Last Updated 3 years ago
The good news is that you’ll burn calories on a treadmill no matter what you are doing on it. The bad news is that burning fat and losing weight is more than just calories in versus calories out.
So as it turns out, ambling along at a steady pace might not be the one if you’re looking to shed some pounds.
Power walking or running on the treadmill are great cardio options that can kickstart your weight loss journey.
During steady-state sessions, aim to exercise within your fat-burning heart rate zone.
This is 70% of your maximum heart rate. So if your max heart rate is 180 beats per minute, your fat-burning zone would be around 126 beats per minute.
Having said that, everyone is different and these figures are influenced by gender, age, fitness level, and medical conditions.
Some people might enter the fat-burning zone at 55% of their maximum heart rate and others at a far higher number.
If you want to make your routine a bit more challenging, add hills. Walking or running at an incline burns more calorie as your body has to work harder and more muscles are engaged.
Even though running clearly targets your legs, you’ll also start burning fat in other places around your body – including your stomach.
Not only does running on a treadmill burn belly fat, but one of the long-term effects of regular treadmill sessions is that visceral fat will go away for good.
This is the fat that is found inside your abdominal cavity and wraps around your internal organs and is a major contributor to all sorts of health issues.
Try incorporating some of the below options into your routine to burn more calories on the treadmill and get your shred underway.
Do some HIIT workouts
HIIT sessions burn major calories and produce an after burn in which your metabolism remains elevated for a little longer than normal after the workout.
These super-impactful workouts have you fluctuating between an almost-uncomfortable point of cardio, working at your maximum for short stints, before dropping back down to rest intervals.
To find out more about how to do HIIT sessions on a running machine then read all about it here.
Do interval training
Interval training is a great way to build intensity without throwing you in at the ultra-intense HIIT level.
By moving your heart rate up and down you increase the rate at which you burn calories. Obviously the more you amp your cardio, the harder you work and the more calories you’ll torch.
In this sort of training intervals can be chosen by the user depending on fitness and what they want to get from the workout.
For beginners, try jumping on the treadmill for 30 minutes, breaking it up with six continuous five-minute walks. Within each five-minute period, walk at around 5kph for four minutes and then 6kph for one minute.
As you progress and that becomes too easy, you can up the pace or switch the intervals, so you’re walking at 5kph for two or three minutes and then 6kph for the remainder.
Vary the incline
As mentioned previously, walking uphill burns considerably more calories than on a flat gradient. Think about when you’re outside and come across an unexpected hill or stairs – it always ends with a red face and a lot of puffing, right?
Just like HIIT and intervals, changing the incline gets your heart rate fluctuating, which increases your metabolic rate.
Another bonus of doing a treadmill workout that changes incline is that it uses 10% more of your leg muscles, helping to burn more calories and increase muscle mass.
Switching up the incline every five minutes or so will engage different muscle groups and keep you interested in your routine.
Change directions
Yes – we know that this one sounds a bit strange.
But in the same way that changing the incline will engage different muscle groups, walking backwards or sideways strengthens your hips and forces you to work twice as hard.
We think there’s probably even something to be said for the fact that it takes real focus so you end up getting both a mental and physical workout.
There’s no way you’ll get bored if you throw in a multidirectional challenge now and again, and if you really want to train those glutes?
Try adding a resistance band as you sidestep yourself towards that dream body.
Get off the treadmill
No, unfortunately we haven’t just given you the green light to give up on your workout.
One of the best ways to work up a sweat and hit all your muscle groups is to jump off the treadmill mid-run and do a little body circuit.
The concept here is to create your own little regime that incorporates jogging, running and/or sprinting with some bodyweight reps.
A popular method is the “hurricane” workout, in which you jog or run a certain distance, gradually increasing the speed, and then step off the machine to complete a super-set body workout.
An example hurricane workout would be:
- One minute jogging at a manageable pace.
- One minute running at a moderate speed.
- One minute of sprinting flat out.
- Pause or stop the running machine and carefully get off.
- Do ten standing or walking lunges and ten squats.
- Take a one- or two-minute rest then get back on the running machine to repeat.
- Each time you get off the treadmill vary the moves to hit your legs, abs, arms, etc.
- Repeat as many times as you like for up to one hour.
For the best weight loss results, combine treadmill workouts (whatever you may choose) with strength training.
This can be bodyweight training or with dumbbells, kettlebells or any other form of free weights that you have at home. If that is a couple of cartons of milk – then so be it!
Both forms of exercise can help support weight loss and overall health.
An example five-day workout plan could be:
- Monday: 20-minute treadmill HIIT session
- Tuesday: 45-minute full-body strength workout
- Wednesday: 30-minute moderate-intensity steady-state run
- Thursday: dumbbell resistance workout
- Friday: 40-minute walking session
- Saturday: relaxed yoga session or swim
Whilst your primary goal might be to lose weight, brisk walking or running can also strengthen muscles, decrease fatigue and joint stiffness, relieve stress and anxiety, improve endurance, promote better sleep and even boost your immune system.
Essentially, the key to calorie-burning workouts on a treadmill is to avoid a plateau by introducing new methods and regimens.
Changing things up will keep things interesting for you – meaning you’re more likely to stick with it – and will keep your body guessing, helping you to get toned and also burn those dreaded calories.