Walking is an underrated form of exercise that helps you get in shape and burn calories. Besides weight loss, there are tons of benefits associated with walking. But, let’s be honest. Walking outdoors can be a challenge because of weather issues. If you want to stay consistent with your exercise routine no matter the weather condition, a treadmill is a good investment.
Losing Weight by Walking on a Treadmill
You can lose weight just by walking on a treadmill. That’s right; this popular home gym machine is highly effective. As long as you’re following a sensible diet, you can most definitely get rid of the extra pounds by doing this exercise on a regular basis.
The number of calories you burn by walking on a treadmill depends on the amount of walking. Healthy adults burn about 30 calories in 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill, but you will likely need to do more for maximum results. After spending 30 minutes on the treadmill for a few weeks, take it up to 45-60 minutes. If you do this regularly, you can lose a pound in three weeks even without performing other exercises.
Additionally, the intensity of walking also affects the number of calories you burn. In general, you should aim to walk at about 3.5 mph. But to lose more, you may need to increase the intensity of walking.
Tips for Walking on a Treadmill to Lose Weight
Avoid holding onto handrails.
It’s a common reason to hold onto handrails for stability; however, this doesn’t help you lose weight. If you hold onto the handrails, you can’t move naturally or apply a good walking posture. Unless you don’t have a significant disability or balance issue, learn to avoid holding onto handrails as this is the natural way to walk. As a beginner, you may walk at a slower pace for a few sessions, but you will get better over time.
So, if you can’t hold onto the handrails, what do you do with your arms? Your arms are essential if you want to walk faster. With the correct arm motion, you can speed up your pace and burn more calories. You can visit the gym and learn proper arm motion for fast walking.
Look straight ahead.
Avoid looking down when walking on a treadmill since this is not a good walking posture. If you need to keep yourself entertained while doing the walking exercise, make sure to look straight ahead at your reading material or video. Otherwise, you may experience shoulder pain, neck pain, and back pain- all because of bad walking posture.
Get to know the machine’s features.
Getting to know the following features is key to learning how to use the treadmill to lose belly fat:
Speed adjustment. For a successful workout, you should know how to set the speed and make adjustments during your training. You may start at a relaxed pace to warm up for 5 minutes, and increase as you go along. Don’t forget to finish with a 5-minute cool down at a relaxed pace.
Programmed workouts. Make use of the programs on your treadmill to vary or spice up your workouts.
Pulse monitor/heart rate monitor. Most treadmills have a built-in pulse monitor and chest strap heart rate monitor. These can give you feedback on your pulse rate and heart rate.
Calories burned. One of the reasons why treadmills are well-loved by many is because they help motivate a person. In addition to the pulse and heart rate monitor, treadmills also provide a visual readout of calories burned during a workout.
Wear well-designed fitness shoes.
Even when you love the feel of the air on your feet, flip-flops are not suitable for walking on a treadmill. Save the flip flops for the situation they were meant for and invest in fitness shoes which provide the right support and allow you to push off with each step. To get the best pair of fitness shoes, shop at a specialty fitness running store.
Kicking Your Treadmill Workout Up a Notch
Take full advantage of the incline feature.
Most people fail to utilize the treadmill’s incline feature. Walking on a treadmill should mimic how you walk naturally outside; so it’s essential to use the incline feature. To make an immediate impact on treadmill walking, set the incline to a moderate 3%. Then, increase the incline as you go along. The higher the incline, the more energy needed to activate your calves, quadriceps, and glutes. This increase in energy then equates to more calories burned.
When using the treadmill, make sure the incline is set at a pace that doesn’t require you to hold on for dear life. A pace that you can safely walk and burn calories is the most desirable option.
Challenge your body with interval training.
If you try intervals, you can add intensity to your walking routine. An easy way of doing an interval workout is to create a playlist with upbeat and slower songs. When you are walking and hear a slower song, slow down your pace. When the upbeat song comes on, increase your pace.
Add weights.
Another way to get the most out of your treadmill walk for weight loss is to add weights. You can burn more calories by doing some dumbbell jabs or dumbbell shoulder presses while walking on an incline. You can also add some weighted sit-ups, weighted jumping jacks, and dumbbell squats after your fast interval.
Final Thoughts
While you can lose weight just by walking on a treadmill, it is vital to keep a healthy diet. If you eat more calories than you burn, no amount of walking on the treadmill will help you achieve that desired weight. Consider consulting with a dietician and have him design a meal plan to complement your workout routine.