New Weight Loss Products

Sunny Indoor Cycling Bike - How nice would it be to have your own indoor bicycle?  Pedal away the pounds with this fully loaded workout machine.  Fully adjustable seat and handlebars. 26 lb flywheel. Magnetic resistance guarantees smooth and quiet workout .

Magnetic Elliptical Trainer – This deluxe elliptical trainer is the ultimate value in home gym equipment with high-quality features such as large anti-slip platforms, a hand pulse monitoring system and high quality magnetic resistance with 8 levels of workout.   You’ll even get an elliptical training monitor to monitor your heartbeat and keep tabs on your time, speed, distance, calories, pulse, IPM and body fat!

See all Sunny Fitness Products

Designer Whey – The Biggest Loser Protein Powder - As used by Al Vincent on “The Biggest Loser”.  Packed with vital B Vitamins and Protein, this powder will keep you feeling satisfied and away from fatty snacks.

Optygen HP - This revolutionary formula is the result of human clinical trials and the latest scientific research on increasing endurance and performance. New features include Beta-Alanine as well the most potent Rhodiola available.

Get in shape on the disc!  It’s all the rage at gyms across the country.  Choose from the Fun Disc, Fit Disc, Trim Disc and Sport Disc and you’ll increase your balance, flexibility and core strength in no time.   If you play sports, disc workouts can make a huge improvement in your performance.   

Inversion Table - After a stressful day or to relieve sore muscles and back pain, nothing works like an inversion table.  Supports up to 300lbs. 

Let us help you build an affordable home gym.  Shop all Home Fitness Equipment for more ideas.  And for all your dietary supplements and weight loss/weight gain products, see our Dietary Products Category.  Have a healthy day!  And, as always, thanks for your business.

Its effects may be gradual, but yoga, when practiced regularly, will rock your mind, body and spirit.

Why Yoga?

The longer you go without stretching, repeating the same basic muscle movements every day, the more likely you will lose your range of motion and be unable to move freely.  Yoga can help balance your body and keep it free of aches of pains.  Even women in nursing homes who regularly participate in yoga classes have fewer complaints of aches & pains than women who are sedentary.  It has also been proven to reduce medication requirments in those with asthma and has long been know to be more effective than splinting patients with carpal tunnel syndrome.  If you have arthritis in your hands, you can reduce tenderness, pain during activity, and improve range of motion.

One of the major benefits of yoga is its effect on anxiety.  Because yoga practice involves breathing and meditation, yoga practitioners are more likely to be calmer and less likely to react negatively to outside circumstances.

Getting Started in Yoga

First you need to do a little research and decide which type of yoga will best suit your personality, lifestyle and current level of fitness.  I have taken yoga classes at yoga studios and at the gym, and I also have several yoga tapes for home practice.  I enjoy both and choose whatever works best for my schedule and mood.  I use my tapes every morning before breakfast.   AllegroMedical.com’s most popular yoga DVD is Everyday Yoga – Hips and Knees DVD.   It includes 5 different daily yoga practices that can be performed Monday through Friday, to keep it fresh.

Note to those who think they can’t do it:  Even after practicing yoga for years I am by no means a pro at this, and if I can do it, anyone can.  It’s how it makes me feel that keeps me going.  I’ll never be able to bend like a pretzel, but hey, I do what I can and that’s enough.  Remember, it’s called yoga ‘practice’.

To find a class in your area, check out the Yoga Journal Directory or your local paper.  If you’re just starting out, a hatha or vinyasa class would probably be best.   You can try other ones down the line.  I have friends that swear by the “hot yoga” classes. 

Yoga Equipment, Videos and Clothing

Yoga Mats - Also called sticky mats.  You can sometimes rent or use a mat at a yoga studio or gym, but really you will want your own mat for hygiene reasons.

Yoga Starter Kit - This has everything a beginning yoga student needs, including yoga blocks, a tote bag to take to class, a sticky mat, straps and a postures poster for reference.  You can also buy these essential yoga props, yoga foam blocks, yoga straps, a yoga mat and a small pillow or blanket separately.

