People go to the gym for a myriad of different reasons: to strengthen their body, to tire themselves out, to be healthy — the list can certainly go on. However, when people go for the sake of getting in some cardio on a treadmill or elliptical, the passing of time can feel rather tedious. There is typically some sort of music playing on-screen or near the machine to pass the time. Just about everyone takes their own set of headphones to get into the groove of their workout, but again, the monotonous physical work can feel dull, which can discourage one's motivation for their own workout.
We have compiled a list of shows that can and will keep you entertained while on the treadmill. From series that are long enough to last you through your next couch-to-5k training plan to shows that will have your laughing and following along with the crazy antics of the characters (forgetting that you are indeed exercising), there is something for everyone who needs a nice distraction while you get those steps in.
Here are 15 of the best TV shows to watch while working out on the treadmill.
15 Bridgerton
If you are a fan of romance, fictional period pieces, and have a healthy curiosity for the dramatic gossip, Bridgerton is the right fit for you. With only two main seasons thus far and Julie Andrews narrating the many scandals that occur during the courting season, the guessing game of who is in on all the latest gossip and which noble individuals will find a way to get out of their esteemed duties is truly amusing.
There are plenty of young ladies who wish to be wed and live a life that is simply expected of them, and then there are those like Eloise Bridgerton who cannot bear the idea of conforming to societal standards. A few steamy scenes may also pique your interest, so be sure you have your headphones in while watching this series on the treadmill in public.
14 Shameless
Though you are working out by yourself on the treadmill, the cast of Shameless will absolutely make you feel like you are not alone. From the very first episode dealing with a number of morally corrupt concepts in the most amusing way to the growth of the dysfunctional Gallagher family over the course of 11 seasons, there is always some sort or craziness to keep your mind busy while you workout.
Each episode deals with one of the seven Gallaghers either getting into trouble, getting out of it, or framing someone else for the trouble they caused, so there are a lot of laughs to be had while watching this series. Be warned, however, that there is nudity and cussing, so please be mindful of which machine you choose to work out on while this show plays.
13 Breaking Bad
Do you ever think about how you would spend your life if you found out you only had a certain amount of time left to live? After Walter White found out about his terminal illness, in Breaking Bad, he decided to go into the drug-making business with a street savvy former student to secure finances for his family after his passing.
Little did this former chemistry teacher know how dangerous it would be when others discovered his little get-rich-quick scheme. While you are working on your health and thinking about things on the treadmill, consider if you would go to such lengths like this crazy chemist.
12 Grey's Anatomy
If you have not seen Grey's Anatomy yet, give it a shot while getting those miles in. The storylines within the 19 seasons have a good pace, there are plenty of lovable characters, and you will likely spot a couple dozen characters you know from somewhere else as they sport the fantastic hospital gown provided by Seattle Grace Hospital.
If you are like the other tens of thousands of people who consistently binge the Shondaland series or simply keep it on for background noise, you may find it comforting to have it playing while at the gym. Between Meredith Grey's rollercoaster life or the sass that radiates from Miranda Bailey, there is something to be admired about this medical drama.
11 Game of Thrones
If you need to stick to the treadmill for quite some time, say at least about an hour for each session, Game of Thrones will keep your mind occupied all the way through your workout. With eight seasons and more twists and turns than you will know what to do with, you may decide to double up your time at the gym.
In short, the series has an ensemble cast, many of which are either fighting for power or associated with someone who is. There are dragons, different languages, secrets, and some of the best one-liners in all of TV history. Discover why Jon Snow knows absolutely nothing, hate on a spoiled blonde king with the rest of the world, and enjoy watching the fierce Mother of Dragons take back what is owed to her.
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Do you need the motivation to run rather than walk while on the treadmill? Will the idea of a bunch of walkers approaching behind you make you pick up the pace? Check out how Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus portray some of the best zombie-fighting characters in any post-apocalyptic TV series.
Between mapping out your very own zombie plan to getting frustrated that the characters on The Walking Dead are not doing what you would do, you will find that keeping a steady pace for more than 30 minutes is not that hard to do when your mind is elsewhere. Then, after you've finished the 11 seasons, check out on of the six spin-off series.
9 Love Is Blind
What started out as yet another reality dating show with a unique concept to get two people to fall for one another has turned into one of the hottest series on Netflix. In Love Is Blind, people date for about a week before potentially proposing to whom they believe is their perfect match. The gimmick is that a proposal takes place without the two ever seeing one another.
