How to Lose Belly Fat on a Treadmill

Having a strategy on a treadmill can make the difference between losing inches of belly fat and just maintaining your weight. An effective approach to losing belly fat on a treadmill primarily rests on your ability to reach your high cardio intensity levels. Alternating between low intensity and high intensity --- known as interval training --- provides your body with top fat-burning potential. As fitness expert John Romaniello says, "High intensity interval training results in greater Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC)." These steps will help you reach your athletic peak and allow you to burn fat in the least amount of time as well as days after the workout.

Instructions

  1. Preparation

    • 1

      Select "manual" on the treadmill panel if that option is available. Do not select the programmed workouts on the panel as you will want to control your time and speed. Most treadmills will go to manual by default once you push "increase" or "decrease" speed. If you are a beginner, be sure the incline level is at 0.0 to avoid strains.

    • 2

      Warm up on the treadmill for a few minutes. This can be a two-minute walk at 3.0 miles per hour and then a one-minute light jog at 5.0 mph. Speed will vary depending on your athletic level. Usually, speeds for low intensity average between 2.5 and 4.0 mph.

    • 3

      Increase the speed of the treadmill so that you are in a full sprint or running as hard as you can. Usually, this can be achieved by a speed between 7.5 and 10.0 mph. Continue this for 60 seconds.

    • 4

      Decrease the speed to a walking pace. Continue this for a minute-and-a-half. This will give your body a quick break.

    • 5

      Increase the speed to do another minute of full sprinting. The speed may remain the same as the first interval; or, if you feel your best effort can handle a slightly faster speed, you can increase it.

    • 6

      Decrease to a walking speed for another minute-and-a-half.

    • 7

      Repeat the intervals until you reach a total time of 20 minutes.

    • 8

      Cool down for a few minutes at walking speed.