The treadmill is probably the most popular cardio exercise machine used to lose weight. However, if you have a new treadmill or are planning to purchase one to meet specific weight loss goals, you’ll need more than just a few walking or jogging sessions a week. Below, we’ll give you some tips on how you can best use your treadmill to lose weight in a month.
This early on, you must understand that safe weight loss requires proper diet, exercise, and sleep. No matter how hard you work out, you may not see results at all if you don’t give your body the right nutrients and adequate time to recuperate from intense treadmill workouts. It’s most important to maintain consistency to meet your target and stay motivated beyond just one month.
While a treadmill can help burn extra calories, just as importantly it a good treadmill workout can help improve your heart health (also called cardio health).
However, for the most effective weight loss approach, the science shows that you should incorporate a strength and resistance training plan in addition to your treadmill workouts, as this can help you build muscle that burns calories even when you aren’t working out! For more information on home strength training equipment, check out this article as well.
How Much Weight You Can Lose in A Month
Losing weight can be an extremely challenging yet rewarding undertaking, but your main objective should be to get healthier and stay fit, not just to look slimmer for an occasion. To lose weight the healthy way, you will need to burn more calories than you’re taking in. One pound is equal to 3500 calories, so you need to burn about 500 calories a day to burn one pound in a week or 4 pounds in a month, and 1000 calories a day to burn up to 8 pounds in a month.
Perhaps the most effective way to burn lots of calories is by running. Running outside or on a treadmill burns equal amount of calories given the same speed and incline, although a few studies say there is a small percentage of difference in favor of outdoor running. In any case, regular treadmill workouts can burn the most calories out of other popular fitness machines.
How Many Calories Can You Burn on a Treadmill?
The actual number of calories you burn depends on a lot of factors, including the type and intensity of your workout, its duration and frequency, as well as your body weight, age, and sex. What’s great about the treadmill is it’s easy to modify your workout and increase its intensity by changing the speed and incline. For example, a 125-person can burn 238 calories running at 5 mph, or 372 calories running at 7.5 mph for 30 minutes. Similarly, a 185-pound person can burn 352 calories running at 5 mph, or 551 calories running at 7.5 mph for 30 minutes.
Take note that calorie deficit also does not translate directly to weight loss. You not only need to reduce your calorie intake, you also must make sure you’re getting the nutrients your body requires to sustain itself. Even if you have more calories burned, there may be instances of fat retention in certain areas of the body. This can be a product of many factors such as slow metabolism and genetics.
The safest option in losing weight and keeping it off is to have a steady weight loss of one to two pounds per week. A lot of modern treadmills work with fitness apps to keep track of your stats and progress along with other features.
How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill in a Month
There are many ways you can use a treadmill to help you lose weight the healthy way. The general idea is that the harder or faster you run, the more calories you burn, but you can always choose your workout depending on your fitness level and comfort.
HIIT Workout
High-intensity interval training or HIIT is one effective way to burn calories and lose body fat. HIIT consists of alternating periods of high-intensity exercise and a short rest or low-intensity activity. HIIT workouts test your maximum ability to perform an exercise without working your muscles for a long time. Just 30 minutes of high-intensity workout can keep your body burning fat for up to 24 hours after, making HIIT the most efficient way to lose weight.
HIIT workouts on a treadmill involves a repeated cycle of a fast-paced run then a light to moderate pace depending on your fitness level and running experience. For a beginner, you can start by warming up with a brisk walk at 2 to 3 mph for 5 minutes. Begin your HIIT cycle by walking at 3 to 4 mph for one minute, then jog at 5 to 7 mph for one minute, and finally, run at 7 to 9 mph for one minute. Repeat this three to four times, then cool down at 2 mph for five minutes.
If more advanced runners, you can try a more intense HIIT treadmill workout. Alternate between one minute of running at 8 to 9 mph and one minute of jogging at 4 to 5 mph. Repeat this cycle five to ten times. Don’t forget to warm up first and cool down after. You can also add some floor exercises to your HIIT workout plan or whatever you feel comfortable with.
Regular HIIT is sure to provide excellent results for your weight loss journey, but you should not do it every day. Two to three times a week with rest days in between should be enough.
Fat-Burning Heart Rate
The fat-burning heart rate is when you burn most calories, helping you lose more weight. You may calculate your fat-burning zone to maximize your workout and lose the calories more efficiently.
To find your fat-burning heart rate, you must first calculate your maximum heart rate or the highest number of times your heart can beat during one minute of intense work. Typically, your max heart rate is your age subtracted from 220. So for example, if you’re 30 years old, then your max heart rate is 220 – 30 = 190 bpm. Now, your fat-burning heart rate is usually 70% of the max heart rate, which in this case is 190 x 0.7 = 133 bpm. Although for some people, the ideal fat-burning heart rate is 60% or 80%, so it’s best to stick within the range of 114 to 152 bpm for this example.
Keeping your heart rate up during your workout sessions will burn more calories. You can track it using various fitness devices like a smartwatch. Many modern treadmills also include a built-in heart rate monitor. If you really want to utilize your fat-burning zone to lose weight, we’d recommend you consult with a physician or a personal trainer to help you plan the right workout routine.
Sprint or Incline Workout
Increasing the intensity of your workout is guaranteed to burn more calories in a short time. You can do this by increasing the speed and incine settings on your treadmill. A sprint workout is similar to HIIT in that you run or sprint at your maximum ability for a minute and slow down to a brisk walk for another minute, then repeating this cycle multiple times. This intense workout can produce great results but should not be performed every day and only if your body can take it.
Running on an incline also adds more challenge to your workout without having to increase your speed. This is a great way to burn more fat and build lean muscles. However, not all treadmills have adjustable inclines, so make sure you use one that has this feature. Those that do usually require you to manually adjust the incline before starting your workout, but some higher-end models offer digitally controlled inclines so you can change the incline during the workout. For instance, you can get a good incline workout by gradually increasing the incline by 1% every minute until you reach 9–10% or 12% for more advanced runners.
Mix Up Your Routine
Combining different exercises in your workout is another effective way to challenge yourself and lose weight within a month. Mixing up your routine avoids workout plateaus or when your body gets too accustomed to the workout that it produces little to no progress anymore.
Repeating the same exercises every day also places too much stress on the same joints, preventing their recovery and increasing the risk of injury. Trying out new training programs or introducing new moves every few days keeps your workout routine challenging and even fun. Don’t forget to also take active rest days once or twice a week.
Summary
Losing weight on a treadmill within a month is totally doable if you maintain discipline and consistency. A few sessions a week will not be enough; set your weight loss goal, create your workout plan accordingly and stick to it to get your desired results. Remember that a healthy weight loss can only be attained through a combination of a healthy diet, exercise, and adequate rest. The idea is that you need to burn more calories than you take in and one effective way to do this is by working out on a treadmill. Actual numbers depend on many factors including your own weight, age, sex, and fitness level. For best results, check with a professional trainer and/or nutritionist to ensure you’re doing what’s right for your body.
