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The more you want to use it, the more we would recommend that you go for high quality treadmills.

When you understand the basics of a quality treadmill, then it will be easy to find one that is perfect for your home and budget.

Long or short workouts determine the quality of motor you need for your treadmill.

I usually end my treadmill routine with about 15 minutes of quality stretching.

Researches have shown, that during exercising most people forget to breath deeply or they are unable to integrate their breathing pattern with the exercises causing them muscle pain and fatigue after the workout.

Exercise Challenge of the Week - Find Your Focus
The other day I was working out at the gym and I caught myself doing about 10 things to distract myself from my boring treadmill workout. Not only was I listening to my iPod, I was watching TV, monitoring a woman in the weight room (had to make sure she was doing all her reps) and watching the guy in front of me as he methodically and endlessly flipped through 100 or so channels on his little treadmill TV. There's never anything good on, is there?

If you've caught yourself zoning out the same way, maybe you're ready for a new challenge: Focusing on your workouts. I know, it's a crazy idea, but stay with me here.

Zoning out isn't always a bad thing. If you're doing a steady, rhythmic workout, you let your body go through the motions while your mind roams free. You can solve problems, make mental to-do lists or list all the things you would say to your boss if only you didn't have to worry about getting fired.

But there are times when distraction can actually keep you from getting an effective workout. You see, the body is awfully sneaky and it will cheat if given a chance. During squats, your body will think, "Gee, these squats make my butt burn. I wonder how I can make them less painful?" Next thing you know, you're only squatting a few inches, your shoulders are rounded forward and we won't even discuss what your knees are probably doing.

Bringing a little focus to your form and exercises can make them more effective. Yes, it's harder to do the exercises correctly but, in the long run, that good form is what you need to get a strong, fit body.

With that in mind, your challenge this week, should you choose to accept it, is to find focus during each of your workouts:

• Focus on Cardio: If you usually zone out during cardio, your challenge is to turn off the music or shut the magazine for at least 5 minutes during your workout. Focus on what you're doing - how your body is moving, how hard your heart is beating and how you feel. Are you using good posture or are your shoulders rounded forward? Is your stride smooth or jerky? Pay attention to these things and make corrections if you find your form is sloppy.
• Focus on Strength: During your strength workout, plant yourself in front of a mirror during at least 3 of your exercises. Watch yourself go through each motion with slow, controlled reps and pay attention to your form while thinking about the muscles you're working. Do each and every rep with perfect form. Shout, "Dang, you look good!" whenever the mood strikes.
• Focus on Flexibility: Instead of blowing through your stretches (or skipping them), give yourself plenty of time to stretch all your muscles. Spend at least 15 seconds on each stretch and concentrate on gently lengthening your muscles. This is your chance to enjoy the effects of your workout.

Liberate Yourself From Perfectionism
If you're a perfectionist, you know how hard that job is. You work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with no lunch break, no vacations and, well, no pay. Perfectionism has its upside - You're focused, you're driven and you never stop. To some people, you're the go-to person in any given situation. To others, you're a pain in the rear but, either way, you get things done. The problem is, you may not get much satisfaction in your accomplishments because you're always worried they just aren't good enough.

Perfectionism can leak into every part of your life, especially exercise. We perfectionists get so worried about doing the right workout for the right length of time at the right intensity that we barely focus on how we actually feel about our workouts, much less enjoy them. If this sounds familiar, there are some things you can practice to liberate yourself from the constant need for perfection:

• Live in the Moment: Living in the moment is one of those overused phrases that sounds good but, for perfectionists, may feel as impossible as growing another nose. However, paying attention what you're doing allows your worries ("Am I doing this right? Should I be doing something else?") to fade away as you immerse yourself in the movement of your body. Practice focusing on your workouts. When your mind drifts, bring it back to the exercise you're doing with a remind that this is your exercise time - it's about making your body strong and fit, so there's no 'right' way to do it.
• Find Value in Every Effort: One of the worst side effects of perfectionism is feeling like a failure. Instead of thinking, "Hey, I went to the gym 5 times this week," you're thinking, "I only did 20 minutes that one day and I know I could've lifted more weight." Second-guessing yourself after the fact sucks all the enjoyment out of what you actually accomplished. Practice listing all the things you can be proud of rather than your mistakes.
• Tune Out the Self-Talk: We all have voices in our heads, but the perfectionist's voice sounds a lot like the mean teacher I had in 3rd grade who never let me share at show and tell. When the Mean Teacher starts nagging, I find the best defense is the simplest: I tell her to shut up because I'm going to do my workout anyway...even if it's wrong, wrong, wrong. And then I stick out my tongue and sing nanny, nanny, boo, boo.

Weight Loss Backlash
When you lose weight, you probably expect, or at least want, people to be supportive and complimentary. It's nice to hear things like, "Wow, you look amazing!" or "You look so good, I kind of hate you!"

Unfortunately, not everyone will respond to your weight loss in a positive way. They may be jealous or they may be a little confused if your appearance has changed dramatically. They may not even realize they're not being supportive, but whatever the case, it's possible you'll get one or more of the following reactions to your weight loss:

• The backhanded compliment - "You look great! Wow, you must have lost a ton of weight." This person may not realize they've just suggested you once looked like a big fat cow.
• The behind-the-back gossip-fest - Some people may say nice things to your face, but then talk about you behind your back. This situation happened at a job I once had when a woman opted for gastric bypass surgery. Some people in the office decided this was 'cheating' and that this somehow meant the woman was less successful. The woman inevitably heard about the gossip and felt so bad, she ended up finding another job.
• The weight loss monitor - Then there's the person who watches every move you make and says things like, "Should you be eating that many carbs?" or "If you don't watch it, you'll put all that weight right back on." That person may be a busybody, or he or she may genuinely think that kind of advice is helpful but, either way, it can drive you crazy.
• The saboteur - "You're so skinny! You should put on more weight." Now, this type of comment isn't always meant in a negative way. To some people, you may look too thin - or, it could be that you are too thin and people are concerned. However, sometimes this reaction comes from jealousy and it can be frustrating when you feel like you have to defend yourself.

Vote in This Week's Poll: What dieting mistakes are you guilty of?
Do you ever feel guilty when you eat? I ask this because I got an email from a young reader struggling with her weight. She mentioned watching her diet to the point of feeling guilty every time she ate anything and I know many of us can sympathize. We know we should eat fewer calories, but that often spirals into extremes - skipping meals, monitoring every bite and, sometimes, feeling guilty for eating at all.

The problem is, those behaviors often backfire. When you skip meals, you're so starved by the time the next meal comes around that you go out thinking, "I really should have that grilled chicken salad, but I may just die if I don't get the double cheeseburger."

Many of us have grown up with the idea of three meals a day, so the thought of eating more often may be completely foreign. However, that's often the best way to keep your cravings in check and keep your blood sugar levels from taking a nosedive, which leads to horrible decision making and the mistaken belief that a cheeseburger is necessary to continue to live. In fact, there are some specific mistakes that often lead to overeating such as:

• Skipping breakfast - This isn't news to most of us, but it still holds true that people who eat breakfast tend to eat fewer calories throughout the day than people who skip it.
• Eating too much later in the day - Skipping meals makes us ravenous, to the point where our willpower is pretty much non-existent. Staggering your meals throughout the day can help you avoid overeating.
• Failing to plan - Consistent meals are also important for weight loss. If you eat at irregular intervals, you may end up eating more than you think.

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