Muffin top, spare tire, love handles -- no matter what it's called, flab around the waist is not only unsightly, it's unhealthy. Extra fat around the belly increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Whittling away the middle takes burning calories and toning the core muscles, both of which can be achieved on a treadmill.
Aerobic Exercise And Target Heart Rate
The best way to get rid of muffin tops is through aerobic exercise. The treadmill offers several ways to workout aerobically, but first you need to determine your target heart rate. The fat-burning range in an aerobic workout is 65 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Most treadmills have sensors that will measure your heart rate and show a chart to tell what your heart rate should be. You can determine your heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. Multiply your results by 0.65 and 0.85 to calculate your target heart rate. For example, if you're 40 years old the math would be 220 - 40 = 180; 180 X 0.65 =117; and 180 X 0.85 = 153. Your maximum heart rate is 180 and your target heart rate range is 117 to 153. The goal is to workout at at a minimum of 30 minutes at least five days a week, although the American Heart Association recommends for best results to exercise up to an hour five days a week
Walk or Hike
Many people associate treadmills with running, but they can be used for walking and using a steep incline can mimic hiking. Start with a slow walk for at least five minutes to warm up, and then increase the pace and/or the incline to get your heart rate up. As your fitness improves you can walk at a faster pace or add incline to reach your target heart range. As you walk or hike, swing your arms, which will engage your core muscles so you're not only burning fat, but you're also toning your abs.
Run
Running on the treadmill is an effective way to get a high-intensity workout in a short amount of time. Before running, make sure you have shoes suited for running and that you don't suffer from any ankle, knee or hip problems. Start by walking at least five minutes to warm up, and then slowly increase your pace. Another way to increase the intensity of your run is to steepen the incline. As is the case with walking, when you swing your arms you'll be engaging your core muscles adding toning to your aerobic workout.
Do Interval Training
Interval training involves short bursts of high energy with equal or longer stretches at a lower intensity. Studies indicate that interval training produces greater benefits and burns more calories in a shorter time than longer sustained mid-level aerobic activity. During the high bursts of energy you'll be at or exceeding your target heart rate of 85 percent and during the lower stretches you'll be at 65 percent or lower. Each interval is done between 30 second to a minute. You can do speed intervals such as running one minute at 5.6 pace and one minute at 6.5 pace, alternating for 20 minutes. Or you can use the incline option, alternating raising and lowering steepness of the treadmill. Many treadmills are pre-programmed with interval workouts that include speed or hill (incline) options.
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