With summer fast approaching I am sure most of you are working hard at the gym to get into shape to hit the beach. With busy work schedules and responsibilities it gets difficult to schedule time for a workout. This is where having exercise equipment at home is a great idea.

One of the best ways to shed those extra pounds is to get on a good cardio workout routine. Outdoor jogging is usually the best way but with weather restrictions it could be difficult. Elliptical machines provide you with a good cardio workout which will help you gain stamina as well as burn that extra fat. They also help you strengthen your lower body.

In addition to elliptical machines, using a TreadClimber is also a good way to burn calories. The Bowflex TC5500 TreadClimber a versatile cardio workout machine that can act as an elliptical trainer, treadmill, or stair stepper. Changing from one form to another takes a matter of seconds. This machine has an electronic read out which displays speed, time, distance, total calories, calories/time, total steps, heart rate, floors climbed, odometer, climb indicator distance and a calories burned indicator. It has a speed of 0.5 MPH to about 5 MPH via speed increments of 0.5 MPH. There are about 12 resistance settings in case you need to increase your workout. The wireless heart rate monitor monitors your heart rate via the handles. There are about 15 exercise programs that you can follow depending on what you plan to achieve. The console has space so you can place books, water or your media player. It has a max user weight of about 300 lbs.

If space and portability are your concern then you should consider getting Stamina In-Motion Elliptical trainer. This machine is great for those people on the go. It is compact and light weight for you to use at home or even at your office. It is quite small in size so it easily fits under a desk or closet. This device features an electronic fitness monitor that displays the number of strides per minute, total number of strides, exercise time, and calories burned. The sturdy steel construction ensures durability. Overall it is a great piece of exercise equipment for the person on the go.