Treadmills are a great way to get in a workout when the weather is bad or when you just don’t feel like going outside. If you have been thinking about getting one for your home, this beginner treadmill workout is for you!

This beginner treadmill workout is designed for people who have never used a treadmill before, or who have not used one in a long time. The goal is to get your body moving on the treadmill and build up endurance so that eventually you can complete more advanced workouts like the advanced beginner and intermediate workouts provided in this series.

Right here on Buy and Slay, you are privy to a litany of relevant information on treadmill weight loss calculator, how to lose weight on a treadmill in a month, and so much more. Take out time to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics.

Best Treadmill Walking Workout For Weight Loss

You’ve got your treadmill all set up, and now you’re ready to start your running journey. Our treadmill workouts for beginners will get you moving, and we’ve got a few tips to ensure your workout is a successful one.

TREADMILL BENEFITS

From heart health and weight loss to stress reduction and mental health, there are many benefits of running on a treadmill, and they all begin when you press the start button. For those just getting into running, it might be tempting to go straight to hitting the pavement outside, but it can actually be better to start on a treadmill. For beginners, a treadmill keeps the speed steady to match your fitness level, because it can be hard to pace yourself outdoors as a new runner, leading to fatigue, sore muscles, and possible injury—all of which can hinder progress.

 HOW TO USE A TREADMILL

Before you hit the ground running, let’s get to know the treadmill basics.

What to wear:

Prep like you would if you were going for a run outside. You’ll need a pair of running shoes, comfortable workout clothes, a water bottle and music to keep you motivated. A small towel is also great to have handy for when the workout heats up.

Basic treadmill settings:

Treadmills can vary in their features, but most have the same core functionalities of speed and incline, which is all you need for a great workout. In general, treadmill speeds are measured in kilometres per hour (km/h), and the higher the number, the faster the belt of the treadmill goes. Typically 3-6 km/h is walking speed, 6-9 km/h is a fast walk or light jog, and over 9 km/h is jogging or running. The incline number raises or lowers the platform of the treadmill to simulate running on flat ground or hills.

How to run on a treadmill:

When running on a treadmill, run like you would if outside. Keep your back upright, your shoulders relaxed and your core engaged, almost as if a string is at the top of your head pulling you upright. Try to keep your hands off the sidebars so your arms can move with the natural rhythm of your gait. Stay in tune with your body throughout your run and notice if you’re holding any tension that could deplete your energy. If you ramp up the speed, clipping the safety cord to your shirt will immediately stop the treadmill if it is pulled.

TREADMILL WORKOUTS

LOW-INTENSITY STEADY STATE

For those looking for an easy-to-follow exercise, low-intensity steady state (LISS) is an accessible format and a great treadmill workout for beginners who are just starting on their fitness journeys. The goal is to exercise for 30 minutes to an hour at roughly 60 percent of your maximal heart-rate effort. Most treadmills and wearables will monitor heart rate for you, but another way to calculate is to take 220 minus your age to find your maximum heart rate, then multiply that by .60 to find your target LISS heartrate. The best part about doing LISS on a treadmill is that the speed is set for you, so you’ll get a great workout in all while streaming a show or listening to a podcast. You’ll be done before you know it and feel great afterward.

To do this as a more low-intensity treadmill workout, set your machine to a high incline (9 to 12) at a moderately paced walking speed (around 5-6 km/h) for 30 minutes.

TREADMILL INTERVAL WORKOUT

Interval training is another effective treadmill running workout, and helps build aerobic endurance within a short window of exercise. The basic format of any interval training is to alternate between periods of exertion, which get your heartrate up, and periods of rest, which allow your body to recover before the next interval. Try the beginner interval treadmill workout below that alternates between running and walking. If the listed speeds are too slow or too fast, modify for what works for your fitness level. 

1.     10 minutes of walking at 5 km/h

Warm up by walking at an incline of zero and speed of 3-5 km/h.

2.     3 minutes of jogging at 6 km/h

Ramp your speed up to 6 km/h for a light jog. Focus on keeping your body upright, your core engaged and your hands loose and off the handrails.

3.     2 minutes of walking at 5 km/h

Great job! Your first running interval is complete. Take a sip of water, breathe deeply and roll your shoulders back as you walk.

