Is a Treadmill the Best Way to Lose Weight?

fitness-scheduleWhen it comes to losing weight, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all your options. There are billions of dollars to be made by telling people how to lose weight and, unfortunately, sometimes it seems like that advice is geared more toward making a bigger profit. Fortunately, one of the easiest ways to lose weight may be one of the most effective and most affordable.

The Power of Walking

The majority of people don’t give walking the credit it deserves, probably because we do it every day. However, there’s a difference between walking out to your car or from your cubicle to the printer and walking for a sustained period of time as with exercise.

As the Mayo Clinic points out, walking has a number of very beneficial effects, aside from just helping you lose weight. It can also help:

  • Strengthen your bones
  • Lift your mood
  • Improve your overall coordination and balance
  • Prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other conditions

The Department of Health and Human Services believes a healthy adult should be walking at least two-and-a-half hours a week. You could easily hit this simply by walking for a half hour every day. Doing so provides all the above effects, but it also helps you lose weight by burning calories and boosting your metabolism.

Buy a Treadmill

Even people who really do commit to walking everyday eventually run into problems due to weather. The commitment is already a tough one without rain, snow or just cold temperatures getting in the way. These types of challenges can even stop you from traveling to the gym.

If you buy a treadmill, though, these problems evaporate. Even if your schedule becomes too much for you to put in a full half hour, every little bit counts. This doesn’t have to be an expensive investment, either. You can find the best price for treadmills simply by going online. Read treadmill reviews and you’ll eventually discover the perfect model at the right price.

Other Treadmill Benefits

Nowadays, you can buy an amazing treadmill for a fairly affordable price and it will go above and beyond in helping you lose weight. For example, many of them come with heart rate monitors, so you can make sure you’re hitting your ideal levels. One of the best ways to get more from your walking workouts is simply with an incline. Even a modest one will go a long way in helping your body burn fat while it tones your legs.

If you have the budget for it, consider treadmills that come with programs you can set. These will push you at different increments throughout your walk. Some models even come with courses meant to resemble real versions like hills, mountain passes, hikes, etc. This will not only help you get more from your walks, but also keep your interest the entire time.

Don’t be fooled into paying for some extreme equipment you don’t need or using dangerous diet pills that don’t work. One of the best ways you can lose weight and benefit your health is by purchasing a treadmill and committing to a walk every day.