Ok so here's the thing, I can't afford a gym membership so yesterday I bought a treadmill off some man on craigslist. My question is this: Is this gonna be effective?

Yes. Using a treadmill on a regular basis can be effective.
You probably will not be able to use it for long periods of time at first but as time goes on you will be able to up the incline, increase the distance you walk or even start jogging on it.

That's good to know. This morning I walked at a moderate pace for only 6 mins and I was out of breath. That's so embarrassing but i hope it will get easier

It will get easier...

I have friends who use treadmills exclusively and they are in great shape... And 6 minutes is a great start! I know people who have worked up to 10 minutes and then added to that by working up to doing 10 minutes, in 3 separate workouts during the course of the day for a total of 30 minutes for the day and they have gotton positive results... Building up endurance just takes time, but it definitely happens with consistency...

A rule of thumb that I've used with my training over the years that has worked well for me is to not increase my total time or mileage by more than 10% a week... I've found for me taking it slow like this and trying to be consistent has gotton me to my my goals in a lot better shape than when I've tried to do too much too soon... Which has always been something that I've struggled with because my mind is so willing and able and raring to go... but I don't give my body enough time to catch up...

Good luck with your new treadmill... I hope you enjoy it!

The treadmill can be a great tool, especially when it gets too cold, dark, etc. to walk outside.

I try and increase a little here and there, definitely listen to your body, you don't want to hurt yourself, or make it a chore.

I like to read, either a book or magazine, now I have a kindle, it works great for me, DH likes to have music playing, you might be able to watch tv depending on where you have it set up, you'll find what works best for you.

congrats on taking the plunge!

Thanks for the ideas def gonna give them a try

A gym membership isn't effective unless you use it. A treadmill isn't effective unless you use it. So the real question is "are YOU effectively going to use it?" Remember that exercise is not about motivation, it's about commitment.

I love my treadmill. I don't have a gym membership because it's a waste of money for me - I've belonged before and never ever went. The treadmill has been my main source of exercise during my entire weight loss. At first I walked, varying incline a little bit. Then I started Couch to 5K and did the whole thing on the tm. It took a few tries, I couldn't get past week 3 for a long time. I use it regularly and it was a great purchase for me. I do have it in front of the tv, which is a critical component of my success

Your right wannabeskinny... I will make it a commitment.

Juliana 5k will be a real challenge for me but I eventualy will get there

I started off at ten minutes on 1.4 mph on my treadmill. Now, I can comfortably walk through two movies at 2.0 mph and that to me is just fine 3-5 days a week. Something is better than nothing, and you have to start somewhere

I bought a treadmill several years ago and there it sat. Once I started on this weight loss journey, I started using it almost every day. I considered a gym membership, but quickly realized how many people in the gym were on treadmills. I've logged many miles on my treadmill now and the weight is coming off. Moral of the story--your treadmill will be very effective as long as you use it.

Glad you asked this.... I had been excited cause I was doing:

5 mins at 2.0
5 mins at 2.5
7-10 mins at 3.0
5 mins at 2.5
7-10 mins at 3.0
5 mins at 2.5
5 mins at 2.0

After some research I found my Top speed is lower than most people's warm up and because I hold on that it renders my "workout" null. I tried to Not hold on but I nearly fall. (Bad knees and probably wrong shoes)

I'd love to know how it works for you and how's your routine

I have this printed and up on the wall. Maybe a little cheesy, but I've found it to be very true: "Don't wait to feel motivated; just get started as though you are motivated and the motivation will come." Especially in the beginning, I really had to drag my butt out of bed and to the greenway. Now I hate it when I have to miss a day.

3 months ago, I could barely run 30 seconds and was all out of breath and miserable. Now I'm running miles at a time. My short runs are 3 miles, and I'm working my way up to a half marathon in Feb. My first 10k is Thursday.

Don't worry about your speed! We all have to start somewhere, and over time, you'll get faster. When I started out a few months ago, my speed was 3 mph over a 1 mile distance. Now I'm running at 4 mph over a much longer distance. My longest so far is 8 miles. I'm still comparatively slow, but it's not a competition against them. It's a competition against me, and I've obviously improved tremendously.

what she said, dont worry about your speed...just do what you are able to, and push yourself a little bit, and when that gets easy, push yourself a little more

ive never been able to run long distances on the treadmill without stopping to walk for a moment because of my asthma...i know my legs are capable of longer but my lungs simply aren't and wont ever be....i do intervals of whatever i'm working on at the moment...like running two miles in intervals of 1/4-miles with a 30-second pause for breath/walk...

right now i'm doing a warm up for 3 minutes increasing speed 1.0-3.2
run 30 seconds at 6.3
run 30 seconds at 7.3
walk one minute at 3.4
repeat 10 times
whatever time is left on the treadmill, i will walk at 3.8 at an incline between 4.0-7.0 with a short cooldown again