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Treadmill routines with high-intensity intervals, a steep incline, or maximum speed are an effective way to amp up your calorie burn.
The best part? An effective treadmill workout can help you reach your fat loss goals a little quicker. Plus, you can easily adjust the intensity of your workout to a level that works for you, no matter what your age!
As a Certified Personal Trainer and treadmill user, I’ve created four of the best treadmill workouts to try. They will help you burn fat, lose weight, and keep your workout routine interesting!
Here are the benefits of a treadmill exercise, tips for getting started, and 4 of the best treadmill workouts for weight loss.
Benefits of Treadmill Workouts
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While strength training is essential to build strong muscles and keep your metabolism revved, you also need cardiovascular exercise.
The CDC recommends individuals get at least 150 minutes of heart-pumping cardio each week. You can divide that number up however you like; do five 30-minute cardio sessions per week, three-hour-long sessions per week, or do 10 or 20 minutes here and there throughout the day.
The treadmill offers just one awesome way to get your cardiovascular exercise in for the week, and so many things make it a viable option for pretty much everyone.
Working out on a treadmill…
Allows you to walk or run no matter the weather
Helps you train for your first 5 or 10 k
Allows you to work in intervals by adjusting the speed or incline
Makes cardio workouts accessible to all fitness levels, no matter what intensity level
Offers a low-impact flat ground alternative to running or walking on pavement
Helps you track your progress by seeing extra calories burned, miles logged, and more
You can even get a foldable mini treadmill, or walking pad, to use during your work day!
How Intervals Helps Maximize Treadmill Workouts
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Many people automatically assume that the treadmill equals steady-state cardio alone.
First of all, there’s nothing wrong with steady-state cardio! Walking or running at a brisk pace is great for your heart. But, if you want to lose weight, you do need to incorporate higher intensity intervals in order to jumpstart your weight loss.
Intervals require you to boost your intensity for short bursts of time to get your heart pumping and fat burning before returning to a lower intensity and repeating the cycle again. With a treadmill, you can create intervals by adjusting both the speed of the machine and the incline.
You can really get your heart pumping when you increase your speed and force yourself to work harder than simply going at a comfortable pace.
Plus, when you adjust the incline, it not only helps you burn more calories but also helps you target different muscles—your glutes and thighs, in particular, get targeted when you work at an incline. Toning your legs and glutes while you get your cardio on? Yes, please!
Tips for Treadmill Workouts
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I recommend using the following tips to get the most out of your treadmill workout:
Warm up first. Warming up is an important part of any workout. A short warm-up raises your heart rate and helps your muscles prepare for exercise. I recommend at least five minutes of warming up by walking at a comfortable pace on the treadmill.
Stay hydrated. This is important in any fitness routine! Grab your favorite water bottle and get setup before you start the workout. Drinking water regularly during exercise helps you stay hydrated and able to complete more exercise.
Cool down after. Once you complete your workout, you’ll want to bring your heart rate back down. A cool-down will slowly reduce your respiration back to a normal rate. Reduce your speed every one to two minutes until you hit a fairly easy pace, then walk for about three to five minutes while your body eases into a calmer state.
Don’t forget to stretch. Complete your post-workout stretch as quickly as you can after your workout. Ideally, you will stretch 5 to 10 minutes. Try this 10-minute stretch routine after your workout to prevent injury and muscle soreness.
Next, check out four effective treadmill workouts for weight loss! Do one of them a few times and then move to the next, or mix and match throughout the week to keep your body guessing. Either way, you’ll be glad you did!
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
This quick workout involves high-intensity intervals focusing on changing up your speed, which will give you more of a calorie burn than walking on a treadmill at a moderate pace for an hour.
You’ll do 4-speed intervals at 1 minute each, with 2 minutes of lighter work in between.
It involves some short bursts up to a 7.0 mph speed, which is no doubt high-intensity training. But always listen to your body! If that is too much for you, use a speed that feels difficult for your body. There is no one right speed for everyone.
You’ll bookend your workout with a 5-minute warm-up and cool-down.
The “feeling” column is helpful in identifying how hard you should feel you’re working or your “perceived exertion.” This workout is great for anyone looking to up their calorie burn or runners who are looking for a little speed work. Hit your stride and have some fun!
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
Get ready to work with inclines in this 30-minute hill-climber workout! This workout provides a 5-minute warm-up and then takes you on a series of speed and incline changes that give you the feeling of hiking on a mountain. Your speed will vary a little in this workout, but the focus is primarily on raising your incline.
The varying heart rate and aerobic/anaerobic combination will torch calories and fat and really increase your fitness level! Not to mention, anytime you raise the incline on your treadmill, you target different muscle groups to mix things up and give your glutes and thighs a run for their money. Consider it the next best thing to hiking an exotic mountain somewhere—no plane ticket required.
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
This workout is all about getting a solid 30-minute interval run. It provides you with a fairly steady jog/run combination, so you’ll alternate between jogging at a lighter pace and running a little more intensely.
This 30-minute workout is great for anyone looking to prepare for a 5k or those who want to get some nice cardio exercise for weight loss!
Your incline will stay the same throughout this workout; it’s just the speed that will vary. Again, if this speed feels too easy or too difficult adjust accordingly to your body. If you prefer to walk, use speeds between 2-4 mph.
Photo Credit: Get Healthy U
For all of you walkers who want to lose weight, this 15-minute workout takes your typical walk in the park and upgrades it into a calorie-burning, butt-building workout! Getting your heart rate up will help burn up extra fat, and the incline challenges are a great way to shape and tone your glutes.
You’ll start with a 5-minute warm-up and then walk a steady pace, changing the incline and speed throughout. Remember to use your arms and keep your abs tight as the hill increases; you can even engage your glutes to boost the toning effects of this workout.
Give these four treadmill workouts a try to beat boredom, mix up your workout routine, and burn more fat in less time. Machines like the treadmill don’t have to be boring or ho-hum; they can actually be the perfect way to use intervals to get fit and lose weight!
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Guess what—walking works! Study after study proves that people who walk regularly stay more youthful, stronger, and happier in old age. To get started, try my free 14-day challenge and get walking for a weight loss plan.
Whether you like to walk on a machine, around your workplace, or in your neighborhood, walking can and should easily be incorporated into your daily life!
Walking For Weight Loss | Your 14-Day Plan
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