Work! Kids! Errands! With today's increasingly packed schedules, who has time to go to the health club consistently? One way to supplement your health club workout is to purchase fitness equipment and work out at home.

With the tremendous variety of fitness equipment now available, deciding which machines to select can be daunting, so consider the following:

• Budget: How much money do you have to spend? The adage, "You get what you pay for," directly applies to home fitness equipment. Compromising here won't pay off in the long run, as lower-cost equipment can give you a poor exercise experience and/or break down fairly easily, so you won't get the results you desire. If you are serious about exercising, spend more money up-front so you will be more likely to enjoy the machine/s for years. Consider this purchase as an investment in your health.
• Physical space: How much room do you have? You'll want everything to fit comfortably. In addition to measuring floor space, note ceiling height because some home gyms may be tall. Bring these dimensions with you when shopping.
• Your goals and preferences: Do you want to burn fat, or do you want to strengthen and tone? Do you prefer a treadmill, a stationary bike or an elliptical cross-trainer? Are you more likely to use free weights such as dumbbells or selectorized machines? If you don't know, purchase a guest pass to a local health club and try different pieces. Many high-quality health club equipment manufacturers, such as Life Fitness, also produce similar models for home use.

You will find higher quality products and greater selection at fitness equipment specialty shops, such as Omni Fitness or L.A. Gym Equipment, rather than general sporting goods stores or department stores. Fitness equipment specialty stores typically have certified professionals who can serve as consultants in selecting, setting up, using and maintaining your equipment.

What are the best pieces of fitness equipment to purchase? According to Gregory Florez, president of Fitness First, Inc., a company that specializes in testing fitness equipment and in-home personal training, the best ones are those that you will use consistently.

"Although treadmills are popular, you may prefer a stationary bicycle or a stairclimber," says Florez. "Consider what activities you like or find interesting to help identify the best equipment for you. For example, did you like to ride a bicycle when you were young? Does cross-county skiing interest you? Questions like these can help you buy something you will like and will use on an ongoing basis."

In addition to treadmills, bicycles and stairclimers for fat burning, elliptical cross-training machines, rowing machines and cross-country ski machines are good choices that also can work the upper body. For weight training, choose from multi-unit home gyms, free weight systems, benches and dumbbells. Some companies such as ParaBody make a full-line of home strength training equipment to meet your needs. Your sales consultant can determine what types of pieces are best for your needs.

Take your running shoes or workout clothes and try each machine for several minutes to determine what you prefer. Also ask about warranties. Manufacturers who expect their products to last will back them up.

Once your home gym is set up, commit to use it regularly. You may find that you have even more energy than before to handle your work, the kids and those errands!