I think we all know the value of maintaining a healthy weight and a good level of fitness. Not only do we look better, but we feel great as well.

It’s never been easy unless our work involved a high proportion of physical activity, or we had plenty of time for recreation involving reasonable exertion.

But with busy lives, interesting social activities and numerous diversions, it can be very hard to find time and the means to stay fit, slim and healthy.

Fortunately there are many ways we can achieve these aims in our own time. Unfortunately some of them are difficult to manage, expensive, boring, unsafe or some combination of these.

One way which makes sense to many people, and works well for them, is to set up some form of home gym.

It doesn’t have to be super expensive, it doesn’t need to consist of numerous pieces of equipment, and it doesn’t need to take up much room.

What it does need to do is allow you to get fit effectively and enjoyably, and to do it at home.

A very workable solution to this problem is an elliptical trainer, sometimes known as a cross trainer, elliptical machine, or just an elliptical. The first elliptical only appeared less than 10 years ago, and with constant development they have become among the most popular pieces of exercise equipment, both at home and in commercial fitness centers.

There is a very good reason for this popularity – they allow a low impact workout which allows you to achieve both fitness and, if you need it, weight loss without damaging muscles and joints, in a way that many people find fun.

There are now a lot of elliptical trainers available, varying in type, size, ease of use, options and, of course, price. They are easy to find, but the real question is what machine is right for you?

There are quite a number of questions you will need to find answers to before deciding on the type and size of elliptical, let alone the brand and the model.

Questions such as the number of users, their height and weight, the space available for the machine in your home, and the likely level of use on the machine – staying in shape or a full blown weight loss program.

These pages will help you answer those questions, and then provide you with the crucial information you will need to decide which elliptical machine suits you best.

From time to time you will also find some tips on maintenance, exercise programs, accessories to make your workouts more pleasant and plenty more.

So follow the links and let me simplify the maze of choosing and using the best elliptical trainer for you.