First of all, check with your doctor to make sure your body can handle certain types of exercise before you engage in an exercise regimen. The last thing you want to do is pull a muscle from overdoing it, or complicate any existing health issues you may have.

If you are overweight, as many Americans are, make sure to be careful how much exercise you take on at first. Cardio is usually a good start, but the best bet is to check with the doc ahead of time.

If you're just now getting started on the new path to wellness, it's ok if you don't feel motivated each day. One thing you purchase is motivation itself, though. Think about this as you decide how to move forward. You may want to consider having some equipment in the home, while using other equipment at the gym. The membership at the gym may keep you on task and keep you motivated to use your home equipment during off hours. You can also get a personal trainer at the gym that will help you get started and develop a good regimen.

The second primary consideration is what kind of workout you want. In order to determine this, you'll need to think about what kind of shape you want to be in. For example, if you are a guy or girl looking to simply tone up, then a tread mill is a good start. A tread mill will allow you to get cardiovascular exercise (as mentioned above), and it's a great way to shed pounds quickly.

Keep in mind that you will need to lose weight, including the love handles and so on, before you will really see the results of toning or building muscle mass. You can't have your cake and eat it, too-and that is all too true when it comes to getting in shape. You must put down the cake and pick up the water bottle, so to speak. In other words, dietary changes are in order, and you already knew that.

You can't get truly in shape without changing your eating habits. This is a stone cold fact you must acknowledge and accept as you proceed toward your new healthy lifestyle.

A third element to think about, as was just touched upon, is whether you want to bulk up. If you are intending to build muscle mass you'll need more than regular cardio or calisthenics in order to get notable results. You can get a home gym with free-weights (actual weights that are lifted up manually or by pulley system) or resistance training (which provides resistance using special technology designed to emulate free-weights). Resistance training systems are easier to move around and transport but may not be as effective for advanced users.

Although it is not always the case, many have said that free-weights are better for bulking up (building mass), while resistance training is ideal for toning (getting those perfectly chiseled shapes).

You'll also want to consider ab training. Your abdomen is one of the most sought after parts of the body, to have in shape. With that in mind, don't think you're going to do cardio and lift weights (and/or do resistance training) and get your abs in perfect shape in the process.

You'll need to, again, change how you eat. (There are many resources that can help you start on this.) Once you do so, sit ups are a good start, as are leg-ups, and so on. However, there are special abdomen workout systems which will allow you to put resistance on your abs as you work them, for faster, more noticeably toned results.