Best Exercise Equipment to Help Shed Pounds: Our Top Picks

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ronald Mochizuki, MD

Whether you’d rather work out solo than in front of strangers or have a busy schedule filled with family duties, exercising at home to lose weight is an increasingly common trend. And, although misconceptions about weight loss might have you feeling like you need to power through at the fitness center, at-home exercise equipment is a viable option for many.

Not sure where to start with the best exercise equipment to lose weight? Read our comprehensive guide on top equipment picks and how to incorporate them into your workout plan.

The Role of Exercise Equipment in Weight Loss

At-home exercise machines can contribute to a comprehensive weight loss strategy that includes lifestyle changes, such as a healthy diet and sleep habits.

When trying to lose weight, exercise combining cardio and strength training can improve the likelihood of fat loss.

But before diving in, why is incorporating weight loss equipment into your routine beneficial? For that answer, let’s look to the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommended exercise guidelines for adults:

• 150 minutes of moderate exercise (elevated heart rate, but you can still have a conversation) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (high heart rate, can’t have a conversation) per week
• 300 minutes or more of exercise for weight loss
• Strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least twice weekly

Ultimately, using the right gym equipment can help you reach these goals more easily.

5 Top Picks for Home Exercise Equipment

When designing your home gym, it’s crucial to select options that fit your needs, including your budget, available space, and goals. Fortunately, with today’s gym equipment options ranging from treadmills to vibration machines, you have plenty of effective choices for the best home exercise equipment for weight loss.

1. Treadmill: The All-Around Cardio Workhorse

A treadmill is one of the best home fitness equipment for weight loss, whether you have a whole room to dedicate to fitness or simply space under your desk.

Treadmills—with their flat, conveyor-belt-like pads—make walking, jogging, and running year-round easy. Plus, you can personalize your routine with elements like incline. Since inclines force your body to work harder, you may find that using a treadmill with an incline helps you lose weight faster.

2. Stationary Bike: Low-Impact, High-Intensity

Do you prefer to bike? Wish you could fit in a ride between work meetings? Unlike running, pedaling a stationary exercise bike is less intense on your joints, making it a beneficial low-impact exercise.

To improve the likelihood of weight loss, use varying-intensity workouts or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). With these techniques, you may start slow, then pedal harder for a couple of minutes, then slow down again, which can help you:

• Lose body and belly fat
• Burn calories
• Boost your metabolism

If you aren’t doing interval training, you can achieve similar benefits by lifting your body out of the seat occasionally to exercise your core.

Types of Stationary Bikes

Stationary bikes come in three options, allowing you to choose the one that works best for your preferences and goals. These options include:

• Traditional – These most closely resemble a standard outdoor bike. You sit on the seat and lean forward to reach the handles, which is beneficial for core work.
• Spin – Spin bikes are also upright, but the handles are lower, and you can stand up to pedal. They work out your core and legs.
• Recumbent – On recumbent bikes, your body is slightly leaned back, allowing your legs to be straighter while riding. Older adults and people with injuries often find these bikes less challenging.

You might find that one of these stationary bikes works better for you than others. If you’re unsure, test one at a local gym before purchasing.

3. Elliptical Machine: Full-Body Fitness

Another gentle-on-the-joints workout machine is the elliptical, which combines a stationary bike and a step machine with built-in arm exercises via the handles.

Many people recovering from joint pain or injuries can benefit from using ellipticals since they’re low-impact. As with other types of machines, increasing the resistance (force you’re working against) or changing the elevation can help you maximize your weight loss potential.

4. Rowing Machine: Cardio Plus Strength

Sit down, put your legs on the machine, and pull—that’s what it takes to use a rowing machine. While it might seem simple, it’s an intense exercise that works your core, legs, arms, and shoulders.

Set the resistance to what works best for you—whether you’re brand new to the workout or incorporating it into a full-body routine. A rowing machine activates muscle groups across your entire body, exercising everything from your cardiovascular system to your legs.

Rowing machines can also be helpful for people with visual impairments who are unable to participate in this type of full-body workout outdoors. If you fall into this category and want to lose weight, a rowing machine can provide a safe and effective full-body workout. 

5. Vibration Machine: Unique Exercise Addition

Less common but extremely helpful for losing weight is the whole body vibration machine. These pieces of workout equipment vibrate while you stand, lie, sit, and exercise on them. But do vibration plates help burn calories? How do they contribute to weight loss?

The vibrations tell your muscles to contract and relax reflexively, offering a low-impact, full-body workout. You can also perform other exercises while on the vibration machine to maximize your benefits. 

For instance, consider using a vibration machine when performing: 

• Push-ups
• Planks
• Squats
• Step-ups
• Calf raises

Even more impressive is the vibration machine’s ability to help increase blood circulation and help improve bone strength, making it ideal in more ways than one.

A study has demonstrated that incorporating Power Plate training into a low-calorie diet can lead to more sustained long-term weight loss and greater reduction of visceral fat in obese adults compared to aerobic exercise alone.

