It’s important to sweat out the details if you want to feel the burn of a good workout when buying home exercise equipment.

If you’re considering buying exercise equipment, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers this advice: Evaluate advertising claims for fitness products carefully. And exercise–with or without special equipment-is essential for good health.

When buying home exercise equipment, the FTC advises:

no pain no gain

Ignore claims that an-exercise machine or device can provide long-lasting, easy, “no-sweat” results in a short time. You can’t get the benefits of exercise unless you exercise.

Be skeptical of testimonials and before-and-after pictures from “satisfied” customers. Their experiences may not be typical. Just because one person had success with the equipment doesn’t mean you will too.

fact or fiction

Question claims that a product can burn fat off a particular part of the body–for example, the buttocks, hips or stomach. Spot reduction is a myth. It’s impossible to lose fat around only a specific part of your body, such as your stomach or buttocks. Achieving a major change in your appearance requires sensible eating and regular exercise that works the whole body.

count up the cost

Do the calculations when you read statements like “three easy payments of …” or “only $49.95 a month.” The advertised cost may not include shipping and handling fees, sales tax, and delivery and set-up fees. Find out the details before you order.

Try before you buy. If the equipment is enjoyable to use, you’re more likely to use it often. Look for quality. If a $1,500 stair climber is out of reach, try step-training tapes and a set of benches with risers for around $150–a better choice than spending $300 on a low-quality stair climber that could quickly wear out.

work out room

Consider space restrictions. A multistation gym requires 50 to 200 square feet; a stair climber, just 10 to 20 square feet. For some pieces, high ceilings or even separate rooms. Read the fine print. The advertised results in infomercials may be based on much more than using the equipment being sold.

And consider this: just because you’ve bought that treadmill or at-home gym it doesn’t mean you’ll now be motivated to use it.

The need to improve your health and your appearance has to be motivated from within, otherwise it won’t matter how much you’ve spent on the equipment.

Moreover, physical activity need not be strenuous to be beneficial; people of all ages benefit from participating in regular, moderate-intensity physical activity.