Walking on a treadmill for weight loss: reviews, program, effective

How to properly exercise on a treadmill

To get the most out of your workouts, you should enter your training regimen correctly. If you haven’t worked out on the track before or have had a long break in training, then you should start with light and short cardio sessions. At first, it is recommended to spend no more than 15 minutes running, gradually increasing this time to half an hour. For the first five minutes, start with a brisk walk to warm up your joints and ligaments, and only then move on to an easy run.

To choose the optimal mode, you should pay attention not to speed, but to your own heart rate. Almost all tracks have pulse sensors that display your heart rate on a special display.

Good to know! to the following formula: “220 is the age of the athlete.” For example, if you are 25 years old, then the upper limit of your heart rate will be 195 beats per minute. This is the upper limit beyond which you cannot go. To conduct an effective workout, the pulse is within 70-80% of the permissible limit. If we take the upper pulse as 195 for calculation, then the optimal value will be 140 beats per minute. The average reading for a healthy adult is 120-130 blows; such a load is safe for health and gives a positive effect.

Slow walking on the path has almost no contraindications. But if you have chronic diseases or untreated injury, it is recommended to consult a doctor. But you should be careful with running; it is forbidden to exercise on a treadmill if you have problems with the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, hypertension, asthma, heart defects, mitral stenosis, heart failure and after a heart attack. You should also not run if you have problems with the musculoskeletal system, which include hernias, osteochondrosis, sprains and joint diseases. People with varicose veins should also refrain from running.

How to walk correctly

Even those who have never practiced such sports can master modern simulators. Manufacturers made sure that the user stood on the canvas, pressed a button and ran. If you really want to get good results and lose weight quickly, then you should not exercise on a treadmill based on reviews or general recommendations.

Regularity of training

For those who are just starting to exercise, training twice a week with a light load is enough. Trained people are recommended to stand on the deck every other day and alternate intensity. The use of weights is at the level of advanced users. For any fitness level, training should last an average of one hour. An important indicator when calculating a walking program is heart rate. It is generally accepted that a normal heart rate after physical activity is 130 beats per minute. For unprepared people in the first training sessions this figure will be much higher.

To reduce the load on the heart, it is recommended to adhere to certain rules:

for two weeks you need to walk on a weak mode and at a minimum angle of inclination of the deck for 20-30 minutes a day;
within a month you need to increase your training to 60 minutes a day. It is important to control the pulse: it should be no lower than 125 and no higher than 135 beats per minute;
for physically unprepared people, rest is necessary to restore muscles;
Uphill training and weight training is only possible for professionals and only twice a week.

How to walk correctly

If you do not exercise regularly, you will not be able to achieve quick results. Systematic loads are required.

Before training, be sure to do a warm-up. Particular attention at this stage is paid to the knees and ankles. Warm-up on the treadmill itself is carried out at low speed for 7-10 minutes.
Correct body position is the first step to success. The back should be straight and the stomach should be tucked. The torso must be kept strictly in an upright position. The arms are bent at the elbows at a right angle.
You need to breathe through your nose and in a measured manner.
Interval training not only diversifies your workouts, but also makes them more effective.
It is better to take more steps than to walk wide.
It is necessary to use the entire foot, stepping from heel to toe. This will reduce stress on the ankle and protect the ligaments.
You can't end your workout abruptly. First, take a moderate step and monitor your pulse. The load is stopped when the heart rate reaches 100 beats per minute.

Walking options

Interval

The most common type of exercise among beginners, as well as those who decide to lose weight using a treadmill. Interval training allows you to quickly lose weight, strengthen muscles, and train your breathing. The main feature of such classes is the alternation of the angle of inclination of the canvas and speed. An approximate diagram for beginners looks like this:

Warm up at a speed of 4-5 km/h for 7 minutes. The working surface is completely horizontal;
5 minutes of walking at a speed of 6-7 km/h, then 5 minutes at 8-9 km/h;
10 minutes of relaxation at 4-5 km/h and repeat everything again.

More experienced ones can experiment with the angle of the canvas.

5-10 minutes of warm-up on a horizontal surface at a speed of 4 km/h.
20-30 minutes of main load, changing the angle of the blade by 2 degrees every 5 minutes.
Complete the workout in the reverse order, bringing the deck position to a horizontal level.

Uphill

Suitable for advanced users, provides a stronger load on the calf muscle and buttocks. The principle of training is similar to interval training, the only difference is that at the main stage the angle of inclination changes immediately by 10 degrees relative to its initial position.

With weights

Suitable for people with good physical fitness or those who want to lose weight and tone their body in the shortest possible time. It is recommended to start with light weights so as not to strain the muscles and joints. You cannot get carried away with strength training; they can only be used twice a week. Start with dumbbells weighing only 0.5 kg, gradually increasing it by 200 grams per week. An important point is that training with weights is carried out only on a horizontal surface.

To quickly lose weight by running on a treadmill at home, it is important not only to choose the right training program, but also to balance your diet.

How to properly run on a treadmill to lose weight?

