[fireflock]

Just do whatever keeps you motivated to stay on the treadmill, and don't worry too much about the details right now.


Burning calories is only half of the equation. It's an important half, but it's hard to run your way to lost weight without paying attention to what you're eating. It's much easier to loose a pound my not eating the calories than it is to exercise away the same number of calories.

An average weight marathon runner will burn the equivalent of 3/4 lb of fat during a 26 mile race. Even if you run a marathon each day during the work week (no one can really do that, of course) you won't burn 5 lbs worth of calories. The real payoff comes over time when you eat less, burn more, and keep it up over a period of time.

I don't want to sound like the treadmill time is not worth it - that's not true at all. Too many people start an exercise program, only to get discouraged and quit when they don't loose a lot of weight. Attacking the diet side of the equation at the same time will help you get to where you want to be.