The treadmill is one of the most widely used aerobic exercise machines. A treadmill, in addition to being a piece of diverse cardio equipment, may assist you in losing weight if that is your aim. In this article, we are going to discourse, How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill.
Working out on a treadmill offers other advantages than helping you lose weight. For example, you can use the treadmill all year. It is feasible to work out while watching your favorite television show.
If you’re healing from an injury, the treadmill includes handrails, which is perfect. It can help lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases, enhance sleep, raise your mood, and improve brain function, just like any other heart-pumping aerobic activity.

Treadmills are found in nearly every gym, making them a viable option for people of all fitness levels. Treadmills may also easily become part of your home gym if you like to work out at home.
Lose Weight on a Treadmill
Let’s look at the principles of treadmill weight reduction and some training options.
1. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is a type of exercise that involves alternating sessions of high-intensity activity with periods of rest.
According to a report published in 2017,
HIIT activities, according to a reliable source, can help you lose weight and burn calories in a shorter length of time.
The aim is to work especially hard for brief periods of time and then recover in between high-intensity workout spurts. This burns a lot of calories, which might help you lose weight.
In addition, your body tries to recover to a normal resting condition following a HIIT workout. It accomplishes this by converting body fat into energy.
Here’s how to conduct high-intensity interval training on a treadmill:
Make sure the treadmill is completely flat. Warm up by walking at 2 mph for 5 minutes.
- For 30 seconds, run at 9 to 10 mph.
- For 60 seconds, walk at 3 to 4 mph.
- Rep 5–10 times more.
- To cool down, do a 5-minute walk at 2 mph.
Alternate between jogging and sprinting for a more advanced exercise. You may also extend each high-intensity set by a few minutes. Rest intervals should ideally be twice as long as high-intensity intervals.
2. Find your fat-burning zone
Exercising at your fat-burning heart rate while on the treadmill can help you lose weight. You burn the most calories per minute in this zone.
To determine your fat-burning zone, first, determine your maximal heart rate. This is the most your heart can beat in one minute of exertion.
220 minus your age is your maximal heart rate. Your maximal heart rate is 180 beats per minute if you’re 40 years old (220 – 40 = 180).
Generally, your fat-burning zone is 70 percent of your maximal heart rate. If your maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute, your fat-burning zone is 70% of 180, or 126 (180 x 0.70 = 126).
You’ll know how hard you should work to assist weight loss based on this amount. Here’s an example of how to go about it:
Wear a wrist or chest-worn heart rate monitor. Set the treadmill to its flat position. Warm-up by walking at 2 mph for 5 minutes.
- Adjust the inclination to 2%. For 1 minute, jog at 4 mph. Run at a speed of 8 to 10 miles per hour, or until you reach your fat-burning zone. At this heart rate, run for 15 to 30 minutes.
- For 1 minute, jog at 4 mph.
- To cool down, do a 5-minute walk at 2 mph.
- The average fat-burning zone is 70%, however, everyone is different. Some people may need to hit 80 percent of their maximal heart rate to enter the fat-burning zone, while others may need to reach 55 percent. It is determined by a variety of characteristics, including gender, age, exercise level, and medical issues.
You might also reduce your treadmill speed to get into your fat-burning zone. For maximum weight reduction, a personal trainer can assist you in determining your ideal speed and heart rate.
3. Get out of a rut
Switching up your treadmill regimen is another way to lose weight. You may do the following by executing a new workout each time:
Reduce your chances of getting hurt. The same workout over and again may be taxing on your joints. It raises your chances of developing an overuse injury, which can put you back.
Avoid hitting a training ceiling. The more you perform an exercise, the less progress you’ll make. To improve, your body must be challenged.
Avoid boredom. If you vary your workouts on a regular basis, you’re more likely to stay on your regimen.
Here’s an example of a training plan that incorporates several treadmill workouts into a well-balanced fitness routine:
- Sunday: relax, go for a long stroll, or do some easy yoga.
- Monday: 20–30 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill
- Tuesday: muscle training and a light treadmill jog
- Wednesday: relax, take a long stroll, or do some easy yoga.
- Thursday: strength training and a light treadmill jog
- Friday: 20–30 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill
- Saturday: bodyweight workout or barre class
4. Add hills
Add hills to your treadmill exercise to make it more difficult. Because your body needs to work harder when you walk quickly or run at an incline, you burn more calories.
It also helps to generate greater lean muscle mass by activating more muscles. Because muscle burns more calories than fat, this aids weight loss.
Try this treadmill routine if you want to exercise on an incline:
Set the treadmill to its flat position. Warm up by walking at 2 mph for 5 minutes.
Adjust the inclination to 1%. For 1 minute, jog at 4 to 6 mph.
Each minute, increase the inclination by 1%. Rep till you reach an inclination of 8 to 10%.
Each minute, decrease the inclination by 1%. Rep until you’ve reached a 0% to 1% inclination.
To cool down, do a 5-minute walk at 2 mph.
The typical jogging pace is 4 to 6 miles per hour. To make this workout more difficult, raise the speed or add additional minutes.
Increase the inclination by 0.5 percent each minute for a simpler version. Repeat until you achieve a 4 to 5% inclination, then reverse the process.
Benefits beyond weight loss
Cardio activity, such as a treadmill workout, has several advantages in addition to weight loss. It could be useful:
- manage your endurance HDL (good) cholesterol levels rise when blood sugar levels rise.
- boost memory and cognition prevent Alzheimer’s disease promote better skin and muscular strength
- Reduce joint stiffness by reducing fatigue
- reduce anxiety and tension, and improve sleep
- boost your energy levels
- promote sexual arousal by boosting your immune system
The bottom line
A treadmill is a wonderful technique to burn calories and lose weight as a kind of aerobic exercise.
Consult a skilled personal trainer if you’re unsure whether a treadmill workout is ideal for you. They can work with you to design a treadmill weight reduction program that is unique to you.
Combine treadmill exercises with strength training for the best results. Both types of exercise can aid weight loss and improve general health.
Before beginning a new fitness regimen, see your doctor if you are new to exercising or haven’t worked out in a long time.
Don’t forget to check out our blogs here
No Comments