Many people use treadmills because they want to lose weight or improve their fitness levels. Yet some people use treadmills every day and still can’t seem to lose weight. They are either not eating right, not exercising long enough or not exercising properly. Using a treadmill to lose weight is discouraging if you don’t see positive results, but certain techniques can help you lose weight faster while keeping you motivated to keep exercising.
Listen to Music
Hopping on the treadmill and walking or jogging without music can burn calories, but it isn’t the best strategy for weight loss. Listening to music while working out increases motivation and even increases exercise intensity. Scientists at Urmia University in Iran reported that people who listen to music while they exercise enjoy the exercise more and can work out for longer periods without getting tired. According to the scientists, music also can drive people to work out at higher intensities so they burn more calories and lose weight faster. Find an upbeat style of music that makes you want to move your body and makes you feel good while working out.
Alternate Intensities
Alternating intensities is another way to burn more fat and lose weight quicker on the treadmill. The “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” reported that women who exercise at varying intensities burn more fat and spare more muscle mass than those who exercise at a steady pace. To lose weight on a treadmill, sprint for 30 to 60 seconds between 2-minute, moderate-intensity bouts of walking or slow jogging, alternating the pace for an extended workout, such as 30 minutes or an hour.
Use Free Weights
Instead of holding the rails of a treadmill while walking or jogging, carrying light weights can help you lose more weight. The Mayo Clinic explains that strength training, whether it is done with machines or free weights, adds muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat throughout the day. Arm exercises, such as biceps curls, triceps presses and shoulder presses, done with light weights while walking on a treadmill can help you burn off fat quicker.
About this Author
Sarah Davis earned her bachelor’s degree in nutrition from San Diego State University. She has worked in nutrition in the clinical setting and currently works as a licensed Realtor in California. Davis began writing about nutrition in 2006 and had two chapters published in “The Grocery Store Diet” book in 2009. She enjoys writing about nutrition and real estate and managing her website, RealtorSD.com.
