Frustrated by the treadmill

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10/23/12 1:35 P

You could try alternating between the elliptical and the treadmill. When you're on the treadmill, you can increase your speed by 0.1 every few minutes. Start out at 3.0 mph and go for 2 or 3 minutes, then increase to 3.1 mph, then 3.2, then go back down to 3.0 mph (go back and forth between 3.0 and 3.2 until you feel comfortable there). During week 1, you could try to reach 3.2 mph with the goal being that the last workout day you'd be able to stay at 3.2 mph the whole time. Maybe, you can try doing it without the incline the first day and then adjust the incline for variation. Each week, increase it a little bit more until you reach 3.5 mph.

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10/22/12 7:08 P

or you might be like me, completely unable to walk at any kind of speed (any faster than 3.2 and I get 2 pulled hamstrings) but I can run a 7:30/mile (8.2 mph) for speed and 4+ hours for endurance at about 10:00/mile (6.0 mph).

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10/22/12 6:28 P

The speed you go at depends on your own personal gait and should not be dictated by others. I am with you--I cannot walk faster than 3.2 on the treadmill or else I am running. Usually I just walk at 2.0 mph and increase the incline to 15%--a nice leisurely pace, but the uphill aspect of it really gets my heart rate up.

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10/22/12 6:05 P

I used to loathe the treadmill but the elliptical is not so friendly to me with the extra weight. I started week 1 with doing 30 min at a 3.2 no incline. Week 2 added incline to 3. by week 3 I was at 45-60 minutes doing 3.4 and using their interval program under cardio which I can do 1/1 1/2 or 1/3 which the first minute is lower incline and the second is higher and I moved up to 3.4 speed. I now after 4-5 weeks am at 3.6 the moment I jump on and do the 1/1 interval at a level 5 so it's 3.0 and 6.0 inclines, I drink water every 5-8 minutes to keep hydrated and I sweat a lot but I love the way I feel. Afterwards I do the bike for 20 minutes then a good stretch and I have not been sore at all. It takes time to build up but a good TV show on the machine or great music on the phone keeps me going.

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10/22/12 5:56 P

"I'm frustrated because I don't know how I should be working out on the treadmill so I can lose weight. "

Actually, you will lose weight by controlling your calories.
You cannot out-train a bad diet.

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10/22/12 5:39 P

If you are concerned with weight loss, I would suggest starting your workout with some weight training and then do about 30m (max) of cardio after that. If your legs hurt, you could try the elliptical (less high impact), where you can do interval training. Interval training is where youstart off on the elliptical going slow for a couple minutes, then increase resistance for 1 minute so that you breath hard. Then go easy for a minute. Back and forth like that for 15-20 minutes. I read everywhere that it's a great way to burn fat, and if you combine with the weight training to start, you don't have to do much cardio after to see great results. I've seen a significant change in my body shape from doing this and adjusting my diet.

Good luck!

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10/22/12 5:31 P

Thanks Everyone!! :)

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10/22/12 5:25 P

You just have to pick something and start with it. For example when I started running, I ran for endurance rather than speed. Once my endurance was up to running an hour, then I'd increase my speed and start over, running as long as I could and then walking the rest of an hour.

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10/22/12 5:19 P

I start at 2.5 for the first minute or so and then bring my speed up to 3 doing inclines during my 30 minutes and I've stayed there because it's comfortable for me... today I upped it gradually... 3.1 then 3.2 then 3.3 and did that for just a minute maybe because it felt too fast for me and one slip up and I'd be flying LOL I think everyone has "their" speed at which they are comfortable at... you know best!

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10/22/12 5:18 P

Tonya,

The rule is take where you are and work your way to where you want to be, not put yourself where you want to be, because in doing so you put your potential for injury at a much higher level. Don't worry about what magazines tell you. Remember we are all an experiment of one and if you allow your body to adapt, it's just a matter of time before you get more comfortable and are able to go at a faster pace.

Hang in there!

Coach Nancy

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10/22/12 5:10 P

Is a combination of my legs hurt/the past is too fast if I go past 3.2, and I feel like I'm going to fall off. Yet, everything I keep reading shows the pace at like 3.5 or higher as far as the speed I should be doing. Different magazines, websites, and such.

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10/22/12 5:00 P

What do you mean you feel uncomfortable? Do your legs hurt? Is the pace too fast? Is your heart rate up too high? Do you feel like you're going to trip?

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10/22/12 4:44 P

I'm frustrated with the treadmill. I can't go past 3.1-3.2 MPH or else I feel very uncomfortable. I can't even hardly do beyond 30 minutes. I can do incline up to 6% I vary the incline starting at 1.5% and graduly go up from there, and near the end of my workout like the last minute or two before cool down I'm at 6%. I'm frustrated because I don't know how I should be working out on the treadmill so I can lose weight. I don't know if I should be more focused on working towards increasing my time first, or speed first. Does anyone know? I just need to come up with a plan for a beginner. Can anyone help me?

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