Yoga Balls - Besides the essentials, there are some fun exercise balls and a FitBall Yoga DVD you might want to try at home. 

See all Yoga Videos/DVDs

See all Exercise Books and Videos

Pants – A pair of shorts or sweatpants will do, but you might look for special yoga pants that are fitted but give full range of motion.  Some are fitted at the top but slit at the bottom so you can check your alignment.

See all Yoga Equipment

See all Exercise/Fitness

The effects on your body from yoga are quite different that those you’ll find from traditional exercise.  Yoga is slow, dynamic, static.  Effort is minimized and awareness is internal.  The parasympathetic nervous system and the sucortical regions of the brain dominates.  Traditional  exercise is the opposite.  It involves maximum effort, muscle tension, cortical brain domination, forceful movements and external awareness.  Yoga carries a low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments.  Less so with exercise.

If you can, do both.  If you want to get started on something that will unite your mind, body and spirit.  Something that helps you find harmony, then I suggest yoga.

Namaste (I bow to you).

Allegro’s Top Summer Products

Chillow Pillows - How about a pillow that keeps you cool but needs no electricity!?  We even have them for your pets… and your keyboard.  Chill out with two, at night.  Sleep nice and cool with one under the neck and one between the knees.  That’s what I do.  Get both in the Chillow Pak.

 Waterproof Cast Covers – Don’t let a cast, prosthesis, IV/PICC or ostomy spoil your water fun!  Bathe or swim with confidence with these completely waterproof covers.  All sizes.  Very highly rated.

See all Dry Pro Waterproof Products, including PICC or IV Line Protectors, Prosthesis Covers and Ostomy Covers.

Cocoons Sunglasses – The only sunglasses in the world that completely isolate your eyes from the elements.  Patented 360 degrees of advanced UV protection, available in a range of styles that can be worn over your prescription glasses or as conventional sunglasses.  And they look cool too!

Water Fitness - Get a high calorie burn and aerobic conditioning while in the water with these great water exercise products.  Water takes the impact out of exercise – a great benefit for those with knee pain, hip pain or weight problems.

See all Water Exercise Equipment for belts, webbed gloves, water dumbbells, underwater MP3Players, caps, goggles, noodles, aqua workout CDs and more.  We even have an Underwater Treadmill!

Sandals – We have summer sandals to fit any foot.   And they are cute, cute, cute.  The men’s sandals are extremely stylish too.  Do you wear a 14 wide?  Orthotics? Have foot pain? Diabetes?  We have shoes for you!  Drew, Aetrex, Apex.  Popular, well made shoes that are great for everyone’s feet and they are made to last.

See all Shoes and Insoles including athletic shoes, boots, socks, therapeutic shoes, Superfeet insoles, foot pads & heel cups.

Have a great summer!  Let us know if you need help finding something.  If we don’t have it on the site, we’ll see if we can get it.

Whatever gets you moving . . . congratulations!  Seriously.   Any exercise is beneficial as long as you are working to your fitness level and doing it ’right’. 

Alas, nobody’s perfect and we sometimes hurt ourselves.  Here are some products designed specifically for the prevention and treatment of sports injuries. 

Injury Prevention Products

Stretching.  The most common sports injuries are caused by not stretching  your muscles before exercise.  The ProStretch and ProStretch Doubleare among our most popular products, and for good reason.  They reduce your risk of injury, improve lower extremity strength, balance, proprioception and flexibility.  Plus they make your legs look and feel fantastic.

See all ProStretch and Stretch-Rite

 Agility.  This 101 Agility Drills book will guide you through the routines to help you stop, start and change direction of the body rapidly and in a controlled manner.  Coaches and athletes, listen up.  It’s not too early to prepare for fall sports.  Agility training will prevent injuries and give you a leg up on the competition.  Some agility products include the Dot Drill Mat, Agility Dots, Agility Rings, Agility Ladder, Running Parachute and Stackable Steps.

Flexibility.  Get on the Ball!  I promise that flexibility will be yours if you consistently work out on the ball.  We have many brands and sizes to fit every budget and every exercise goal.   Get a FitBall Exercise DVD for overall fitness, the  Strength Training on the Ball Book to get even stronger, or how about a Pilates on the Ball DVD for a great workout and (for me) a lot of laughs.