4.     4 minutes of jogging at 8 km/h

Take your speed up to 8 km/h and run for 4 minutes. This should be at a moderate pace that is challenging but not exhausting, so if it’s too much, take the speed down a few notches.

5.     3 minutes of walking at 5 km/h

You’re over halfway done—you’ve got this. Recover your breath and get ready for your last interval.

6.     3 minutes of jogging at 9-10 km/h

This last running interval is meant to burn up the rest of your energy. At 9-10km/h, it will be the fastest speed of this workout, so give it all you’ve got for these last three minutes. If the speed feels out of your range, modify to what works for you so you can keep running for this last interval.

7.     5 minute cooldown at 4 km/h

You did it! The hard part is over. Now walk for five minutes to cool your body down before ending your workout with rejuvenating stretches.

THE COOLDOWN

After walking to bring your heartrate down, dismount the treadmill and find a comfortable place to stretch. Stay hydrated and eat a substantial protein snack within 30 minutes of exercise to refuel your muscles.

Running is a journey, and every workout is a chance to get better. As a new runner it’s important to listen to your body and focus on the basics to build a solid foundation. Once you start to develop endurance, you can work on slowly increasing speed.

Treadmill Weight Loss Calculator

Enter the total calories burned on the treadmill (kcal) into the Treadmill Weight Loss Calculator. The calculator will evaluate the Treadmill Weight Loss. 

Treadmill Weight Loss Formula

The following two example problems outline the steps and information needed to calculate the Treadmill Weight Loss.

TWL = TC / 3,500

Variables:

  • TWL is the Treadmill Weight Loss (pounds)
  • TC is the total calories burned on the treadmill (kcal) 

How to Calculate Treadmill Weight Loss?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Treadmill Weight Loss.

  1. First, determine the total calories burned on the treadmill (kcal). 
  2. Next, gather the formula from above = TWL = TC / 3,500.
  3. Finally, calculate the Treadmill Weight Loss.
  4. After inserting the variables and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

total calories burned on the treadmill (kcal) = 4000

TWL = TC / 3,500 = ?

How To Lose Weight On A Treadmill In A Month

The treadmill is a hugely popular aerobic exercise machine. Aside from being a versatile cardio machine, a treadmill can help you lose weight if that’s your goal.

In addition to helping you lose weight, working out on a treadmill has other benefits too. For instance:

  • You can use the treadmill year-round.
  • It’s possible to watch your favorite TV show while you exercise.
  • The treadmill has handrails, which is ideal if you’re recovering from an injury.
  • As with any heart-pumping cardio workout, it can help reduce your risk for heart disease and other chronic diseases, improve sleep, boost your mood, and improve brain function.

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.

Let’s explore the basics of treadmill weight loss, along with possible workout plans and tips.

1. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) 

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves alternating sets of high-intensity exercise and rest.

According to a 2017 study, HIIT workouts can be an effective way of reducing body fat and burning calories in a shorter amount of time.

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.

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

Here’s how to do HIIT on a treadmill:

  1. Set the treadmill so it’s flat. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to warm up.
  2. Run at 9 to 10 mph for 30 seconds.
  3. Walk at 3 to 4 mph for 60 seconds.
  4. Repeat 5 to 10 times.
  5. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to cool down.

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.

2. Find your fat-burning zone

During a treadmill workout, exercising at your fat-burning heart rate can help promote weight loss. This zone is where you burn the most calories per minute.

To find your fat-burning zone, you’ll need to calculate your maximum heart rate first. This is the maximum number of times your heart can beat during 1 minute of exercise.

Your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age. For example, if you’re 40 years old, your maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute (220 – 40 = 180).

Generally, your fat-burning zone is 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. If your max heart rate is 180 beats per minute, your fat-burning zone is 70 percent of 180, or 126 beats per minute (180 x 0.70 = 126).

With this number, you’ll know how hard you should work to support weight loss. Here’s one way to do it:

  1. Wear a heart rate monitor on your wrist or chest. Set the treadmill to flat. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to warm up.
  2. Set the incline to 2 percent. Jog at 4 mph for 1 minute.
  3. Run at 8 to 10 mph, or until you enter your fat-burning zone. Run for 15 to 30 minutes at this heart rate.
  4. Jog at 4 mph for 1 minute.
  5. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to cool down.

