So I got on a treadmill for the first time today and did a mile in 22 minutes. Is that horrible? I admit that the first 5 minutes was spent going slowly and trying to figure how to walk correctly, but after that I found my groove and started walking while steadily increasing my speed. I doubt I can walk faster than I was at my current weight. I could barely handle THAT.

Thoughts?

Congrats on the mile!!

I wouldn't worry about the time. To be honest I don't know if it's good or bad. But I do know you got movin' and kept on going. So good for you!

dont worry about your time...its whats right for you. you will find that after a few days on it, you will increase your level and your speed. when i first did a mile on the treadmill 1 month ago it took me 19:17 . today 15:03.

your sppe will increase as you get stronger in cardio.. dont over do it..be safe so you dont injure yourself.


ang

As a skinny, out of shape high school student, I could barely RUN a mile in fewer than 15 minutes, so I think walking it in 22 is pretty good. Though I have no idea how long a mile "should" take... I generally monitor my cardio by how many calories I burn or how long I go for, since miles don't really have any meaning to me.

Congrats on getting on the treadmill though! Don't worry about whether you are exercising better or worse than others - you are exercising and that is good no matter how slowly you do it!

you defenatly have to record that in your book! Soon you will be walking/jogging your miles in notime and 22 mins will be something to rememeber "old days". =) First milestone is a good start! keep progressing yourself in exercise You will notice soon that your stamina, edurance and overall speed get better

Thanks for the input & support! I really appreciate it. I feel like I did okay, but I hope to get better. It was great being able to see how much I walked, the calories burned, and my exact time. I used to walk 2 - 4 miles a day (and lost 15 pounds in a little over a month because of it) but that was back when I lived in the country and had lots of room to walk it. The treadmill is way different but I'll get used it.

I know for sure treadmills are much harder on your legs...i have been doing 3 miles a day on a treadmill ... lost 15 lbs in a month and gained bad shin splint! lol!! so take it easy on your treadmill.

That's a great start! Now you have something to challenge yourself with! I love trying to improve on my times. I don't always make it, but it gives me something to shoot for, and makes it more fun!

Oy, definitely don't want that, but I'd love to see the pounds go.

I'm going to aim for 1.5 miles tomorrow.

once you get used to walking on a treadmill you will get faster. beleive me it took a while before i really felt steady on it

there is nothing horrible about that! You went a MILE! That is awesome! When I started at 278 I couldn't get above 2.8 mph, and I'm sure it took at least 25+ minutes. In fact, even after losing 70 lbs it still takes me roughly 15 minutes, give or take a few. Excersize is a process and the more you excersize the more you will be able to do. Celebrate that! Congrats!

OK, so you RAN!!! You ROCK!
Check out this link for moral support -- it is written by a guy named John Bingham, aka "The Penguin", who started running at age 43 and 70 lbs overweight. His first run was exactly 1/4 of a mile down his driveway.
Today, some 20 years later, he has completed 40 marathons and routinely enters them to lead the slow, slow group of runners.
His view is that the miracle isn't that he finished the race, the miracle is that he STARTED.
http://www.johnbingham.com/index.html
Keep it up!!!
Kira

sounds about what I did/can do. Even after a few weeks walking a mile is about 20 minutes for me. I think that's an average pace, 3 miles per hour.

I use a heart rate monitor that straps around my chest and it says I burn almost 400 calories when I walk 2 miles, is that possible if I'm really out of shape? Seems high, but then again it feels like hard work.

I hope my cardio endurance improves, I want to be able to walk a mile or 2 with ease and not be all sweaty and huffing and puffing.

Don't worry about where you are now, the important thing is that you've begun. If you continue your walking sessions consistenly, you will see improvements more quickly than you can imagine.

And yes, the treadmill takes some getting used to. When I first started, I was sure I was going to get catapaulted off of the back. But I did get used to it and now it's no big deal. I prefer running or walking outdoors, but the treadmill is handy some days and certainly works.

Another thing is to be sure you have properly fitting and supportive shoes. The cushioning wears out a long time before they look worn, so if you've had your shoes more than a year or so, you may want to consider replacement.

Great job, well done you, keep it up!