I've always enjoyed physical activity, but when the pandemic hit, my gym closed. During that time, my habits changed. I realized I preferred exercising at home and quickly settled on yoga, hiking, and walks in my neighborhood. None of these activities require a membership, and I can fit them into my schedule, which works much better for me.
Recently, I noticed that I don't particularly enjoy walking in cold and wet weather, and we've had a lot of both the last few months. There have been days when I preferred snuggling up on the couch with a cozy fleece blanket to walking in frigid and rainy weather. While I enjoy my downtime, I fell behind on the required miles I hope to walk each week. Every year, I set a goal to walk a certain number of miles, and the way things have been going, achieving my goal was in jeopardy.
So I bought a walking pad. It was an impulse purchase for me -- encouraged by all the Instagram accounts that promoted walking pads in videos. After an hour or two of research online, I settled on the UREVO Walking Pad, Underdesk Treadmill, which I found on Amazon for $179. The reviews were great, and it was in my price point -- the cost of walking pads vary, from $149 to more than $2,500. Amazon reviews prompted me to choose this particular model. It would be a great way to decide if a walking pad was right for me. If it was and I wanted to scale up, I could always do that in the future.
It took about 10 days for my walking pad to arrive, and when it did, it was heavy. Too heavy for me to move by myself. I needed my daughter to help me move it upstairs to our media room, where I wanted to use it. It couldn't have been easier to set up. The unit came fully assembled in one peace with a small remote. That's it. I didn't want a arm rest or display because I wanted it as compact as possible.
Ten minutes after we carried the unit upstairs, I was using it. And it's been in use every day since. I still go on neighborhood walks with my husband, but the walking pad allows me to fit in a quick walk whenever I want. Most nights, I walk a couple of miles while watching television with my family. Sometimes, I jump on it in the morning and walk a quick mile before work. My daughter is also using it, and if I decide to move on to a more expensive walking pad, I know who will inherit my UREVO.
Back to the walking pad itself, it's couldn't be easier to use. You turn it on and use the remote to begin your walk at whatever speed you decide. A small display at the head of the pad constantly displays your time spent, your pace, your distance walked, and the number of calories burned. No more guessing.
One day, when I'm retired, I will return to the gym. But for now, I've figured out an exercise regime that works for me, thanks to my walking pad.
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