Running on the treadmill is cardio exercise. Even walking at a slow-pace is an activity that improves your cardiovascular health. And everyone knows that cardio burns calories and leads to weight loss.
So the question here isn’t if a treadmill is good for weight loss. That’s an abstract question that has an abstract, incomplete answer.
The truth is that using a treadmill helps you achieve your weight loss goals only if you know how to use it effectively.
If you want to start shedding more pounds on the treadmill, read the article below.
How Many Calories Do You Burn On A Treadmill? The Abstract Part
An hour on the treadmill burns an average of 700 calories for moderate-effort workouts.
With that in mind, here are some abstract answers.
If you want to know how to burn 500 calories on a treadmill, the short answer is that you should exercise for 43 minutes at a moderate intensity. Another possibility is to do a high-intensity workout for at least 25 minutes.
If you’re interested in how to burn 2000 calories on a treadmill, just do four 43-minute sessions on your treadmill at a moderate intensity per week.
How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill. Practical Answer Time
You need to remember that everyone is different so that you won’t necessarily burn 350 calories per hour.
For instance, if you’re bigger and heavier you’ll burn more calories. If you’re doing more intense workouts you’ll also be burning more calories.
Besides, some people have certain endocrine issues that decrease their metabolic rates. Age and a high percentage of body fat also lead to a slower metabolism and a slower calorie-burning speed. But did you know that your metabolism is slower even when you’re stressed or have a common cold?
Another thing is that, if you’re stressed, tired, or simply unfocused, you’ll perceive your workout as more difficult. As such, you’ll burn fewer calories because you’re not putting in the effort.
Lastly, the more you exercise on the treadmill, the less weight you lose. That’s because over-exercising leads to muscle fatigue and overall stress so that your metabolic rate decreases.
Therefore, you won’t lose 700 calories/ hour if you’re working out on the treadmill each day for an hour. As you lose weight and your muscles get sorer, your progress will decrease.
With that in mind, if you want to lose weight on the treadmill effectively, you should take all these factors into account:
Contact your doctor, nutritionist, or physical therapist so that you can get help in personalising your workouts. They might also help you with some blood tests and other exams to ensure that everything is in order.
Exercise according to your fat-burning heart rate zone. This zone is usually about 55%-70% of your maximum heart rate, which you can find by subtracting your age from 220. So, if you’re 27 years old, your maximum heart rate is 193 bpm. Your fat-burning zone is between 106 bpm and 135 bpm.
Of course, a personal trainer can help you figure out a more precise interval for your fat-burning zone.
Allow your muscles to recover. Avoid muscle exertion that impedes your weight loss process. Take rest days and alternate high-intensity workouts with low-impact workouts. You should also have some days when you focus on your upper body and core muscles so that you can give your lower body a break.
Do some strength training. Excessive cardio leads to a decreased metabolic rate in the long-term. Conversely, strength training increases your muscle mass so that you can have a higher basal metabolic rate when you’re at rest. As such, your body will burn more calories even when you’re resting. Use resistance bands for your treadmill if you want to combine weight training and treadmill walking. However, your best bet is to do some stand-alone strength training outside the treadmill.
Give HIIT a chance. Your treadmill may have come with a leaflet or CD with various workout ideas. Some treadmills even have auto workouts. So, choose high-intensity interval training two to three times per week. Recent research suggests that HIIT is a more effective way to lose weight because alternating between high- and low-impact periods keeps your metabolism at a high peak.
In Conclusion
If you want to lose weight on the treadmills, remember to avoid the mistakes of overtraining and not personalising your workouts. Your body needs down-time to become stronger.
Conversely, combine treadmill running with HIIT and strength workouts, and you’ll lose more weight faster.
She had to trade the gym for home fitness equipment when her two little angels were born. But she successfully managed to make the transition, and sharing her vast fitness experience online is the engine that keeps this website going.
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