Watch My Weight Wednesday!

Last week I told you all that we purchased a treadmill. I have been researching on how to get the most out of my treadmill and have found these tips!

Treadmill Exercises for Beginners
I wanted to know how do I use a treadmill to lose weight?  This is what I found!

For beginners you should do about 15-20 minutes of cardio everyday. Here are a few treadmill exercises to start off with.

Walking
Set a pace which you feel comfortable walking for up to 20 minutes. You could start with a speed of 5 km/hr and if you feel that the workout is too slow for you, you could yank it up to 6.5 km/hr. Walking is a simple exercise for you and it is better you start your workout with this if you have never played any sports. It is also a good warm-up.


Running
Start your workout with a brisk jog at 10 km/hr. And depending on whether you are comfortable or not, you can increase or decrease the speed of the treadmill at which you're running. Ideally you should maintain a steady pace throughout so select a speed which you are comfortable with. Don't overdo it as it may cause injury. Reduce the speed for the last 4-5 minutes so that you can cool down.

Using the Incline
To increase the intensity of the workout, the treadmill offers the incline function. When you use the incline, the treadmill automatically lifts itself up and gives you the feeling of walking uphill. Walking uphill is obviously tougher than walking on a flat surface so it burns more calories!

Interval Workout
Some treadmills come with an interval workout. An interval workout is a preset function on the treadmill which does all the changes in the incline, and leaves you to adjust the speed. The interval workout intermediately increases the incline of the treadmill to give you a more challenging workout.

Tips to consider while using a treadmill

• Don't run too close to the control panel of a treadmill, you may hold your arms too high, causing your neck and shoulders to get sore. --  Instead, position yourself in the middle of the treadmill band and you will be less likely to have aches afterwards.
• Leading with and landing on your heel can do damage to your knees.  Try to land on the middle of your feet and roll onto the balls of them. It will be easier on your knees and, perhaps just as importantly, you will feel like your walk is easier on your body as a whole, making you more likely to keep it up.
• Move your arms back and forwards rather than across your body and make a point to keep the motion fluid. Once you get the hang of it, it will actually improve your coordination and keep you balanced. Hold your arms at a 90-degree angle and keep your hands around hip level.
• Looking up at the ceiling, an overhead poster or a mounted television may cause you to tip your torso back and puts pressure on your hips. That makes it even harder to take a step forward with every stride. Try to always look straight ahead to keep yourself from leaning back.
• You should never actually slouch walking indoors or out, of course, but leaning slightly toward the control panel (from your ankles, not your torso) will create a shift in gravity that helps propel you without any additional effort. (Basically, you can walk faster without putting more energy into it.)

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