Fastest Way to Lose Weight on a Treadmill

Interval training is a fast way to meet your weight-loss goals with cardio exercise. The treadmill is a simple and efficient tool to use to keep track of your relative calories burned with each workout. Anyone can perform intervals because your chosen speed and intensity are related to your personal fitness level. On average, with a 30-minute interval training session on the treadmill, you can burn 350 to 450 calories. Do this five times per week to lose more than 1/2 lb. per week through cardio alone.

Tips and Warnings

• Always include a warm-up and cool-down in your cardio workout. Consider each interval from a fresh perspective. If you run at a speed of 7.0 for your first interval, don’t assume that you will run at 7.0 for all of the intervals. Adjust your pace depending on your energy level during each interval. Your one-minute interval speed and your two-minute interval speed should be different. If you can jog or run the same speed for your two-minute interval, as you could for your one-minute interval, then you can most likely jog or run faster during your one-minute interval. Make sure you need the recovery. If you complete the timed interval and you do not need a rest, you are not working hard enough, increase your pace or your incline to get the desired results. Intervals are self-paced. Adjust your speed to your fitness level. If you have never exercised before, perform a shorter workout. Do one to two intervals instead of three to get started.
• If you have heart disease, blood pressure issues or a history of stroke, changing tempos in your workout may put you at risk. Talk to your doctor if you have a history of cardiovascular disease. If you have hip, knee or ankle issues, high impact and high intensity may aggravate pain in your joints.

References

• "The New York Times": A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion
• ExRx.net: Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism
• Running Planet: Interval Training 101