If you desire to get fit, lose some weight, or maintain a healthy life style, than starting a home gym is an excellent option to get you motivated. Once you have decided to take the steps to create your very own gym in the comfort of your home, you will need to find the proper fitness equipment. If you are drowning in a sea of cardio equipment, stair-steppers, tread mills, weight benches, and elliptical machines, then I have created a buying guide to help you find the equipment that will best suit your needs and fitness goals.

1- Choose machines that make exercise interesting to you.

If you are new to a regular exercise routine or are easily turned off by exercise, the key to keeping you on track is to choose machines that will keep you interested and excited to workout. Don’t go for a treadmill simply because it burns calories, or a rowing machine because your friend recommended it; choose fitness equipment that feels good to you and that you can see yourself doing on a daily basis. Everything else can be secondary.

#2- Find a machine or machines that fit in the space you have.

Typically, non-folding treadmills and elliptical machines take up the size of a small couch. If space is at a premium, choose one machine that provides a full-body and cardio workout at the same time, such as a rowing machine, or find models that are compact and foldable so they can be stored easily when not in use. For those of you who have a room or garage to dedicate to your home gym, space will not be an issue. You have the ability to choose machines that focus on particular body areas, such as a weight bench, along with a number of different cardio equipment that can provide different styles of exercise.

#3- Choose a machine that includes the features you desire.

Good fitness equipment will have clear displays and easy-to-use controls, along with programmable workout sessions, and the ability to adjust and vary your workout levels to help you meet your fitness goals. Also, if you find yourself using the machines often, it may be nice to have a model that features water bottle holders, a book rest, a TV, or MP3 compatibility.

Exercise equipment varies as much as cars do, so choosing the perfect one can seem like a daunting task. Once you have taking into consideration these three things, finding the best fitness equipment for your home gym will be a breeze. As always, read up on actual customer ratings and reviews if you are still having trouble deciding between a few different models. These reviews will let you know how each model stacks up against the competition, lending to a good overall idea of which machines will best work for you.