I recently came across this post at Lemondrop, and it made me laugh out loud -- I'm totally one of those people who watches Food Network while I knock out a cardio session. Then again, sometimes I watch HGTV or E!, but if there's a game on, I might follow that, while other times I catch up on Days of Our Lives -- somebody has to keep an eye on the evil Stefano DiMera, after all.

I can't say that I pay much attention to what other people watch, unless it's something super trashy on MTV or something. But it does amaze me to see people who seem to be able to follow a complicated plot. I can hardly follow along with my favorite song once I get a couple of miles under my belt.

And now, I'm curious -- what do you tune into when you hit treadmill or StairMaster? Let me know in the comments!

I was running on a new treadmill at my local gym yesterday, and I had really exerted myself and my breathing started getting a little out of control (I'm asthmatic, so I'm careful not to overdo). I slowed to a walk, and as I did so, I put my hands on the heart rate monitors, and ... according to the display, my heart rate was at only 112, but I know from monitoring it at other times, at a similar intensity, it has shown 180+. Huh?

I've noticed before that my heart rate fluctuates considerably depending on the day, but never looked into it. Yesterday, though, it made me realize that I really have no idea what heart rate I reach at my peak, and what I maintain.

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When it comes to working out, I definitely prefer cardio to weights. Don't get me wrong, I do the weights, they're just not my favourite. I prefer to pop in my headphone, blare the tunes on my iPod and run my worries away on the treadmill. Yes, weights are important, but cardio is also important, so don't feel bad if you're a fellow cardio junky -- it's definitely one of the better habits to have.

There are plenty of ways to get your cardio in, but the most popular cardio exercises at the gym seem to revolve around the treadmill, the elliptical trainer, the stationary bike, the recumbent bike and the Stairmaster. Which one do you love the most? Or at least tolerate the most?

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A That's Fit commenter recently posed the question:

Which is better - walking on treadmill 4.8 miles per hour for 35 minutes or exercising on a stepper (stair climber) for 25 minutes at a brisk pace?

As a certified personal trainer, I can tell you that the answer is "neither." Surprised? This question highlights the simple truth that no one piece of cardiovascular training at the gym is going to provide a better workout. It's what you do while you're on them that makes a difference, not the type of machine.

Using a treadmill, stepper or a StairMaster (these are actually two different kinds of equipment ) are all good ways to increase your cardiovascular health and burn body fat. In this case, 4.8 miles per hour is fast enough to be a light jog for most people and a very high intensity workout. It's also done for 35 minutes, so the person doing this workout will probably burn more calories and give their heart more of a challenge than if they only worked out for 25 minutes.

But the question also says the person on the stepper is working at a "brisk pace" and it's hard to know how difficult that is. If the intensity, or how hard that workout is, is higher than it is when jogging on the treadmill, then that person will be getting just as much of a workout in a shorter period of time.

How can you figure this out by yourself? You can use Rate of Perceived Exertion, a simple scale used by fitness professionals all over the country.

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Walking into a gym for the first time can be intimidating. You're surrounded by a bunch of leotard-clad buff bodies who work the machines and weights like they were born doing it, and you have no choice but to ally yourself with a precarious looking exercise apparatus, pressing start while hoping you don't fall off and embarrass yourself in front of everyone.

If you want to start an exercise regime, but are afraid of this scenario, check out this article, which will help you get started on a treadmill, elliptical trainer, StairMaster, stationary bike or rowing machine.

If you're still wary of going, I suggest booking an introductory session with a personal trainer. Or, just go for it -- Trust me, it gets easier every time.

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