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Hi friends! It’s your friend Kathleen, and today, I want to talk about a subject that is important to every single person on this planet- belly fat.
It seems like everyone is interested in losing belly fat, that’s why there are endless products in the market promising to help you reduce belly fat or lose weight. If you’re thinking about burning belly fat by running on a treadmill, then today’s article is for you.
Chances are that you have a treadmill at home or you may be thinking about buying one just for this purpose.
You might be asking yourself if you can lose belly fat by running? If so, how long should you run on a treadmill to lose belly fat?
Can you get rid of body fat in other places as well?
I’m a big fan of treadmills, and I have used one for many years, so I’ve got some really important information here for you today.
Table of Contents
Will Running on a Treadmill Lose Belly Fat?
This is a very straightforward question that deserves a straightforward answer: YES. Running on a treadmill, even at a comfortable pace, can help you shed the dreaded belly fat.
Running, or even power walking, will definitely help you lose weight and burn calories like crazy.
However, just jumping on that treadmill isn’t going to give you those tight, flat abs like you are imagining.
There are a couple of tricks you will need to know to really blast away that belly fat, especially the deep belly fat known as visceral fat.
Don’t worry, I’m going to share these secrets with you!
Tricks for Losing Belly Fat by Running on a Treadmill
The two most important things you need to know about burning belly fat by running include:
- Intensity. Jogging and power walking are great for beginners, but you need to gradually increase your intensity and the incline of your treadmill if you really want to lose belly fat.
- Varying the Length and Intensity. When you alternate between sprinting and jogging, and then resting and returning to sprinting, you encourage your body to burn body fat, especially belly fat. This type of exercise is called high-intensity interval training, or HIIT.
One example of HIIT workouts would be to jog for 2 minutes, then run as fast as you can for 2 minutes, then slow down to a walking pace for 1 minute, then repeat this sequence of running and slowly walking for a total of 30 minutes.
If you have iFit, you know that they have plenty of HIIT programs for treadmills.
Nothing will make you lose weight and belly fat faster than by doing a HIIT workout on your treadmill. OK, you can also do HIIT workouts on a rowing machine, but today, we are talking about treadmill workouts.
How Long Should You Run on a Treadmill to Lose Belly Fat?
While you can’t spot train or reduce belly fat by doing certain exercises (such as sit-ups), you can burn body fat all over your body by doing high-intensity exercise like running on a treadmill.
How long should you run on a treadmill to lose belly fat? Well, the perfect answer is “as long as you possibly can,” but if you’re like me, you can’t spend 2-4 hours a day running!
Generally speaking, most people find that running on a treadmill doing a HIIT workout for 30 minutes every other day is enough to cause weight loss.
If you’re in the market for the best treadmills for running, this is a must-read.
Of course, you need to be within your maximum heart rate zone to burn the most fat.
What is your maximum heart rate zone? Let’s talk about that for one minute.
The Most Efficient Way to Lose Weight and Burn Belly Fat
Using a heart rate monitor is the best way to ensure that you’re working hard enough to lose weight.
You want to get your heart rate up to between 70-80 percent of its maximum and hold it there for 20-30 minutes.
This calculator will help you determine your maximum heart rate. For example, if you are 40 years old, your heart rate should be between 99 and 153 beats per minute, with the average being 144 beats per minute.
Running on a treadmill at a high pace and keeping your heart rate within these parameters will reduce body fat, even belly fat.
How Much Weight Can You Lose on a Treadmill in a Week?
Oh my. This is a simple question with a not-so-simple answer.
Weight loss has a large number of variables. Even two sisters weighing the same and using the same machine for the same amount of time will burn a different number of calories.
Everything seems to come into play when trying to figure out calorie burn, including your age, your sex, your current weight, how hard you’re working out, and even the temperature of the room!
If you’re eating a balanced diet and getting your heart rate into the maximum zone for 30 minutes every other day, you should have no problem losing 2 pounds of fat each week or about 8-10 pounds a month.
I know that some people want to burn more fat and lose weight faster, but if you try to cut back on calories too much or exercise to excess, those pounds have a sneaky way of finding their way back to your belly.
Take your time, start slow, and keep looking at the long-term effects of your diet and exercise program. You really will be better off, and you’ll keep those pounds off for the longer term if you do.
Will I Lose Weight If I Use a Treadmill Every Day?
You absolutely will. The thing to remember, however, is that you want to give your body time to recover.
Building new muscle, burning fat, and repairing damaged tissue will take time and a little rest.
If you’re doing a HIIT workout program, you must take off every other day, unless you’re already quite experienced and you run or powerwalk regularly.
It is far better to give your body time to rest than to push it until you injure yourself and end up taking off weeks at a time.
How Long Does It Take to See Results from a Treadmill Workout?
Another easy question with a not-so-easy answer!
The more overweight you are, the faster you will lose weight because you burn more calories than someone who is thinner, but the longer it will take you to see results.
If you only have 20-or-so pounds to lose, you will see results fairly quickly.
Nearly everyone will see results within 4-6 weeks, and that includes you if you start running every other day and eat a balanced diet.
How Much Weight Will I Lose If I Run 30 Minutes a Day?
How much weight do you want to lose?
I’ve seen people use a treadmill to lose belly fat by running, and they lost 100 pounds or more.
I’ve also seen plenty of people, myself included, who lost 30 pounds in 3 months.
Remember that after you’ve lost weight, you need to keep exercising and eating right to keep your current weight; otherwise, the weight you shed will find its way back to your thighs or belly or wherever. Side Note: if you have knee issues you may also like to read is on a treadmill bad for your knees
Tips for Beginners
If you haven’t run in many years or if you have a lot of weight to lose, you might find that running for more than 2 or 3 minutes feels impossible.
This is where patience will pay off. Beginners will find the following tips helpful:
- Make up your mind in advance how much time you are going to exercise today. Remember that you can run for 10 minutes 3 times per day, and it’s the same as running for 30 minutes.
- Don’t worry about your pace at first. Start at a speed that you can manage and run for a set number of minutes (for example, 10 minutes) or run for a set length (for example, 1 mile). It is far more important that you get moving than your actual speed to start with.
- Don’t worry if you are running really slowly. You will improve with time.
- If you can talk while running, then you’ve found a good pace to start with. If you are out of breath, you’re going too fast or running too long.
- You don’t have to run nonstop. In fact, HIIT workouts are best because not only do they burn the most calories and belly fat, but they also give you time to rest.
- Slow down and walk for two minutes, but don’t stop moving.
- Try adding one minute to your time every week. You’ll be a pro with the body type of your dreams before you know it.
The Final Takeaway
You can reduce overall body fat and burn belly fat, even visceral fat, by running on a treadmill.
Most people find that doing a HIIT program every other day for 30 minutes is enough to create a calorie deficit and burn enough calories to lose weight.
Beginners should start off slowly and build up to faster, longer runs.
Remember that what goes in your mouth counts every bit as much as a run on the treadmill. Eat a balanced diet and watch the pound start peeling off.
Use a heart rate monitor to ensure that you are working hard enough.
Running on a treadmill for 30 minutes every other day is really all you need to lose weight, drop belly fat, and reach new fitness levels you never imagined possible.
Stay safe and healthy, friends. Life is too short for anything else.
Written by Alisha Wishart – TheHealthPot.com
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Writer and Contributor
Alisha, is a Mother, Wife and Certified Personal Trainer (CPT). She understands how demanding everyday life can be and takes great pride in working with individuals and groups to help them achieve their desired fitness goals. Read more about Alisha here.