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Are You Missing The Point About Owning A Treadmill?
http://www.womensloft.com/articles/449/1/Are-You-Missing-The-Point-About-Owning-A-Treadmill/Page1.html
Christopher Smith
Learn more about pilates at http://www.actionpilates.com 
By Christopher Smith
Published on March 2, 2008
 
On the surface, exercising on a treadmill is limited in the number of ways you can use it Unlike so many other fitness equipment products, the treadmill leaves you with 2 choices: run or walk

On the surface, exercising on a treadmill is limited in the number of ways you can use it. Unlike so many other fitness equipment products, the treadmill leaves you with 2 choices: run or walk. Should that discount its effectiveness? Take a look around your local gym. You'll find treadmills and long lines to get to them, and for good reason: whether you choose to walk or run, they will help you lose weight.

First of all, exercising on a treadmill burns calories, period. Running on a treadmill burns more calories than jogging does, which in turn burns more calories than walking does. However, the bottom line is that you are burning calories in all cases, and this is what truly matters. Perhaps it may take longer to see results if you are simply constantly walking on the treadmill, but you will see results nonetheless.

Walking on a treadmill is not different than walking to the store. However, there are certain advantages to walking on a treadmill such controlling the speed, of the treadmill, and perhaps the most important aspect is that the walking conditions are smooth and consistent. If you want a real challenge, you can set the incline to steep and get the same benefits as if you were walking up a hill.

Walking is considered to be excellent exercise as well, especially when done for a sustained period of time and when done regularly. Therefore, anybody can reap a benefit of treadmill exercise by setting it on a slow to moderate walk, even older people with limited mobility and pregnant women who are trying to keep healthy in a safe way.

Running is, quite obviously and admittedly, a terrific form of exercise. The benefit of treadmill exercise at a running pace can be clearly seen when comparing calories burned per hour of activity, as running is said to burn about 700 calories per hour whereas biking is said to only burn about 500 calories per hour.

Of course these estimates vary from one situation to another and should therefore only be taken as estimates, but here again is another benefit of treadmill exercising, which is that most treadmills have counters which show your total calorie burn for the session, as well as the distance traveled, your current speed, and if you clasp your hands around the handle bar, your current heart rate.

Using the meters and counters to measure progress during an exercise routine can give the extra boost needed to complete the routine. Many people want to monitor their progress to help them achieve their goals. Many people want to know that treadmill exercising is worth the effort.