Best workout Equipment

Here you are, standing in a sea of cardiovascular equipment at the gym – rows upon rows of treadmills, elliptical machines, stair steppers, rowing machines, stationary bikes, and more.

So which one do you choose: The machine that is supposed to get you the most fit; the one that burns the most calories; or the device that has least impact on your joints?

"When it comes to exercise and weight management, a good assumption is that if someone needs to exercise for weight management, they’re probably pretty easily turned off by exercise, " says Stamford, professor and chairman of the department of exercise science at Hanover College in Hanover, Ind. "The worst thing to do is to mold someone into something because people say it is the best."

So instead of choosing the treadmill for the calorie-burning factor, or the elliptical trainer your friend recommended, figure out which machine feels best to you, he suggests. "What is it going to take to get you compliant?" he asks. "Everything else is secondary."

Nashville exercise physiologist Kathy Alexander agrees: "The best aerobic piece of equipment is the one you’re most willing to use, " she says.

Choosing a Machine

Here's the lowdown on what you can expect from some of the machines you're likely to find at your local gym.

1. The Treadmill

The treadmill burns the most calories of any of the cardiovascular machines available at most gyms, says Alexander. You can expect to burn about 100 calories per mile, walking briskly.