Having excess pounds on your body is a major drag when you want to walk around shirtless at the beach or on a hot summer day. A treadmill gives you the ability to sweat and melt fat, provided you have discipline and follow a solid workout plan. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity performed five days a week might be necessary for weight loss. Your best bet is to do interval training. This not only boosts caloric expenditure, but it also improves aerobic capacity.
Warmup
Before you begin doing intervals, spend five minutes doing a light treadmill warmup. This will slowly raise your core body temperature and get blood flowing to your muscles. Start out slow and gradually increase your pace by the five-minute mark.
Intervals
The goal with interval training is to run as fast as you can for a certain amount of time, ease back for a set time, then repeat. As a rule of thumb, follow a 1-to-2 ratio of high to low intensity. For example, run as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then jog lightly for 60. Spend 50 minutes following this pattern and you will have amassed 55 minutes of exercise.
Cooldown
Once you are done with your intervals, spend the last five minutes of your workout doing a light cooldown. This will slowly bring your heart rate back down and get your body more acclimated to pre-exercise oxygen levels. Perform this cooldown the opposite way of your warmup. Start out jogging, then progressively decrease your speed to a slow walk.
Tips About Stretching
Stretching is important before and after you exercise. This helps keep your body limber and reduces the chances of injuries and soreness. Perform dynamic stretches before your workouts and static stretches afterward. Dynamic stretches, which involve movement, acclimate you to exercising motions. Static stretches are held for an extended period of time. Include dynamic stretches like leg swings, high knees, ankle bounces, lateral lunges and alternating toe touches. After your workouts, perform static stretches for your thighs, glutes and calves. A standing quadriceps stretch targets the front of the thigh.
Notes About Incline
The treadmill comes equipped with an incline adjustment. Turning this up will give you a more intense workout and a higher caloric expenditure. Either turn the incline up slightly and keep it there, or alternate between a high incline and no incline with your intervals. As the weeks go by, it is a good idea to gradually increase the incline anyway. This will allow you to continually get into better shape.
General Tips
If you are new to exercise, you might not be able to run fast or use an incline. The most important thing is that you alternate your intensity up and down. Start out at a walking pace and gradually increase your speed and incline. Make sure to use good form when working out on the treadmill. The machine has handrails across the top. Only place your hands on them when stepping onto the belt. While you walk and run, look straight ahead, pump your arms in a steady motion and keep your shoulders back.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity and Public Health Guidelines
- "The New York Times"; A Healthy Mix of Rest and Motion; Peter Jaret; May, 2007
- American Council on Exercise; Is it Better to Stretch Before or After My Workout; Jessica Mathews, MS, E-RYT
- MayoClinic.com; Quadriceps Stretch; Mayo Clinic staff; February, 2011
Member Comments