Treadmill Training - How to Stay on Track

Starting an exercise routine is one thing; staying on it is another. Many people start out with clear goals and a go-for-it attitude, but lose their drive one week into the program. This is particularly common for people using treadmills, as it does get tedious and boring after a while. How do you stay motivated throughout and stick to your exercise program? The truth is that it can be hard—but you can also make it extremely easy. More often than not, it’s just a matter of attitude, a question of taking on the right goals and expectations.

People get off track for lots of different reasons, so there’s no single solution that works for everyone. The trick is to know what makes you hesitate to get on the treadmill, and find a way to get over it. If you’re tired, then get some rest so you can exercise later. If you don’t have time, then rearrange your schedule. Even the busiest people can squeeze in a bit of exercise into their routine. If you want to get in shape but can’t seem to stay on track, here’s a quick guide to help you out.

Determine your goals.

Why are you working out in the first place? Do you want to get in shape, develop some muscles, or lose a few inches off your middle? Your goals help shape your treadmill workout routine and give you something to measure your progress with. They also serve as your guide throughout the program—otherwise, how would you know whether to step it up or slow down? With a good set of goals, you can determine your track before setting out to stay on it.

If you’re not sure what your goals are, consult a doctor or trainer. Your doctor can give you a full checkup and set a few realistic goals, not only to get you in shape but to help you achieve long-term health. If you’re the athletic type, a trainer may give you more focused advice and even recommend a few treadmill models. What’s important is that you have clear goals to steer you in the right direction.

Keep a workout diary.

Once you’ve got your goals down, set a few milestones to determine your progress. For example, if your goal is to lose ten pounds, go for a reasonable rate of one or two pounds a week. Check your progress throughout your treadmill training to see if you’re meeting the milestones. By breaking up one big goal into several smaller ones, you make it less daunting and you get that motivational kick each time.

Try to keep a workout logbook. It sounds a bit overboard, but it really helps—something about getting your goals down on paper and ticking them off simply inspires you to do more. Besides the milestones you set for yourself, keep tabs on some vital stats, such as your heart rate, the distance and length of time you ran, and your heart rate. Also try to write how tired you felt using an easy 1-5 scale. That way, you can tell when you’re getting in better shape.

Fight off boredom.

Boredom is one of the most common reasons people flunk out of their workout routines. Interestingly, it’s also one of the easiest to avoid. There are simply lots of ways to keep yourself entertained during your workout: listen to music, watch TV, turn on the radio, play your favorite film. Download some treadmill workout music and make an exercise playlist on your mp3 player. Choose whatever works for you—as long as it doesn’t get in the way of your exercise, it’s fine.

You can also invest in a treadmill workout program such as Treadmill Trainer. These programs are usually downloadable files you can put on your iPod or mp3 player, which combines motivational audio, upbeat music, and some dialogue to tell you how you’re doing. There are lots of treadmill programs out there; just read reviews or check treadmill blogs to see which ones are most promising.

Find a workout buddy.

One thing that works for most people is finding someone else to work out with. An exercise buddy helps you stay on track because there’s more pressure on either side to get up and do it. A bit of competition won’t hurt either—since each party wants to do just as well as the other, you’re subconsciously pushing each other to do better.

Of course, just the presence of other people does a lot to boost your motivation. Simply talking with your buddy during the workout can keep you going longer. Since time seems to pass by faster when you’re in a conversation, it’s a great way to prevent treadmill boredom. You can also exchange diet and fitness tips, monitor each other’s progress, and simply motivate each other to stay on the program.

It’s happened to a lot of us: we get started on an exercise routine, we’re on it for a week or two, and then we just lose the energy and give up. Keeping a schedule is a lot harder than it seems—but it doesn’t have to be. Often, it’s really just a matter of attitude and discipline. By shifting your perspective and changing your views about getting in shape, you can easily stick to your exercise program, whether it’s for a month, a week or a year.

For starters, get rid of the idea that it’s a temporary thing. If you start a program thinking it’ll be over in a month, you’ll lose the drive as soon as you reach that quota. And when you stop, you’ll gain back all the weight you lost, and maybe even more. Think of it as a change in lifestyle rather than a quick burst of activity. By making exercise part of your daily routine, it’ll come more naturally to you—and you’ll even start craving it yourself.

Next, invest in good exercise equipment. You don’t need an extremely fancy home gym, but you don’t have to give up quality for price either. You also don’t have to get all the equipment at once. Start with a good quality treadmill—a good-quality model will cost between $500 and $1,200—and you can get into the routine from there. Do some cardio every other day, preferably in the morning, then work your way up to more frequencies.

When you get used to the treadmill, pair it with other workouts such as strength training and weight training. Since you’re already on cardio, you’ll burn even more calories when you start lifting weights and training specific muscle groups. The variety will also keep the routine from getting boring.

Don’t forget to match it with a balanced diet to get the best results. Doing two hours on the treadmill every day won’t get you too far if you eat a lot of fast food and desserts. Make fruits and vegetables part of your everyday diet. As you exercise more and more, you’ll also need more energy food, such as protein bars and milk, to help you keep up.