While you can begin burning significant calories on a treadmill from your first workout, you'll be more likely to stick with your exercise plan if you take it slower the first week or two. To burn calories at maximum efficiency, you'll need the stamina and endurance to walk at a brisk pace for 30 minutes or more. Beginner treadmill workouts should focus on helping you build your cardio capacity and get your muscles used to exercise. Taking some time to build stamina will help you create the most efficient workouts for the long haul.
Pick a Speed
Start a beginner treadmill routine using a speed that raises your heart rate from 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate. Depending on your height and stride length, this might be anywhere from 2 to 3 mph. Walking at this pace will let you continue without having to stop so you can build the stamina and endurance you'll need for aerobic workouts.
Pick a Heart Rate
In addition to treadmill speed, keep track of your heart rate. Many treadmills come with a heart rate monitor that lets you track your beats per minute or percentage of maximum heart rate while you walk. You can also buy or borrow a personal heart rate monitor. Visit a website that offers a target heart rate range calculator, such as the one at LIVESTRONG.com, to learn your target heart rate range.
Workout Routine Components
Start each workout with a warmup, even after you have the stamina to walk faster, jog or run. Start at 2 mph, increasing your speed by .5 mph every minute. This will help raise your heart rate and stretch your muscles at a more reasonable rate than starting out walking fast or jogging. After your walk, cool down to let excess blood and lactic acid leave your muscles and your heart rate come down gradually. Decrease your speed by .5 mph every minute until your heart rate is close to normal. Finish your workout with a good stretch.
Add Sprints
After your first week on the treadmill, add one-minute jogs every five minutes to help build more stamina and endurance and burn more calories. This will prepare you for more high-intensity aerobic workouts by letting you get used to a faster pace a little at a time.
Add Resistance
If your treadmill is adjustable, raise the incline to use more muscle, simulating walking uphill. Use dumbbells while you walk to add an upper-body component to your routine, building more muscle and burning more calories.
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