Balance.  Shop our huge selection of balance products.  I can’t stress enough how good balance will change your life.  No matter how old you are, you can improve your balance.  Read 21 Reasons to Improve your Balance.

See all Exercise/Fitness Products

Injury Treatment Products

Cold Packs. Keep one in your freezer at all times for aches, pains, sports injuries and muscle pulls (or to wrap around something in the cooler on the way to the picnic).  Always put a layer of dry terry towels between you and the ColPac! 

Not sure when to use heat or ice?  Read Arthritis Pain – Which is Best, Heat or Ice?

See all Hot/Cold Therapy

Spa Therapy.  Bubble your troubles away.  Yes, it’s true.  You can have a portable whirlpool spa right in your house, or on your patio, or in your backyard – at a fraction of the cost of a traditional hot tub.

Treat all your sore muscle aches & pains with products from Allegro’s Muscle Pain Category.

Wound Care.  Hey booboos happen, even to adults.   Be prepared for cuts and scrapes with first aid kits, bandages, dressings, gauze & prep pads.  We have it all in our Wound Care Category. 

Therapeutic Bands and Braces.  These brilliant little gizmos absorb shock and support your tendons so you can relieve your pain and still live your life.  See our popular products for knee injuries and elbow/forearm support.

Shin Supports.  These wraps alleviate shin splints and relieve calf & muscle pain.  Too bad we didn’t have these around when we were running concrete stairs and bleachers in high school.  Good times.

Ankle Supports.  Ankle and foot injuries happen all the time.  Check out our Ankle/Foot Orthotics products if you are having ankle pain, weak ankles or just need support for your feet.  We have lots of specialized insoles and heel cups,  ankle braces, splints and supports and products to relieve the pain of plantar fasciitis.

Back Supports.  These are used for both prevention and treatment of back pain and injury.  Choose from traditional back supports, abdominal binders, posture aids, hernia splints and more.

See all Orthopedic Products and sort by popularity, price or product name.

If you’ve been reading my blogs you know that I try to stay fit without a gym membership.  I like the freedom and it saves me money.  I hike and walk, mostly, but I also do Yoga and Pilates indoors, along with some weight lifting and balance training.  Here are a few of my favorite exercise products for the home gym or back yard. 

Summer Fitness Products

 Bongo Board Balance Board – Our #1 most popular fitness product.  Used by snow boarders, skateboarders and anyone who just wants to get strong and have fun!  Read 21 Reasons to Improve your Balance. 

See All Balance Products

 Sunny Elite Eliptical Trainer – A full-on, brand new eliptical trainer in your home for only $365?  I’m totally serious.  Check it out.

See All Elipticals

 Door Gym Upper Body Toner – If you don’t have much money, space or time, this is for you.  Oh, and you can’t be more than 200 lbs.   With this one low-cost product you can do perfect push-ups, pull-ups, sit ups, dips and crunches.

 Fitball Hop Balls – You might think that we only sell these for kids.  Not true!  If you weigh under 600 lb. then grab a rubber handle and bounce off those love handles.  Fun for the whole family.

See All Exercise Rolls & Balls

 Thera-Band Resistance Bands – Buy these stretchy fat-melting arm-toning magic tubes by the yard and make them whatever length you want.  Each color provides a different resistance level.  There are hundreds of exercises you can do.  Very popular in gyms.  Also available as  FitBall Pre-Cut Bands.

See all Exercise Bands & Tubes

 ProStretch – Unilateral Calf Stretcher.  For stretching your calves (no, not the farm animal kind).  This is one of our most popular products.  Has been for years.   All workouts begin with a stretch.  Might as well make it a good one.

See all Stretching Products

Lex Loops Exercise Band –  I’ve never used these but they must be good because they’ve been profiled on The View and in Good Housekeeping magazine as a great tool for helping you shed pounds and tone up. 

 Pedal Exerciser Stationary Bike – It’s only $29.95. Such a great bargain for something that does so much.  Must be why it has a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars! You can pedal with your arms or legs, in a seated position.  A good workout  for all fitness levels ages and abilities.   Tension can be controlled to adjust pedaling resistance.

