Treadmills have become a staple piece of fitness equipment in gyms and homes since the 1960s. Originally invented to use animal movement to power machinery, the treadmill was later used by medical doctors to diagnose heart problems, commonly known today as the stress test, and by NASA astronauts. The treadmill emerged as a revolutionary piece of fitness equipment and comes complete now with a variety of options including speed, incline and user entertainment functions. People utilize the treadmill for walking or running, and both are effective ways to lose weight, boost cardiovascular fitness and improve overall health. Studies show, however, running is superior to treadmill walking to burn calories and ultimately body fat.
Research
In a study performed by Syracuse University researchers published in the "American College of Sports Medicine Journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise" in 2004, the actual calorie burn, or energy expenditure, of 12 men and 12 women was measured while running and walking 1,600 m on the treadmill. The researchers reported that the men burned an average of 124 calories while running and 88 while walking; the women burned 105 and 74, respectively. Based on this conclusion, the Syracuse University researchers adapted a formula to calculate total calorie-burning amounts of running and walking. To find an estimate of the total calories burned per mile, multiply your weight in pounds by .75 for running and by .53 for walking.
Treadmill Running
Running is a full body workout known to be highly effective for weight loss and cardiovascular endurance. Running, when compared to walking on the treadmill, burns more calories in less time; more calories burned per workout equates to more body fat burned by the body. A 150-lb. person running a 5 mph pace for one hour can burn 544 calories; if increased to 10 mph, running for an hour burns 1,089 calories. Running on an incline at a 5 mph pace on a treadmill burns 1,021 calories per hour.
Treadmill Walking
Traditional walking on a treadmill at a slow to moderate pace does not burn as many calories as people are highly efficient at walking; the human body does not have to expend much energy to perform this anatomically correct movement. A 150-lb. person burns 340 calories per hour at a speed of 4 mph. The same 150-lb. person burns 1,089 calories per hour at a running speed of 10 mph. When utilizing a treadmill for walking, the amount of calories expended increases as you increase the incline; for example, walking up an incline for an hour at a speed of about 4 mph burns 408 calories.
Calories to Fat
There are 3,500 calories in 1 lb. of fat. In order to lose a pound of body fat, a calorie deficit must occur either by the reduction in calories ingested or the increase in calories expended through physical activity. From a weight-loss perspective, to lose 1 lb. of fat in a week, a deficit of 500 calories --- either by food reduction or increased physical activity --- must happen every day. When citing the above caloric expenditures of walking and running on a treadmill, more calories are burned from running on a treadmill, which translates into more body fat burned for the individual over time. When beginning, a treadmill fitness regimen should be initiated with walking at a moderate pace with speed increases as the body physically adapts and conditions to each increase.
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