To reduce the size of your belly, you need to burn fat throughout your entire body. The treadmill is an effective exercise machine to help you do just that -- through a number of workout options, treadmills let you elevate your heart rate and complete a substantial cardiovascular workout that burns fat and calories. Beginners should not fear the treadmill. They will find that it is user friendly no matter your fitness or ability level.
Pace Yourself
One of the most important factors for beginners to keep in mind when starting a treadmill, running or exercise routine is to pace yourself. Being overanxious and doing too much too soon can result in burning out quickly and abandoning your workout efforts. Alternatively, being too aggressive at the onset can result in an injury, since your muscles are not prepared for a sudden uptake in exercise. Start slowly, working out on the treadmill two or three days a week at a moderate pace, and boost your time and speed as you increase your endurance and strength.
Walk-Run Intervals
Endurance running is often difficult for beginners since there is usually a need to build up the strength in your legs along with your stamina. Executing a routine of walk-to-run intervals is an effective means of building muscle while burning fat off your belly. Warm up with a vigorous walk for five minutes, then increase your speed to a run for two to three minutes. Recover by walking for the next one to two minutes. Repeat this cycle for 30 minutes.
Incline
Incorporating hills into your treadmill workout can help you to increase the strength in your glutes and hamstrings, which help during the pushing off motion while running. Hills are also beneficial for improving your endurance; a difficult workout going uphill can make a run on a flat surface seem a little bit easier. Once or twice a week, set the incline to a grade that is challenging yet still allows you to walk and run without compromising your form in any way. Incorporate your walk-to-run routine on the incline. You may want to shorten the incline workout to 10 to 20 minutes at first so as not to overdo it, after which time even out the treadmill to complete your workout.
Dumbbells
If you prefer to walk rather than run on the treadmill, but want to up your fat burn to lose weight off your belly, then carry dumbbells during your workout. Set the treadmill to a vigorous pace so your walk is challenging and elevating your heart rate. As you walk, hold 3- to 5-lb. dumbbells. Not only will this make your workout more dynamic, but you can get more out of your time by incorporating bicep curls, lateral raises, shoulder presses and triceps extensions while you walk.
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