Running on a treadmill offers a great cardio workout to your body. It also helps in burning calories which further results in weight loss and a toned body. A treadmill offers you the convenience of running in all seasons and at all times of the day. So, how much should you run on a treadmill? Is a 30-minute workout enough? Should you run on the treadmill every day? Let’s find the answers to all these questions and more. Read on to know if you can lose weight by running on a treadmill.
How Long Should You Run On A Treadmill?
There is no fixed, defined time period for running on a treadmill. You can run anywhere between 15 minutes to 30 minutes on a treadmill, at different speeds to achieve your workout goals. The amount of time you spend on a treadmill also depends on your current fitness level. Your physician and your gym instructorare the right people to decide how long should you run on the treadmill.
Here are some simple numbers for healthy individuals. If you are a beginner, you should start with a 15-minute run on a slow-medium speed for 3 days a week. With time, you can increase your pace and also push your timeframe to 30 minutes, 4-5 days a week. If you are running with the aim to lose weight, you will have to run at a rigorous pace and combine it with strength training and a healthy diet.
According to trainers and other fitness experts, it is completely fine if you run every day. But you have to follow strict workout guidelines. A treadmill increases your heart beat and blood flow, it also puts pressure on your lungs and strains important joints like hips and knees. Therefore, there are certain rules attached to this seemingly simple workout method.
Is 30-minute Treadmill Workout Enough to Lose Weight?
A 30-minute running session on a treadmill is enough to lose weight, if you run daily or at least 4-5 days a week. Your speed on the treadmill or how often you change it along with the inclination, depends on your current health and the amount of weight you plan to lose. Before starting to run, you should do two important things. One is to set a weight loss goal and two, you should discuss your plan with your trainer. Let your trainer decide your workout regimen because sometimes weight loss calls for a combination of exercises along with treadmill workout.
4 Different Treadmill Workouts
You can do a variety of workouts on a treadmill. Running on a treadmill is quite an effective workout in itself but when you combine it with a few other strategies, you reap extra benefits and that too quickly. Following are four quick and effective treadmill workouts that will help you lose weight, strengthen muscles and improve your overall health.
Sprint Intervals
Nothing makes you burn calories like a sprint does. This exercise is a combination of sprints and slow jogs and at the end of it, you will have lost your daily quota of fat.
Start by warming up. Set your treadmill at a slow pace, say 1-2 mph and jog slowly for 5 minutes. At this point, all you have to achieve is a pace that will pump blood to the muscles and prepare your heart for the workout. Do not run too fast and get tired at this stage.
Now, pick up the pace and run fast, with long strides. You should be breathing heavily. This is just for 30 seconds.
Once again, slow your speed and recover for three minutes. Perform easy jogging.
Pick up your pace again and run fast for 30 seconds, then go back to a slower pace for three minutes. Repeat this for 9 times and then finish your workout.
Do not stop abruptly, always take time to slow down and cool down.
Side Stepping
Side stepping work out an old method of working out to lose weight. It will exercise your glutes and quads.
Start by warming up at an easy pace for one minute. Slightly fasten your pace to make it an easy jog for four minutes.
Get back to walking and turn to your side. Do this while holding on the side rail. Now, get into squat position and start side stepping. Do this for 30 seconds and then return to walking forward.
Pick up your pace to a conversational running pace for two minutes and then again get back to walking and move to perform side stepping on the other side. Perform this running and 30 second side stepping routine for 20 minutes.
Finish by cooling down. Take five minutes to gradually lower your pace and stop.
Hills and Flats
This exercise involves changing your incline at close intervals and alternating between walking and running. This workout will exercise your glutes and burn a lot of calories.
Start the session with a five-minute warm up. You can do an easy jog or brisk walking.
Increase your incline to 1% and walk for 1 minute. Next lower your incline to 0% and jog for 1 minute.
Again increase your incline but this time to 2%. Walk for 2 minutes. Lower the incline to 1% and run for 2 minutes.
This time, increase the incline to 3% and walk for 3 minutes. Bring back the inclination to 1% and run for 3 minutes.
This is the last increase. Increase your incline to 4% and walk for 4 minutes. Bring back the incline to 1% and run comfortably for 4 minutes.
Finish the session by gradually cooling down for 5 minutes. You can do a brisk walk or a slow jog at this time.
Pyramid Workout
This is a calorie blasting workout that combines walking and running alternately. You will burn a ton of calories with this.
Start with a three-minute warm-up with brisk walking or easy jogging.
Follow by sprinting for one minute. Then walk for one minute.
Now sprint for two minutes and walk for one minute,
Next step is to sprint for three minutes and walk for one minute.
This time sprint for four minutes and walk for one minute.
Now you have to go in reverse, sprint for three minutes and walk for one minute.
Sprint for two minutes and walk for one minute.
Sprint for one minute and walk for one minute.
Now, sprint for 30 seconds and walk for 30 seconds.
Cool down by easy jogging or brisk walking.
Is it Bad to Run Every Day on a Treadmill?
Running on a treadmill can be good or bad for you depending on your current health condition and if your body is prepared for a daily run. If you have knee problems, had an accident or suffer from arthritis, running daily on a treadmill may be bad for you. On the other hand, if you are a healthy individual, running daily can help you keep your weight in check and tone your body. So, there is actually no good or bad in a treadmill workout. It all depends on how healthy you are and your body type.
Can Treadmills Help in Losing Belly Fat?
Yes, treadmills can tremendously help in losing body fat. Talk to your gym trainer and let him guide you with an effective fat loss workout on the treadmill.
Tips for Treadmill Running
Create a workout plan and a goal before you start.
Wear comfortable clothes to the gym.
Always carry a water bottle with you.
Do not forget to warm up before every session.
Cooling down is equally important.
Use music to motivate yourself.
Do not miss a single day of workout.
Talk to your doctor before hitting the gym.