My very boring treadmill.
TracyYates
Posts: 28 Member
I'm two months into my healthier lifestyle and down 25.5 pounds. (Yay!) I've definitely kicked up my activity level by just moving more, mostly via brisk walks and mostly on the treadmill. (There's not great outside walking conditions in my rural area. Skinny, Curvy, Dangerous, Dirt Roads.) Here's my struggle. IT'S BORING and I tend to watch numbers. The numbers on the treadmill, the numbers on the clock, the number on my Garmen. I'm driving myself a little nuts watching the numbers. - I'm just wondering what YOU do to pass the time on the treadmill! - THANKS ALL!
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I rotate audio books with good music. Occasionally, I'll put my laptop in front of it and watch a movie in segments.0
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I watch Netflix/YouTube while treadmill.0
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I dont walk the "dreadmill" anymore but Id suggest watching some TV - a movie- listen to a podcast or audio book. The time will fly.
ETA: Today's comedy on pandora <or the like> is good too. It makes my commutes much more tolerable, and faster.0 -
Congrats on your loss! While my first instinct is to say GO OUTSIDE... I understand you aren't living with above average conditions... so here's my advice...
1. If you're not listening to music, start.
2. Make sure the music is super awesome and you want to sing along but you can't because your working out so hard and getting sexy that you can barely breathe.
3. Trying changing up the brisk walk... make it interesting... walk for 2 min, jog for 1. Vary between different inclines. Try skipping (killer on the calves).
4. Cover the numbers with a towel. Bye bye numbers.0 -
deskjobguy wrote: »I watch Netflix/YouTube while treadmill.
This. I catch up on my soap opera on Hulu, too. Sometimes I download a book from Amazon then read it and listen to music while I'm on the treadmill. This is hard to do when I'm running, though.
ETA: I consider it "me" time so I'm usually disappointed when the time is up.0 -
I read lol. I just put the font really big on my phone and read away. I never have time to read so this is awesome way to do two things at once.
If you knit, some people knit also haha.
and then of course there's tv and audio books that others have mentioned if you get bored of reading or don't knit lol
You laugh about the knitting on the treadmill, but it's a thing!0 -
I read lol. I just put the font really big on my phone and read away. I never have time to read so this is awesome way to do two things at once.
If you knit, some people knit also haha.
and then of course there's tv and audio books that others have mentioned if you get bored of reading or don't knit lol
You laugh about the knitting on the treadmill, but it's a thing!
What a great idea. I can knit while I do my recumbant...double whammy! Thanks!0 -
danacondah wrote: »1. If you're not listening to music, start.
2. Make sure the music is super awesome and you want to sing along but you can't because your working out so hard and getting sexy that you can barely breathe.
3. Trying changing up the brisk walk... make it interesting... walk for 2 min, jog for 1. Vary between different inclines. Try skipping (killer on the calves).
4. Cover the numbers with a towel. Bye bye numbers.
Agree with this....I move my incline and speed around a lot. Right now I am stuck with just using the stationary bike due to some back issues and it is boring me to tears. I sometimes have music and the TV going and messing with the numbers.0 -
I looked at my treadmill as a personal trainer. I set it at challenging intervals. (It needs a new belt. I do miss the push.) I think the challenges can make it more fun and can psyche you up to push through and beat your time.
You can also progressively up the weekly resistance with level or pace to keep it interesting.0 -
Music, audiobooks, or podcasts when walking, but I find that those don't distract me enough (or I can't pay enough attention) when running. Running I have to watch something on my phone like Netflix or Youtube or else I do the same and just watch the time, which makes everything feel worse.0
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I read my kindle. Just make the font really big.0
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Audiobooks. Lots and lots of audiobooks. There are a few threads on here with recommendations.0
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I watch tv and listen to music, and I've covered my numbers with a sheet of paper.0
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I go outside. Rain. Snow. Wind. Sun.0
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I watch numbers
I like it 0 -
I go outside, but if I have to go inside, I cover the numbers with my ipad and watch Netlflix until it's time to stop - I pick shows my family won't watch that are guilty pleasures (Weeds, Scandal, Revenge) and only allow myself to watch when I'm on the treadmill. It is a great motivator!! I also found tons of interval training programs on pinterest so you are changing your speed or incline every minute so there is not much time to get bored!0
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danacondah wrote: »Congrats on your loss! While my first instinct is to say GO OUTSIDE... I understand you aren't living with above average conditions... so here's my advice...
1. If you're not listening to music, start.
2. Make sure the music is super awesome and you want to sing along but you can't because your working out so hard and getting sexy that you can barely breathe.
3. Trying changing up the brisk walk... make it interesting... walk for 2 min, jog for 1. Vary between different inclines. Try skipping (killer on the calves).
4. Cover the numbers with a towel. Bye bye numbers.
***AWESOME! Especially #2! Getting SEXY! - Thank yoU!***0 -
I run and don't usually use the treadmill for walking, but I always cover the treadmill display with a towel so I don't have to look at it, which is the biggest help for me.
I'm another one who enlarges the font and reads on an ebook or tablet, too.
And I use the Zombies, Run! app, which is super engaging and makes an hour fly by for me.
Intervals are also a big time-kill on a treadmill, if I'm doing sprint/walks I can make fifteen or twenty minutes at least fly by because I'm so focused on getting them done and changing the speed and all that.
