Learn to Love At-Home Workouts With This Folding Treadmill

By , Elizabeth Lowry, Staff Writer
You've probably heard the horror stories of treadmills gone bad: Machines purchased with the best of intentions as daily morning running resolutions sour sooner than you can say "DVR." Instead of looking at your equipment with hope, you look at it with annoyace for taking up so much room in your basement. The right treadmill, though, can change the way you approach your fitness goals. It can keep you honest (it's a lot harder to decline a workout when all you have to do is walk to the next room), safe (when inclement weather or lack of daylight hampers your outdoor workout) and within budget.

While the gym at our SparkPeople offices isn't big or fancy, it gets the job done and we all thoroughly enjoy the convenience of getting our sweat on a few times throughout the day. Recently, when presented with the opportunity to get new piece of gym equipment, like any good democracy we put it up for a vote. The team overwhelmingly voted "yea" to adding another treadmill to allow for more than one person to get in a good walk or run during lunch.

After some deliberation, our office manager chose the LifeSpan TR3000i Folding Treadmill for a number of reasons including the price, the great reviews, free shipping, its fantastic features and also personal experience—we have been super satisfied with our LifeSpan treadmill desk that we've been using daily for the past four years.

However, those were the reasons we chose the treadmill "on paper." In reality, this piece of equipment offers so much more.



Since our gym space is at a premium, we were happy to discover upon delivery that we could easily lift and maneuver it into place between the wall and a stationary bike. Its compact size made it the perfect fit for the designated area.

Once installed and powered up, I took it for a test run. I was delighted to discover it ran as quietly as some reviewers promised it would, since our exercise room is tucked away, but not completely closed off from the main areas of our offices. When someone fires up our other, older treadmill, everyone knows it. For the home exerciser worried about rousing the whole house when they hit the start button for their 5 a.m. 5K, the model's muted motor is a huge plus.

Even though treadmill running or walking can still be a tedious chore at times, LifeSpan's 21 pre-installed workout plans give you the option to change up your workout often, which is great for staving off boredom and for pushing the body in different ways. Whether running at my own pace or challenging myself with a programmed setting, I can also easily view my time, estimated calories burned, distance, speed, incline and more on the sizeable, intuitive monitor.



Every step along the way (counted or not) is cushioned and easy on your joints thanks to compression shock absorbers so you don't have to worry about any knee or back pain. Oh, and the three-speed fan providing a nice, cooling breeze while you work is a wonderful bonus.

Step-counter champions will also love that the treadmill records every step so you can meet your daily goals even if you're not wearing your tracker. Another fabulous feature is this treadmill's syncing capabilities. LifeSpan offers the option to purchase a Bluetooth adapter, which allows you to sync health apps to LifeSpan's Active Trac app so you'll never miss tracking a workout. 

If you've been wanting to add a treadmill to your home or office gym, with a $1,299.00 price tag, this model is an affordable option for both beginners and advanced runners and walkers. LifeSpan delivers again with an outstanding product that we're sure to enjoy for many years to come.

What: LifeSpan TR3000i Folding Treadmill
Price: $1,299
Dimensions: 70.5 x 33.1 x 53.9 inches; 220.5 pounds
Purchase: Amazon

Are you considering making a treadmill a part of your home or work gym? How do you fit in your exercise?

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