See All Pedlars & Exercisers

 AquaBell Travel Weights –  Take your dumbbells with you on vacation.  That didn’t sound right.  Anyway…these hand weights collapse to fit in your suitcase and then you just fill them with water, to whatever level you want, and you have hand weights!  Get the Aqua Bell Combo Set complete with ankle weights.

See all Wrist, Ankle & Free Weights

Order today! There’s still time to work off the winter jiggle.

See all Exercise & Fitness Products

Ahhh, the brain. 

As I am quoted in the May 5, 2009 issue of Woman’s Day Magazine (pg. 118), “I keep losing and gaining the same 10 lbs.”  And after recently eating my way through Cabo, New Orleans and New York, I am sitting squarely on top of that 10 lbs. 

So, here’s my plan.  I’ll focus on ‘not gaining weight’ instead of…dare i say it… losing weight, by June 19th.  I’ll use little tricks to get my brain to think I’m just being a good girl, not really trying to lose weight, and I’ll TRICK it into doing my bidding. Diabolical, or merely pathetic?  Either way, if I get started not gaining weight now, I should be right where I want to be in  65 days.

My NO GAIN Plan:

• Continue the daily walks, but go faster so… so… I can get to work earlier.  Yeah!  Jog, walk, jog, walk.  I’ll imagine I’m being chased by someone who wants to tickle me.  It will improve bladder control.  Maybe I’ll take a longer walk too.  For my dog’s sake, not mine.

• When I get home from work I’ll relax with “Pilates for Weight Loss”.  Only I won’t call it Pilates for Weight Loss.  I’ll call it Pilates for People Who Don’t Want to Gain Weight, or  better yet Pilates for Calm, Flexible, Happy People.  Or something shorter.  Todd will do it with me and I’ll pretend it is all for him.  That I’m teaching him to relax.  Yeah.  If I end up looking all lean and cool, so be it.

• Our hikes will become ‘nature hikes’ but they’ll be FAST nature hikes.  And I won’t call them hikes. I’ll call them ‘quick walks up and down steep hills’… or maybe something shorter.  I’ll concentrate on the flora and fauna of the beautiful desert as I whisk by, calling out each cactus and snake by name.

• I’ll say no to white food.  It’s gauche to eat white before memorial day.  Vegetables and fruits will be my friend and everything else,  merely acquaintances.  An apple a day will keep the doctor away.  And my Slim Fast lunches?  I imbibe strictly for the great taste, efficiency, daily fiber and joys of regularity.  

• I’ll take my balance training products outside so I’ll have something to do while becoming one with nature.   Who cares if I get a strong core and killer abs in the process?  The important thing is that I will be grounded, free of stress and I won’t wobble like a weeble when I’m old.  For inspiration I’ll re-read my article 21 Reasons to Improve Your Balance.  Break it down, Val… you’re on a roll.

• I’ll hold my hand weights high in the air as I cheer the contestants on American Idol and The Biggest Loser.  All in the name of good will and for the sake of the nation.  I may even stand up and jump up and down – or perhaps I will fall on the floor into an impromptu push-up.

• I’ll be environmentally friendly and ride my bike to the store.  Okay, I probably won’t do this.  I’m just saying it is possible… if I had a basket to hold my stuff in.

• Vodka will be the devil, except on weekends when its horns magically vanish and it becomes a garnish for my soda water & limes.  And wine, well,  wine…. um… hmmm…my beautiful, bountiful wine…  I love wine.  I’ll drink only one glass of red wine (at a time) and it will be strictly for the heart healthy flavinoids and support of the wine growers.

I seriously think that’s about the best I can do.  Too much self-deception can’t be good for the soul right?  So, wish me luck and I’ll let you know how it goes.  If this doesn’t work I may need to convince myself to GAIN weight before the reunion.   A little reverse psychology. 

See All Weight Loss Help and Exercise/Fitness Products, sorted by popularity.

Thanks for being an Allegro customer.  Don’t forget to become a fan on Facebook!  And if you’re reading this, tell me so.  I wonder sometimes.

