How To Lose Weight Faster With A Treadmill Or Cycle

A treadmill or stationary bicycle is an essential tool in fat-burning cardio. Depending on your present weight, the amount of time you exercise and the intensity of your bike or treadmill settings, using this equipment can help you lose an additional pound per week. In some cases, your workout triggers an increase in metabolism that last several hours and leads to faster weight loss.

Step 1

Establish a basic workout on your treadmill or bike. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity per day in order to lose weight. Burning 500 calories per day more than you consume will result in about a pound of weight loss per week, according to Suzanne Schlosberg, author of "Fitness for Dummies." A 160-lb. person would burn just over the necessary 500 calories per day by riding a stationary bike for an hour. Running on a treadmill at 5 mph will burn 624 calories. If 60 to 90 minutes is too ambitious for your present fitness level, break the workout into two shorter sessions.

Step 2

Increase the calories you burn with interval training. MayoClinic.com says incorporating interval training into your normal workout will burn more calories in the same amount of time. Intervals are short bursts of more intense activity, interspersed throughout the exercise session. Once you're working at your normal pace on the treadmill or cycle, increase the speed for a few minutes, then return to your normal pace. Repeat this process several times during each session.

Step 3

Increase your speed after several weeks. As you become more fit, Schlosberg recommends increasing the intensity of your basic treadmill or cycle workout. Greater intensity means greater calorie burn. If your normal pace is 5 mph on the treadmill, for example, increase it to 6 mph. The more fit you become and the more intensely you can exercise, the faster your weight loss will be. A fit person who works out intensely can burn up to 12 calories per minute, Schlosberg says, compared with four or five calories per minute for a beginner.

Step 4

Increase the difficulty of your workout. Running with the treadmill set for an incline will make the workout more difficult, and thus burn more calories. On an exercise bike, increasing the resistance will accomplish the same purpose. The 5-mph level run that burns 624 calories per hour will burn 748 calories at a 5-percent incline. An hour on the stationary bike with resistance increases the calorie burn to 762.

Tips and Warnings

Challenge yourself in slow, steady steps to avoid overexertion and injury. Drink plenty of water while exercising to prevent dehydration.
Before beginning a new exercise regime, get your physician's clearance, especially if you have been inactive for a period of time or have any pre-existing health conditions.