Treadmill

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thecheese
thecheese Posts: 51 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
With all the cold on the east coast and bad weather I have been having to rely on running on the treadmill. My treadmill is in my spare bedroom and there are lots of things I can distract myself with but I find myself counting down the seconds of tedium. Does anyone have any tips that have helped them to put in the treadmill miles?
Thanks for you help...Dawn

Replies

  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
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    I have my ipod on (maybe download new music) and the tv (or movie) on with closed caption. It seems to help.

    The other thing that makes the time go fast is doing intervals on the tread. I have 2 buttons I can program to be whatever I want so I usually do a couple minutes increasing the time each min (or 3) at a set pace, then start the whole thing over again. It makes 40 minutes go really fast.
  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,221 Member
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    can you move a TV into that room? or do you have a laptop? you could watch a movie while you run? or can you read as you run (some can some can't) You could get a magazine that you like.
  • tyreese8
    tyreese8 Posts: 1
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    Intervals is a good way to mix things up. Also take breaks and stretch, maybe do some dumbell work as well. That way you won't be doing the same thing for an extended period of time.
  • photoman67
    photoman67 Posts: 116 Member
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    Try interval training, ya know walk for a minute or a minute and a half, and then sprint for a minute. Keep doing that for 20 minutes to a half an hour. That way your workout won't be so boring and you can actually concentrate on the workout more. Also, you will burn lots of calories.
  • GrnEyz80
    GrnEyz80 Posts: 121
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    can you move a TV into that room? or do you have a laptop? you could watch a movie while you run? or can you read as you run (some can some can't) You could get a magazine that you like.

    I've never understood how people could read and workout on the eliptical or treadmill. Especially run. I wish I could, sure would make the time, plus I'd get more study time in! :tongue:
  • Lisa0711
    Lisa0711 Posts: 1,405 Member
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    I also use my ipod when I'm on the treadmill. It makes time go by at least 3 times faster! You can go one pace for a whole song and switch it at then end, or do sprints during the chorus. I do that a lot. A tv would also really help. I watch tv while on the elliptical, (the treadmill is in the basement.. no tv down there). Or you can tell yourself to run/walk at a certain pace for a certain amount of time, or until you reach a specific amount of miles. I do a mix of these things every time I'm on the treadmill and it makes an hour feel like only 20-30 minutes!
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I use the treadmill at the gym, so at the very least I can people watch. But maybe try watching TV or listen to music with a reall good beat. There are a lot of days that I tell myself I am going to take it easy on the treadmill and walk, but then the beat of some of my music just gets to me and I HAVE to run. Whenever I download new music I can barely wait to get to the gym so I can run to my new songs.

    Also like someone else said, setting intervals can help, because then you're focusing on getting through each interval, rather than the entire time all at once. I walk for 5, run for 6, etc until I get to 33 minutes.
  • mdale2
    mdale2 Posts: 79
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    Music, intervals of walk / jog, and the occasional 8.5 mph sprint help me.
  • Ashia1317
    Ashia1317 Posts: 415
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    It's hard for me some days - I get so bored easily on the treadmill!!! So I started to break it up. Do 10 minutes of cardio then 10 reps of each of my weight training, then 10 more minutes of cardio and so on (for about 30-45 mins a day). Breaking it up helps me a little so I'm not getting bored and distracted just doing 30 minutes on the treadmill. I find listening to music is better for me than watching tv. I have a certain play list I made that has different beats and tempos to keep me "jamming" and having fun. I find myself trying to match my steps to the beat as well. I watch tv some days too if I know something is on.
  • XFitMojoMom
    XFitMojoMom Posts: 3,255 Member
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    My "Guilty Pleasures" TV - Like the Real Housewives, or The Workout...
    Intervals
    I will listen to high energy music for about 10-15 minutes BEFORE working out to get me in the mindspace for a heavy workout.
    Reminding myself that I want to look and feel great, and although it's tedious during, after the endorphins are running through me and I feel like a million bucks.
  • Amberly10
    Amberly10 Posts: 41 Member
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    I love the treadmill! I wish that I h at home I would use it all of the time. I have a Gazelle and use it while watching whatever TV show I'm into. My goal is to use it the entire time the show is on. If I need a break I will do it during the commercials and get a drink of water.

    So, my suggestion would be to put a TV in wherever you are working out. When I use the treadmill at the gym I take my IPOD and listen to music.
  • cds2327
    cds2327 Posts: 439
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    Music helps me ignore the time widdling down.
  • donna56
    donna56 Posts: 412
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    I blast the stereo :smile:

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  • thecheese
    thecheese Posts: 51 Member
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    Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a running "soundtrack" on my ipod but its the same music pretty much since last January...I think I am getting bored of it :( And there is a tv in this room but then I have to raise the volume to supersonic...never thought of using the captions thats a good idea. Outside seems I can run any amount of miles without getting bored but inside I'm counting down the secs. I would love to read but I can't seem to hold the book and manage anything over a jog. Thanks again!
  • snowangel1975
    snowangel1975 Posts: 58
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    I also use a tredmill, Canadian winters are cold!! BRRRRR.
    I have placed a TV in front of mine. I choose a favorite program and away I go. I find I'm distracted by the program and not constantly looking down at the counter. Hope this helps!
  • Gucci879
    Gucci879 Posts: 3 Member
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    As professional fitness trainer Chris Freytag would say "Its all a mental game". If you are running on the treadmill but focus on something else that can help. It might be helpful to check out some links from marathon runners and techniques that they use to keep themselves motivated!

    Also run/walking on the treadmill can be very effective.

    Run at a moderatly hard pace 5.0mph-7.0mph for 5minutes and then walk 3minutes at a steep incline (8.0 and above) at 3.0mph-4.2mph. Repeat until you have reached your goal, whether it be calories burned, time, or miles.

    Best of luck!!
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
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    I do intervals on the treadmill. Each set of intervals is slightly faster than the interval before. with a speed change each minute or so, and some good music, the time goes fast
  • madmama
    madmama Posts: 123 Member
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    I have a TV in front of my treadmill and I can watch whatever I find interesting while jogging away the miles, I also have my ipod on so that I can listen to it during the commercials. I can read on my bike but not on my treadmill, too much bouncing.
  • stef_e_b
    stef_e_b Posts: 593
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    I find movies work a lot better for me than tv because commercials break my concentration or lack of it on what I am actually doing.
  • rose1617
    rose1617 Posts: 469 Member
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    I use my iPod. I'm about to change the music out so that I'm more interested (listening to the same songs gets tedious). There is a tv at the gym I use, but I can't change the channel on it because no one monitors. If that's on a decent station then I'm good and can run for a lot longer.

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