Losing weight is a breeze once you get into a consistent diet and workout regime. This is of course, easier said than done, but if you’re serious about losing weight; a treadmill can make getting a daily calorie-burning, fat-zapping workout in so much easier.
A few of the key benefits to using a treadmill to exercise and lose weight are:
• Privacy. You’ll have no worries about people learing at you while you’re walking/jogging outside, or feeling intimidated to workout at the gym when surrounded by people with 8% body-fat all around you.
• Convenience. Even when you’re lacking motivation, the treadmill’s just in the other room. No long drives to the gym, or getting dressed for a public appearance (you can work out in your undies!)
• Goal Tracking. Most treadmills will track your: distance ran/walked, speed, calories burned, calories per mile, pacing, etc.
• Safety. You can walk or run oblivious to your surroundings, instead of watching out for bad drivers, people getting in your path, stopping for street lights, etc. The treadmill will also keep track of your heart rate to make sure you’re not pushing yourself too hard.
• They cost a few bucks. If someone has given you a treadmill, or you’ve owned one for years, this may not apply to you. However, the fact that a decent treadmill starts at around $600 – $800 means you better get off your butt and use it, if you want a return on your investment!
Now let’s dig into some tips to help you lose more inches from your waistline using your treadmill:
1. Nail down your diet first: Weight loss is a two-pronged approach requiring that you reduce your caloric intake and burn more calories than you take in through exercise. If your diet isn’t right, you won’t lose very much weight.
2. Just do it! Commit to getting on your treadmill at least 4 days a week, preferably 5 or 6. You can definitely lose weight sitting on your couch, but you’ll have to diet even harder and you definitely won’t get any healthier without exercise. Even one missed session will make it easier for you to bail on future workouts.
3. Workout in your target heart rate zone. Fat loss starts when you exercise for 30 – 60 minutes at a time in the “fat burning zone,” also known as your target heart rate. There’s constant debate about the best way to calculate this variable correctly, but an easy way to find your target heart rate is by plugging your age into the calculator on this page. Aim to keep your heart rate above 69% for the entire treadmill session.
4. Increase workload regularly. Weight loss can stall rather quickly once your body starts to acclimate to the same old routine thrown at it every day. Ways to increase your workload include: increasing belt speed and/or incline level, interval training, strapping on a weighted vest, and increasing total time spent on the machine. Check out this progressive military treadmill routine that takes you from beginner to advanced routines, making sure you keep losing weight week after week, while keeping overtraining risks to a minimum.
5. Replace the clock on the wall with a different distraction. Don’t watch the clock! Put a television in front of you and watch your favorite 30 or 60-minute program. Keep your mind on something other than how much you’d rather be anywhere but on the treadmill.
Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint!
You’ve all heard this old adage, used for any task or goal that takes more than a day or two to finish. You need to burn 3,500 calories in order to lose a single pound of fat. While that might seem daunting, losing a pound or two of fat every week is quite easy.
Spend at least a half-hour on your treadmill 4 or 5 days a week and read through this diet guide on lifehack.org for some helpful tips about how to diet without completely losing your sanity.
Best wishes to all!
