No matter what anyone says about the benefits of diets for weight loss, the basis of exercise is always physical activity. In this case, the emphasis should be placed not on strength exercises, but on running on a treadmill for weight loss. Today, a treadmill and a long walk are the basis for an ideal figure. It’s not for nothing that professional athletes use it.
Cardio Basics
The most effective cardio workout for weight loss is running on a treadmill, since weight loss is based on a calorie deficit. This can be achieved in several ways:
- Reducing caloric intake. All weight loss diets are based on this principle.
- Increasing the number of meals. In this case, the body begins to produce energy more efficiently, accelerating metabolism.
- Increasing loads. Due to any muscle activity, the same deficit is created.
Still, let's focus on the basic principles. To increase the effectiveness of exercise in losing weight, you need to adhere to a certain heart rate. How to calculate it? Everything is very simple. We take the maximum heart rate (220), subtract age from it and make an adjustment for the gender of the student (+5 beats for men, -5 beats for women). This is the maximum allowable heart rate. Fat burning (the process when the body begins to burn triglycerides for energy) occurs when the heart rate is within 65-75% of the maximum. That is, we will carry out simple calculations.
Example: for a 30-year-old woman weighing 70 kilograms. The optimal heart rate will be (220-30-5)*0.65; (220-30-5)*0.75. that is, it will fluctuate between 125-135 beats per minute. In this case, every hour of running can burn up to 5 kilocalories per kilogram of body. That is, about 300 kilocalories.
Why 300 and not 350? Everything is very simple. When calculating weight, the total weight is not used, but the fat mass is subtracted. That is, we believe that 10 kilograms is excess weight that needs to be lost.
How effective is a treadmill in losing weight?
Before starting training, most people are interested in how long to run on a treadmill in order to lose weight and achieve the maximum effect from exercise.
Trainers emphasize that each person burns calories at an individual pace. This indicator is influenced by body weight, level of physical fitness, duration and regularity of training, and nutritional pattern.
Most exercise machines have a calorie counter, but you shouldn’t trust it completely. The device produces an average indicator, especially for the first 10 minutes of training. At this time, the human body does not have time to use fat reserves, but only uses glycogen and glucose.
A treadmill is effective for weight loss if exercise is regular and lasts at least 30-40 minutes.
Running and figure
When trying to burn extra pounds by cutting back on food, you need to take into account many points that are often taken into account incorrectly in classic diets. This is why running on a treadmill is better for weight loss than crash diets. These points that are important to pay attention to when trying to lose weight are listed below:
- combination of proteins and carbohydrates;
- presence of omega 3 fats;
- correct calorie calculation;
- consumption of fiber and vitamins;
- distinguish carbohydrates based on the rate of absorption and glycemic load.
And even in this case, the body, most likely, will first begin to burn not fat cells at all, but protein cells. Which will lead to:
- deterioration of the condition of the skin and hair - split ends, the skin looks flabby;
- deterioration of the condition of joints and ligaments - they simply dry out, which increases the risk of injury;
- reduction in muscle volume - instead of an elastic butt and chest, you will have saggy legs and arms. And the “orange peel” will not disappear anywhere.
What happens during physical activity? Particularly when running. At first, until the body is accustomed to constant cardio loads, resources are optimized. Building heart and leg muscles. Due to this, the protein component increases. Therefore, after the first week, the weight may increase by 200-400 grams. After this, glycogen begins to be stored in the muscles (another +0.5-1 kg of weight). At the same time, the main working muscles, calves and buttocks will be visually tightened in the figure. As a result, after a week of running, and even in combination with the gym, the weight, instead of falling, will begin to grow. Because of this, many, afraid of “Oshvartsenegirization,” will abandon this matter (we are talking exclusively about ladies).
After this, when the main systems of the body are ready, fat burning will begin, the calculation of which was carried out earlier. Further, by creating a moderate calorie deficit (no more than 10% of the norm), you can lose 50-80 grams of fat tissue every day. And this is up to 3 kilograms per month.
Naturally, if we take pure weight loss, then we can add those kilograms that will go away with:
- reducing the amount of salts;
- decrease in water in the epidermis;
- reducing slagging (due to increased metabolism).
But most importantly, a woman will be able to maintain her figure, and in many places even tighten it.
By correctly combining a balanced diet, heavy anaerobic exercise and treadmill running, you can speed up your weight loss results by 2-3 times.
How to practice?
To begin with, it is worth telling dieters the following: of course, in the short term, diets will give a greater effect. But, most likely, the weight will return immediately with the end of it, and it will return in the reverse order, first fat, then proteins. But still, running on a treadmill gives great results for losing weight. Globally, there are two main techniques for exercising on the treadmill:
- prolonged running;
- interval loads.
Everything is clear about the principle of prolonged running (with heart rate counting and duration with correct calculation of calories). It is enough to choose a suitable exercise (walking, running, bending walking) and maintain a suitable pace.
As for running on a treadmill for speed, everything here works according to similar principles. The main difference is the presence of an intensive (sprint phase) and a rest phase.