-v

For me, worry manifests itself in racing thoughts or “mind chatter”.  It happens at night, mostly, when I’m trying to sleep or early morning when I’m having lucid dreams.  It drives me crazy when I’m having a totally irrational dream and I keep having it over and over again.  It usually means I need to face the problem and deal with it.  But what do you do when you just can’t stop thinking about your situation or problem?   Here are a few things that work for me:

1.  Stretch and Breathe.  I know it may sound hokey, but I’m telling you it’s changed my life.  Get yourself a DVD – I have several but the one I started with is AM/PM Yoga for Beginners.   You can get this used (1998 VHS)  for under $2 bucks on Amazon.  You’ll can also get more updated versions as well as DVDs for stretches for bad backs, weight loss, abs, etc.  Do it every day and you’ll start feeling calmer, among other things.  Your mind will be on the exercises and not on your problems.  Many workouts include at least a few minutes of meditation and breathing exercises.  The morning yoga tape only takes 15 minutes and it’s a great way to start your day.  Need some gear?  Get a Yoga Starter Kit (my favorite) or see all of Allegro Medical’s Yoga Equipment.  Need something more concrete?  See 10 Products to Help you Relax.

2.  Get into nature.  Go outside and walk around.  Plant something or dig around in the dirt.  Go to the park and sit in the grass or swing on the swingset.  Get out of the city if you can.  Reconnecting with the earth does wonders for your psyche.

3.  Focus on things you can control.  Most of our worry is wasted on things we can’t control, or things that never come to fruition.  Read Managing Stress: Practical Advice from a Pro.  This article will also help you become a constructive problem solver.   

4.  Find your safe harbor.  I use this type of visualization when I’m having trouble sleeping because of racing thoughts or recurring dreams.  It’s all about having a place to visit, in your mind, whenever you want to relax.  It might be a warm beach, a field of flowers (that’s mine but I’ll share) or a sidewalk cafe in Paris.  Whatever.  Whenever you need to escape you just close your eyes and visualize it. 

5.  Meditate.  Okay, this may actually happen for some people.  You sit down and just be quiet and have a matra or you do breathing exercises, etc.  But unless I have someone making me do it, I don’t.  If this is you, I suggest you go to a class or listen to a tape or something while you’re doing it.  I’m all for it, I just never can get myself to stick with it.  Let me know how it works for you.

6.  Be nice.  Turning your focus to others ALWAYS makes you feel better and stops the mind chatter.  Go a step further and help out with a local charity.  Just find one that you fancy and call them to see if they need any help!  A few hours of doing nice things for other people can completely change the way you look at your situation.  Even simple acts of kindness or random acts of kindness make you feel better.  Start by saying something nice to the next person you see. 

Bonus:  When I can’t get a song out of my head, I break the cycle by singing a foreign tune.  Freres Jacques is a popular one, but anything foreign will do.

Ahhhhh…. Ommmmm….  Hmmmmm….

Reduce the risk of injuries, skip the low-back pain and soreness, increase blood flow, improve balance and relieve tension with some quick pre- and post-gardening stretches. The following routine only takes 2 minutes for the warm up and you can use the same stretches afterwards for your cool-down.

1. Neck. Stretch your neck by slowly moving your head from side to side, laying your head first toward one shoulder and then the other. Repeat a couple of times. Now move it front and back with your chin on your chest and then tipped back. Hold for a few seconds.

2. Back and Shoulders. Bend forward at the waist and let your hands hang toward your toes. Roll your shoulders back and around, as if you are shrugging. This elongates your spine and loosens your back. Stand up slowly and place your palms on the back of your pelvis and lean back from the waist. Drop your head back and hold it for a few seconds.

3. Trunk. Reach one arm across your chest. Twist that same direction. While you’re doing that, reach the other arm behind your back. Do this 3 or 4 times, switching arm positions. This works the trunk and opens the spine.

4. Upper torso. Hold your arms straight out at shoulder height. Make fists. Pull your arms back as if you were trying to touch your elbows in the back. Tighten your fists and then push your hands in front again. Roll your shoulders forward to stretch your upper back. Open your hands with your wrists flexing up and spread your fingers as you push forward. Do this several times.

