you're not out a load of $$ if you end up not finding you don't use it as much.

Hi uppity, that looks like a decent machine exercise wise. I've collected a number of machines over the last several years after I too determined I wanted to get more fit. I also had assumed for a long time that my daily work (outdoors, as a builder) was sufficient for basic activity... and it certainly helped. But active as I was, I was seldom pushing my muscles to new levels of work and certainly wasn't working at aerobic levels for more than brief moments.

Your machine is certainly a low impact one, your joints -especially knees and ankles- will thank you. Both exercises can really get your heart going especially if done in the 'burst' mode of "high impact- interval" (google HIIT or tabata training)

I have a recombant bike/rower that I like a lot. Also an old treadmill, and my two favorites, popular from 'exercise era of the 90s'
a "Health Rider" and a tony little Gazelle strider. Both of which can be found on Craigslist often for around $25.

I like the variety of moving to different machines in my (now a little crowded) basement. However, I always include a bunch of plain old push ups, sit ups, burpbees, chin ups, jumping jacks, etc that involve no machine and therefore no investment.

May I also recommend several books I found helpful: Smart Exercise by longtime fitness guru Covert Bailey, and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, and any book detailing the "Mediterranean diet"

Good luck on your 'journey towards health' !

-F2C

I dislike the feel of the cheap home machines. I scored a Precor elliptical at a thrift shop for about $300 and have loved it. But it would have been several thousand dollars new. Another idea, look for a used spin class bike. Those are really smooth to exercise on, don't take a ton of space and are relatively inexpensive.

I second looking on Craigslist. People get tired of giving up the floor space for the exercise machines that they aren't using and sell them cheap.

Another idea, I have a small trampoline that I bought for my son's OT. But it is also fun for short cardio sessions and didn't cost much.

I have used Lifecycles and Stairmasters at the gym and I love them. Seriously, my butt and legs never looked as good as when I was using those. The one thing I'd be worried about is the sturdiness of the one you're looking at.

If it says it can handle your weight and if you can put it together tightly and are able to really work out on it without having to tighten it up after every use then I wouldn't be worried about buying it.

I like what others here have said about trying to find a really expensive one for cheap, too. But personally, I think the one you're looking at sounds like a good deal.

Anyway, I loved working out on the Stairmaster and Lifecycle. They were addictive for me. And if you have one at home you can watch movies and it'll be private and you can do it whenever you want to, sounds awesome to me.