The sprint phase is running at the highest possible speed up to 300 meters. In this case, you need to monitor your pulse so that it does not exceed the maximum allowable level (so as not to harm the heart muscle), which usually takes up to 120 seconds.
The rest phase is the time required to restore muscle function. It is at this time that the body begins to actively burn fatty tissue and fluid in order to produce the necessary energy for the next phase. The approximate speed should be such that the heart rate does not exceed 55% of the maximum allowable (80-90). The rest phase should last approximately 300-500 seconds.
In one approach you need to use up to 5 circles of interval loads.
But what should you use for weight loss?
Walking
The first exercise on the treadmill is, oddly enough, race walking. Even with it you can develop a suitable pulse, but:
- the load on the joints is significantly lower;
- the maximum intensity for a trained body is limited;
- it takes more time to accelerate and decelerate the heart muscle.
Who is it for? Mainly for beginner athletes and obese people.
How to walk correctly?
- set a suitable speed on the track (5-8 km per hour);
- set a positive tilt angle (up to 5 degrees);
- walk, maintaining the pace - for 40-60 minutes.
That's the whole secret.
Walking can be used:
- as a warm-up before interval running;
- as a calorie burner for people for whom such a load will allow their heart rate to increase;
- as a general warm-up before training.
Run
Running on a treadmill is the perfect exercise for beginners. It combines:
- possibility of controlled high-intensity load;
- easy monitoring of heart rate;
- simplicity in the running technique;
- development of quadriceps, thigh, gluteal and calf muscles.
The running technique is extremely simple:
- set a suitable speed on the track (8+ km per hour);
- set a positive tilt angle (up to 5 degrees);
- run, maintaining the pace - for 60-120 minutes.
Why over 60 minutes? Even with a correctly selected heart rate, intense fat burning begins only after the 40th minute of training. Why? Because before this, the body, in conditions of sufficient oxygen, burns glycogen located in the muscles. But there is no need to worry as glycogen stores are restored within 48 hours after exercise. This is why running is prescribed at the end of strength training.
Walking with an incline
Incline walking, like incline running, allows you to combine the benefits of aerobic exercise with anaerobic exercise. Due to the large inclination (up to 30 degrees), the load on the carp and calf muscles increases significantly. Plus, it's comparable to running uphill. Designed for experienced athletes who do not want or cannot increase their running speed, but at the same time, their heart muscle is so trained that standard running does not allow it to accelerate to the required 120-130 beats.
Increases stress on joints. Not recommended for athletes weighing over 95 kilograms.
Pros and cons of training on a treadmill
pros
- You can run all year round in any weather
- Always good coverage without ice, snow and dirt
- Clear training planning by pace and distance
- No need to think about how to take a drink while running
- You can set any terrain, even run 10 km uphill
- Convenient for beginners to control speed and load
- For light workouts, you can watch videos or listen to podcasts
Minuses
- Psychological stress – it’s hard to run for 1-2 hours and look at the wall
- Stuffy and hot
It's nice to run in a well-ventilated area, and you can use a fan to improve air circulation. If you don’t want to watch videos on YouTube during a workout, place the treadmill with a view out the window.
In addition to podcasts, music and TV shows, you can use running apps to add variety to your workouts. The most popular of these apps is Zwift. Popular with cyclists, but you can also run in it. The app features runners from all over the world, and you can compete with them in real time. There are individual training plans for different goals. The application is paid, but for full use it requires a footpod - a sensor that is attached to sneakers.
For free apps with training plans for the treadmill, we recommend Nike+ Run Club. Additionally, many treadmills have built-in workout programs.
Harm and contraindications
Unfortunately, such an intense exercise as running has its negative sides. Firstly, it puts a lot of stress on the joints, which increases with weight. That is why it is contraindicated for athletes weighing over 80 kilograms, since there is a risk of abrasion of joints into powder, which reduces the effectiveness of running for weight loss to zero. In addition, many do not take into account the need to use a heart rate monitor, focusing on their own feelings. This is very dangerous, especially when using interval training.
When working in maximum mode, there is a high risk of exceeding the maximum permissible heart rate. What does this mean? In this case, the harm from running on a treadmill far outweighs the benefits. The heart receives microtraumas, like any other muscle. But, unlike other muscles, such injuries are not overgrown with muscle tissue capable of contraction, but with connective tissue. This leads to an increase in heart mass and weakening of muscle contractions. That is, the heart becomes larger, but its useful volume decreases. In addition, when it contracts, it must pump blood into the damaged areas, which complicates its functioning.
Treadmill to replace outdoor workouts
Many professional runners train on treadmills. As a rule, these are residents of regions with harsh climates. The treadmill is used by trail runners Dmitry and Ekaterina Mityaev. In winter, Dmitry can run about 150-200 km a week on the track with an altitude gain of 7-12 thousand meters and be ready for competitions. While in quarantine, Dmitry and Ekaterina conduct full training on a bicycle station and treadmill.
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My training process now looks like this! Now it's important for everyone to stay at home
