I have finally decided to get a treadmill. I walk a fair amount with Spice, but some days she goes to work with hubby and I should walk more but don't have the same incentive walking without a dog.
The question is do you have a treadmill,if so what kind did you get? I have looked at ?magnetic and motorised ones but cannot decide which would be best.
I think it would be great for using whilst watching t.v. or when it's pouring down outside and hubby 'gets the pleasure of walking Spice' instead of me :D
Jacqueline :)

I've heard treadmills are really bad for joints but not sure if this is true or not

Wearing proper running shoes and running on a slight incline are important on a treadmill - easier on the joints than running flat. Don't know which type of machine is best - have you used one before ?. If not I think it would help if you did, maybe have a session at a gym. A good one is expensive, but like lots of people (me included !) I buy stuff, promise myself I'll use it, use it for a couple of weeks - then put it in the garage !!.

Val

I have used expensive gym ones, in the past quite successfully,but never tried a cheaper non motorised one,so wondered how they would compare if anyone did have one. I suffer from arthritic knee joints whichseize up on me if I don't walk enough and hurt like crazy if I walk too far! I thought by having a treadmill at home I could get enough exercise to help the joint movement without ending up crippling myself in the process :D sometimes on longer walks with Spice I have gone too far and hobbled back home in agony, whereas with a machine at home I could moderate the amount I do!
I will still walk Spice of course, when she is with me but on the days she is 'working' with hubby I can use the machine as an alternative,just a thought. Also I need to lose some more weight and it seemed the ideal way to exercise within my own limitations.
I think I'll start off with a cheaper,sturdy model and see if it 'ends up in the garage covered in dust' :D
thanks anyway for your comments :)
Jacqueline :)

Dont' know about a treadmill but I have an airwalker that's very easy on the joints. My friend has one and said she lost 6 inches off her hips in 6 months just walking!  Not a punt but mine's going free if you want it - no good for me as I have a heart problem and I've hardly used it.

CG

What on earth is an air walker??????
I am running and would love a treadmill so I can run at home but they are just toooooo expensive :( :( :(
:( :( :(
Lea :)

hi lea...
i have an air walker and the only way i can describe it is you have two pads to stand on ( one for each foot ) and two poles to hold onto and you imagine your on ski's and in a slide kind of movement move your feet whislt moving arms. it works all the leg muscles, buttocks and arms but without the stress impact of running..... can get quite a good speed up aswell
hope you can understand that :-)

The crt0oss trainers are part6icularly good at burning calories too without the impact of the treadmills.

Aha, seen what I think is one today at mates!!!!
Would have one just cant afford them either :( :( would have it off you like a shot copper girl LOL
Mums got a cross trainer, and loves the thing :) :)
Lea :)

I bought an elliptical the other week from Ebay - I did a search for ellipticals, then narrowed it down to in my area and came across one that was ten minutes away, buyer collect only, and I managed to get for £33.

Half an hour after the auction ended, it was in my living room waiting to be used.

So I would recommend that for any large fitness equipment like this, that its worth hanging on until you find one listed locally in your area on ebay - the novelty hasn't worn off for us yet, but when it does, I won't kick myself for spending £33 when I could have spent £133!

Regarding the motorised/non-motorised I would suggest not bothering with the non-motorised even though they are cheaper.  When I was a member of the gym at work, there were all these great hi-tech motorised ones that were very popular.  One day on the way back the changing rooms we found an old non-motorised one stored outside the toilets by the changing room (obviously obselete and waiting to be dumped) and everyone got on it for a laugh - that gives you an idea of how well-regarded they are!  They don't really go round properly, I don't think any of us had the guts to 'run' on it in case we fell off or the strap which was flapping everywhere came off and it felt like it might topple over at any moment!