I have no time to go to the Gym or to go for walks and get any kind of exercize . I was wondering if anybody could help me figure out what kind of equipment would be the best to buy to exercise at home.
I can afford to buy only one piece, so I have to decide between the Step Machine, Exercycle or something like the Gazelle ( I don't have space for anything bigger.) The one piece that will help the max. areas.

Problem areas I would like to concentrate are abdomen, hips, thighs and arms (as if there was anything left...)

Please help!!!

Just wondering... if you don't have time for anything, what are you going to do with this piece of equipment?

In my opinion, the gazelle is a piece of crap. All you do is move your arms a bit and swing your legs at the hips. My sister-in-law has one (she is very out of shape, BTW), and all she does is talk about how you only do it 3 times a week for 20 minutes, she says she doesn't even break a sweat (which is saying something because after 5 minutes of my body sculpt class she was dripping), and the little counter says in 20 minutes you burn 250 calories (obviously calculated by the marketing team, IMO). Well, obviously not! There are no easy routes, you can't get a workout without exhertion; her physique is proof of that.

I'd say do whatever you can motivate yourself to do. If you hate to walk, don't buy a treadmill! If you like to bike, that's a good option.

Go to ebay and get a used NordicTrack cross country ski machine. They can be had for around $150. They last forever and give as good a workout as any piece of exercise equipment on the market.

Thanks. What I meant was, I don't have the time to go out of the house to get some exercise done ...what with kids and homework and cooking and.....some million things to do!!!

But, since I can now rule out the Gazelle...what I would need is some advice .....between the exercycle and the step machine...which of them would target the most areas...

With the step machine I can target the thighs, hips, calves...but does it do anything for the abdomen?...unless you are pulling in your stomach while using the step machine...

with the exercycle, I'm worried about not working the hips (because I'm sitting on the machine), though it's great for the thighs and calves and abdomen ...

The treadmill is too big for my room...so thats out too.

Well? What do you think?

I have had my recumbant bike for over 15 years and still love it. I also have a shelf of exercise videos (weights, yoga, pilates) that I use every day.

See my journal here for ideas and PM me if you need more help.

Find out what you like and just do it!

A bench and a variety of dumbells > all. Although, if you say you don't have time..(as a trainer I have heard this thousands of times)... you need to prioritize your health. If some one said they were going to give you 500 dollars, but you had to come sit with them for an hour, could you make time? I bet you would. Priorities my friend, priorites. Why is your health not the most important thing to you?

if you cant afford much then get these in order untill your money runs out.

Training shoes
swiss ball/exercise ball
skipping rope
yoga mat
yoga dvd
a bar to do chin-ups on.
dumbells and weights
barbell
bench

you can easily get all this for the price of any machine.

an angle adjustable bench + some weight + a good training rutine and you are good to go. It doesn`t really take too much of your time.

VersaClimber is the single best IMHO...

http://www.versaclimber.com/

sorry to hear from what you said. I suggest you use the trampoline.
It can help you lose weight an d keep fit ,especially for the thigh, It is a small sports equipment , can used in the door or outdoor, It can't take up much space in your room. After you do the exercises you can folded the trampoline and pack it in a bag . Included the product there is a VCD, you can do the GYM according to the teacher doing!
The pay is very cheap !

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Strange, but you don't see alot about rowing anymore, but if you could afford it, I'd recommend the Concept 2 rower. I've been a gym member for a couple of years, stringently working out an average of 3 times a week. When I was new to the gym, the elliptical was my method of choice, with a switch off and on to the bike, and on Saturdays, spinning. Needing a change, ( having grown bored with it) I received some instruction on the Concept 2, and haven't gone back since. The results I received from rowing are incomparable to any other piece of equipment I've used. My workout consists of about 45 minutes weight training, followed by 30 minutes rowing.
Rowing is a total body workout, and it's resculpted my backside. Everyone has their favourites of course, but if you want results, this is the machine for you. But like several people alluded to already, you have to put the effort in, to get the results out.

Its hardly a "total body workout"
there is no use of the chest, triceps, abs, little oblique and lat work.

its hasn't Re-sculpted your backside, its just helped you lose weight.

The problem with rowing is that if your form is not good then you can end up with dome very nasty back problems. Thats why rowing is not a popular as it used to be because PT's are directing people towards cross trainers.

With all due respect, I think I know my body a little better than you, having lived with it for 46 years. I never needed to lose weight, so the changes I've seen in my physique since using the rower cannot be credited to that.
I may have misrepresented what I intended to say. I don't rely on rowing only; as mentioned, I weight train on a regular basis. But as far as my cardio workout goes, I have found the Concept 2 (of course, when used properly), has done far more for me overall than the crosstrainer or stationary bike. The only cardio workout that provides me with the same intensity and variety, is spinning. As far as people using improper form on the rower, the same can be said for almost any piece of equipment found in a gym, including the crosstrainer.

Dutchan - Your talking crap. You sound like your trying to argue with me but your not actually going against anything ive said.

My girlfriend is a gym instructor and told me that they now have to put X-trainer on all newcommers workouts, but leave the rower off unless they have experiance. this is due to the number of back problems. I never said anything about your technique.

secondly, I made the point that its not a "total body workout" as you clamed. which is true, machine rowing does nothing for chest, triceps.

Who has the homework, you or the kids? If it is the kids, that means they are in school for a number of hours a day. I would say get yourself a bike (and the kids), get out and enjoy the fresh air.