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In this first of two articles that I have written I will explain why it is important to consider a number of essential facts prior to making a purchase of a treadmill as a piece of home exercise equipment. One of the biggest fears that many people have when thinking about buying a treadmill is whether they will actually use it. In fact you could say that this is the biggest fear any one will have when buying any sort of exercise or fitness equipment.

But as many know people know a treadmill is not only great for helping them to lose weight, get fit and burn off those extra calories. But this will only occur if it is used.

Certainly you will find that a treadmill is a very large investment for anybody to make and you must be certain that it is the right sort of exercise equipment for your particular needs.

But how do you tell if a treadmill is right for you, and whether it is suitable for the kind of exercise that you want to carry out and will fit in to the lifestyle that you lead.

However, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing a treadmill, then there are 3 things that should be considered to make sure that it is the right exercise equipment for you.

Firstly, do you prefer to exercise alone or with people? As using a treadmill is not a group activity and if you prefer to exercise with other people then a treadmill may not be the right machine for you. However, if you are finding that you are already getting most of exercise from social or sports groups then use of a treadmill can provide you with an additional exercise option. Do not buy a treadmill if you don't like exercising on your own.

But many people actually do prefer to exercise on their own, because it's a way of getting away from the constant stresses and strains of every day life and this type of exercise equipment is ideal for this sort of person.

Secondly, do you like to exercise indoors or outdoors? If you are one of these people who prefers to take their exercise outdoors then may be better off taking up hiking (and enjoying the beauty of nature around you) or just rollerblading. Certainly a treadmill will not be the ideal exercise equipment for you, especially if you live somewhere where the weather is always kind, then you may not even need a treadmill (but if you want to exercise somewhere with air conditioning), then this may be your preferred option.

Unfortunately many people live where the climate changes and where it rains, snows or does both, then a treadmill would be ideal for maintaining a fitness regime during the long bleak winter months. Not only can it help fight against the winter weight gain that many people experience, but it will also help to keep those nasty winter blues at bay.

Thirdly, are you someone who enjoys either walking, jogging or running? If you have answered yes to this question then a treadmill may be the best piece of exercise equipment you could ever invest in. Not only is walking an exercise that everybody can do, it is simple and does not require any particular complex movements to carry it out. Also many people find that going for a walk not only a great form of exercise, but always a great way of dealing with any stress or problems that they are dealing with at the time. But above all any one can do it and it does not matter how fit you are it can be done by a beginner through to the elite athletes we see competing at the Olympics.

Some people find that they enjoy the rhythm and routine that jogging and running offer and certainly these types of exercise are one of the best all round ways of burning off that excess fat that they have. As with walking it is fairly simple to do and does not require the need for any complex co-ordination by the person doing it.

There are numerous benefits to taking up walking, jogging and running, but some people just do not like to carry out their exercise in this way. These kinds of people like a challenge such as those provided by box aerobics classes or by taking up some form of martial arts. If you do fall in this category of fitness fanatic then purchasing a treadmill is not an option as it will not meet your exercise requirements.

However, if you do like walking, but are still looking for a challenge or even a distraction then you may find that a treadmill can offer these to you. Not only are they growing more sophisticated as time passes, but many now come with built in work out programs, upper body work outs for the arms, a built in stereo system or somewhere where you can plug in your favourite CD's. There are even some treadmills which can be directly connected to your computer at home and offer you a site where you can download work out programs as well. You could even read a magazine (many come equipped with a magazine or book rack) or watch T.V. whilst you are doing it (how about buying a small T.V. mounted above your treadmill).

Certainly the 3 points above will hopefully help you to decide whether a treadmill is the right piece of exercise equipment for you to help improve your health.

In the next article I will explain why a treadmill is ideal for those people who lead busy life's and have a lack of time to spend exercising and which should be considered prior to purchasing a treadmill.