Join My At Home Treadmill and Weighted Vest Challenge

At home workouts using treadmills and weighted vests have become all the rage. Not one to be left behind, I’ve decided to try the treadmill and weighted vest challenge for 30 days. I recently purchased a treadmill and I’m using my 8 lb weighted vest. This is why I’m doing this challenge.

• Creates a Supportive and Motivational Online Community.
  Sharing my challenge progress online allows me to connect with others attempting the same goal. I am creating a shared experience of struggle and success. This community provides a powerful source of motivation. It allows me to ask questions, celebrate milestones, and feel like we are part of a team effort right from my home. The shared journey can turn a solitary treadmill workout into an engaging social event. We are chatting and working out together.

• Enhances Personal Accountability and Consistency.
  By publicly committing to a challenge, whether to a group or just friends, I’m establishing an external and internal mechanism for being held accountable. Knowing others are following my progress—and may even be relying on my updates—makes me far less likely to skip a workout. This structure helps build the consistency necessary for long-term habit formation beyond the challenge itself.

Treadmill and Weighted Vest Intensity

• Acts as a Low-Impact Way to Significantly Boost Intensity.
  The weighted vest turns a standard treadmill walk or incline hike into a more intense full-body resistance and cardio workout. This is without the high joint impact of running. The increased load forces my muscles and cardiovascular system to work harder. I should experience greater calorie burn, improved endurance, and enhanced bone density over the course of the challenge. I get more fitness benefit in the same amount of time.

I’ve been surprised by how hard I’ve been breathing and sweating as a part of using the treadmill with the weighted vest. It has truly surprised me.

• Provides a Fun Opportunity to Try a New Training Stimulus.
  Committing to a formal challenge introduces a fresh, measurable goal to my routine. This will help to prevent the boredom and plateaus that often derail fitness efforts. The weighted vest gives my body a completely new type of stress to adapt to. This can re-energize my motivation and make working out exciting again.

• Develops Mental Toughness and Discipline.
  A structured challenge, especially one that uses added resistance, requires me to push past my comfort zone regularly. Successfully completing the daily or weekly goals builds significant mental fortitude. Daily, I’m teaching myself to be disciplined and persevere when my motivation wanes. Overcoming the physical and mental hurdles of the challenge, leads to a strong sense of accomplishment and self-efficacy.

Treadmill and Weighted Vest Update

At the time of this post, I am 1 week and 4 days into the treadmill and weighted vest challenge. I’m concerned that I’m not losing weight as fast. This bothers me BIG time. But, I am continuing to show up. I want to lose weight with this challenge so I’m disappointed right now. I’ve lost 10.6lbs so far but I feel I should be much further along.

If you have joined my tribe and want to let me know how you are doing, please do so. I know a few people in my community have upgraded their weights and are pushing through.