If you haven’t read any of my blog posts then you don’t know my love for the treadmill. But if you have you probably know how much I love getting miles in on the treadmill while I watch HGTV. This is the best part of my day. Seriously, I have developed over the last couple of years an addiction to walking on the treadmill.
Over the course of the last three years I have worked my way up to walking for an hour after I have finished my warm up and weight workout. I pretty much always follow this pattern: warm up(30min), weights(30-45min), walk(60min). This may or may not be an optimal way to workout, but it has become my habit, and it isn’t broken, so I’m not going to be fixing it any time soon.
So, this month instead of the elliptical or the stairs or the bike, I used the treadmill for 30 minutes pre workout. I usually start out at 3mph and increase the speed by .2 every two minutes ending up at 4.4 or 4.6mph and then going down by .2 every two minutes until I’m back down to 4mph and then I go back up and down like that until I have reached the 30 minute mark.
This pattern of warm up worked well for me since I really love walking and love getting my steps in for the day. My hips did hurt some days and I think I need to order a new pair of shoes after this month but overall this was a smashing success.
Please note that I am not recommending anyone else do this. You should always do what works for you and do something that you enjoy. Because at the end of the day the only thing you will stick with is something that you don’t hate.
Regular walking can improve cardiovascular fitness as well as strengthening your bones and muscles. It improves your energy levels, mood, memory, and sleep. It can strengthen your immune system, improve balance and coordination, all while reducing stress. It is easy and accessible, you really only need a good pair of running shoes and a treadmill, sidewalk, or walking path.
I enjoy being able to get my steps in and watch HGTV, plus with my vantage point at the treadmill in the middle of my local Planet Fitness, I have the best people watching perch in the whole place. Sometimes even though I am people watching and watching the TV, I also zone out and figure out my problems, or think up blog posts. It really is the best me time in my whole day. I wish everyone had a point in their day that was solely for them.
And don’t get me started on the endorphins that flood through my brain after I get off the treadmill. I think that is why I enjoy the hour of walking so much. I push myself to go a little faster or have the incline slightly higher and then I go back down to a normal level. I get my heart rate up, but it is still sustainable. I’ll never be a runner and I’ll never jog, but I can only assume that the people who are running or jogging are getting that same feeling after they are done too.
This month’s warm up is a SUCCESS!
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