Does treadmill help you lose weight? full guide with tips

Walking or running on a treadmill is a type of cardiovascular exercise that can help you improve your heart health, endurance, and mental well-being. But can walking on treadmill help lose weight? The answer is “yes.”

Walking on a treadmill can burn around 260 calories/hour, whereas running can burn as many as 680 calories/hour. The specific amount of calories that you burn depends on a number of factors, including exercise intensiveness, your weight, age, and others. In any case, such exercise can help you enhance your energy expenditure. However, in order to make it work for weight loss, you should also ensure that you consume fewer calories than you spend. Otherwise, your weight will not change.

If you are attempting to lose weight, it’s natural to have a variety of questions concerning your path and the effectiveness of different approaches. Given the widespread and acute nature of the problem of weight loss, it’s clear that there is no one-size-fits-all tactic that actually works. And even though the formula of weight loss is well-known to everyone–eat fewer calories and work out to spend more calories–you still have to decide which kind of diet and exercise will suit you best. Cardio in various forms, such as with a treadmill, tends to be a popular choice. But does treadmill help you lose weight? And how to use this type of exercise for maximum benefit?

Let’s figure it out!

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Understanding the Weight Loss Struggle

Before we answer the question–will walking on a treadmill help lose weight, let’s first delve into the problem deeper.

Weight loss has always been one of the pressing challenges for people across the world. A 2022-year survey by the European Association for the Study of Obesity found that as many as 79% of respondents have tried to lose weight in the past year, indicating a high prominence of this issue. But why are so many people interested in losing weight? And why do they struggle in the process?

The answer to the first question is rather individual. Different people may have different motivations to lose weight. However, in most cases, it’s either linked to one’s own body image or health reasons.

As for the challenges associated with weight loss, they include the following:

• A lack of understanding of the weight loss mechanism.
• Motivation and consistency challenges.
• Incorrect approach to nutrition and/or exercise.
• Certain health conditions, such as PCOS, that can complicate weight loss.
• And many others.

Also, let’s not forget about individual factors, such as genetics, natural body composition and fat storage patterns, lifestyle, and others. Depending on the specific challenge that you are facing, you may want to choose different weight management tactics. Yet, the overall mechanism remains unchanged.

The Science of Weight Loss

So, can walking on a treadmill help lose weight? Answering this question requires first sorting out the basic concept of weight loss. In a nutshell, the entire weight management process is regulated by a single feature in your body, called metabolism. It’s responsible for converting calories you consume with food into energy your body needs to ensure the work of all its organs and systems and handle your daily activity.

Here’s how metabolism affects your weight:

• When you consume and spend about the same amount of calories every day, your weight stays still.
• When you consume more energy than you spend, for example, due to office work and a lack of basic daily activity, your weight goes up because your body decides to store unused energy for later.
• When you spend more calories than consume, you start losing weight because your body starts using its own stores to make up for a lack of fuel.

So, does the treadmill help you lose weight? Following the logic of your metabolism’s work, the short answer is “yes,” exercising on a treadmill can help you lose weight just like any other physical activity. But there are some nuances worth keeping in mind.

How Does a Treadmill Help You Lose Weight? The Power of Cardio

So, can a treadmill help you lose weight? Yes, it can. A treadmill is a cardio machine. Using it, you are engaging in cardiovascular exercise–a form of physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rate, as a result, strengthening your heart, lungs, and circulatory system.

In terms of weight loss, cardio exercise is considered the most effective for fat-burning. It’s effective because of a connection between your heart rate and calorie expenditure–the faster your heart beats, the more calories and fat you burn. Aerobic exercise is considered the highest-intensity form of activity. When you engage in it, you are using about 70% to 80% of your maximum heart rate, at which 45% of the calories you burn are fat. Respectively, using a treadmill can actually help you lose weight by burning calories and fat. However, the amount of calories you spend depends on how you use this device.

Does Walking on a Treadmill Help You Lose Weight?

As you probably know, this machine can be used for walking or running, which are two different forms of aerobic exercise with different calorie expenditure.

So, does walking on treadmill help lose weight? Yes, it will. Given that you weigh around 150 pounds, walking on a treadmill at a brisk pace (3.5 mph) and with a 0% incline will let you burn around 260 calories per hour.

Does running on a treadmill help lose weight?

Compared to walking, running is a more intensive type of cardio exercise. Respectively, it can increase your heart rate more than walking and hence, burn more calories and fat.

So, how effectively does running on the treadmill help lose weight? Given the same body weight, running on a treadmill at a 10-minute/mile pace (6 mph) and with a 0% incline can let you burn around 680 calories per hour.

Other Factors Affecting the Effectiveness of Weight Loss With a Treadmill

If you have been wondering: “Will a treadmill help me lose weight,” now, you know that the overall calorie expenditure depends on whether you are walking or running. Additionally, there are the following factors that also affect how much fat you can burn:

• Body weight - When you walk or run on a treadmill, your body makes an effort to move your body across a mile and spends calories. When your weight is higher, it needs more effort and more calories to do it. Respectively, people who have an overall higher body mass index or more muscle tend to burn more calories.
• Sex - There is a common belief that males burn more calories both at rest and during exercise than females. This phenomenon can be explained by the difference in body composition and the fact that men typically carry more muscle and weight. Hence, your sex is one more thing worth considering when looking for an answer to the question: “Can treadmill help lose weight.”
• Age - With age your metabolic rate starts decreasing, making it harder to lose weight. So if you are wondering: “Will treadmill help lose weight for 40+ women and 20-year-olds with the same efficiency,” the answer is “no.” Age should be considered an important factor when calculating your calorie expenditure.‍
• Type of treadmill - Although they are more advanced, motorized treadmills reduce energy expenditure because of their smooth surfaces and moving belts. So if you are wondering: “Will walking on the treadmill help lose weight,” you may want to compensate for a lower intensity by choosing a manual treadmill.‍
• Speed and incline - Finally, the settings on your treadmill can also affect the efficiency of exercise. Higher speed lets you burn more calories due to increasing intensity. A higher incline can also intensify your exercise, depending on the percentage of incline you can burn 3 to 5 extra calories per minute.

