how long should i run on the treadmill to lose weight

How Long Should I Run on the Treadmill to Lose Weight

If you’re ready to lose weight, cardio is the key. When it comes to cardio machines, a treadmill is usually one of the first choices. Treadmill running makes sense, right? Just tie on your shoes, turn on the machine, and go!

Not so fast, though! First you’ll need a strategy to help you lose body fat, burn calories, and reach your maximum heart rate. With the right exercise plan and a healthy diet, it’s possible for you to work out 30-45 minutes a day on a treadmill to lose 2 pounds in a week.

Hi everyone, this is Kathleen, and I’m here to talk about my second favorite form of intense exercise, running on a treadmill.

If you want to lose weight fast and build new muscle, you can get all that from a treadmill workout. For beginners, I’ve got some great secrets that I want to share with you about running or walking workouts.

Keep reading, because we’ve got a lot of ground to cover!

How Long and Fast Should I Run on a Treadmill to Lose Weight?

Lady learning how long should you run on a treadmill a day

First, let us talk about whether you are planning on doing high-intensity interval training or a steady-state treadmill workout.

I highly recommend doing HIIT workouts since you will drop weight faster than the steady-state workout.

What Is High-Intensity Interval Training?

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, means that you do short bursts of very fast running, sometimes called sprints, followed by short periods of going much slower or even outright resting.

For example, you might warm-up for 5 minutes and do some power walking at about 4MPH, then you will run as fast as possible, let’s say 8MPH, for one minute, then you will walk for the next two minutes, doing only 3.5MPH.

You will repeat the cycle above until you have completed 30 or 40 minutes or whatever time it is that you have set for yourself.

HIIT workouts not only burn more calories than a regular steady-state workout, but they also keep burning more calories long after you have finished exercising.

One of the many benefits of HIIT workouts is that you can exercise for a shorter amount of time and fewer days per week than when you do steady-state running. You will still burn the same number of calories, sometimes even more.

So How Long Do I Need to Run Using HIIT Vs Steady-State?

You can do a HIIT treadmill running routine for 25 minutes every other day or 3 days per week.

A typical HIIT program would be:

  • Jogging to warm up for 2 minutes at 3.5MPH
  • Over the next minute, start increasing your speed to 5.5MPH and increase to a 5% incline
  • During minutes 3-4, return to your 3.5MPH
  • Keep repeating this sequence of one minute at 5.5MPH (or faster if you are in better shape) and then one minute of 3.5 (or even 3.0)MPH
  • When you have completed 25 minutes, spend at least two minutes cooling down by using a walking speed of about 2.5 MPH

Doing this type of workout three days a week is all you need to lose weight fast!  FYI: You might also find these beginner treadmill workouts suitable as well.

Of course, you can’t reward yourself with a half dozen Krispy Kreme donuts afterward and expect to lose weight. Eat a healthy diet as much as possible and drink plenty of water.

Will I Need to Run Longer If I Do a Steady-State Routine?

Yes, you probably will.

Some people aren’t fans of HIIT workouts because they feel as if they need to pay attention to the clock, and they would rather just zone out while running.

lady at gym asking instructor how long do i run on treadmill to lose weight

There’s no problem with that. Beginners may find that steady-state running is easier to start with.

If you want to experience weight loss by running, whether outdoor or on a treadmill, you should try the following:

  • After warming up for a few minutes, run at a comfortable pace that you can maintain for 30-40 minutes. Beginners may find that they can’t do more than fast walking. Don’t let that discourage you. You will improve over time.
  • Keep an incline on your treadmill to boost the number of calories you burn and build more lean muscle mass.
  • Do your steady-state walking, jogging, or running for 30-45 minutes each day for at least 5 days per week. Six days per week is better and will give you better results.

Always remember to warm up before and cool down afterward. You also need to give your body at least one full day of rest each week to repair damaged tissue and build lean muscle mass.

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How Much Weight Can You Lose on a Treadmill in One Week?

So you’ve got a family reunion or a special date that is coming up in one week, and you want to drop some pounds really fast? It’s not a good idea to try to diet or even stop eating and then exercise like mad to lose weight this quickly.

You can realistically expect to lose 2 pounds of fat in one week if you follow one of the exercise routines above and eat a healthy diet, but nothing more drastic than that. Losing more than 2 pounds per week is not considered healthy and may even cause health problems.

person on scales seeing weight loss

I know that’s not what anyone wants to hear, but that’s just the way it is.

Yes, you can go on one of those cabbage soup diets and run 2 hours a day on the treadmill, but that isn’t healthy and can even make you feel so sick that you end up not going to that reunion.

So, honey, if you want to look slimmer by the weekend, buy some Spanx, but don’t risk your health by starving.

Can I lose Belly Fat Running on a Treadmill?

Unfortunately, we can’t tell our bodies where to lose weight. You can’t spot-reduce away fat, meaning that you can do all the sit-ups you want, but your body is going to lose weight where it wants to, not necessarily where you are working it.

A high-intensity exercise, like running on a treadmill, is a terrific way to burn plenty of calories and lose weight. Your body will use your stored fat for energy, and while there is no guarantee that it will use your belly fat first, over time, your body will have no choice.

This means that your body may choose to burn fat off your thighs first, then your belly fat. Or it may take fat from every other part of your body, leaving your belly fat for last, but if you keep running and eating healthy, you’ll leave your body no choice but to burn that spare tire eventually.

The Final Takeaway

man at gym running on a treadmill to lose body fat

Everyone wants to lose weight fast, and if you cut back just a bit on your calorie intake and use your treadmill to do either steady-state running or HIIT programs, you can’t help but reach a new fitness level and a smaller dress size!

Doing a HIIT workout every other day is a great way to get in the required thirty minutes of exercise health experts say that we need and shred that weight in no time!

Beginners, remember to start off slowly and work yourself up to higher speeds and longer intervals. Don’t get discouraged when you can’t do more. Remember that one minute is better than doing nothing, two minutes is better than one minute, and so on.

Any cardio exercise that you do either at your own home gym, your local gym, or even outdoor running, is great for your body and mental state.

Get moving and have fun doing it! Life is too short for anything else!