Lose 10 lbs With a Treadmill Workout

The treadmill is one of the most popular pieces of cardio equipment available in the gym for good reason---it works. Treadmills allow for a variety of different workouts for individuals of all fitness levels. They also allow you to keep your exercise regime on track during poor weather conditions. It seems like nearly everyone is struggling to lose that last 10 pounds, and treadmill workouts provide an excellent way to accomplish this goal. Here are three different approaches to shedding weight with the help of our old cardio favorite.

  1. Fasted Cardio

    • In his program "100 Workouts From Ripped City," Dr. Lonnie Lowery proposes a unique way to shed fat while using steady-state cardio on a treadmill. His program recommends 60 to 75 minutes of low-intensity (no greater than 65 percent to 70 percent of max heart rate) treadmill walking performed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. His research indicates that the body is more likely to mobilize and burn fat stores following a prolonged fast of at least six hours, making the period immediately after waking the ideal time to shed those unwanted pounds. Another general rule is to have no more than two "off" days separating any of your morning sessions. This will keep you consistent and well on your way to impressing your family, friends and acquaintances with the new you.

    Interval Training

    • Yet another alternative for those looking to shed weight on the treadmill is the inclusion of interval training. Interval training can be stressful on the joints, so it is not for those who have large amounts of weight to lose or those with pre-existing joint conditions. Interval training is performed by performing a period of low-intensity cardio followed by a shorter period of high-intensity work. By constantly alternating from one to the other, you keep the body guessing, burn more calories in the same amount of time (as opposed to traditional steady-state cardio) and rev up your metabolism. A sample interval workout would consist of:

      2 minutes at a 3 mph pace, followed by
      30 seconds at an 8 mph pace

      The pace for the high-intensity sprint is not set in stone, but you should choose a reasonably challenging speed that gets your heart pounding. Repeat the process for a total of eight to 10 intervals, and try to perform this workout at least three times a week.

    12-Week Treadmill Workouts

    • A final alternative for treadmill-savvy dieters is performing a custom program, like the 12-week program available from Prevention.com. This is a three-month program that is designed to challenge your body in a number of different ways by utilizing a variety of techniques, such as regular walking, walking in conjunction with upper-body movements, intervals on an incline, and many others. The advantage to this kind of program is that it can alleviate the monotony of plain old vanilla walking routines. One of the keys to sticking with an exercise program is to make it entertaining and enjoyable, and this program will certainly suffice.