5. Ankles & Lower Body. Lift your knee as high as you can and point your toes toward the ground as far as you can. Then extend your leg forward, with your leg straigh and flex your ankle up, with your toes facing the sky. This will loosen most of your leg.

6. Knees. I like to add a few deep squats and lunges just to get my knees extra warm. Use a rake or chair for balance. While I’m lunging I stretch and flex my fingers. This helps grip strength.

Continue your warm-up in the garden by starting slow. While you work, be mindful and thoughtful about how your body is positioned. Try not to twist a lot or stay in one position too long. Stand up at least every 10 minutes if you’re bent over or on your knees. Make sure you’re using ergonomic garden tools. Read Gardening Made Easy to see what I mean.

Save the heavy lifting for later – say, a half-hour into it. Make sure you’re good and warmed up before you start moving pots and bags of soil.

Drink plenty of water! Set a kitchen timer if you need to be reminded. Every 20 minutes take 5 big gulps.

A good cool-down is even more important than a good warm up. After gardening, don’t just sit down. Take 10 minutes or so and really stretch to keep that lactic acid from building up and making you sore later. Use the stretches above as a guide, but do them slower and longer.

Do you have a tip or a favorite stretch? Please share it!

Remember when you were a kid?  You didn’t just walk or run… or jog.  You raced, rolled, flailed, wiggled, nodded, skipped, tromped, flopped, kicked and twirled.  You dove, jumped, shimmied, hopped and scooted.  Yippeee!!!  Most of us felt free and happy and full of energy.  Even if you weren’t such a pretty sight, no one thought twice about seeing you snake through the grass, cannonball into the pool or leap through the air.  Even those with limited movement… moved.

Then, life happened.  You grew up.  You stopped moving like that – for fun, I mean.  Now, you move when you have to or because someone told you to.  Where is the fun in that? 

Do any of these situations apply to you?

1.  It was called ‘playing’ when you were little but later it became ‘exercise’.  So you stopped…

2.  Eventually it wasn’t cool to do cartwheels through the living room or shoulder rolls off the picnic table in the park.  So you stopped…

3.  You weren’t very good at organized sports or structured excercise,  or you were embarrassed to try/continue.  So you stopped…

4.  You have a disability that you think prevents you from “moving”.  So you don’t…

5.  Your have no rhythm and feel like a goofball when you dance or do aerobics.  So you don’t…

6.  You used to work out, but now you’re too busy and can’t get back in the groove.

7.  You think you need to join a class or go to the gym for permission to move.

8.  You want to move more, but you just don’t know how or where.

9.  You have a sore back…knees…hips…whatever.  WHATever.

10.  You’d rather sit around and watch tv or play video games.

Okay, I get it.  But c’mon.  Wouldn’t it be nice to move a little, for fun?  It’s time to get out of your head, out of your bed, off the couch and into the groove.  Let’s break it down.

Everyone knows the health benefits of exercise.  There are plenty.  I’m not going to get into that.  All I’m asking is that every time you think about it… just move.  Even if it is nothing more than stretching or adjusting your position.  Or how about breathing deeper?  Try it.  In through the nose, out through the mouth… 

Try waving your arms in the air, or wiggling your butt when no one is looking (or when everyone is looking).  Sing “I like to move it, move it.  I like to move it, move it.” while doing the sphynx across the floor.  Move your head from side to side, or back to front.  Stretch your hands and wiggle your fingers.  Laugh and giggle, expanding your chest.

More?  Scrunch your butt cheeks together over and over while you’re sitting at a stop light.  Do little tummy crunches while you’re still in bed in the morning, before you get up.  Take the stairs.  Park farther away from the entrance.  Walk the course instead of taking the cart.

Next thing you know you’ll be breathing easier and feeling stronger.   You’ll be taking walks after dinner or making up a goofy dance while getting dressed in the morning.   Then you’ll be turning off the tv and turning up the music so you can dance around the house…in your undies (okay, I’m getting out of hand, I know.)  But I tell you, movement is liberating!!  It doesn’t have to be structured or organized at all.  It can be just you feeling like shaking your groove thing.  How’s that for freedom? 

