How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill ( 7 Ways )

The high-tech features of newer treadmills make workouts even more fun and interesting. If you are busy and do not have time to hit the gym, bring a low-intensity treadmill home for cardio. Take notes on how to lose weight on a treadmill! Losing weight can improve mental health as well.

Plan the workout intensity by dividing weekdays into hard, light, and complete rest days. Modify your workout plan as per your lifestyle. You can monitor the training data and determine whether it was a good workout day.

Proper technique and accurate speed and incline are vital to prevent the risk of injuries. Walking slowly on a treadmill can be a great workout routine. Lower your calorie intake as well.

How Long Should I Work Out on Exercise Machines to Lose Weight?

Start low-intensity walking on a higher incline. A workout incorporating shorter bursts with higher speeds increases calorie burn rates. Treadmills are compatible with high-intensity interval training workouts and push the body to burn more body fat.

Once you get used to the speed and incline and train longer, add interval training and complete body exercises to build more muscles.

You can start brisk walking for five minutes and then increase the duration. The expected starting speed ranges from 2.5 MHP to 3.5 MPH.

Explore the speed at which you can feel comfortable for a more extended period without falling short of breath. Beginning on an inclined surface is unnecessary when you get started.

  • Start on flat belts and incline once you are ready for high-intensity workouts.
  • Start your fitness journey by walking 20 minutes daily and jumping to 44 to 45 minutes when the endurance capacity increases.
  • Everyone has a different starting point and decides that based on their fitness level. Do not miss a warm-up before and cool down after the treadmill workout.
How to lose weight on a treadmill
How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill

Weight Loss Exercise To Burn More Calories On A Treadmill

Both longer and moderate workout intensity are beneficial for weight loss. But higher intensity training is highly effective, mainly when you have limited time.

5-minute incline treadmill walk with overhead shoulder presses

The 5-minute incline walk with overhead shoulders includes a slow increase in incline and speed.

The overhead shoulder press drop set requires 3, 5, and 8 pounds of Dumble. Keep the core tight and breathe in through your nose and mouth.

  • Walk 2 minutes at 2 mph with a 12 % incline and do 50 overhead shoulders with 3 pounds.
  • Walk 1 minute at 2.5 mph with a 13 % incline and 30 overhead shoulders with a dumble of 5 pounds.
  • Walk 1 minute at 3 mph with a 14 % incline and 20 overhead shoulders with a dumble of 8 pounds.
  • Walk 1 minute at 3.5 mph with a 15% incline, use your hand for generating power, and use handrails for balance.

20-minute interval workout

The 20-minute intervals are another smart way to maintain body health. To burn more calories, choose a light speed that you can use to keep your max heart rate below 60% of your maximum heart rate. Then increase your jogging pace with a target heart rate between 60-80%.

Warm at a light rate for 2 minutes before doing 16 minutes of workout by alternating 1-minute light and 1-minute fast intervals.

Incline between 1 – 1.5 %, light speed between 5-6 mph, and moderate pace between 7-9 mph are suggested for this exercise by most people. Burn some extra calories in less than an hour.

How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill
How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill

The 75/60/30-second intervals

This challenging interval workout requires a great warm-up exercise before beginning. Let us see how to do it –

  • 75 seconds – at 1 % incline, run for 1 min at 2 mph above your easy warm-up pace, followed by 15 seconds of a moderate walk at 3.8-4.5 mph.
  • 75 seconds – keep the pace as above and upgrade the incline to 3 %, followed by a moderate walk for 1 minute.
  • 60 seconds – add an extra 0.5 mph followed by a moderate walk for 1 minute at 1 % incline.
  • 60 seconds – the same speed as above, increase the incline to 3 % and follow with a 1 min moderate walk.
  • 30 seconds – make sprints for 30 seconds, both on and off. Repeat thrice with a set at 1 %, 3 %, and 5 % incline.

Cool yourself down by walking at 3%, 2%, and 1% incline for 1 minute each.

Combination of sprints + treadmills plank walks.

Incline intervals sprints are fast-paced and include core work, form plank position with legs stretching behind and butts down.

  • Run 60 seconds on, rest 30 seconds at six mph and 7 % incline, pause the treadmill, and do 15 seconds of plank walk.
  • Run 60 seconds at 6 mph, rest 30 seconds at 6.5 mph and 6.5% incline, and follow 20 seconds of plank walk.
  • Run 60 seconds on, rest 30 seconds at 7 mph and 6% incline, and follow 30 seconds of plank walk.

Follow the same workout pattern for 45 seconds and 30 seconds with increasing speed and decreasing incline.

Adjust the speed to 0.5 mph for 45 seconds and 1 mph for 30 seconds. Wrap up the workout with a 20-second run at 11 mph and a 2.5% incline at 2 mph, followed by 30 seconds of the plank walk and 10 seconds rest.

Side shuffle intervals

Side shuffle intervals are another workout and an extremely effective tool for weight loss involving varying movements.

Walk, jog or run at a comfortable speed for 2 minutes. Lower the speed at which you can side shuffle on the treadmill.

Side shuffle on each side for 30 seconds. Repeat forward 2 minutes, each side 30 seconds for 6 rounds. End the exercise with a 2-minute easy-forward jog.

The treadmill’s speed depends on an individual’s fitness levels varying between 2-8 mph. The incline of the treadmill should be around 1-1.5%.

