Home Gyms for Under $2,000

Cancel the gym membership – you may be able to afford a dedicated home gym after all.  Try this recipe for weight loss success coming in under the $2,000 mark:

Paint: - $25
Treadmill: - $700
Mats:  - $150
Multi-purpose Strength Trainer - $650
Television - $350

  1. Take over the guest room, den, rec room or basement. Clear it out and clean it up.
  2. Add one gallon paint in your favorite bright color.
  3. Mix in one treadmill, one multi-use trainer, a television and exercise matts.
  4. Decorate in one day and look forward to results in 1-2 months.

Paint

Brighten your home gym with a bold, energizing color.  Cool colors such as blues or greens may be the ticket when you’re sweating it out on the treadmill, but if you need a little motivation, orange may be ticket.

Treadmill

One of best buys for under $1,000 is the Reebok S 9.80 treadmill available at Costco for $700.  It packs an impressive 3.0 horsepower motor for a top speed of 12 miles per hour and incline of up to 12%.  With a Workout Intensity Meter to guide you to your workout goals, there’s no excuse for you not to cook with this treadmill.

As for entertainment – it’s there, with a station for Ipod docking and Intermix Acoustics for quality sound, you may not need that flat screen television after all.

Mats

Add a few specialized rubber flooring mats – one for stretching out before you exercise, one to hold the multi trainer and one for the treadmill.  There are plenty of bright colorful options to spice up the look of your home gym, including carpet tiles, rubber flooring tiles and rubber mats that cost from $2 - $7 per square foot.

Strength Trainer

Expect to spend at least $600 for a decent home gym that offers multiple exercise options for strength training.  Ivanko offers a starter model for over 15 different exercises that will get you on your way to fitness at an impressive price of $629.

Flat Screen Television

Nothing is more motivating to using your home gym than being able to get away for some down time on the treadmill while watching television in relative peace and quiet.  For under $350, you can get a decent flat screen television in the 22 inch size range.  One recommendation is a 22 inch Vizio that has been given some good reviews, making it a viable budget choice for the home gym.

Mix all ingredients with a little motivation and what do you have - good health:  Priceless!