A very well-liked piece of equipment for aerobic exercise is the treadmill. A treadmill can assist you in losing weight if that is your goal in addition to being a flexible cardio machine.
Treadmill exercises have additional advantages besides just aiding in weight loss. For instance:
There are treadmills in almost every gym, making it a convenient option for people of all fitness levels. Furthermore, treadmills can easily be added to your home gym if you prefer working out there.
Let’s look at the fundamentals of using a treadmill to lose weight as well as some potential workout strategies.
Quickview on How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill in a Month
1. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
2. Get out of a rut
3. Add hills
How Much Weight Can You Lose on a Treadmill in a Month
You must be a beginner if you’re reading this, especially when it comes to treadmills and possibly even exercise in general. The likelihood is that you will run or walk for 15 to 30 minutes each day.
Additionally, experts advise against using the treadmill every day, especially if you are sore. So you’ll probably use it three to four times a week, at most.
You already see three factors that influence your weight loss journey:
• Time spent on the treadmill
• Speed (walking vs. running)
• times per week
You consume 60 to 120 calories every 30 minutes, which equates to 240 to 480 calories per week and 960 to 1920 calories per month. A 0.3–0.6 pound weight loss results from this.
In contrast, a 2-pound weight loss is achieved by running for 30 minutes, four times per week, at 6 mph.
How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill in a Month
High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating sets of vigorous exercise and rest.
HIIT workouts can be an efficient way to burn calories quickly and reduce body fat, according to a 2017 study.
With high-intensity exercise bursts, the goal is to work hard for a brief period of time and then rest. This helps with weight loss because it burns a lot of calories.
Your body tries to go back to a normal resting state after a HIIT workout, too. It accomplishes this by using body fat as fuel during metabolism.
Here’s how to do HIIT on a treadmill:
1. Make sure the treadmill is flat by setting it. 5 minutes of warm-up walking at 2 mph.
2. 30 seconds of running at your top speed.
3. For 60 seconds, walk quickly.
4. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
5. For 5 minutes, stroll at 2 mph to cool off.
Alternate between jogging and sprinting for a more difficult workout. Each high-intensity set can also be extended by an additional minute. The ideal length of your rest and high-intensity intervals is two times as long.
Get Out of a Rut
Altering your routine is another way to lose weight while using a treadmill. By doing a different workout each time, you can:
• Reduce your risk for injury. Your joints will suffer if you consistently do the same exercise. Overuse injuries are more likely to occur as a result, which can be detrimental.
• Avoid a training plateau. You won’t see results if you perform a particular exercise frequently. To advance, your body needs to be pushed.
• Prevent boredom. If you frequently change up your workout, you’re more likely to stay with it.
Here’s a sample workout plan, where different treadmill workouts are incorporated into a balanced exercise routine:
• Sunday: rest, leisurely walk, or gentle yoga
• Monday: treadmill HIIT routine for 20 to 30 minutes
• Tuesday: light treadmill jog and strength training
• Wednesday: rest, leisurely walk, or gentle yoga
• Thursday: light treadmill jog and strength training
• Friday: treadmill HIIT routine for 20 to 30 minutes
• Saturday: barre class or bodyweight workout
Add Hills
Add hills to a treadmill routine to make it harder. Because your body has to work harder, brisk walking or incline running causes you to burn more calories.
More muscles are also activated as a result, which helps to increase the amount of lean muscle mass. The fact that muscle burns more calories than fat makes this a weight-loss strategy.
If you’d like to exercise on an incline, try this treadmill sequence:
1. flatten the treadmill. To warm up, stroll for 5 minutes at 2 mph.
2. Set the incline to 1 percent. Jog for one minute between 4 and 6 mph.
3. Each minute, raise the incline by 1 percent. Continue until you reach an incline of 8 to 10 percent.
4. Each minute, lower the incline by 1%. To reach a 0 to 1 percent incline, repeat the process.
5. To cool down, stroll for 5 minutes at 2 mph.
The typical jogging speed is 4 to 6 mph. To make this workout harder, increase the speed or the number of minutes.
The incline can be raised by 0.5 percent per minute for a simpler variation. Repeat this process until you reach an incline of 4 to 5 percent, and then move backward.
The Bottom Line: A Great Way
Using a treadmill is a great way to burn calories and shed pounds because it is a cardio exercise.
Consult a licensed personal trainer if you’re unsure of the treadmill exercise that will benefit you the most. They can collaborate with you to develop a personalized treadmill weight loss plan.
Combine treadmill workouts with strength training for the best results. Exercise can support both weight loss and general health in both ways.
Before beginning a new fitness regimen, speak with your doctor if you’re new to exercise or if you haven’t worked out in a while.