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First of all, why should we exercise? I’m sure that you can think of many reasons not to exercise aerobically; here are a few reasons why you should:

• Strengthen the muscles of respiration and reduces resistance to air flow.
• Improve the strength and pumping efficiency of the heart.
• Tones muscles throughout the body.
• Improve circulation.
• Improve the body’s ability to transport oxygen.
• Helps to improve blood pressure.
• Increases blood volume.
• Improve ratio of fat to lean body tissue.
• Reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Increases bone mineral mass

…and the list goes on.

Most people exercise aerobically to lose weight, but which exercise should you use and for how long? The answer to the first part of the question is simple. The best exercise you can do is one that will be done on a consistent basis. In other words, if walking is your preference then that is the best exercise. The answer to the second part of the question needs a little more explanation.

Walk into any fitness store or watch any infomercial and you may hear that all you need is 12 minutes a day, or 15 minutes or 20 minutes a day. How do you know which one is the correct time frame? Technically speaking, they all are. The reason is that depending on the exercise, the minimum one needs may be as low as 12 minutes a day, or as high as 20. Confused? Let’s take a deeper look.

Previous thought on exercise was that you needed to burn sugar before fat was used by the muscles as its primary source of fuel. Therefore, you must workout for 12 minutes before you will start burning fat. The fact of the matter is that muscles derive most of their energy from fat, unless a large amount of exertion is used such as lifting heavy weights. Muscles use fat while sitting on the couch watching Melrose Place or when you take your very first step at step class. The times in the tables below reflect the minimums needed to produce growth of fat burning enzymes.

Table 1 shows the minimum amount of time you need to start producing the growth of fat burning enzymes. It would be quite easy and tempting to use these exercises at their minimums, however, what should be planned is a duration of between 20 and 60 minutes to receive maximum benefits. The main objective of an aerobic exercise program is to increase the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can process within a given time (Cooper, 1990). The development of efficient lungs, a powerful heart and strong vascular system is, above all else, the primary goal of an aerobic program. The more oxygen one can process, the more fat that can be burned. Twelve minutes a day will not achieve this.

Table 2 lists exercises and an approximation of calories burned during one hour of exercise. From these tables we can try to answer this article’s main question, “What is the best aerobic machine for you?” Let’s take a look at the three most common pieces of equipment; the stair climber, the treadmill and the stationary bicycle.

The stair climber is a piece of equipment that basically mimics the act of climbing a flight of stairs. These can be found almost anywhere. Many types clutter the market and make for difficult decisions as to which one to use. The type that is best to use is one that allows for natural motion. This would include independent pedals with a stepping range that will allow the feeling of actually walking up a flight of stairs. Potential for long term fat burning is high with little risk of injury. Beginners will find it easy to master as well as challenging to the veteran of exercise. They are safe for the overweight and those who are pregnant.

Stationary bicycling is an excellent means to achieve cardiovascular fitness as well, and like the stair climber can be found almost anywhere. The bicycle allows for a comfortable lower body workout with little joint trauma. This is most often the first means of exercise in rehabilitation for cardiac patients as well as those who have suffered injuries to the lower body. As the stair climbers mentioned before, stationary bicycles mimic bicycling on the road without needing the use of balance. Potential for long term fat burning is moderate at best. The risk of injury is very low. This is a very safe exercise for the elderly, overweight, beginners and those who are pregnant.

Treadmills can be found as abundantly as the two subsequent options. Unlike the stair climber and stationary bicycle, the treadmill is an impact and weight bearing exercise. It allows you to integrate more muscle mass into one exercise. This in turn allows more calories to be spent and greater work output from the cardiovascular system. The catch here is that this is dependent upon the incline and speed of movement. Risk of injury is low excluding those with lower body joint problems, otherwise, an excellent exercise for everyone.

Remember, the best exercise one can do is an exercise that will be done consistently. These are some of the best options. There will come a time when one will become bored with an exercise, and that is when exercise becomes inconsistent. To keep from getting stale, look at exercise programs and machines as tools for a means of achieving one’s goal. This goal is fitness. Changing these tools periodically will keep you from getting stale and bring more excitement into achieving your goal.