Then, all the newly engaged pairs run away to a resort to get to know one another and eventually see if they can make a wedding really happen within the next few weeks. This series will have you naturally picking up the pace on the treadmill as you really want to know what happens to everyone.
8 Stranger Things
If you are someone who either can seriously focus or want to have to truly pay attention to something while you get your steps in for the day, then Stranger Things is a great show for you. Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and Millie Bobby Brown are among the starring cast, and with influences from some of the best horror writers in the whole industry, this nostalgic science-fiction horror series has a lot to unpack.
You will be sweating from your great workout on the treadmill, but you will also find a few beads of sweat rolling down your skin as you become genuinely frightened for the fate of a few kids who decided to take on terrifying supernatural forces.
7 Survivor
A series has to be pretty great to have 45 seasons out, right? Survivor is a reality competition show that puts physical, mental, and emotional strain on contestants as they are forced to live off the land in a remote location as well as compete in different challenges with their teams. The ultimate goal is for a single person to be standing by the end of all the eliminations as the one and only "survivor."
While keeping a steady pace on the treadmill, Jeff Probst's voice will likely get you motivated and pushing yourself further and faster in your workout. If not, you can simply enjoy the 40-minute episodes at your own stride.
6 New Girl
New Girl is the perfect show to watch at the gym when you plan to jump on the treadmill for a 20-25 minute warm-up or cool down from the rest of your workout. The storyline is humorous enough to keep you attention if you want, but it is also a fantastic sitcom to watch if you simply need something going on in the background while you are thinking of what you need to do with the rest of your day.
Between Zooey Deschanel parading around in her colorful outfits while she tries to get her life under control and watching Jake Johnson, Max Greenfield, and Lamorne Morris act like buffoons while they go about their day-today life, this is a great series for when you need a mental break.
5 Orange Is the New Black
We don't want to know if you have run from the cops or if you are training to while you're on the treadmill, but several of the characters in Orange is the New Black likely have. In Upstate New York, at the Litchfield Penitentiary resides women from all walks of life who did something to land themselves in federal prison.
The show starts out following Piper Chapman as she serves her 15-month sentence there. Then, other characters are allotted the spotlight as they get romantically invested with people, create scandals inside the cement walls, or cause complete mayhem within the whole prison. With seven seasons and a plethora of interesting characters to follow, this drama series will surely have you amused.
4 Hell's Kitchen
It seems ironic to watch a cooking show while working out, but something about witnessing Gordon Ramsay really tear into the competitors is exhilarating. In Hell's Kitchen, Ramsay initially divides the contestants up into two teams to compete against one another in food challenges as well as a dinner service. Those who lose the challenge are given a task to complete, and individual chefs are eliminated until a handful remain.
Then, the chefs have to compete as individuals rather than teams until one chef is deemed the best of the bunch. You may find humor in the dramatic anger that erupts out of Ramsay, or you can get ideas for your own weekly meals. Regardless, this fast-faced show will have you trying to keep up with the frantic chefs as they move about the kitchen.
3 NCIS
While there are seemingly endless crime shows out there to binge, the witty banter and smart comebacks in NCIS are unmatched. Watching Mark Harmon play a cold-hearted team leader for 19 seasons is one thing, but watching how his professional team of agents, who are all grown adults, act like some unruly teenage children who bicker all the time is comical.
While you are working your muscles on the treadmill, you can also be working your mind on the cases at hand. See if you can successfully weed through the list of suspects in each episode and uncover the true perpetrator before the rest of the crew.
2 American Ninja Warrior
Do you feel motivated to work out by watching others either exercise or go through some physically strenuous challenge? American Ninja Warrior has been around for more than a decade, and it has inspired so many individuals to go out of their comfort zones, push themselves to the physical limits, and set their eyes on a certain prize.
Men and women from all over the country train for great lengths of time to compete in this brutal obstacle course series. While the money at the end is a nice incentive for the winner, knowing that they can push themselves to complete even one of the courses makes plenty of competitors already feel like champions.
1 Friends
If you are hitting the treadmill during your lunch break, and you are crunched for time, Friends is a great show that will not deplete your mental energy. You will find yourself laughing along with Chandler and Joey, thinking you need to get home to clean like Monica, planning out your next outfit the way Rachel would, and wondering if Ross will ever pick up on certain cues.
There is a reason people constantly have this '90s sitcom on repeat in their homes, so why not allow yourself the 25 minutes it takes to finish an episode to actually pick up on all the jokes and subtleties others typically miss? You surely won't regret working your abs while you laugh on the treadmill.