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It is not easy to figure out the best way to lose weight. Most people get lost in the world of dieting and indeed that does play a significant role but what about working out?
A lot of people go through this ordeal and end up running on a treadmill. While the treadmill is a world-class option for weight loss, it is still important to use it the right way for serious results.
To get the most out of your treadmill routine, it is time to look at what works and what doesn’t. This includes how long to run on a treadmill for weight loss.
Sample Schedule to Lose Weight on a Treadmill
Building a proper running schedule is a must if you want to burn fat using a treadmill.
You will want to look towards running a single session 3-4 times per week [1]. This is more than enough to see appropriate results as long as you are eating well and counting calories.
It’s important to note that while this schedule worked great for me, another option may be better for you. Be sure to check with your doctor on the optimal time you should be spending on a treadmill based on your individual fitness and health profile.
Our ideal schedule for weight loss on a treadmill:
- Monday – 30 Minute Session
- Tuesday – Rest
- Wednesday – 30 Minute Session
- Thursday – Rest
- Friday – 60 Minute Session
- Saturday – Rest
- Sunday – Rest
This is one example of how you can go about a workout program with your treadmill. Each person is going to be unique and the goal is to play around with your schedule while accounting for enough rest to let the body recuperate.
Remember, there is no need to go over the top when it comes to running on a treadmill. This is just like any other workout routine.
You will want to be methodical with your approach and monitor how many calories you are burning per session. If you are losing weight, you are doing well.
If you do this well, you are going to see impressive results.
How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill Safely
1. Focus on Continuous Progression
One of the most important tips to think about will be the idea of continuous progression.
In general, a lot of people won’t do more than the bare minimum when running on a treadmill. This means they are going to hop on the treadmill, set it to a single speed, and just run at that pace for the rest of their lives. Every single session it’s going to be the same speed and nothing more!
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While this is okay, it is also going to lead to stagnant results because your body will adjust.
Key factors to consider include:
- Incline/Decline
- Speed
- Intensity
If you play around with the variables listed above, you are going to have a much better opportunity of burning fat.
A lot of people don’t do this and that is why they struggle. You have to take the time to understand when your body starts adapting.
As long as you are doing this, it will become a lot simpler to keep losing weight. Otherwise, you are going to reach a point where you are maintaining the status quo and that is just not good enough for weight loss.
2. Want to Lose Weight? Diet is Key
There are a lot of people that don’t think about following a proper diet and that is a serious concern.
You have to understand the importance of eating the right way. It is not just about calories but also the nutrients that are being consumed.
Remember, your body will be depleted when you are running all the time. This means you have to get the carbs in while also ensuring there is enough protein intake to sustain yourself.
Otherwise, you are going to see noticeable decay when it comes to muscle mass and bone density. This is unsafe and something that could cause you to break down in the middle of a workout!
3. Track Your Caloric Intake
Are you taking the time to focus on caloric intake?
This is a key detail to think about when you are implementing a treadmill-based workout program. In general, you will want to know how many calories are going into your body during a 24-hour period. This includes also tracking how many calories you are burning per session on the treadmill.
This is going to depend on the amount of time you are putting into a workout. However, the goal remains to emphasize tracking caloric intake.
As long as you do this, you are going to see appropriate results.
4. Adjust the Incline and Speed
Studies show resistance whether it’s through incline or speed can go a long way in optimizing your treadmill workouts for weight loss [2].
This is a wonderful option for those who are not beginners and still want to burn excess fat. Instead of just going through the motions and hoping for the best, you can take the next step by ramping things up a bit.
To do this, you will want to increase the incline by a few percentage points or look towards increasing the speed until you start feeling the burn again. At no point should you feel like you’re coasting through an entire workout session!
It is still important to sweat and make sure you are getting in a good workout that is testing the body. This doesn’t mean you have to sprint but it should still be enough to build stamina.
5. Don’t Overdo It
A common mistake runners will make is to overdo things.
This means they refuse to time their treadmill workouts and just assume it is okay to work out for long periods without repercussions. Sure, you might get away with it for a while but eventually, your body is going to give out.
The goal when it is time to use a treadmill to lose weight entails learning the benefits of timing. This means you control how often you work out.
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Just getting in 3-4 runs during the week is more than enough to see sustainable results. Sometimes, overdoing things will send you heading in the opposite direction because your body will go into panic mode. When this happens, it starts to either fall apart and/or stop burning fat at an optimal rate.
This is unsafe and not the right approach to take when the goal is to burn as much fat as possible while staying fit.
6. Understand the Importance of Getting Rest
One of the biggest concerns people have involves not getting enough rest.
It is okay to hop onto a treadmill and start increasing the speed, but you are still human. This means your body will start to break down regardless of your age. There is always a breaking point for those who don’t stop to rest.
This means don’t run a marathon every day while resting 2 hours at night before waking up again!
This is asking for trouble and it isn’t going to help with weight loss. Instead, you are going to end up falling ill and likely gaining all of your weight back.
Final Thoughts
These are the core fundamentals to think about as you start running on a treadmill for weight loss.
There are going to be times when you struggle and that is okay. There is nothing wrong with struggling as that shows you are still progressing down the right path.
Take the time to rest and ensure you are eating the right way. As long as you do these things, you will begin to shed a good amount of weight and your body composition will change for the better too. It is a real win-win.
References
- https://www.fitrated.com/resources/calories-burned-on-treadmill-via-walking-vs-running/
- https://www.verywellfit.com/treadmill-calories-3436637
