Running on a treadmill can burn hundreds of calories an hour and is easier on your joints than running on an outdoor surface or indoor track. MayoClinic.com recommends losing no more than 2 pounds per week, but how long it will take you to lose 80 pounds depends on how often you run, your caloric intake and your level of intensity when you run. At the recommended rate, it should take you 10 months to safely lose 80 pounds.
Calories
Any weight-loss program will focus on creating a calorie deficit. To burn 1 pound of fat, you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume. MayoClinic.com recommends dropping 500 calories a day from your diet to start this process. As long as you are consuming as many calories as you are burning, this means you can lose 1 pound a week, even before exercise is taken into consideration: 500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories. Exercising is recommended as the way to lose the second pound.
Treadmill
According to Health Services at Columbia University, some studies have shown that running outdoors will burn 5 percent more calories than a treadmill, while others say it doesn't make a difference at all. Setting the incline at a higher grade will make up for any difference, due to increased resistance. It's safe to say that running on a treadmill will burn about the same amount of calories as running outdoors.
Recommendations
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing cardiovascular exercise, which includes running on a treadmill, for 60 to 90 minutes at a time, five to six days a week, to lose weight. According to MayoClinic.com, a 200-pound person running at 5 mph will burn 728 calories an hour, and a 160-pound person will burn 584 calories. Adjusting the incline setting on the treadmill will increase the amount of calories burned by a bit, just as it would if you were running up a hill. If you are just beginning to exercise, start by going at a slower pace on the treadmill and gradually increase your speed over several weeks.
Considerations
Consult a doctor before beginning any exercise regimen. A doctor may prescribe a special, low-calorie diet to jump start your weight loss or if you are obese, and he can check your health to verify you can run safely on a treadmill. To avoid boredom, listening to music while running on the treadmill can help. Avoid the urge to lose a lot of weight quickly. Unless your doctor advises you otherwise, stick to the recommended goal of losing 1 to 2 pounds per week.
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