While 70 percent is the average fat-burning zone, everyone is different. Some people might enter the fat-burning zone at 55 percent of their maximum heart rate, while others might need to reach 80 percent. It depends on various factors like sex, age, fitness level, and medical conditions.

You might also enter your fat-burning zone at a lower treadmill speed.

A personal trainer can help determine your ideal speed and heart rate for optimal weight loss.

3. Get out of a rut

Another strategy for treadmill weight loss is to switch up your routine. By doing a different workout each time, you can:

  • Reduce your risk for injury. Repeating the same workout is stressful on your joints. It increases the risk of overuse injury, which can set you back.
  • Avoid a training plateau. The more you do a certain workout, the less you’ll see results. Your body needs to be challenged to progress.
  • Prevent boredom. You’re more likely to stick to you routine if you regularly mix up your workout.

Here’s a sample workout plan, where different treadmill workouts are incorporated into a balanced exercise routine:

  • Sunday: rest, leisurely walk, or gentle yoga
  • Monday: treadmill HIIT routine for 20 to 30 minutes
  • Tuesday: light treadmill jog and strength training
  • Wednesday: rest, leisurely walk, or gentle yoga
  • Thursday: light treadmill jog and strength training
  • Friday: treadmill HIIT routine for 20 to 30 minutes
  • Saturday: barre class or bodyweight workout

4. Add hills

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.

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.

If you’d like to exercise on an incline, try this treadmill sequence:

  1. Set the treadmill to flat. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to warm up.
  2. Set the incline to 1 percent. Jog at 4 to 6 mph for 1 minute.
  3. Increase the incline by 1 percent each minute. Repeat until you reach an 8 to 10 percent incline.
  4. Decrease the incline by 1 percent each minute. Repeat until you’re at a 0 to 1 percent incline.
  5. Walk at 2 mph for 5 minutes to cool down.

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.

Benefits beyond weight loss

In addition to weight loss, cardio activity like a treadmill workout offers many benefits. It may help:

  • improve endurance
  • control blood sugar
  • increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels
  • improve memory and cognition
  • protect against Alzheimer’s
  • promote healthier skin
  • strengthen muscles
  • decrease fatigue
  • decrease joint stiffness
  • relieve stress and anxiety
  • promote better sleep
  • increase energy levels
  • boost your immune system
  • improve sexual arousal

The bottom line

As a form of cardio exercise, using a treadmill is an excellent way of burning calories and losing weight.

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.

For best results, combine treadmill workouts with strength training. Both forms of exercise can help support weight loss and overall health.

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.

Tips for Treadmill Weight Loss

Throughout this program you will challenge your body by changing the workout throughout the week with harder days alternating with easier days. You can modify this schedule to fit your own lifestyle. You also can add in rest days as needed, but it is best not to have more than one rest day in a row.

If you can’t schedule enough time on the treadmill, you have a few options to reach your calorie-burn goal. These include high-intensity training, longer-duration workouts at moderate-intensity, and short-duration, vigorous-intensity workouts.

Studies have shown that both longer-duration, moderate-intensity workouts and shorter-duration, vigorous-intensity workouts are effective for fat loss. But research also suggests that high-intensity training is more time efficient.

So, if you don’t have a 60-minute block of time to work out, you can choose a high-intensity workout for about 15 to 20 minutes or add time to your moderate-intensity workouts by supplementing with one or two extra 15-minute walks (on or off the treadmill) throughout the day.

Week 1

Use this schedule as a basic model for your workout plan. But, feel free to modify it as needed so that it meets your schedule.

Moderate Intensity Walking Workout

Start the week right with 60 minutes of a moderate-intensity workout. You can burn up to 300 or 400 calories depending on your speed and weight. You can break this workout into two sessions of 30 minutes if you can’t set aside a continuous hour.

After warming up for 10 minutes at an easy to moderate pace, increase your pace to a brisk walk that brings your heart rate up to 60% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. Use a heart rate calculator to get your target numbers if you don’t know them.

Many treadmills have a grip pulse detector or heart rate monitor that can help you track your heart rate and exertion. An RPE scale—or rating of perceived exertion—can also be an effective method of monitoring workout intensity and it requires no equipment.

