Ways To Make Time On The Treadmill Fly

I refuse to believe that there are that many people out there who genuinely just love running on a treadmill. I'll admit that it can be a great escape for me and I always feel better after I run...but hauling myself to the gym - especially in the colder months - can be a challenge.

Below are some of the tips that make the time fly by and keep me going at the gym:

1. To get myself out the door, I wear actual 'workout clothes.' I'm more motivated and push myself harder when I'm dressed to exercise. Whether it's just spandex or a dri-fit shirt, try it. Old Navy workout gear is an affordable option if you're looking for something new.

2. My headphones go in ASAP. Changing playlists often keeps you from getting used to how many songs it takes to reach a certain length of time running. Currently, Maroon 5's Love Somebody, Lady GaGa's Applause & John Mayer's Wildfire distract me from how out of breath I am.

3. I also try to put some type of game - football, hockey, etc. - on to watch whenever possible. Tell yourself to run for the whole first quarter or a whole period and it will always ends up being longer than you think it will. Has a 15 minute quarter in football ever lasted only 15 minutes?!

4. Finally, I think half the battle with running is mental so I make sure that my treadmill is set to have the time counting down rather than up. This helps remind me that I only have x amount of minutes left to go rather than I still have so many minutes left.