Should You Have a Home Treadmill?

Treadmills are the standard among exercise machines, but should you go so far as to have a treadmill at your home?  If you have the budget and the space, this blogger says a home treadmill is a great idea.

Even if you have a gym membership complete with all the equipment you could ever need, it’s a luxury option to be able to walk in the next room and get a quality 20 minutes of running in without putting on gym clothes or driving.  Also, I enjoy running outside, but in these cold winter months (really cold for some), it’s nice to have a treadmill inside to log some running.

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Another plus is instant calorie burning.  The barrier to taking off 200 calories via treadmill is nothing.  Your home won’t close on during after hours or holidays.  If you splurge and eat a 1,300 calorie meal, you can burn 400 (and accurately keep track of your calories) when you’re ready.

My last pro is a home treadmill makes it easy to watch TV or listen to your stereo with no headphones or distractions.  Now, that’s a luxury to me.

A solid treadmill can start at around $500 and range all the way up to $2500 but if your needs are simple, you need not spend over $600 including taxes.  The only other reason to prevent a home treadmill from becoming a reality for you is space and that’s something you either do or don’t have right now but something to consider in the future.

Of course, let’s stay completely honest with ourselves.  A home treadmill doesn’t equate to weight loss, easy fitness, or anything of the kind.  It’s simply a tool.  Your effort and dedication are what will get the job done.

I think the proper perspective is to look at home treadmills as a luxury.  For example, I just tested out a interval-esque workout where I logged 10 minutes, then stopped and did computer work and then repeated the process twice more, increasing my distance and calories burned in each session.  I simply cannot get work in between my runs at the gym or outside.  I also avoid 35 degree weather by running inside.  Hence, I see a home treadmill as a luxury.

In sum, anything that’s going to legitimately pay dividends in your fitness is something that’s worthwhile.  If you put the treadmill in your fitness tool belt and would actually take it out and use it every now and then, it’s a worthwhile purchase.  If you would buy a home treadmill because you read about it in some blog and subconsciously tricked yourself into thinking it would make a difference even though you had no intentions of extensively using it, then steer clear.