10-20 Minute Hike

The 10-20 minute hike workouts require adding more incline to the treadmill and feel like a mountainous hike. Walk at a 2-4 mph speed for 10-20 minutes at an incline between 5-10 %. Do not do this too fast, as you might stress your body muscles.

40-minute 60/30-second intervals

Do a challenging warm-up; take an example from 75/60/30-second intervals. Hydrate yourself before beginning.

  • Run fast for 3o seconds at 6.5 mph and 8% incline.
  • Do a moderate run at 3.8-4.8 mph and a 7 % incline for 60 seconds.
  • Run fast for 3o seconds at 6.5 mph and a 7% incline.
  • Do a moderate run at 3.8-4.8 mph and a 6 % incline for 60 seconds.
  • Run fast for 3o seconds at 6.5 mph and a 6% incline.
  • Do a moderate run at 3.8-4.8 mph and a 5 % incline for 60 seconds.
  • Run fast for 3o seconds at 6.5 mph and a 4% incline.
  • Do a moderate run at 3.8-4.8 mph and 8 % incline for 60 seconds.

Now continue doing these sets till you again reach 30 seconds run at 6.5 mph with a 3% incline. To cool down, do an easy walk with a rise of 1% for 3 minutes.

Sample treadmill workout plan: 12-3-30 Treadmill Workout

The sample treadmill workout plan suggests that it is unnecessary to exercise on all days of the week and stretch up to multiple weeks.

You can opt to take complete rest on certain days without regretting it. Include warm-up and cool-down sessions and form strict data to follow for fitness workouts.

Start at a lower speed and move to higher speeds on the treadmill for weight loss. Check out the weekly plans on our website to understand better.

How to lose weight on a treadmill
How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill

First Week

DAYWARM-UPWALKINGINCLINECOOLING
13 min4 min – 2.5 mph0%3 min
23 min5 min – 2.5 mph0%3 min
33 min5 min – 2.7 mph0%3 min
43 min6 min – 2.7 mph0%3 min
53 min6 min – 2.9 mph0%3 min
63 min7 min – 2.9 mph0%3 min

Day 7- Rest day

Second Week

DAYWARM-UPWALKINGINCLINECOOLING
83 min7 min – 2.9 mph1%3 min
93 min8 min – 2.9 mph1%3 min
103 min9 min – 2.9 mph1%3 min
113 min9 min -2.9 mph2%3 min
123 min10 min – 2.9 mph2%3 min
133 min11 min – 2.9 mph2%3 min

Day 14 – Rest day.

Third Week

DAYWARM-UPWALKINGINCLINECOOLING
153 min11 min – 3.1 mph2%3 min
163 min12 min – 3.1 mph2%3 min
173 min12 min – 3.3 mph2%3 min
183 min13 min -3.3 mph2%3 min
123 min13 min – 3.5 mph2%3 min
203 min14 min – 3.5 mph2%3 min

Day 21 – Rest day.

Form a healthy diet plan and site what to eat in addition to weight loss exercises. Starting from a shorter period of time and speed, increase your level with regular use, burn calories, and improve your health.

4 Benefits of exercise for weight loss

  • Lee Wratislaw, a GOLD’s AMP trainer, has suggested the treadmill as an effective tool for increasing aerobic activity.
  • A treadmill can strengthen the core besides building aerobic capacity via cardio workouts.
  • Exercise physiologist recommends that treadmill burn calories faster, even by training every day for less than an hour.
  • Regardless of an individual’s health, the treadmill allows complete control by the user with quick controls.

A Treadmill supports is awesome for aerobic exercise. Don’t strain your muscles too much; create a balance with active recovery. Check out more details on our website.

Wrapping Up

Eating something before hopping on the treadmill is suggested because it is fuel. What you should eat and how much you should eat will depend on your workout goals. You are not supposed to eat right before or after your workout but consume in a balanced way.

For the best results, include carbohydrates, healthy fats, and proteins in your diet. Keeping these things in mind will help with an effective treadmill workout.

FAQ: How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill

Is a treadmill good for losing belly fat?

A treadmill is good for losing belly fat long-term and does not let the deep belly fat return with regular running.

How long should I be on the treadmill to reach my desired fitness level?

Studies suggest training for 300 minutes a week is a minimum for extensive health benefits. Working out for 44-45 minutes daily can help reduce a kilo in one week.

However, how long you should be on the treadmill depends on your fitness needs.

Is a treadmill good for losing weight?

Working out on an flat incline requires more power, so extra calories are burned as the body works harder. The treadmill is an excellent way to weight loss and stays healthy.

How much weight can you lose on a treadmill in a month?

An individual can lose up to 10 pounds in one month with a proper diet and exercise routine. A gradual weight loss of one or two pounds per week is more feasible and beneficial.

What speed should I walk on the treadmill?

If you are looking for a decent walking speed on the treadmill, it is two to four miles per hour. Over five miles per hour is a running speed.

Should you hold on to the treadmill while walking?

It is not suggested to hold the treadmill while walking or running. It is a poor habit and reduces the good effects of a workout.

Should I swing my arms when walking on a treadmill?

Swinging the arms while walking or running on the treadmill has multiple benefits. It can help strengthen the core and burn more calories.

Should I eat before or after using a treadmill?

Eating is crucial for both preparing for exercise and recovering from it. It contains potential energy that works as fuel to the muscles.