First time on a treadmill

As
Previously posted build up slowly and you will see results, if your treadmill has a safety button that you clip on yourself ensure you use it and once you get comfortable using the treadmill make sure you are walking without holding on to the handles

There’s lots of tips on Instagram from “older” folks about keeping moving and helping improve your balance… these will help in attaining your fitness goals…

Great advice from everyone and I am feeling inspired to buy a treadmill now as going outside for walks seems too difficult.
I know exercise on a regular basis works as I did it in my forties and managed to lose weight as well as feel fitter.
(However post menopause will probably make weight loss slower).

Crikey! I bought myself a treadmill recently and am trying to psych myself up into using it.

Am I wrong as regarding it in the same light as "going for a walk"? I see these comments about "not more than 15 minutes" and wonder how that can be - given that a walk (to me) is at least 30 minutes? Does walking on a treadmill take more effort than walking by "going for a walk" ? I'm puzzled by why only 15 minutes?

Is it extra effort to use a treadmill than walk on a street? I thought it was the same thing - unless one angles the treadmill upwards as compared to walking on a flat street.

To me I just bought it because I'm in Wales now - ie colder than I'm used to from Devon and rain/a lot more rain and wind than I'm used to from Devon. I bought it because back where I'm from I could just decide to go for a 30 minute walk daily and do it every single day - ie because the weather didnt stop me - and so I'd go out for that short walk every single day (and not get rain or wind stopping me) and then go off to get on with my day - ie go to work/have social life/etc. I just got it to counterbalance the fact that back in my home county of Devon I'd just decide to go for a walk - but here in wetter/colder/windier Wales I find I often decide to go out as per normal - but then take a look at the Welsh weather and change my mind and I don't want to be fatter and less fit because I'm living here now...

So - is there more to walking on a treadmill than going for a walk out on the pavement as per normal? Is it more effort or something to walk on a treadmill rather than "going for a walk"? I'm confused now...

It depends how you use them. I walk the dog over fields and foot paths which is great exercise and good for proprioception but not everyone lives near to nice places to walk or run. I have to drive to the gym so I use a ten minute warmup on the treadmill just to get warm and ready for exercise. If someone is very unfit and unused to exercise a treadmill is a good way to get started and you can listen to music, watch TV etc if it's a bit tedious. Surely anything that helps to get people moving and active has it's place. My extremely elderly mil used a little pedalling device as she watched the tennis on TV. This was the object of many family jokes but it gave her a little exercise although laughing at the mistakes in the autocue was probably more effective exercise. My extremely fit daughter is pregnant and has bought an exercise bike to help keep her active during pregnancy as she won't be able to do her usual CrossFit sessions. We were designed to move and be active anything that encourages us to do that is IMO good for us.

I try to find time daily to walk up a steep hill. The whole walk up and down takes me just over an hour

Cath9

I try to find time daily to walk up a steep hill. The whole walk up and down takes me just over an hour

Thinks....if I come up big on the Premium Bonds - my favourite town has got a distinctly steep hill. Thinks......hmmm...I've just been watching videos on Totnes - and their main street is a distinctly steep hill.......would be perfect for that (and my sort of food shops and cafes en route too....hmmm...).

Oh well - between the Welsh weather and the Welsh milder hills.....= treadmill indoors it is....

The last time I used a treadmill the rhythmic plodding sent me into a bit of a trance. I lifted one foot to pull my sock up. That wasn't a good idea.

I am 80 and try to do what exercise I can, but with a bad back, I am limited to what I am able to do each day, and have to see what I can manage on that day. so my best thing is going swimming. It is easier to do exercises in the water and less painful to try and stand more erect and try to raise my arms above my head and drop down in the deep end after about 4 lengths to straighten myself out more. I try to do some walking whenever I can and at this time of year, I try to go out whenever it is dry and a little sun. Housework can wait, the weather wont! I also use my love of music on radio three to have some more enjoyable exercise. Whatever I am doing if there is a vienniese walz or a quickstep or a quick march, I drop whatever I am doing (not literally of course!) and then either dance or march around the flat in time to the music. It is a bit of fun, more enjoyable than a set exercise , and even if I need to have a hand on the back of a chair a bit of on the spot marching, raising the knees as much as I can , is still exercise. The postman may consider I am one of his madder calls as he passes the window with me stomping or dancing around with no one else in sight!! So I think in the beginning, having much shorter episodes on your machine in the beginning would be best. Perhaps you could use a timing way, so perhaps plan to try to do 5 minutes every hour, or listen to the news or watch it whilst working away, to let your body just learn how to do this exercise whilst your attention is on the news. Once your body is used to it , it will relax a little and get the habit and you could then increase it. Good luck. Another little idea is that you could have a couple of little, same sized glass jars and every time you use your machine drop a counter/dried pea/ button or whatever into the jar. At the end of the week, change to another jar, and over time hopefully you will see that you are doing more as you can compare this weeks level with previous weeks, to hopefully encourage you to keep going! Let us know what works for you and hope all goes well.

I’ve read all this with great interest and feel inspired. I’ve been doing 15mins 2 times a day, so far so good. I think I over done the first time so am going a bit slower. I’ve learnt a lot from all the posts and hope my stamina will get better the more I use it.
Lots of useful tips here. Thanks 🙏