A couple of years ago I whipped out the big bucks and purchased myself a good quality treadmill. It took me several hours to put that sucker together. When I finally had it finished, I realized that there was no way in hell I could ever move it. It was HUGE and weighed a ton! I had assembled it right in the middle of my living room and eventually managed to wrangle it to the side of the room where it stayed for many months. It was a giant eyesore, but because it was in plain sight, I ended up using it every day.
Christmas time rolled around, so I decided to disassemble it and move it into my daughter’s room since that was the only place where I had room for it. I also needed to make some space for my awesomely decorated pink Christmas tree, so the treadmill had to go. Sorry treadmill!
It’s been six months since I moved the treadmill. In that time, I have only used it a total of four times. FAIL. I’ve since decided to sacrifice the lovely decor and stick that big ugly eyesore of a treadmill back in my living room.
I reached my goal weight long ago, but my endurance was gradually declining, and unfortunately, I’m getting a bit fluffy. I need me some cardio. So, if you’re in the same boat, here are some ways to get better use out of that dust-collecting piece of equipment that you bought with the plan to use it frequently but instead you have let it sit and rot.
Tips to get the best out of your treadmill (or any other exercise equipment)
Keep it in plain view – Even if this means smack dab in the middle of your living room. What’s more important – your health, or how good your living room looks? I vote for the first one. I hope you do too.
Include it in your schedule – If you can pencil in appointments and shopping trips and meetings in your daily schedule, why not pencil in some exercise time? My list looks something like this: clean out the junk drawer, plan supper, get ass on treadmill, shower, waste time playing video games. Yes, I’m boring.
Park it near a TV or stereo – Some people like to watch TV while they exercise because it keeps them focused on something else other than how much longer they have to go, or how many calories they’ve burned so far. Listening to music also helps keep up your momentum so having a stereo with a remote handy is… well, convenient.
Have it ready to go – When I get on the treadmill, I like to have some water within reach, my cell phone (in case I get an uber-important text), the remote for the TV, the window open and blowing in my direction, some good running shoes, etc. Some of these things you can have ready to go beforehand. So it’s that easier and quicker just to jump on and get going. I also have a playlist saved on my computer that’s ready to go with some nice fast tunes to help me walk or run.
Accountability – Have a friend or family member give you the third degree if you haven’t used it in a while. Make sure they’re good at giving you the guilt trip.
Reward yourself – Every time you exercise, reward yourself for a job well done. Don’t include ice cream or chocolate as the reward. Bad idea. Instead, choose healthy rewards like allowing yourself some time to read that book you’ve meant to read or getting a manicure. If you’ve got the cash, go buy yourself some awesome shoes! If you’re a guy, buy yourself anything on your wish list. You can reward yourself with small treats for every time you exercise. Or reward yourself with a big treat if you’ve exercised regularly for a week or month. It’s up to you.
Final thoughts
If your treadmill is collecting dust, masquerading as a clothes hanger, or like in my case being used as a slide for the kids, hopefully, you can use the above ideas or come up with your own to get better use out of it. These tips also work for stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, or any other kind of exercise equipment as well. Just do it! (I stole that from Nike.)