To use the scale, simply choose a number between 6 and 20 that correlates to your workload with 6 indicating that your body is at complete rest and 20 indicating that you are working a maximum intensity (i.e., not sustainable for longer than a few seconds).

Easy Health Walk

Today, you will take a 30-minute walk at an easier pace for your cardio exercise. Aim for a heart rate of 50% to 60% of maximum or an RPE rating of 11–12. Use this workout to concentrate on your walking posture and technique.

This will help you speed up in your more vigorous workouts. Follow up your treadmill session by doing an upper body workout with dumbbells or exercise bands.

Treadmill Hill Workout

You can burn more calories per minute when using the incline feature of your treadmill. If your treadmill has pre-programmed hill workouts, choose one to use today. You can choose a steady climb or hill intervals.

Because you will be working harder, aim for 45 minutes and get in at least 30 minutes of hill work, with your heart rate in the moderate- to vigorous-intensity zone of 70% to 85% of your maximum heart rate. If you are using the RPE scale, it should feel like you are working at a 14 to 16 range, or a moderate to hard workout.

Moderate Health Walk

Walk for 30 minutes at a moderate pace. You should feel like you are working, but not working very hard. On the RPE scale, you might choose a 12 to 14. The workout intensity should feel sustainable. You want to be sure to keep this workout in the moderate range to preserve energy for Friday’s more intense workout.

After today’s workout challenge yourself with some core work at the end. No equipment is required. Simply choose 2 to 3 of your favorite ab exercises, such as ab curls, plank, and standing abdominal exercises.

Speed Intervals Workout

Most treadmills come with pre-programmed speed interval workouts. Intervals are short segments where you walk or run at a challenging pace, then slow down for a longer segment to catch your breath before speeding up. For example, you might speed up for 30 to 60 seconds, then recover for up to 2 minutes.

Choose one of the pre-programmed workouts or make up your own. If you are comfortable jogging, you can alternate jogging for your speed interval and walking for the recovery interval. If your treadmill doesn’t have a speed interval program, vary the pace yourself by manually increasing and decreasing speed.

Aim for a duration of 30 to 45 minutes for the total workout, with about 20 to 30 minutes of intervals. On the speed segments, you should feel like you are working hard to very hard (15 to 18 on the RPE scale) or about 80% to 90% of your maximum heart rate. Keep the recovery segments active but relatively easy (10 to 12 on the RPE scale).

Distance Workout

Aim for 1 hour or more of walking at a comfortable pace. This is a great opportunity to take your walk outdoors for the day and walk in a park, along a greenway, shopping, or exploring. Track your steps and distance with your smartphone or activity tracker so you can balance how many activity calories you are burning.

If you choose to walk indoors on the treadmill, consider listening to a podcast or stream your favorite show to pass the time. Some treadmills have a screen built in so that you can watch your favorite show. You may also be able to use a tablet or smartphone to watch your program.

Active Fun and Stretching

Put your walking legs to work just enjoying an active day with friends and family. Use a warm-up stretching routine to loosen up. Research other physical activities, such as bicycling or swimming, which will exercise different muscle groups from walking. The goal today is finding joy in moving and being alive.

Week 2

Repeat the treadmill workout week pattern. Explore the different pre-programmed workouts on your treadmill for variety on the hill workout day and the speed interval day.

If you haven’t been walking regularly for fitness, you may need to start off with shorter treadmill sessions and build up your time each day. Reach your time or calorie goal by adding 15-minute walks throughout the day as needed.

To lose weight with exercise, you also need to control the amount that you eat. Start a sensible diet and use a food diary so you can be honest with yourself about your calories eaten.

If you burn 300 extra calories per day with exercise and you reduce your calorie intake by 200 calories per day, you should achieve a 500-calorie-per-day deficit. By many estimates, this should result in a weight loss of about one pound per week, as long as you don’t change your activity level or food intake in other ways.

Week 3

Modify the weekly schedule to fit into your lifestyle. Work on your walking posture and form, especially using tips on how to walk faster so you can burn more calories within the same workout session.

As you progress, you may improve your fitness and lose weight so that you’ll need to use more speed and incline to raise your heart rate into the desired exertion zone.

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