Hate to Exercise? Try a Mini Stepper

I admit that I hate to exercise ~ always have and probably always will. Yet, I have found a way to get my exercise on and it hasn't been all that painful. An easy and quick exercise for those who want to stay in shape but are short on time, can’t afford a gym membership or hate to exercise is to work out on a mini-stepper machine. Just exercising for 15 minutes a day can provide a lot of benefits.

My experience: I bought my mini stepper from Amazon for around $50 dollars. I have been using it for about 8 weeks now, every day, with some great results. I only use it about an average of 15 mins a day. Maybe, I do about 300 steps a day, burning only about 300 calories a week. You can very your own workouts and step numbers to intensify or lesson your workout. This machine is the first exercise equipment I have actually used for longer than a few days, and so I would highly recommend it for those who like me are exercise resistant. I do the minimum and still have seen an improvement in my overall health.

• Easy to use: It can’t get easier than walking up and down. The resistance settings can provide you with a harder workout than simply walking and in a shorter amount of time.
• Convenience: Can use it anytime, rain or shine. Don’t have to go outside in the rain, cold, heat or darkness to get a workout. No reason to put it off. Can break down my routine to do a few steps in the morning and the rest in the evening. Don’t have to drive through traffic to get to the gym. All these conveniences limit the traditional excuses to skip a day of exercise.
• Size: So small, you can take it with you if you are traveling by car. It can fit in your car, under the bed or in a closet. It is so easy to store and pull out when you want to use it.
• Affordable: Use this machine a few weeks and it has basically paid for itself. At well under $100 for most brands of machines, mini-steppers are less than a gym membership and not as expensive as those big exercise machines that often sit in the garage unused for years. You don’t have to use the mini-stepper many times in order to justify the cost.
• Multi-tasking: You can use your mini stepper while watching television, listening to music or looking out your window.

I am not saying that you are going to lose 100 pounds just by doing a few steps. However, a mini-stepper can provide the following benefits:

• Help maintain your weight: A mini-stepper will help you keep off those extra pounds. You might not lose weight right away, as the exercise from a mini-stepper is probably less than what is necessary to lose weight. However, you will be able to maintain your weight, and your body will not so easily pick up new weight.
• Tone your body: Stepping will tone your butt and thighs, slowly getting rid of those fat dimples that can be so annoying to look at.
• Increase your energy levels: Stepping increases your energy and stamina, and you will find you have more energy for your favorite activities such as shopping, gardening or playing with your kids, grandkids or pets.
• Improve your mood: Happy endorphins are released with the physical activity, reducing your stress levels and uplifting your spirits. In fact, be sure to exercise when you are upset or stressed as you will start to feel better almost immediately.
• Increase your health: Exercise helps maintain your overall health, reducing your chances of getting colds and flus.

• Weight Limits: Most mini-steppers have weight limits. Mine has a limit of 250 pounds. If people who exceed this limit use the machine, it might break.
• Fitness levels vary: Your workout should be enough to get your heart rate pumping so each person would have a different number of steps to do in order to feel the benefits. If you are not in shape, you will probably need to start off with less steps and slowly build up. If you are in great shape, than my 300 steps a day might not do anything for you.
• Remember: You mini-stepper workout is in addition to what you already do everyday that burns calories. Whatever you do at work such as walking up the steps, walking from the parking lot to your car, or walking to the coffee shop also burns calories. The stepper is hopefully not your only exercise, simply an addition and formalized way to make sure you are being active.
• Bored: Yeah, it can get boring to use the stepper. But, it is only for a few minutes a day so you can take it. I use the machine while I watch television, so the time goes by fast. Believe me, watching your thigh dimples start to disappear will get your over the boredom.
• Results take time: Stick with your routine. It takes time to see results. Increase your stamina day by day to get where you want to be.

Believe me. No one hates exercise more than me. Yet, I have been able to stick with the mini-stepper. I love that I feel better every day and that it was so easy to just do a little bit of exercise to feel this way. Maybe one day, I might even get to the point where I love to exercise and join a gym. I will keep you updated . . .