First time on a treadmill

Repeat repeat repeat!
Sadly!

....me too.

Do you go for walks? It might be an idea to try and build your stamina by going for short walks in conjunction with short sessions on the treadmill.

I think 15 minutes is a long time to exercise on a treadmill if you are not used to it. It would be better to do several very short bursts with breaks in between rather than one long one.

You can increase your stamina gradually and increase your time. As NotSpaghetti says repeat, repeat, repeat.

Keep going, your stamina will increase. I used to use a treadmill at the gym and I was very tired at first but I got better over time.

Try the Active in 10 app, NHS approved.
It encourages you to walk, at a brisk pace, but breaks it down into smaller more manageable chunks.
It’s worked for me.
Maybe give it a try

Yes. It would be so nice to just magically have more stamina - please send some to me if you have plenty!

I'm trying to walk more and build up mine. Not a gym fan but am putting more energy into doing things generally (walking more, going upstairs quicker, swimming a bit faster etc) and believe it is improving.

Thanks everyone for your comments, all very helpful. 🤗

Well done Marketkat. It’s not easy to revive fitness once we’re older and this will only do you good. Just a word of warning about overdoing it. Like you I have been trying to improve my fitness. I did a lot of walking and bought a step machine. The outcome of that, just as I felt I was getting somewhere, was a strained Achilles tendon. That was six weeks ago and although it has improved slightly I still cannot walk far without it starting to hurt badly.
So, be wiser than me and resist the temptation to overdo it.
I am also using an app called LazyFit which is helping me to do some alternative exercises. I think there are similar apps.

Well done for making a start. I use the treadmill at the gym to warm up, it's best to push yourself but you shouldn't become too breathless to be unable to carry on talking. As I get fitter I don't increased the time but I either increase the pace or the incline. Good luck and keep going, consistency is key, why not track your progress, it can be quite motivating.

Thank you 🙏

I know it might be difficult on a treadmill but try to do one minute fast then two minutes slow.

If you are regularly breathless when walking around you may wish to have a check up with your GP as recurrent breathlessness may be a symptom of something needing attention, My OH aged 80 has this problem and is having GP-ordered tests, x-ray, etc.

As boring as it is, it's so much easier for me at any rate, to walk at a reasonable pace on a treamill. Don't make yourself breathless start off at a speed and maybe incline and duration you feel comfortable with.

I think the first thing you should do is check with your doctor, something may be causing your breathlessness.

Start slower, and work your way up to 15 mins.

It might be worth looking at going to a gym and doing some guided activities? I started off this year at a dreadful state of unfitness but under the supervision and guidance of the lovely instructors at my gym, I have seen a marked improvement, now do a variety of fitness classes, and - bonus - have made some lovely friends and we reward ourselves with a tea or coffee after classes and exercise our jaws and lungs, putting the world to rights!
I am shortly to be 69 years old, if that's any help.

First lose weight and check with your GP if ok to do 15 minutes on treadmill. Then try again building up gradually. It could give you a heart attack, wear joints out etc otherwise.

I try to do 20 minutes on my treadmill most days, albeit not very fast (3.5kph). To make it less boring I read a couple of chapters on my Kindle. 20\25 minutes goes by much quicker . I also do 3 Aqua classes and a chair yoga class a week at the gym. I am 76.

When I first started on a treadmill I struggled after 2 minutes.So I suggest just do little and often. 15 mins is too long to start with.
I aim for 10 mins minimum now, but can do 15, 20 or more if I’m distracted by the tv in front of me.
Maybe start with 2 or 3 mins and persevere

Did you take any professional advice before buying a treadmill? Yes, walking is good if you feel you are below par on that type of exercise. Take it gently, 5 min sessions at a time building up to longer. I did consider a treadmill but was advised by trainer that an exercise bike would be more beneficial. Any exercise is better than none, keep going.

I bought and used a treadmill a few years ago both to improve stamina and movement and to lose weight. My golden rule was to start gently - in both speed and duration. Even 1 kph is good enough at first. Switch it up a little after a minute and see how you go. My treadmill could also be adjusted to slope upwards and after a short while I did that - and never laid it flat again.

Also after a while you can try ratching up the speed for a minute or two, but dropping it down again before repeating that.

I would also say that 5 minutes is a good enough spell for a newbie. Several (four?) times a day is then not too formidable!

I persevered in this way for around a year and lost almost 3 stones, strengthened my legs and hips and improved my stamina.

A few bits of advice are to wear supportive non-slip shoes (not your slippers) and make sure you use the safety chain - my DH didn't bother with the latter and had a nasty fall. Also, if the machine tracks your pulse (heart rate) do not go over the level for your age - deduct your age from 220 to get the maximum but personally I wouldn't want to go even that high. Also ease off at the end of the session to a slow speed and let your body recover a little after stopping, before you step off.

Good luck!

I also add that I no longer use it (nor the exercise bike I bought previously that I didn't find comfortable) so if anyone lives near me you can borrow either one and if one suits you you are welcome to make me a reasonable offer (with the bike - little used - you can have it for free!).

I'm so glad you posted about this 'Marketkat', as I've too have been thinking about buying a walking machine to improve my fitness. Like you, I am very overweight, although have recently lost just over a stone by doing 'Slimpod', Google it if you would like to know more - it's a different way of losing weight, and not all about counting calories, or points, etc. but more about listening to a podcast each day, and retraining your way of thinking about food. It's really good, and very cheap compared to things like Weight Watchers, etc. Having said all that, due to your post, I now have a good idea of what I need to do when I get my machine, which I'm hoping will be my Christmas gift. I figure that during the colder, wetter days, I'm far more likely to do a bit of walking on a machine, than I am to go outside and do it, and then hopefully by the time the nicer weather returns, I'll be fitter and able to get out and pound the streets. Do come back and let us know how you're getting on, I'll be thinking of you.

Many years ago I was referred to the gym by my doctor to help with high blood pressure. The fitness instructor told me not to go above 3mph as I'm very short and 'only have little legs!' He told me when that got too easy to increase activity by adding an incline. I was initially told to warm up for 5 minutes on a recumbent bike then do 5 minutes treadmill, 5 minutes rowing and finally 5 minutes cool down on the bike. The first time I went I couldn't do 5 minutes on the rowing machine - I was exhausted after three and a half! I gradually built up to longer on the rowing machine, which is really good exercise. I found my limiting factor was boredom rather than stamina!
After moving to this area I didn't really find a gym that suited me so I bought my own rowing machine, but after using it for a short time found it took up too much space having it out in front of the TV so folded it up in the kitchen with my son's help. It hasn't been used since as it is too heavy for me to move on my own!
I try to go for frequent short walks, just along the street and back, and once a week I go on an hour's walk with a 'simply walk' group. It makes it a more sociable activity and we end with a coffee at the local community hall. If you can build your fitness a bit I'd really recommend joining a group. The one I belong to also has a group that do a shorter walk, just a kilometer round the park and a longer time for drinks and chat. I joined them for a while after I injured my knee and took a while to recover, but now I'm back on the 'long walk' again. Most of the group are retired and some are over 80 so hopefully there will be something suitable in your area.
I've also increased the amount I walk by parking further away from my destination when I go out so I get a short walk. Every little helps! Once it becomess a habit it gets easier. Good luck!

Getting slightly out of breath is good for you but gasping for breath isn't, so be mindful of your body and try not to be impatient.
You need to build up g r a d u a l l y . Good luck.