I was moved to write this because this week is National Multiple Sclerosis Week.  Several of my good friends have MS and through their struggles I see what it means to be able to move and how precious it is.  We take it for granted.  The MS Society’s slogan is ”move it.”  They are asking people to help them move toward a world free of MS through various opportunities such as “Walk MS”, “Bike MS”, along with donation and volunteer opportunities.   Very clever.  We encourage you to learn more.

What’s got YOU stifled?  For me, although I hike and/or walk every day, I noticed that I just don’t move outside of a certain range anymore.  Hip shaking and arm wiggling are no longer in my daily vocabulary of movement, so to speak, and my range of motion is getting limited.  I don’t take the many, many opportunities I have every day to stretch and kick and twirl.  I don’t make enough grand gestures.  That stops now.  Now, I’m a stretcher and a kicker and a twirler.  Now, I make big, bold gestures.  Join me!  Put a sign on your mirror, you desk, your tv and your fridge reminding you to MOVE IT.

Need some props?  Check out Allegro’s 10 Products Under $20 to Get You Moving.

Right now I’m going to do lunges all the way to the bathroom.  Yes I am.  Here at work, past everyone’s desk.  I will get some laughs, and I’ll probably lose my balance for sure, but what the heck.  I’m moving!!  How do you move it?  Tell me below, please.

Thanks for being an Allegro customer.  We appreciate the business.

1.  Fitball Exercise Balls – One of our most popular products, these burst-resistant balls are the ones you see in commercial gyms.  You can do all kinds of things with this ball, including fall off of it if you’re not careful.  Don’t ask me how I know this.  For the young at heart (or for a little more stability) consider the FitBALL Hop Balls.   With a weight capacity of 600 lbs., who says these are only for kids?  There is a lot of bounce in these balls.  Is there still some bounce in you?  See all Exercise Balls/Rolls.

2.  Thera-Band Resistance Bands - Just like the ones in the gym, now you can have your own at home.  Pull ‘em, stretch ‘em, take ‘em on a trip.  They’ll make your body stronger and more flexible.  Plus, they’re inexpensive, fun and durable.  See all Exercise Bands – Tubes.

3.  Drive Pedal Exerciser Stationary Bike – Okay, I lied.  This is not under $20, but it is under $30 and it’s such a great price, I had to include it.  Great for arm and leg toning.  Sit in a comfortable chair while you exercise!  Totally portable – stores under a chair or bed.  See all Cycles/Pedlars.

4.  FitBALL Balance Disc - Sit on it while at your desk, kneel on it, use it for lunges or simply stand on it and you will be strengthening your core and improving your balance.  Best of all, you’ll be moving.   See all Balance/Core Products.

5.  Digital Speed Jump Rope – Not your ordinary jump rope, oh no.  This one counts your calories and tells you how much fat you’ve burned and how long it took.  Instant gratification.

6.  Thigh Trimmer – Remember these?  Well they’re still around and ready to trim you thighs.  Go for it!  You’ll be able to crack walnuts when you’re done with this thing.

7.  Soft Dumbbells - These underarm flab busting chest lifters are the perfect addition to your nightly workout in front of the tv.  And they’re soooo cute!  2 lbs each.

8.  Hand Grip - One for each hand, these will improve your grip and strengthen your hands.  Maybe if you use these your golf club will stop flying away from you.    See all Hand Exercisers.

9.    ProStretch – Unilateral Stretching Device – Relieves tightness and helps prevent injuries.   For me, it just feels goooood and keeps me flexible. 

10.  Lex Loop Exercise Band - No cardio involved.  Use these exercise bands to  improve your strength and flexibiltiy.  Hailed on “The View” and in Good Housekeeping Magazine, they say you can slim down, get stronger and look younger in just twenty minutes a day, three days a week. Sign me up!  Includes instructions and exercises.

So there you have it.  No excuses to get moving!  Get all these things and you’ll have your own home gym!  See all Exercise/Fitness for more ideas.

Have a great day.  Now, move it!