4 Tips For Effective Treadmill Weight Loss

The following are 4 key factors that will help those looking to lose body fat utilizing a treadmill workout regimen. The treadmill can be a great tool for physical fitness which, if used correctly in conjunction with a good diet, ample rest, and plenty of fluids can produce outstanding results in a very reasonable time frame. The keys to weight loss are not mysterious nor elusive, in fact they are quite the opposite. Healthy weight loss can be achieved by consistently adhering to tried and true principles of exercise and nutrition. The following factors are merely a guide that if followed consistently can greatly increase the chances for good results.

Nutrition

Nutrition is the cornerstone to any weight loss program. In fact, a good diet will account for about 80% of an individual's success or failure when it comes to shedding body fat. The proper foods in the right combinations can make time spent on a treadmill extremely effective by setting up the body hormonally for weight loss. The key to this is to limit complex and simple sugars and to focus on eating lean protein and fibrous fruits and vegetables. Keeping carbohydrate intake to a minimum and increasing lean protein will create an environment that will literally force the body's metabolism into burning fat for fuel. This is because carbohydrate is the primary fuel source for working muscles. The body will always choose to burn carbohydrate over fat because of its ease in making it readily available energy. If a limited amount of carbohydrate is available through proper diet partitioning, the metabolism must increase the consumption of fat stores to meet the fuel demands of any given treadmill workout. By increasing protein intake, the ability to recover from work outs is increased and new muscle tissue may be created that in turn will require more calories and fuel.

Treadmill Workouts

Daily workouts on the treadmill are very strait forward and consist of more coherence than anything else. An individual needs to bring his or her heart rate up to between 55%-80% of it's max and keep it there for at least thirty minutes. Thirty minutes is the absolute the minimum required, but if physical activity is something new to the individual at hand, it would be good to keep it light for a few weeks to condition the body and prepare it for more vigorous activity. Intervals, or small bouts of intense exercise every few minutes during the duration of time on a treadmill can really boost overall calorie consumption. For more advanced users, the incline can be raised to provide greater stress and faster results. The key is to raise the metabolic rate and keep it there for a length of time that really allows the body to dig deep into its fat stores and release energy for fuel. If the diet recommended above is followed, this can make way for a very effective work out routine.

Water

The amount of water in an individual's system can have dramatic effects on it's ability to metabolize and burn body fat. Water is needed for nearly every single bodily function and weight loss is no different. Water helps shuttle fat from stores on the body to hard working muscle cells and also aides in the transportation of oxygen from the lungs. Water even works as an appetite suppressant that can help avoid overeating at a meal. Simply drink 8-12 onces before sitting down to eat and the amount of food consumed can often be cut in half. Don't overlook this vital nutrient in your weight loss program. Also, drinking more water helps to reduce water retention by stimulating the kidneys. Numerous studies have shown that if an individual is overweight, they should add at least 1 glass of water to their daily intake for every 25 pounds over their recommended size.

Sleep

Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can actually inhibit the body's ability to burn fat. The reason this happens is because sleep deprivation can lead to a hormonal imbalance which may throw the metabolism out of whack. As a result, fat burning is greatly diminished and work outs become far less effective and can make results far harder and longer to achieve. If an individual is going to take the time and energy to work out and eat correctly on a regular basis than he or she should strive to get the most out of each exercise session by getting plenty of sleep. 8 hours a night is the recommended amount of sleep by most experts. In recent years however, that number has been reduced somewhat and now many are stating that between 6-8 hours is plenty. Whatever the case may be, make sure to get plenty of rest during any physical fitness program.

So there you have it. Four tips, that if followed correctly will help aide in fat loss. Always consult your physician before beginning strenuous physical fitness program and always be sure to build up your time on the treadmill.

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3 Fat-Burning Interval Workouts Without a Treadmill

Perhaps you are tired of your treadmill routine, or perhaps your knees, ankles and hips just need a break from the pounding. I've heard some trainers say that you can't use running to get into shape, because you need to be in shape to run. It made sense to me considering the crazy amounts of force and stress running puts on your joints. If you are carrying extra weight you are just adding to the problem. Doubly so if you are running with poor technique.. yes there is technique to running. Anyway, here are 4 alternatives to the treadmill that will still give you a fat-burning and exciting interval workout.

1. Switch Machines

If you are in a gym try switching to a different machine for a while.... like a stationary (but not a recumbant) bike. Bikes are actually easier to change speeds on than treadmills and don't involve any tricky jumping on and off. Also the tread of a treadmill guarantees you will work at a certain pace (or fall off). Without that on a bike, you are forced to push yourself to keep pace... most relatively recent bikes will have an RPM monitor so you can see your speed.

Or you could try my personal favorite machine: the erg rower. This one will hit the posterior chain much harder than a bike or a treadmill so go easy on your first day or you risk having very sore hamstrings the next. You also get a nice pulling action for more upper body integration than the other machines. Rowers might show your RPM, but it will spike when you pull and drop when you are recovering, so I find it easiest to count the number of strokes. Sprint your first interval and then knock a stroke off to find a decent target for your remaining intervals.

