Successful weight loss results from a disciplined eating plan and focused exercise that creates a caloric deficit. The Bowflex is a strength-training machine known for its versatility. The treadmill remains a gym or home standby, providing you the ability to scorch calories by running indoors. If you are looking to maximize your workout time and burn the most calories to achieve your weight loss goals, which machine should you choose?
Features of a Treadmill
A treadmill provides the means to walk or run indoors on a ramp that can be adjusted to various inclines. Commercial treadmills allow you to go as fast as 15 mph with inclines up to 35 percent. A typical home-based treadmill will not exceed 12 mph and a ramp of 15 percent. Models of treadmills vary in their durability and console reporting features---some offer information on calories burned, pre-programmed routines, pace and miles per hour so you can track your workout progress. Purchase a treadmill for as little as $300, with higher-quality models costing more than $1,000.
Features of a Bowflex
Bowflex boasts a total home gym in one machine with a focus on strength training. Bowflex builds multiple exercises into each version of the machine so you can get a total body workout with one piece of equipment. Popular exercises include bench press, chest flys, leg curls and extensions, bicep curls and lat pull-downs. Bowflex models run from around $800 to more than $2,000, making them a financial commitment. Some models include a rowing machine that adds a cardio component---but you can probably get better cardio elsewhere. The quality of the strength training components are quite high, and the Bowflex comes with an extensive exercise guide explaining how to use it.
Potential
For weight loss to occur, you need to burn off more calories than you consume. The amount of calories you actually burn during exercise depends on a number of factors: the intensity of your workout, your size and your efficiency level. A general strength-training session, performed on the Bowflex, burns approximately 120 calories in a half hour for a 150-lb. woman. Make that session extra vigorous, with exercises performed in concession and no breaks between sets, and you might up that burn to about 200 calories in a half hour. A run at 6 mph on a flat treadmill for a 150-lb. woman burns about 350 calories in a half hour. If you amp up the incline or the speed, expect to burn even more.
Considerations
You can only strength train a few times per week for, as the American College of Sports Medicine notes, you need time (at least one day) to rest between sessions so your muscles can properly repair and grow. This limits the amount of calorie burning time you can spend on a Bowflex. A workout on the treadmill my be performed every day, as long as you vary the intensity. A treadmill does require a build-up period, however. If you are new to running, you should begin walking with short spurts of running to prevent injury---this burns fewer calories than a steady run.
Verdict
For straight calorie burn, a treadmill definitely beats out the Bowflex. But the Bowflex offers a lot of value in terms of strength training and muscle growth. Building lean muscle mass increases your metabolism and improves your overall appearance. If possible, include both modalities into your workout routine for the best results for weight loss.
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