SurfShelf – Making Exercise Fun
At SurfShelf, we want you to have fun, really. In fact, that’s how we got started. I built the original SurfShelf out of a piece of plywood in my garage workshop (see the picture below). Before building a company around the idea, I was simply looking for a way to be entertained while using my treadmill. Reading magazines got old fast and there was no television hookup in my home gym (i.e. the garage). However, I did have a laptop and a wireless Internet connection (and a piece of plywood, a table saw, a drill…). And being an engineer, I jumped at the excuse to use my power tools. After I started using my plywood SurfShelf, my workouts tripled! I actually looked forward to getting on my treadmill everyday to watch the TV shows I had heard so much about (like Heroes, NCIS, Chuck, etc.) but did not have time to watch at night. An hour-long TV show lasts about 45 minutes online (15 minutes less commercials than on regular TV) which is perfect. Sometimes if I don’t finish a show during one workout, then it’s like “to be continued” and I look forward to finishing it up the next day. I also like to check my favorite sports highlights and breaking news online, but I soon realized that in order to do so I was forced to type in different website addresses (like espn.com or nytimes.com) and use my mouse to launch the videos. And this required that I either slow way down or step to the side thus pausing my workout. So, whether you want to watch your favorite TV shows online, catch the latest sports highlights or breaking news, watch DVDs or even check your email, your workout will never be boring again. Just like me, our users have found that with a SurfShelf, they actually look forward to their workouts. And if you look forward to your workout, well, that’s a huge step in the right direction to living a happy and healthy lifestyle. Please let me know what you think — I’d love to hear from you. Submissions using our Contact Us page will come directly to me. Here’s What Most People Don’t Know About Exercise… Dear Friend,There are several important things about exercise you must know. I am going to share secrets with you right now that will change your life starting today. Getting and staying in shape can be a challenge. It’s hard enough just to get up off the couch some days. So what’s the secret? How do you make exercise a way of life? Please take the next few minutes and really extract everything you can from this letter. It contains the keys to living a healthy and happy life. So What’s the Secret? How Do You Make Exercise a Way of Life? I’ve spent years gathering health and fitness information from a wide variety of scientific studies throughout the world, and there are several common facts that every expert agrees upon. These are hard cold facts and are not up for debate.First, research clearly demonstrates the importance of avoiding inactivity. Most studies recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity to really reduce the risk of dying prematurely. Diseases that can be avoided with exercise include heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension among others. The Good News! You don’t have to go crazy with high-intensity workouts. A recent study by the Department of Health and Human Sciences states that “Most health benefits occur with at least 30 minutes five times a week of MODERATE-INTENSITY physical activity such as brisk walking.” The report goes on to state that “The relative risk of dying prematurely continues to be lower with higher levels of reported moderate or vigorous intensity leisure-time physical activity.” So start small and increase accordingly. Consistency is the Key! Working out 30 minutes five days a week is a lot better for you than working out twice a week for 75 minutes each time. Even though the same amount of time is spent in both cases, your body benefits much more from spreading it out over the whole week and being consistent.What’s the secret to being consistent? Make It Fun! How often do you do things that you don’t enjoy versus things you do?One way to make exercise fun is to find a support group or use the buddy system. Find a friend to workout with and you can keep each other motivated.There are also many online support groups listed at Google Health Directory, Dmoz Open Directory, and Yahoo Health Directory. Or you can even start your own with friends, family and even new online friends at WeightlossWars.com. Another way to make exercise fun is to couple it with something that you like to do, like watching your favorite TV shows or DVDs. Pretty much any show that’s on TV is also available online for free, on demand so you can watch it anytime you want (for instance NBC.com, ABC.com, CBS.com and my personal favorite, Hulu.com all offer tons of shows, new and old). All you need to do is hook up a SurfShelf, turn on your laptop and enjoy your workout.Hour-long TV shows are only 45 minutes long online (not as many commercials!) so even if you plan to work out for only 30 minutes you might just find yourself reluctant to get off the treadmill – can you imagine that? If you look forward to particular shows, save them for your workouts. And if a show or movie is too long for one workout, break it into two and it will be “to be continued”. That way you’ll actually look forward to your next workout! Do you like being productive? The SurfShelf is great for that too. Do your emails or other light work while on your treadmill every morning and your workout is done for the day!Plus, it works great for books and magazines as well, so if you need to do some reading, you’re all set. Don’t Pressure Yourself!You don’t have to be perfect. Set realistic goals and focus on increasing positive and healthy choices. As you meet these goals you will gain the confidence and motivation you need to keep going. Don’t worry if you can’t run a 5K just yet. Make it a habit to walk 20-30 minutes a day, and add time, distance, and intensity from there. And again, whatever you do, be consistent! Once you feel the positive effects (and you will for sure), you’ll be hooked. Also, everyone’s body clock is different so try to work out at the time of day when you have the most energy. If you’re a morning person, plan your workouts early in the day; if you perk up as the day goes along, plan to exercise in the afternoon or evening.Fitness is a state of mind so the trick is to get and stay motivated. Even if you follow all these tips, there will be ups and downs, setbacks and victories. Just be patient, and don’t give up. Hang in there, and you’ll see solid results. It’s going to save your life! Our 100% Money-Back Guarantee! We’re so sure that having a SurfShelf will change your life, that we are offering a 100% money-back guarantee. If for any reason, you do not absolutely love your SurfShelf, simply send it back to us for a full refund. There’s NO RISK.Here’s a recent testimonial from one of our happy customers: “Lazybones no more! After 50 years of agreeing in theory that exercise was healthy, I’m finally walking the walk, or rather, “ellipticalling” to an entire movie a day, thanks to the Surfshelf. This tough 2 piece assembly rapidly attaches to your equipment of choice, (treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike) after which you attach your portable car DVD player or laptop. Wham! Exercise AND RAPID WEIGHT LOSS is fun! So far I’ve lost 17 pounds in 3 months!” – Karen M. in Hartland WIThe SurfShelf has made exercise fun and productive for tens of thousands of happy customers, and it will do the same for you too. If you have any questions at all, email us here. We’d love to talk to you! Follow this link to get started today. Have fun, get fit and be happy! Sincerely, Randy Fenton President and Founder SurfShelf, LLC | |