Health is an important aspect, but most often people are more concerned with the question: how to lose weight on a treadmill? To do this, there are several important points to consider:

Loads should be regular. If you exercise a couple of times a month, you will not notice visible results. If you have experience and desire, you can train every day. The most optimal workouts are 3-4 times a week.
Before you start running, be sure to warm up for 5 minutes. Warm-up can be done by walking on a treadmill.
Often in the fitness room you can see girls holding on to the handrails of the cardio machine. This is a common mistake: by holding with your hands, you remove some of the load, which makes the activity less productive. Also, this position is incorrect for the spine and can lead to curvature.
To complicate the workout, you can select the incline mode, you will have to go uphill. Walking on an incline helps to work out the gluteal muscles perfectly, and also gives good results in losing weight.
Exercise on the track only in sports shoes. Running barefoot or in socks can be harmful to your health.

When losing weight on the treadmill, it is important to take deep breaths and exhale, do not hold your breath.

What muscle groups are involved in mountain walking?

When walking uphill, the muscle groups of the calf muscles, the surfaces of the thigh, the anterior and posterior muscles are mainly involved. When hiking, special poles are required; this helps to ascend and relieves joint and ligament tension. And when mountain walking, the entire load is distributed to the ligaments too, therefore, this is the most difficult type of walking, and accordingly, calorie burning occurs more intensely.

In an hour, about 650 kcal per hour is usually burned, with good physical activity and intense training. Fat deposits disappear from the abdomen, arms and thighs, since when lifting, all the muscles of the body are involved. After three months of training, your body size will noticeably decrease. The following figures can be given based on experience:

your waist will lose weight by 3% or more,
cholesterol levels will decrease by five percent,
and lung volume will increase by 10% or more.

Advice

You should start with short and not difficult routes. It is advisable to breathe evenly and walk at an even pace. There is no need to speed up in the mountains; you will already have many difficult moments when climbing to altitude. Monitor your pulse and general condition; if you experience discomfort in the heart area or darkening of your eyes, you should take a break or stop training altogether.

How much should you run to lose weight?

There is so much different information now being given about training times that many people can’t figure out exactly how much to do on the treadmill to lose weight? There are regular and interval methods of cardio training.

The first complex - if running is forbidden to you or you prefer walking, then you can set the treadmill at a speed of 7-8 km/h and just walk quickly for a long time. Walking can be replaced with light jogging. Beginners should start with 20 minutes and gradually increase the time to an hour. Proponents of this theory claim that fat begins to be burned only after 40 minutes of monotonous cardio exercise.

The second complex is a combination of walking and running. Warm up at low speed for five minutes, and then begin to alternate between brisk walking for 2-3 minutes and light jogging for 5-7 minutes. At first, do not try to run for a long time; gradually reduce the time you spend walking and increase the duration of your run. The optimal time for such a workout is 20-30 minutes.

Interval training is very popular among athletes. This method allows you to quickly see results in losing weight, but is recommended for people with experience in physical activity. Interval training involves alternating between moderate and high intensity running. Such classes save time, as they last only 15-20 minutes. For example, you can use the following interval training scheme: alternate 3-5 minutes of running at a medium pace with 2 minutes of fast running at high speed, finish the workout with a light jog.

Nutrition before and after treadmill training

To lose weight on the treadmill, it is important to watch your diet. If you neglect this point, you will never be able to achieve the desired result. Weight loss occurs only if we spend more energy than we consume through food. If you eat donuts with sweet tea after a cardio workout, then all your efforts will be in vain.

Exercising on an empty stomach is harmful, and you should not do it immediately after eating. If cardio takes place in the first half of the day, it is recommended to eat complex carbohydrates and protein, for example, porridge with meat or eggs. In the evening before training, you can eat protein and fiber; baked fish and vegetables are perfect.

If you want to lose weight, then after exercise you should limit yourself to only protein foods and vegetables. Immediately after cardio, you can drink a protein shake with water or eat 3 boiled egg whites. Also, do not forget about the drinking regime - when playing sports, the need for water increases, so you should drink at least 2 liters of water per day.

Reviews of those losing weight

Most reviews about losing weight on the treadmill are positive. People note such advantages as the ability to watch TV or video, the presence of various programs in the simulator, and ease of use. Many claim that with a regular approach, results appear within a couple of weeks.

However, there are those who see disadvantages in such weight loss. If you have a treadmill at home, people quickly lose motivation and become discouraged from exercising. Others prefer to run exclusively outside to breathe fresh air rather than be in a stuffy room. There is also another disadvantage - if you run on the track too often and lack strength training, a lot of muscle tissue is lost, which is why the body becomes thin, but flabby and not at all athletic. An alternative solution is yoga, which combines both cardio and strength training.

In any case, the treadmill is an effective and proven way to lose weight. The main thing is not to use the machine as pampering, but to train productively, so that after the session you will feel pleasantly tired.

The benefits of home workouts

Exercising on a treadmill is an alternative to grueling workouts in the gym, which are not for everyone. Walking on a treadmill will not only help you lose weight, but also improve your metabolism throughout the body.

Regular long walking at the same pace helps to uniformly saturate the blood with oxygen, resulting in lower blood pressure, stronger heart muscle and increased endurance.
Walking on a treadmill is effective for losing weight and maintaining the tone of all muscle groups.
There are no age restrictions for exercising on this cardio machine. Older people and even pregnant women can walk on a treadmill.
Walking or running at low speed does not affect joints and ligaments. The risk of injury, which is possible both when running on the street and during training in the gym, is reduced.