Walking is one of the simplest, most effective ways to lose weight and improve your health, especially for those getting back into regular fitness or carrying extra weight. Walking on the treadmill, at the gym or at home can boost motivation and improve your confidence towards weight loss.
If you want to get fit and lose weight, investing in a treadmill is a great place to start. There is no need to venture outside, making it an excellent option for people who live in colder areas, and you can accurately track your progress, such as time and calories burned. So, how long do you have to walk on a treadmill to start losing weight?
On average, to lose weight walking on the treadmill, you should aim to walk approximately 45-60 minutes every day at a speed of 3.5mph, which is a brisk walk. You will burn around 300 calories each day, resulting in approximately 0.5 pounds of weight loss each week.
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How Much Walking To Lose Weight?
Your results will vary depending on your current weight, fitness levels, and daily calorie intake. However, most people should burn around 200-300 calories walking on a treadmill (find out the exact numbers and statistics) at a brisk pace for about 60 minutes. A brisk walking pace is 3.5mph (5.6km) and will feel fast, but you shouldn’t be jogging or running.
If you’re getting back into regular exercise, you can notice more calories burned during the first few weeks as your body adapts to the walking. It’s essential to take advantage of this because you will lose the most amount of weight during this period. As your body becomes fitter and adjusts to walking, weight loss will eventually slow down.
At this point, you need to either increase the time you are walking to 60-90 minutes, walk at a faster pace 4 mph (6.4km) or add incline to your treadmill. (want to know the advantages of using incline? Read this article). These modifications will make it more challenging for your body, and you will continue to burn calories.
How Much Weight Can You Lose in 12 Weeks Walking on a Treadmill?
For weight loss to occur, you need to make walking a daily habit. If you can commit to walking every day for 60 minutes for 12 weeks, you could expect to lose 7-8 pounds (3-3.5kg) of weight. The longer you can walk, the more weight you can lose.
If you double that to 24 weeks, you can lose 14-16 pounds (6-6.5kg) which is a significant amount of weight loss. These numbers can be achieved without having to diet, but it’s crucial only to eat enough calories to maintain your body weight. If you overeat, you won’t lose any weight because you’re not creating a calorie deficit.
You can easily monitor your calories burned using the calories counter on your treadmill. So, if you have more energy one day, you could increase the speed or incline, and when you reach 300 calories, you can stop. But before you use the calorie counter on your treadmill, read this post because it explains how accurate they are.
How Long Should I Walk on the Treadmill to Lose Belly Fat?
To lose 1 pound of belly fat, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3500 calories weekly. Therefore, if you want to lose belly fat by walking on the treadmill, you will need to walk for 1 hour 30 minutes every day, burning 500 calories. This can be split into two 45 minute sessions or three 30 minutes sessions if you are new to exercise.
Belly fat is one of the most prominent signs that you are overweight, and for the majority of people, especially as we get older, this is one of the first places that excess fat will show. Although walking on a treadmill will not directly target your belly fat, general exercise will help you lose fat all over, which will help reduce your belly fat. Another consideration is to use a weighted vest when you walk. Here’s my 5 favourite weighted vests that burn more calories.
In addition, if you walk on an incline or engage your core, this can help build muscle and reduce your belly fat even quicker. Everyone will lose fat at different weights as it depends on what you are eating, drinking, any other types of activity and how much you weigh, to begin with. But you can’t specifically target belly fat. Most people hold approximately 50% of their overall fat in the belly.
Suggesting, if you create a calorie deficit through walking and diet, you will lose fat from your belly faster than other areas of your body. Nevertheless, individuals hold belly fat until they lose fat in other areas of their bodies. For example, females will typically lose fat in their bums and thighs before their bellies. But everyone’s body is different. (Want to lose 10 pounds in a month? Here’s 7 tips to get there faster).
Is 30 Minutes a Day Walking on a Treadmill Enough to Lose Weight?
30 minutes of walking every day is a great place to start with your weight loss journey. You can expect to burn between 150-250 calories walking at a moderate pace (3mph) for 30 minutes. You will typically lose around 0.2-0.5 pounds of weight a week walking every day.
Any exercise is better than none, as calories you burn will eventually add up and contribute to overall weight loss. 30 minutes of walking on a treadmill every day is a great place to start, and it can easily be accommodated by walking during your favourite tv program.
In order to lose one pound of body weight every week, 30 minutes fall short of the required amount of calories needed to burn weight this quickly. However, you can always walk around the house or go for a stroll outside in order to make up the remaining minutes. And eat 500 calories less every day, which will contribute to weight loss quicker.
Remember that you can increase the weight you lose by walking on the treadmill by increasing the difficulty. You can do this by increasing the speed (but still keeping it to a walking pace) or upping the incline. These tips will help you make the most out of your 30 minutes on the treadmill and burn as many calories as possible. (What about 45 minutes of walking? Is it enough?)
Can You Lose Weight Just Walking on a Treadmill?
Weight loss is possible by using walking without the need for other exercise or diet. However, it’s important to understand that it will take 12-24 weeks to notice significant weight loss from daily walking on the treadmill.
You can lose weight by walking on a treadmill, but this will only work if you add it to your daily routine without compensating. For example, if you walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill but then eat sweets as a reward, the chances are that you will actually put on weight. So, to lose weight just walking on a treadmill, you will need to add it into your regular routine.
If you combine walking on a treadmill with healthy diet choices, then you will begin to see your progress much quicker than you would just by walking. Exactly how much weight you want to lose and the time frame in which you want to lose it is personal and individual, so you should consult with a doctor if you are unsure or have any health concerns.
The general idea behind walking on a treadmill is that it is an achievable form of exercise for many people, and by burning a few extra calories a day, you can slowly but surely begin to see the progress of your hard work and consistency. It’s the perfect exercise method for those overweight and unfit.
Is Walking Outside or on a Treadmill Better?
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the choice between walking on a treadmill and walking outside. The answer to this will depend entirely on you. For example, if you live in a moderate climate and enjoy nature, then walking outside may be the better option for you as you can get fresh air, enjoy the scenery, and you are likely to take long walks.
However, if you live in a particularly hot or cold place and do not have time during daylight hours to go for a walk or even want to distract yourself with the television, then a treadmill is the best option. You can have the freedom of walking at any time of the day in a comfortable environment.
Additionally, walking on a treadmill will provide you with a smooth and restricted walking area if you have any injuries. Walking outside can have uneven terrain and even obstacles such as roads and other people if you live in a busy area. A treadmill is more manageable to keep the correct speed, incline and you can calculate your calories burned a lot easier than outdoors.
