Yes, please c'mon exercise people with retirement and cold weather I fear weight gain will be a problem. But, due to other health problems...good old "Arthur" and a previous knee injury even walking is a chore...

so MD suggested one of those elliptical...whatche'me call it machines instead of a pounding motion treadmill. I have looked at sears...but research and reviews online tell me "best not to deal with them" for this type of equipment...
Pros and cons of different equipment and sources would be greatly appreciated here too!

My experience with home exercise equipment was not that great. We bought a fairly expensive treadmill several years ago and after about three years it developed all sorts of problems. I called the company and was told it would cost $130 for someone to come look at it and that because that model was no longer made, it was unlikely they'd even have the right parts to fix it. Since then, I was talking to an equipment repairman at the gym I've since joined and he said this is pretty typical of what happens with home equipment.

Gym memberships have become very reasonably priced in the last few years. There you have a variety of equipment to use, classes you can choose, and personal trainers available if needed. Most gyms in my area are $30 per month.

When I first considered joining, I was afraid it would be filled with young, fit people and I'd be intimidated. That didn't turn out to be the case at all. There are all ages at my gym, including lots of elderly people who only recently began to exercise. I've made new friends there and can constantly change my routine to avoid boredom and focus on specific results I want. To me, the gym is a much better value than buying equipment and dealing with repairs. My treadmill, due to its short lifespan, cost me $500 per year compared to $360 per year for the gym and I have many more exercise options than just walking. It's also nice to not have to deal with bulky equipment taking up space in my home.

I realize there may be some areas where there is no gym available within a reasonable drive, but if you have one I would recommend looking into that rather than buying your own machine.

I have a great excersise cycle,its like a cadillac,comfy,a place to sit my computer.Treadmill.eliptical.Thats what I use.