No More Excuses! My Quest To Get Fit Starts Now #SmoothBlogger

For the six months prior to our wedding, Brian and I went to the gym at least three times a week. Not only did we lose weight, we felt better overall, and had so much more energy. I came home from my honeymoon pregnant, and a couple months later, we cancelled our gym membership. I haven't exercised regularly since then, and boy can I tell!

I have plenty of excuses as to why I don't exercise, but the main one is time. Since I work full time and only get to see my kids for a couple hours each day during the week, I don't have time to go to a gym. Brian and I tried working out to some exercise videos a few months ago, but that got old real quick...I was bored, and started using my blog as an excuse as to why I didn't have time to exercise after the kids went to bed. I used to love getting my cardio in at the gym on an elliptical machine, and that is what I wanted to do.

Well as of last week, I have no more excuses. My Smooth Fitness elliptical trainer was delivered to my house, so now my quest to get fit can begin!

The Smooth CE7.4i Elliptical Trainer was delivered and set up last Friday. From the moment I laid eyes on this machine, I was literally WOWed! This is a serious piece of exercise equipment! The quality of this trainer rivals that of the ellipticals I have exercised with at the gym. It is sturdy, and oh so smooth. I could tell just by looking at it that it has many features you don't generally find in home exercise equipment.

The advanced LED display is basically the operating system of the machine. It has 15 challenging programs which allow you to get the workout that meets your goals. It also comes with an integrated audio system with powerful high-clarity speakers so you can hook up your MP3 player and listen to your favorite music while you work out. There is even a fan to help keep you cool!

The unit came with a chest strap for monitoring heart rate, and it also provides a standard contact handgrip on the moving handle bar to sense the user heart beat during the workout. Knowing your heart rate while working out is so important in achieving your fitness goals. The machine provides a fitness level test, along with a heart rate control program designed to keep the user training at their chosen heart rate level. The console will calculate the user's safe maximum heart rate, and will even stop the workout if the user's heart rate continues to exceed the target heart rate.

The ergonomic pivoting foot pedals reduce strain on your joints by maintaining your body's natural motion. The movement is very smooth.

This elliptical trainer is even on wheels, which makes it easier to move. The unit is very solid and heavy, but the wheels allow us to move it around the room if we need to.

What I really love about this trainer is that even though it is a massive piece of equipment, the overall size is pretty compact. We don't have a designated exercise room at the moment, so for the time being, it is nestled in between our bed and the patio doors. It is in the perfect location so that I can watch TV while I exercise. (Which will actually motivate me even more since I am way behind on my TV shows.)

I still have a lot to figure out in order to really exercise properly, and that will all be done in the next few days. I have used my new elliptical a few times since it was delivered, but not to it's fullest potential. I can't wait to get into some of the programs, although I have to admit that I'm a little nervous to take the fitness test. I wonder if I will see the words "COUCH POTATO" flash across the screen when I'm done?

I no longer have an excuse as to why I can't exercise several times each week, so my quest to get fit begins NOW! I will be sharing my progress over the next few months, so make sure you stay tuned to see how I'm doing. I am so very thankful that I was chosen as a Smooth Fitness Ambassador, and I know that this experience will change my life in so many ways!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I am a Smooth Fitness Ambassador and received the elliptical machine at no cost, in order to facilitate my review (and my quest for a healthier lifestyle). No other compensation was received.