Finding time to exercise isn't always easy. Treadmills are one of many types of exercise equipment that aim to make working out more convenient. When using a treadmill you can also catch up on the news or keep an eye on your children. Treadmills are preferred by many people who prefer to not exercise outside and battle the traffic and the elements. There's no question about treadmills and their effects -- the aerobic exercise achieved on this workout machine can lead to effective weight loss.
Calorie Deficit
The key to using exercise to lose weight is creating a calorie deficit. Effective exercise can burn hundreds of calories in an hour. But in order for exercise to yield weight loss, you need to be burning more calories in a day than you are consuming through your diet. Because of this, the intensity of your exercise makes a big difference in how much weight you can cut. While it is dangerous to restrict your diet too much or exercise in excessive amounts, you should aim for a gap of at least a few hundred calories between how much you consume, on average, and how much you exercise.
Aerobic Exercise
Lifting weights may make you look buff, but it won't help you cut pounds quickly. That's because strength training has a low ceiling for the amount of calories that can be burned over the course of a workout. More effective forms of exercise are ones that elevate the heart and breathing rate for an extended period of time. These are known as aerobic forms of exercise, and they are the most efficient and effective way to exercise for weight loss. Running on a treadmill for long periods of time -- 20 to 30 minutes or more -- can achieve this effect.
Treadmill Vs. Running
Using a treadmill simulates running. But it isn't a hard-and-fast replacement for the effects of running on your body. The physics of a treadmill place a fast-moving belt underneath you, forcing you to keep up by running. But this eliminates the effort of propelling yourself forward since you are only trying to maintain your position above the belt. This eliminates some of the work done by the back of the legs, lowering your total calories burned. Though not as efficient as running, a treadmill is still effective at helping burn calories.
Considerations
Aerobic exercise can help lower your risk for a number of conditions, but it's not safe for everyone. If you have any heart or circulation conditions, especially if you are taking medications for either, check with a doctor to make sure treadmill running is safe for you. Additionally, you should familiarize yourself with how to use a treadmill safely before stepping on and running -- falling on a treadmill can lead to serious skin burns and other injuries if you aren't careful.
Member Comments