Lawrence Toppman
The bad news: My treadmill's broken. The walking belt became misaligned and started to run into the left-hand side of the machine, making it grind to a stop. A preliminary look suggested I MIGHT be able to fix it, although I have the mechanical skills of a baby mandrill.
I could call a repairman for a 10-year-old piece of machinery at, I would guess, $75 an hour to make the repair if I cannot. I could buy another treadmill -- probably a simpler one, as I'll never have a complex exercise regimen -- for $600 or so. Or I could try exercise of a different sort: walking in the fresh air, bicycling, going to a gym (all of which are anathema to a lazy misanthrope such as myself).
So this is a test. Do I redouble my efforts to eat well and content myself with morning sit-ups on a mat to save money, or do I make the financial investment in another piece of equipment if this can't be fixed? I'll ponder this over a lazy, exercise-free weekend while I try to put the old warhorse back together.
The good news: I lost a few ounces cursing it, kicking at it, cutting my hand while taking it apart and sweating through a preliminary repair session that got nowhere this morning. That has to count for something.
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Send your nominations for doctor of the year
9 years ago
3 comments:
Treadmill workouts are lame and burn far fewer calories than an actual walk/run outside.
I disagree with anon @6:20. Walking or running on a treadmill is great exercise. And if you set the incline to simulate hills outside, you burn just as many calories.
To answer your question, invest in whatever you need to keep exercising. If the treadmill is your most likely way to get you to exercise, then by all means either fix it or buy a new one. Your health is worth the investment!
I didn't say it wasn't good exercise, I said it was not nearly as good as a real run. Keep in mind when you run outside the road/sidewalk isn't moving for you. Then, there's the whole boring factor of the dreadmill.
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