Good Cardio Treadmill Workouts To Help Lose Belly Fat

Cardiovascular exercise not only produces heart-health benefits, it also burns the calories necessary to shed unwanted fat. Treadmills offer a good workout for the beginning or advanced exerciser, and programs can be tailored for long-term needs. Plan a routine with the right intensity and duration to get you in a fat-burning zone. Consult a physician or trained fitness professional if you are new to exercise.

Goals

Weight loss requires that 3,500 more calories are expended than consumed to lose 1 lb. Aim to burn between 250 and 500 calories per session and over the course of seven workouts, you can lose 1 to 2 lbs. Calorie expenditure is highly specific to each individual based on starting weight and fitness level. For example, a 160-lb. person who runs at a 5 mph pace for 30 minutes burns roughly 300 calories. Someone who weighs more or runs faster would burn more calories. Your program should meet your specific goals.

Intensity and Duration

To burn fat, work toward the higher end of your target heart rate. General recommendations for "vigorous" intensity say to work about 80 percent of max heart rate. Aim for a workout that pushes you to breathe and work at a "hard" or "somewhat hard" exertion. For a 30-minute run on the treadmill, start with a five-minute warmup working up to the pace where your breathing is challenged, and finish with a two-minute cooldown.

Intervals

According to a 2007 study in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise," interval training that includes quick bursts of intense activity significantly improved aerobic capacity. Quick bursts of activity draw on the anaerobic energy system, which burns fat for fuel. Incorporate intervals by increasing the speed of your treadmill run for two minutes between every five to seven minutes of moderate-paced running. Another way to increase calorie burn is to add more challenging inclines to your run. Some treadmills may already have built-in interval programs you can use.

Considerations

When using a treadmill-workout routine to burn belly fat, consistency is key. Start with a moderate program, such as three days per week, with rest days between workout sessions. Once you have mastered consistency, then work on increasing intensity and duration to keep yourself challenged. Another consideration is that cardio exercise helps with weight loss from all over the body, and if you are predisposed to lose weight from the belly, that's where you will notice changes. However, there is no such thing as "spot reducing" or controlling fat loss from one specific area. Core training added to cardio can help you strengthen stomach muscles and improve physique.