .  I I was going to buy anything to get fit then I would buy a fit bit so that you can track what you are doing.

 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, kingstonkid said:

A simple exercise is to walk up stairs either in your house of in your condo .  I I was going to buy anything to get fit then I would buy a fit bit so that you can track what you are doing.

 

 

Yes doing stairs is good.. would be better in a condo then your own home. Fitbit does overstate what you burn by a huge margin but its nice to have as a motivation tool. At least you can compare days. 

[mcfish]

Anything that gets your pulse into the cardio range for your age will work. Mine is between 130-140
Walking is just a waste of time that could be utilised much better
Walking is not a life style change

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[BKKdreaming]

stairs are fine as long as your knees and ankles can take it ,  I still think "walking home" is a good start  , and then a gym

 

What did your Doctor say would be best ?

[robblok]

24 minutes ago, mcfish said:

Anything that gets your pulse into the cardio range for your age will work. Mine is between 130-140
Walking is just a waste of time that could be utilised much better
Walking is not a life style change

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That is the whole point, walking does not do much (it can help burn some fat) but it does not do much for the cardiovascular system. 

[ChrisKC]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

 

I disagree.. once you start slacking.. its far more easy to slack the next time. Believe me from someone with years of gym experience. The moment you start to skip sessions (and don't plan new ones) you will fail. 

 

Now planning in a week without training.. sure it can be done.. but the moment you start skipping out it usually is a downhill experience.  

 

That does not mean you can't switch a day (not a problem) or go on a holiday but these should be rare exceptions. The moment you start skipping sessions regularly it will only get worse. (sickness is a good valid excuse)

 

Maybe you are stronger (mentally) then the people I know but they all say the same. Heck its even the same for me if i start skipping the parts in my training that I enjoy less I would never do them. 

I didn't say anything about slacking or skipping sessions. There are any number of reasons why the plan needs to be adjusted: injury, illness, increasing or decreasing effort, The only thing that needs to be religiously followed is the motivation.

One doesn't mindlessly follow THE plan but one should continue with A plan, or schedule I prefer to call it, that is flexible.

[ChrisKC]

1 hour ago, mcfish said:

Anything that gets your pulse into the cardio range for your age will work. Mine is between 130-140
Walking is just a waste of time that could be utilised much better
Walking is not a life style change

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Yes, but you have to walk before you can run. Walking is not a waste of time. Some people, according to their current body state and ability have to start at the beginning. If there is an existing heart condition, it isn't a good idea to go belting it from day one.

Going to the gym, walking or running or biking are not in themselves a life-style change; it's simply a new activity.

Unfortunately, most Doctors are good only for advising a regime of exercise is required; they have no idea how to advise on a proper schedule.

[robblok]

12 minutes ago, ChrisKC said:

I didn't say anything about slacking or skipping sessions. There are any number of reasons why the plan needs to be adjusted: injury, illness, increasing or decreasing effort, The only thing that needs to be religiously followed is the motivation.

One doesn't mindlessly follow THE plan but one should continue with A plan, or schedule I prefer to call it, that is flexible.

We are probably talking about the same thing. Its hard to really quantify but my experience is that if you start skipping (injury, illness good reasons) its easier to skip the next time too.

 

Yes motivation is the best thing, but in reality its not always fun to do. I like my training sessions but there often days that I rather just skip them (no mood feeling a little less ect) I know that if I give in at those occasions it will get worse and worse. 

 

I have my ups and downs in how I feel about training (now in a up).. but when I am in a down it comes down to sticking to the schedule. There are times i switch the days or the time when i train. (that is normal that is not skipping)

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

I would definitely start your program at a gym... making the effort to go out of the house w/intent is helpful. If you feel you will maintain the program after 6 months, then maybe you want to begin making a home gym... good luck.

I never see any mention of exercise parks on these Thaivisa  keep fit or lose weight topics. I live up in the sticks, no gyms nearby, but

there is an exercise park I use about five days a week.

Do the small towns and villages in Thailand not have exercise parks like my village does?

[1FinickyOne]

Just now, possum1931 said:

I never see any mention of exercise parks on these Thaivisa  keep fit or lose weight topics. I live up in the sticks, no gyms nearby, but

there is an exercise park I use about five days a week.

Do the small towns and villages in Thailand not have exercise parks like my village does?

 My village does not - and I am in town every afternoon to pick up my niece... there are some exercise parks scattered here and there, not particularly on my route - but, the equipment looks old, and rusty, no motorization as on my fitness center treadmill, and so for the 30 baht daily fee, I get some comfort from being in both shade [indoors] and a/c... and having better equipt. -- the outdoor stuff does not call out to my soul... 

[JSixpack]

1 hour ago, mcfish said:

Anything that gets your pulse into the cardio range for your age will work. Mine is between 130-140
Walking is just a waste of time that could be utilised much better
Walking is not a life style change

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Walking is  indeed beneficial. 17 Health Benefits of Walking. OP can run or do intervals on his treadmill.

 

OP, get a good used (or new) treadmill as you plan. Just 'cause others here are using theirs as a clothes hanger doesn't mean that you will. In fact lots of people do use their home exercise equipment, including treadmills. You can do bodyweight exercises, and even better with a suspension trainer. A doorframe pull up bar would be nice. I say that for the average person (average), bodyweight is all he needs and is the least likely to cause injury. So convenient and saves time & money.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=body+weight+workout

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trx+workout

[JSixpack]

7 minutes ago, possum1931 said:

I never see any mention of exercise parks on these Thaivisa  keep fit or lose weight topics.

 

You'll need to pay more attention. http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/931554-toning-up-losing-weight-keeping-fit-with-minimal-facilities-photos/

 

Not sure how motivating going to one of those really is. Good for those who can use it regularly, even in the rainy season.

[mcfish]

I had to chukle about the clothes rack a few posts back. My ex wife blew out after being pregnant and bought a rowing machine from some infomercial.. We'll let's just say there are far cheaper ways to hang wet towels lol

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[robblok]

4 minutes ago, JSixpack said:

 

Walking is  indeed beneficial. 17 Health Benefits of Walking. OP can run or do intervals on his treadmill.

 

OP, get a good used (or new) treadmill as you plan. Just 'cause others here are using theirs as a clothes hanger doesn't mean that you will. In fact lots of people do use their home exercise equipment, including treadmills. You can do bodyweight exercises, and even better with a suspension trainer. I say that for the average person (average), bodyweight is all he needs and is the least likely to cause injury. So convenient and saves time & money.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=body+weight+workout

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=trx+workout

I have been looking.. but can't find how it benefits the heart (normal walking) it just does not raise the heart-rate enough. It might have some benefits but for the heart its doubtful. So far looking at sites like WebMD advertise brisk walking.. meaning you need to walk fast to at least put effort in it. 

 

Your remark about people not using their gyms.. you know I have a home gym and use it a lot.. but people like me.. and some other that i know are not the norm. Most buy a piece of equipment and use it as a clothes hanger. 

 

But he could be one of those that does not.