ANSWER: There are too many variables for me to recommend a specific model. I will give you some guidelines to follow when shopping for a treadmill.
The first thing you must consider is price. Treadmills start at around $600 and go as high as $4,000.
Next is size. How much room do you have to store the treadmill? How important is style and appearance? Even the smallest treadmill tends to dominate the room it's in.
How fast do you eventually want the treadmill to go? Remember that as you increase your fitness level, your training heart rate goes up and you'll need to go faster in order to continue working at an aerobic pace.
Do you want a hill program? Hill programs are a good idea because they're an excellent way to increase the intensity of a training workload.
How about other features, such as pre-set programs for interval training or weight loss? Make sure that the computer format is user-friendly.
What are your weight limit requirements? How heavy is the heaviest person using the treadmill?
The treadmill should be durable. It should have good cushion impact. This becomes even more important as an individual grows older, because the joints of older adults are more susceptible to injury.
If noise is a consideration, be sure to check on how loud the machine is. Some treadmills are very loud.
The equipment should be smooth. There always will be some level of vibration, but it should remain relatively stable at various speeds and grades.
Look for a good warranty and check to see if the retailer offers equipment repair.
I recommend that you spend a minimum of 10 minutes on any piece of equipment under consideration.
Take the time to shop around. Treadmills tend to be big ticket items, so look for sales. Good luck!
A: Research has show that the leading cause of Type II diabetes is excess body fat. As the percentage of overweight Americans has increased, so has the incidence of diabetes.
One out of three adults are now considered overweight. Cases of diabetes have increased 1 percent of the population in 1958 to 3 percent in 1992. That's a threefold increase in less than 35 years.
Wake up America! Let's all start to exercise and eat a low-fat diet, and stop the spread of this dread disease.