2. Get Off the Machines

If you have one at your gym a punching bag is about the most fun you can have for a cardio workout. If you've never taken a martial arts course, or a kickboxing class... well its not that important here. The priority is cardio! And nothing gets your heart rate up like wailing on a punching bag for 30-60 seconds. If you follow these 3 quick tips you should ensure some injury-free cardio time. 1. Wear bag gloves. These are not the big heavy gloves that boxers use, but rather thin leather gloves that protect the skin on your knuckles. 2. Keep your wrists straight. I've seen alot of former teammates try to punch with crooked wrists. If you punch hard enough that can be dangerous. Close your hand into a fist and keep it there like an extension of your forearm. True purists would say you should keep your fist loose until the actual strike to conserve energy. But we're not in a fight here, we just want to burn some calories (and take out a little aggression too). 3. Land punches with the first 2 knuckles of your fist. Those are the ones that line up straight with your forearm. Landing powerful punches with the other knuckles (ring and pinky fingers) can result in a classic boxer's fracture...though probably not very likely with gloves on and hitting a bag.

If you don't have a bag hanging up or standing up somewhere, then do some interval swings or snatches with a kettlebell. You can use a dumbbell in a pinch, but stick more to swings if you do since the handles aren't smooth like on a kettlebell.

3. No Equipment at All? No Problem.

Try Bodyweight-only Exercises. For instance, do as many bodyweight squats as you can for 20 seconds and then hold the bottom position for 10 seconds. Rest 30 seconds and repeat. 8 rounds of that is only an 8 minute workout that will have you burning.

Or if you are really adventurous (and already in good shape) you can try some squat thrusts or burpees. Starting standing up, you squat down until your hands touch the ground. Then kick your feet out behind you into a pushup position. For a burpee throw in a pushup, otherwise imediately jump your feet back up to your hands (resume the squating position). Then squat yourself back up to a standing position for a squat thrust or jump into the air for a burpee and repeat. Fair warning, you can do these anywhere and at any time, but these are possibly some of the most difficult cardio exercises you can find!

Alright, so those are just a few of the countless ways in which you can change up your interval training to keep burning fat and spend less time in the gym than with traditional cardio.

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A Manual Treadmill, a Watch, and a Pulse a Cardio Fitness Program Make

You want to start an effective cardiovascular fitness program but you are put off by the high cost of personal trainers, club memberships, and fancy exercise equipment. You could always get a pair of properly fitted running shoes and hit the pavement, but that is impractical for many.

Even if cost were not a concern there are always the questions about how much and how hard you have to workout to get a positive training effect. Complicate your training effect questions with your desire to sensibly lose 20 or 30 pounds in a reasonable amount of time, and your fitness and weight loss program becomes either expensive or hit and miss. There is nothing more discouraging to continuing a fitness program than doing the work and not getting the result.

Here is a specific plan for an effective cardio fitness and weight loss program that will cost you from nothing to a couple hundred dollars, and that provides you with the specific information you need you know about "how much" and "how hard."

The plan includes a manual treadmill that sells new for between $100 and $200. I assume you have a watch or a clock with a second hand, so if you want to go for a no cost program you can dump the manual treadmill and substitute running in place, or jumping rope if you want. The equipment is not critical. You exercise your body after all, not the equipment. By the same token if you already have a motorized treadmill that works too.

Your ability to monitor your heart rate is the key to success in cardiovascular training. Your heart before and during exercise will tell you exactly how hard you have to train to get a beneficial training effect. Generally, any activity that works the large muscle groups (legs) continuously for 20 minutes or longer can produce some effect.

But why generalize or guess when you can know for sure what heart rate, within a few beats per minute, you need to maintain during exercise. This specific heart rate is called appropriately your Training Heart Rate (THR), and it varies by age and physical condition.

Here is the quick formula to determine your THR in beats-per-minute. Subtract your age from 220. Call the answer your MHR (maximum heart rate). If you are in excellent physical shape your Training Heart Rate is 90% of your MHR; in good physical shape 80% of MHR; and if in poor shape 70% of your MHR. If you feel any discomfort exercising at 60% of your MHR then stop and go get a complete medically supervised physical exam. Exercising at less than 60% of your MHR would have almost zero cardiovascular training effect anyway so why take the risk.

You can go with an electronic heart rate monitor, or you can take your own pulse to get your heart rate. Do not take your pulse until five minutes after beginning your aerobic exercise. You can put your hand over your heart, or the tips of your fingers on the radial artery, which is on the wrist just above your thumb. Count your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply by six to determine your heart rate in beats-per-minute. You can pick up the pace or slow down to get to your THR. Exercising at more than 90% of THR can be dangerous.

Here is another simple and accurate formula to determine how much exercise you have to do to lose weight. This assumes no change in your normal diet or weekly caloric consumption. 1 pound of fat = 3,500 calories. To burn 2 pounds of fat per week (a realistic and sensible goal) you must burn an above-normal 7,000 calories of energy per week.

Picking up and putting down your feet on the treadmill at about 75 counts per minute burns .078 Calories/Minute/Pound of Body Weight, or more easily remembered, 7.8 calories per minute, or 468 calories per hour, per 100 pounds of body weight.

A 200 pound person would require about 7 1/2 hours per week of exercise that put their feet on the treadmill 75 times per minute. Use this formula to convert for your situation:

(Your Body Weight/100) * 468 * (Steps Per Minute/75) = Calories Per Hour. Divide 7,000 by the Calories Per Hour figure and that is how many hours of exercise per week you must do to lose 2 pounds of body fat.

You can play with the number of hours of exercise per week by changing the steps per minute or by changing your caloric consumption per week. Make sure that you get your heart rate to THR for 20 minutes during three sessions, and you know for a scientific fact that by continuing your program you will accomplish your cardio fitness and weight loss goals.

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