20
If you are just starting an exercise program, choose a time of day that’s good for you
and stick to it closely. Try to do your Eclipse
®
4100
HR/A
workout three times per week at
first and then gradually progress to four or five days a week. Choose a time when you
feel energetic, when there are few interruptions and when you have not eaten a
heavy meal for approximately two hours.
Motivational Tips
Keep your motivation and interest high by remembering these simple tips:
• Set goals for yourself
that are challenging but realistic. Remember, it may
take a few weeks to be able to complete the entire workout easily or to see
changes in your weight or fitness levels. Just five minutes of exercise, done
several times per day, can change your health. Break your overall
fitness goals down into small, reasonable goals.
• Record your progress
by using the charts provided at the end
of this booklet.
• Celebrate your successes -
even the small ones! Give yourself
incentives for reaching each of your goals and reward yourself often.
• Place your elliptical trainer where you can easily watch TV
or listen to music as many people find that makes your workout
more enjoyable.
• Take your setbacks in stride
. If you miss a day on your schedule
(or even a week), it’s not too late to get back on track. If you are having
trouble sticking to your goals, review them and make sure they are
realistic. Make adjustments as you think they are needed.
Your Eclipse
®
4100
HR/A
Workout Will Consist
of Three Phases:
Warm-Up
To prevent injury and maximize performance, we recommend that each workout
period should start with a warm-up. Your warm-up should gently prepare your
muscles for the coming exertion. Start by doing the stretches found on pages 7-9 of
this manual. Follow your stretches with 5 to 10 minutes of gentle exercise that
gradually increases your heart rate and loosens up your muscles. You can do this by
using your elliptical trainer at a slow tempo or by simply walking in place before
starting your workout.
Aerobic and Muscle Toning Workout
To gain the health and fitness benefits that you seek, your warm-up should be
followed by a 20 minute workout on your elliptical trainer. Build up to this amount
as your current fitness level allows and progress at a rate that is comfortable to you.
As your fitness level increases, you may want to gradually increase the length of your
5
E
XERCISE GUIDELINES
A Total Fitness Program is more than exercise and more than eating right. It is a “fitness
for life” plan that goes hand in hand with an overall healthy lifestyle. This includes
regular check-ups and exercise, now and for the rest of your life.
Your total fitness program consists of three parts:
• Aerobic exercise to burn calories.
• Strength conditioning exercises to tone and shape your muscles,
increase your metabolic rate, and strengthen your bones.
• A diet that is safe, sensible and healthy.
Today, all fitness research recommends both aerobic exercise and strength conditioning
to achieve balanced fitness. By improving your aerobic fitness you will strengthen
your heart and lungs, increase your stamina and endurance, and help with weight
loss. Strength conditioning adds lean muscle to your body, increasing your body’s
metabolism. In this process, your body burns more calories, even while you rest.
When you combine aerobic workouts with strength conditioning, as you will with
your Eclipse
®
4100
HR/A
, you can burn more fat and calories than with just aerobic
exercise alone.
The Eclipse
®
4100
HR/A
workout will help with the first two parts of your Total Fitness
Program, but you need to make healthy, low-fat eating a big priority as well.
Consult with your physician
about an eating plan that’s right for you. Healthy
eating habits and exercise will help you reach your goal. We recommend that you
follow dietary guidelines approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These guidelines are contained in
the Food Guide Pyramid.
Fruit
Group
Vegetable
Group
Bread, Cereal, Rice
& Pasta Group
Fats, Oils,
& Sweets
Meat, Poultry,
Fish, Beans,
Eggs & Nuts
Milk,
Yogurt &
Cheese
KEY
Fat (naturally
occurring and
added)
Sugar
(added)
Starting at the base of the pyramid, you
should strive for 6 - 11 servings a day
from the Bread, Cereal, Rice and Pasta
food group. You should eat 3 - 5
servings a day from the Vegetable
group, and 2 - 4 servings from the
Fruit group. You should also eat 2 - 3
servings a day from the Milk, Yogurt
and Cheese group, and from the Meat,
Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs and Nuts
food group. Lastly, use Fats, Oils and
Sweets sparingly.
Y
OUR TOTAL FITNESS PROGRAM
