Can You Actually Lose Weight On A Treadmill

Army Cpt. Phillip Williams runs the first leg of Afghanistan's Hood to Coast run on a treadmill in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Jack Pagano/NATO Training Mission Afghanistan)

Treadmills are the right choice for those who want to lose weight. It may appear to be a cliché you can find in running books or dedicated articles, but it's true, as long as you know all the details.

Before I explain how treadmills can help you in this quest, I must tell you about the target heart rate and fat-burning zone.

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The target heart rate equals 60%-90% of your maximum heart rate. And your fat-burning zone equal 75%-90% of your target heart-rate zone.

The rule is simple: If you want to lose weight by running, than you must be sure that while you exercise, your heart rate is in your fat burning zone (for a minimum of 30 minutes).

If you want to calculate by yourself the value of the target heart rate, you just need to know your maximum heart rate, which is based on these general formulas:

Treadmill: Weight Loss Tips And Important Information

Or you can buy a treadmill that allows you to insert your age and weight in the console, so it calculates your target heart rate and your fat burning zone by itself. I will get to what treadmills can do that later.

Monitoring all these details can be difficult to do while you run outside. That is why very often people say: I run daily, but I don't see any difference. What am I doing wrong? Here is when running on treadmills can be really helpful and extremely efficient.

As I said above, treadmills can monitor your target heart rate and your fat-burning zone while you work out. These are the treadmills that allow you to insert your age and weight in the console before you start exercising.

How To Lose Weight On The Treadmill

More than that, these treadmills change the speed and incline of the treadmill automatically so you remain in this zone without any additional hassle. All you have to do is have a heart rate reading connected (a wireless chest strap is the most recommended) and run, run, run.

If you are a beginner, you must focus first on building endurance and aerobic fitness. After 3-4 weeks of training, you should be ready to raise the intensity level and do treadmill weight-loss workouts efficiently.

Now you are in pretty good shape, but you can do even better. It's time you try a workout that increases your target heart rate to 80%-90% of your maximum heart rate (which is the most efficient weight-loss target zone).

A 30 Minute Treadmill Workout That'll Burn Fat In Overdrive

What else you need to know: The above workouts are examples of possible settings you can apply to your treadmill so that you follow the running weight-loss formula. But each body is different. So feel free to change the incline and speed, according to your preferences and your body's demands. For example, if you don't like running fast, you can use a higher incline. The level of effort is the same, and you still lose weight as long as you are in your fat-burning zone.

I promised I would tell you what treadmills have the target heart-rate system calculations included in the console. I like Schwinn Treadmills and Livestrong Treadmills. They come with a decent price, good warranty, strong components and efficient weight-loss workouts.

Anna Ursu is a runner and treadmill tester for RunReviews .com, a site where you can find more details about treadmills and workouts.

Fat Burning Treadmill Workouts To Help You Lose Weight Fast

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Treadmills are available at almost every gym, making it an accessible option for all fitness levels. Plus, if you prefer working out at home, treadmills can easily become part of your home gym, too.

The idea is to work extra hard for short periods and rest between the high-intensity bursts of exercise. This burns a lot of calories, which helps contribute to weight loss.

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Additionally, after a HIIT routine, your body attempts to return to a normal resting state. It does this by metabolizing body fat for energy.

For a more advanced workout, alternate between jogging and sprinting. You can also add more minutes to each high-intensity set. Ideally, your rest intervals should be twice as long as your high-intensity intervals.

To make a treadmill routine more challenging, add hills. Walking briskly or running at an incline burns more calories because your body has to work harder.

Treadmill Interval Workouts: Treadmill Workouts To Lose Weight Faster

It also activates more muscles, which contributes to building more lean muscle mass. This helps you lose weight, since muscle burns more calories than fat.

Generally, 4 to 6 mph is the average jogging speed. You can increase the speed or add more minutes to make this workout harder.

For an easier version, increase the incline by 0.5 percent each minute. Repeat until you’ve reached a 4 to 5 percent incline, then work in reverse.

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If you’re not sure what type of treadmill workout is best suited to you, talk to a certified personal trainer. They can work with you to create a customized treadmill weight loss program.

If you’re new to exercise, or if you haven’t worked out in a while, talk to your doctor before you start a new fitness routine.

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