I've tried various at-home things throughout the years and I find, for me, I've gotten better results from the videos/DVDs and the smaller equipment, mainly because they've held my interest more. Every large piece of exercise equipment I ever owned (elliptical, Jake's total body trainer, inflatable punching bag, probably a couple of others I've forgotten) has ended up in the garbage because of my eventual lack of enthusiasm (i.e.laziness). I've learned (somewhat expensively) that I do better following a tape or DVD rather than improvising or guessing how long, how much, etc. It's more interesting, I feel more pushed, I have more of an incentive, and I can see how I'm supposed to be moving. Plus, I'm able to use hand or wrist weights, resistance bands and kettlebells.
I had to deal with both an illness and injury both sustained about 3 years ago that have had longterm effects so I've only recently started exercising again. I've loved Leslie Sansone's DVDs...they get my heart pumping and my body sweating with low impact. And I bought a Wii Fit Plus a week ago and am enjoying the different exercises on it. I like that it's interactive, it tracks my progress, gives me routines and goals to work with. And it's fun.