Integrating Equipment Into Your Workout Routine

When choosing exercise equipment for your home, keep these factors in mind to help you pick the best option for your needs:

• Budget – If you have a limited budget, don’t worry—you can still find affordable options that provide basic features.
• Fitness goals – Exercise equipment can help you do more than lose weight. Whether you also want to gain muscle or improve your heart health, consider opting for equipment designed to meet those specific goals.
• Preferences – There’s no point in choosing a rowing machine if you hate rowing. To that end, select equipment that matches your preferences, like biking or walking, to help you stay motivated.
• Space – Whether you live in an apartment or have a spare room to turn into a gym, ensure your chosen equipment fits in your space by taking measurements before making any purchases.

Once you’ve decided which machines work best, select the ones that will help you achieve your fitness goals. Feel free to incorporate two or more machines with other exercises to achieve better results.

Designing a Varied and Enjoyable Workout Plan

When creating a workout routine, you’ll want to incorporate variety into your exercise and equipment use. Keeping yourself engaged is easier when you have different activities planned.

To start, consider what you enjoy and your goals, and select equipment and exercises that fit those needs. For instance, you may try interval training on a stationary exercise bike two days a week and working out with a vibration machine on the weekends.

Next, set achievable goals. While your overall goal might be to lose 20 pounds, it’s best to start with smaller, more actionable goals that can keep you motivated. For example, “work out three times a week for 30-minute sessions” is a well-defined, actionable goal.

Combining Equipment Use With Other Exercises

Although equipment can help you lose weight, it doesn’t have to be the only thing you do. Adding other exercises, including weightlifting and flexibility practice, allows you to achieve a well-rounded, holistic workout regimen.

These other exercises can also help you reach additional goals—such as better mental health or improved muscle definition—while adding variety to your workout routine.

Enhancing Weight Loss With Lifestyle Choices

Although exercising plays a crucial role in weight loss, making healthy lifestyle choices is the most effective way to lose weight. In fact, everything from your sleep habits to your diet contributes to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Nutritional Considerations for Optimal Results

Eating a balanced diet is a critical part of any fitness routine. However, it’s important to focus on meeting your nutritional needs because what works for someone else may not be best for you.

Whole foods, fruits and vegetables, and protein are a smart start. Other dietary changes to consider include:

• Opting for whole grains like millet, whole wheat bread, and brown rice
• Choosing vegetable, avocado, or olive oil
• Avoiding added sugars
• Incorporating low-fat/fat-free dairy products
• Reducing prepackaged and highly processed foods

The Importance of Rest and Recovery

In any fitness routine, you’ll need rest. Taking days off from your standard exercise regimen won’t stall your weight loss progress but will help you feel your best. 

Rest or active recovery days mean you still move, but it’s easier on your muscles, allowing them to heal after the microtears that occur during regular exercise. 

Habits to introduce on recovery days to help you listen to your body’s needs include:

• Going on a walk
• Practicing excellent sleep habits
• Engaging in light stretching or yoga
• Eating nutrient-rich meals with complex carbohydrates to help with muscle rebuild

While these are helpful practices, listening to your body is the most critical thing to remember. Whether you need more rest or your body is craving stretches, pay attention to help prevent injury or overwork to your muscles and joints.

Start Losing Weight With the Help of Power Plate

Choosing exercise equipment that aligns with your needs and personal preferences can help you reach your weight loss goals more easily and enjoyably. Plus, by creating a routine you can engage in consistently—and making healthy lifestyle choices—you can achieve lasting results.

At Power Plate, we’re committed to making at-home exercise easier and more effective with our innovative vibration machines. To outfit your home gym and enhance your weight loss journey, shop our full-body selection today.

Sources: 

Mayo Clinic. Fitness basics. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/fitness-basics/hlv-20049447  

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/  

Cleveland Clinic. What Is the 12-3-30 Workout? And Does It Work? https://health.clevelandclinic.org/12-3-30-workout 

Penn State PRO Wellness. 7 Great Benefits of a Stationary Bike Workout. https://prowellness.childrens.pennstatehealth.org/7-great-benefits-of-a-stationary-bike-workout/

Cleveland Clinic. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): It’s for Everyone! https://health.clevelandclinic.org/think-you-cant-do-high-intensity-interval-training-think-again

National Library of Medicine. Effects of Indoor Rowing Exercise on the Body Composition and the Scoliosis of Visually Impaired People: A Preliminary Study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4564707/   

Mayo Clinic. Is whole-body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/whole-body-vibration/faq-20057958

ScienceDaily. Vibration Plate Machines May Aid Weight Loss And Trim Abdominal Fat. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090508045323.htm

Obes Facts. Effect of long-term whole body vibration training on visceral adipose tissue: a preliminary report. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20484941/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Losing Weight. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/

MyHealthFinder. Eat Healthy. https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/health-conditions/diabetes/eat-healthy  

Florida International University. Rest days are essential to your fitness journey. Here’s why. https://news.fiu.edu/2022/rest-days-are-essential-to-your-fitness-journey.-heres-why. 

The Well by Northwell. Are You Resting Enough Between Workouts? https://thewell.northwell.edu/healthy-living-fitness/importance-of-rest-days