Recumbent Bike Review

So, we finally found a recumbent bike to fit our budget and my bod, within reason. Seat and back are fairly comfie, and it reclines a bit which helps me pedal it more comfortably. I tried it out today for a workout and loved it! I think this will finally do the trick. I've tried several types of machines and workouts and they usually end in frustration over the parts I can't do without major discomfort (no pain, no gain? no thanks.... exercise -can- be fun and reasonably comfortable... I know, I was once a gym rat... but I'm not into hurting myself and in the shape I'm in, I need to be careful and respectful of my body).

Anyway, the biking felt good and productive, finally. Some of the exercise programs I've tried may have been reasonably gentle, such as Scott Sonnen's "Warrior Wellness" (the initial range of motion recovery session), which I still recommend, but I've really wanted a more aerobic workout within my limits. I know I need to revitalize my metabolism and reach an aerobic level to get things moving again.... that no amount of dieting is going to make much of a difference in my particular situation without an exercise component. Bikes, smoothly working those large leg muscles, are faster fat burners than many machines and exercises, and yet, to me, they're still kinda fun... I feel I get more accomplished with less pain than with any other machine.

So, anyway... rave review on the recumbent bike front. We chose a Stamina 15-4800 model from Play It Again Sports. Way more comfortable than the Gold's Gym version at WalMart... it's seat parked me straight upright, if not leaning forward a bit, and really strained my back and doubled me up too much for good leg range of motion. I also like that the Stamina model has a super easy dial for adjusting the tension, placed where one can change it while still sitting on the bike. It also comes with 6 programs, a timer, calories burned counter, and blood pressure checkplates in the handles. The electronics for it take two AA batteries whereas the Gold's Gym bike used a few D sized batteries.

Wish me luck!