Exercise Treadmills For Health And Weight Loss
Posted: Thursday, May 28, 2009
by Aiden Parker
People are thinking healthier these days and wellness programs abound in the workplace. Some employers even purchase treadmills for the health and weight loss of their employees. If the employees are healthy, then they come to work.
One of the ways we keep healthy is by walking, which is good for the heart and lungs. This is great on days when it's 80 degrees and the sun is out, but what happens when it rains or snows? This is why treadmills should be part of the exercise routine.
For health reasons, exercise on a treadmill makes sense for a few reasons. They can be used indoors year round, the benefits are the same as walking and you don't have to worry about the weather at all.
A good treadmill exercise program will encompass a variety of paces and different factors. The health benefits are numerous including cardiac workout, keeping your legs moving, improving circulation and avoiding muscle fatigue. Muscle tone and prevention of diseases like diabetes and cancer are excellent results of treadmill exercise.
There are some benefits of exercise on a treadmill that are not so plain to see.
1. In a recent study at Duke University, it was found that depression was lessened by use of an exercise treadmill.
2. Using an exercise treadmill also alleviates sleeping trouble as found in a study at Stanford University using two groups. Both had reported sleep problems. One group exercised 4 days a week for a half-hour; the other remained non-active. The group that exercised fell asleep faster and their nighttime sleeping patterns improved dramatically.
Weight loss
A weight loss expert I know told me, "You need to maintain a pace that is conversational. You should be able to carry on a conversation while you are walking. If you can't catch your breath, you're moving too fast." This applies to using a treadmill, too.
One of the main reasons for using an exercise treadmill is weight loss. In order to lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in. That's pretty straightforward and commonly known. What isn't as commonly known is that slow treadmill exercise for approximately 45 minutes to an hour can result in the burning of about 200 calories.
Ramp the activity up to a moderate level and you could burn up to 700 calories.
Caloric intake and output is the basis of any weight loss program, so if you can burn up to 700 calories in an hour, that's significant. Hence, exercise treadmills are a great way to shed those unwanted pounds.
In addition to the weight loss and health benefits of exercise treadmills, there is also the fact that you can tone up your entire body, keep colds and flu away and increase your energy level.
In all things, you should use wisdom, so use your head when using the treadmill. Don't overdo yourself.
Before embarking on ANY exercise program, it is recommended that you clear it with your doctor first. Especially if you have a history of heart or lung disease.
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