I live in a place that gets -40 temps with crazy windchills, tons of snow and ice, and am in an urban core with lots of traffic and other safety concerns, so I love that the treadmill is an option for when it's dark/cold/icy/etc outside and I don't want to deal with it. I find I quite enjoy the opportunity to blast my music and totally zone out and not have to pay attention to anyone or anything for an hour sometimes, you know?0 -
Netflix. Or inject some other exercises to the routine. Sometimes I'll run for 5 minutes, jump off do 10 burpees, and then jump back on for another 5 etc, etc, etc.
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Intervals. Plus consider making it challenging enough that you cannot read (or knit)! LOL0
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I watch series of movies. So far I've gone through Twilight, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and now I'm on the Back to the Future series. I prefer movies with sequels for the treadmill because then I actually want to watch to get to the next part. Silly, I know, but it works. Otherwise I'd be the number-watching-freak! I absolutely cannot fathom the treadmill without the distraction. Before my fabulous husband mounted the TV in front of the treadmill I listened to music on my phone (not my fav distraction for treadmill) or even streamed netflix on the tiny screen. Anything is better than the number....anything. I can't read on the treadmill or I'll fall down and injure or kill myself - so I always go with watching movies 0
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If you can put a TV in front of your treadmill, that'd be ideal. I don't have that option, so I use my iPad to play music when I'm running (I live in a cold climate and I'll be damned if I'm going outside when its 14 degrees and dark so I can run!). I tried the podcast thing once but the talking didn't really do it for me when I'm trying to push through on an exhausting run, but music seems to keep my energy up and keep me pumped!
I like the cover the clock/numbers thing, too. I tend to glance down too often and really try to avoid the whole clock-watching phenomenon (plus it tilts my neck down and makes my back hurt when I'm running!), so I may try that next time out! Good hint, thanks!0 -
I like being "Runner 5". It is a phone app that puts you as a courier in England after a zombie outbreak has claimed the Isle. There is a C2K for a few bucks but the base app is free. After you go on your walk/run you pick up supplies. You then log into your pc and use the supplies outfit your base. There is a story behind it all and I think they are on season 3 now. I am not going to name names, to push a product, so send me a PM if you want more info or just search for the player's callsign, Runner 5.0
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danacondah wrote: »Congrats on your loss! While my first instinct is to say GO OUTSIDE... I understand you aren't living with above average conditions... so here's my advice...
1. If you're not listening to music, start.
2. Make sure the music is super awesome and you want to sing along but you can't because your working out so hard and getting sexy that you can barely breathe.
3. Trying changing up the brisk walk... make it interesting... walk for 2 min, jog for 1. Vary between different inclines. Try skipping (killer on the calves).
4. Cover the numbers with a towel. Bye bye numbers.
All of this!!! I have a Rob Zombie station on Pandora that I blast, trying to match my pace with the beat of the music. It's not perfect, but the energy boost I get from LOUD heavy metal is awesome! I also will sometimes do a warm-up of 3 mph for 5 min, run at 5-5.5 mph for a mile, walk another 5 minutes, etc.0 -
I also cover my display with a towel or something or I'll number watch. To pass the time, there are a few things I do:
-listen to podcasts
-listen to music (I tend to really get in to the song and move my legs to the beat and before I know it, the song is over and 3 minutes have already passed)
-watch youtube videos (my favorite youtube videos to watch are health/fitness/weight loss related ones that really get me motivated)
-watch anything on netflix
-Start a running program (this is my top recommendation if it's something you're interested in. Couch 2 5K is amazing and starts with alternating running and walking. There's a timer for walking and running. While you're walking, you're getting pumped up ready to run and before you know it, it's time to run. Then while you're running, time just flies by and it's time to walk again. before you realize it, 30 minutes have gone by!)
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Intervals. Plus consider making it challenging enough that you cannot read (or knit)! LOL
I don't really get this comment (well, the knitting, yeah.) I can still read just fine while on a three mile tempo run (an 8:00 to 8:30 min/mile for me right now) or a regular old six or seven miler if the font is big enough. I mean, I'm not speed-reading and I typically read pretty fluffy stuff while I'm on the treadmill, not capital-L Literature that requires a ton of brainpower to comprehend, but still.0 -
Music that moves the soul...and Netflix..........0
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danacondah wrote: »Congrats on your loss! While my first instinct is to say GO OUTSIDE... I understand you aren't living with above average conditions... so here's my advice...
1. If you're not listening to music, start.
2. Make sure the music is super awesome and you want to sing along but you can't because your working out so hard and getting sexy that you can barely breathe.
3. Trying changing up the brisk walk... make it interesting... walk for 2 min, jog for 1. Vary between different inclines. Try skipping (killer on the calves).
4. Cover the numbers with a towel. Bye bye numbers.
i agree with her, i jam to my music and put on some old school music i havent heard in awhile to keep it fresh.0 -
Intervals. Plus consider making it challenging enough that you cannot read (or knit)! LOL
I don't really get this comment (well, the knitting, yeah.) I can still read just fine while on a three mile tempo run (an 8:00 to 8:30 min/mile for me right now) or a regular old six or seven miler if the font is big enough. I mean, I'm not speed-reading and I typically read pretty fluffy stuff while I'm on the treadmill, not capital-L Literature that requires a ton of brainpower to comprehend, but still.
Same here wrt reading at higher speeds. (Also a fluff reader while on the treadmill.)0
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