Should You Buy a Treadmill?

Running has the potential to burn serious calories.  An average sized person can burn 200 calories in 20 minutes with ease.  It can also slow bone and muscle loss because your body is responding to the physical demands of running. Walking is also a good form of cardiovascular activity. A brisk walk can burn about 120 calories in 20 minutes.

Having a treadmill at your house has several advantages over running or walking outside.  You can use your treadmill in a much more controlled environment.  You don’t have to worry about rain and you can control the temperature.  There is also additional padding on the decks of the treadmill that absorb energy this in turn helps lower the impact to your feet and knees over concrete. It is easier for people to set a dedicated time during the day to take care of their exercise needs when they have a treadmill at their home. 

A treadmill or elliptical also allows you to control the pace of your workout.  It is an advantage to be able to use the same piece of equipment on every workout.  There are always small differences between treadmills even if they are the same brand and same model.  Maybe one is better lubricated, has a different belt tension or has better bearings.  This has probably been experienced by anyone who visits the gym on a regular basis.  Having the ability to control your workout allows you to escalate your workout in a controlled manor.

The single most important thing to consider when looking to buy a treadmill or elliptical for your home is “Will you use it?”  This is a simple question but so many people buy gym memberships, home fitness equipment, diet books and workout videos just because they feel like they want to lose weight and improve their health but don’t follow through with any dedication.  If you go forward and decide to make the purchase of a treadmill you should spend some time and create a schedule that you can set for yourself where you can get in a regular workout.  Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.  If you can’t commit to exercising at least 3-4 times a week then you may want to reconsider the investment of having a treadmill in your home.  Getting fit is “work” but the benefit is improving your health mentally and physically. 

You can keep your workout fun.  It is a great time to have a little time for self improvement.  You can put on a set of headphones and listen to the music you enjoy and spend a little time improving your health and feeling better about your appearance.  Try not to over commit yourself when you first start.  It is easy to get burned out with a program and then you will find yourself slowly move away from being active. 

Take your time and determine which machine and what type of program you could see yourself making a long term commitment to using.  Be realistic about your expected results, stick with it and you will find your life will improve in many ways.