Does a Treadmill Help Lose Weight on Its Own?

For everyone who has ever wondered: “Will a treadmill help you lose weight”, now, you know that this type of physical activity can indeed aid in the weight loss process. In fact, any type of physical activity will. However, only if you are in a calorie deficit and your body is forced to burn fat to fuel itself.

Now that you know the mechanics of weight loss, it brings us to another big question. So, does walking on the treadmill help lose weight on its own? And if we put it like that, the answer is not so unambiguous. The truth is that walking or running on a treadmill will help you increase your energy expenditure beyond your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This means that you will be able to consume more calories per day and still remain within the deficit needed to lose weight.

Then, why is it possible that you exercise on a treadmill but don’t drop extra pounds? - Because it will not work if you consume more calories than you spend. When there is no calorie deficit or if you miscalculate the amount of calories you receive with food and drinks, then you may not see any changes in your weight, despite regular workouts.

Here are some simple tips to make the most out of your approach:

• Set an adequate calorie deficit (ideally, between 10% and 25%).
• Carefully monitor how many calories you spend every day.
• Correctly calculate the calories you consume with food and drink to stay in your deficit.
• Combine cardio on a treadmill with strength training so that you don’t lose muscles along with fat.

Does Treadmill Help Lose Weight Better Than Walking or Running Outside?

Before buying a treadmill or going to the gym, many people also try to compare whether it will be more effective than outside exercises. So if you are wondering “Does walking treadmill help lose weight better than walking outside,” you are not alone there.

So, does walking the treadmill help lose weight better than outside walks or runs? Research has found that walking or running outside is actually more energy-consuming. You spend more calories outside because it typically implies dealing with different types of surfaces, going up and down, facilitating balance, and overcoming additional hurdles. At the same time, walking outside typically engages more muscles, which also means higher intensity.

On the other hand, a treadmill can also give you some benefits. Namely, it allows you to have more control over your workout and exercise regardless of the weather. So if you are wondering: “Does walking on a treadmill help lose weight faster or more efficiently,” there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Going outside may help you burn more calories. However, exercises on a treadmill are easier to sustain in the long run.

Does Walking on the Treadmill Help You Lose Weight? Exploring the Benefits Beyond Fat-Burning

As you now know, exercises with a treadmill can indeed help you drop unwanted weight if you take the right approach. However, there are also a few added benefits that go beyond weight loss and that you need to know about.

To be more specific, walking or running on a treadmill can help you:

• Create a consistent training routine that doesn't depend on external factors, such as weather.
• Gain more control over your workouts- with a treadmill you can adjust the incline and speed to reach the needed intensity in a safe environment.
• Regular treadmill cardio will help you improve your cardiovascular health and endurance.
• Walking on a treadmill (low-intensity) is a safer alternative to outdoor running in terms of joint impact.
• Just like other forms of physical activity, exercising on a treadmill can greatly improve your mental well-being by releasing endorphins and reducing stress.

FAQ

Will a treadmill help lose weight if I don’t change my diet?

In order to facilitate the weight loss process, your body needs to receive fewer calories than it spends. When this happens, your metabolism will start using existing stores of fat to make up for the deficit you create. That is, if you are wondering “Will walking on treadmill help lose weight if I don’t reduce the number of calories that I eat,” the answer is “no.” You need a deficit to start losing weight. Thus, you need to monitor your daily expenditure and adjust your diet accordingly.

Will walking on a treadmill help me lose weight?

Walking on a treadmill can burn about 260 calories per hour. So, if you are wondering: “Can walking on the treadmill help lose weight,” the answer is “yes.” Walking on a treadmill is also an aerobic exercise that lets you burn calories and fat. However, it’s not the highest-intensity treadmill workout.

Can running on a treadmill help lose weight faster compared to walking?

Generally, yes. Running on a treadmill can burn around 680 calories per hour, which is more than twice higher compared to the amount of calories you burn while walking. Combined with a proper diet, such an exercise can help you create the calorie deficit you need to lose weight.

Can treadmill help you lose weight more efficiently than walking or running outside?

Not necessarily. Treadmill help you lose weight by burning calories. Walking or running outside also burns calories, in fact, more than when you go on a treadmill. On the other hand, exercising indoors makes it easier to fit into your daily life, especially under unpleasant weather conditions, which makes it easier to sustain.

Conclusion

When attempting to lose weight, many people run into a range of challenges, including the misunderstanding of basic weight-loss concepts. That’s where questions like “Does using the treadmill help lose weight,” arise from. When you lack understanding of the basic principles of a calorie deficit and exercise, you can make numerous mistakes that can hinder your progress. Luckily, you can also make up for a lack of knowledge by educating yourself.

So, does going on the treadmill help lose weight? As you now know, it can. Walking or running on a treadmill is a good form of cardio exercise that can let you increase your calorie expenditure and drop some pounds. However, only if you are in a deficit. Use this guide and the tips we shared here to make the most out of your workouts and achieve your body goals!

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