You know the story. It gets delivered, you set it up and enjoy it for a few days…and so it sits…and waits.

A few months down the road, you notice how dusty it’s become and how much space it’s taking up. And you remember how much weight you were determined to lose by using it faithfully day-after-day. But now, unfortunately, it doubles as a clothes rack.

A treadmill provides the best overall cardiovascular workout & it’s still the number 1 exercise machine for those who want to lose weight. So it’s an investment in your health that will pay large dividends…if you’re prepared to get the maximal benefit from it!

Here are five easy ways to get the BEST use from your home treadmill:

1.  Do your research first

Make sure you look at what each treadmill offers you and compare it to your unique needs.

For example, if you live in a condo and/or like things neat and clean, a folding treadmill might suit you best. If you want a folding treadmill, do you prefer a manual folding treadmill (like most folding treadmills) or do you want a shock-assisted folding treadmill with wheels on the bottom that’s easy to move?

If you like to drink water during your workout, make sure there’s a water bottle holder included in the treadmill console (it might surprise you how many treadmills don’t have this feature.)

Do you get bored easily and need a challenge? What about getting a treadmill with lots of user programs or one that’s iFit compatible?

These things may seem little and maybe it might cost you a bit more; but if it means you’re actually going to enjoy your workout it will be well worth it!

2.  Place the treadmill in a ‘happy’ spot.

By ‘happy’ I mean well-lit, open and stimulating. Don’t put it so you face the bare wall when you walk or run. I have tried this this and the workouts don’t last long! If you get bored easily, put it facing the TV or facing a window where you can have an attractive view while working out.

Rooms and spaces have definite ‘feels’ to them and that will affect the success of your workouts. Make sure your treadmill is placed in an area that makes you feel energized, happy and mentally stimulated.

3.  Get your exercise arsenal ready BEFORE the treadmill arrives.

Do you like listening to fast music when you exercise? Do you like watching your favorite movies? What about reading magazines? What inspires you to work out and feel your best?

Get these things ready even before your treadmill arrives and you’ll be three-quarters of the way there. Have several workout or favorite CD’s around. Get your favorite movies or shows on tape. Gather your favorite magazines.

By having an ‘exercise’ stash around your treadmill, you’ll be inspired to workout AND you won’t be stuck running around looking for something to do when you want to start exercising.

Again, this may seem simple, but it works. Why do you think gyms have magazines, TVs and CD players handy?

4.  Make an exercise plan.

Before you start working out, try making a plan, a “roadmap to your rock-hard body” so to speak. By writing down how long and what kind of workout you’ll be doing in week 1, 2, 3, 4 etc, you’ll get yourself hyped up for success.

Remember that every time you workout, you’re planting the seeds for the kind of dream body that you want.

By having a plan, you can see just how many seeds you’ve planted (and even how long it will take to start reaping the results!) Have fun with it and you’ll be motivated to achieve your health goals (and get maximal benefits from your treadmill!)

5.  Track your progress

Ok this is related to #4 but it’s more of an ongoing thing. By tracking your progress day-after-day, you get a major sense of accomplishment which snowballs into even greater fat-burning results.

I suggest you’ve ‘minimal goals’ like “I’ll walk for at the least 10 minutes.” or “I’ll do 5-30 second intervals.” These are easy to do and you’ll probably go beyond them – which will encourage you even further and heighten your sense of accomplishment.

And of course, you’re also getting maximal benefit from your treadmill!

Those are 5 ways to get best use from your home treadmill. Just remember that even a little bit of preparation will pay off large dividends in the long run.

By knowing the 4 basic essentials of a quality home treadmill, you’ll be able to quickly sift through the treadmill deals and choose the best home treadmill for you.

The 4 basic essentials to a quality treadmill are:

#1 – High Powered, Well Built Motor

Since the motor is the most expensive part of the treadmill to fix, a good motor is essential to your treadmill. Try to find at least a motor power of 2.0 HP, preferably higher.

Remember that a 1.5 HP motor has to work twice as hard as a 3.0 HP motor – so it will burn out long before the 3.0 HP motor.

Also, not all motors are built with the same quality parts. Look for a good brand name and a long motor warranty to give you clues as to the quality of the motor.

#2 – Excellent Cushioning

There’s not enough said about cushioning and it is so important in a home treadmill. A good cushioning system protects your joints, ligaments and back. A poor cushioning system can result in injury and pain.

I know of one woman who bought a cheaper brand of treadmill and then ran on it. Within 6 months, she had damaged her hips so badly that it hurt her to even walk on the treadmill. You definitely don’t want that!

Make sure your treadmill offers an excellent cushioning system – especially if you’ll be running!

#3 – Extensive Warranty

You want to protect your investment so a solid treadmill warranty is a must. A good treadmill warranty will cover the frame for at least 30 years, the motor for at least 5 years and other parts and labor for about 1 year. Anything above that and you’ve got an excellent warranty.

But a warranty isn’t just to protect your investment – a good warranty lets you know about the quality of the treadmill parts.

Treadmill companies do not include warranties because they think they’ll have to fix the treadmill within that time frame. They know that they WON’T have to fix them within that time frame because the quality of parts used are high. So if you find a treadmill with a 10 year motor warranty, you KNOW it’s a quality built motor. If the motor warranty is only 90 days however…that tells you something.

#4 – Quality Brand Name

Certain brand names have a reputation for building a high quality home treadmill. Other brand names may be well-known but they don’t necessarily have a good reputation.

Choose a treadmill that has a solid, trusted brand name. Not sure which brands are good? Check out expert ratings and ‘Best Buys’ on various treadmill review sites and/or magazines. You’ll start to see a trend where certain brand names come up frequently. These brands are the quality treadmill manufacturers.

So those are 4 basic essentials of a good home treadmill:

- High Powered, Well Built Motor

- Excellent Cushioning

- Extensive Warranty

- Quality Brand Name

Knowing these, you can sift through the treadmills available and easily locate the best treadmill for your home.