Thoughts on treadmill and weight loss?

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fannytoot
fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on using a treadmill to help lose weight and tone up a bit ..? I use mine everyday for 45 minutes 20 jogging and the rest a mix of sprinting fast slow and on incline...did anyone get good results using theirs and how long did it take to see a difference in your body ..I also follow this with a low fat diet ..

Replies

  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
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    Honestly, running has not helped me lose weight at all. In fact, I've pretty much stalled in my weight loss since I started running. It makes me hungry, and I tend to eat more than I've burnt! I still run, because I enjoy it. I don't run for weight loss, I run to unwind and keep fit.

    Your weight loss will come from a calorie deficit. As long as you are eating at a deficit you will lose weight, regardless of whether or not you run.

    Just remember, running does not burn as many calories as people think. At most its about 100 calories per mile.

    Also, running will not 'tone' you. It might help retain your calf muscles, but again, you need to lose body fat to 'tone' and if you want to 'tone' anything above the hips you'll need a progressive lifting programme.
  • caimay175
    caimay175 Posts: 42
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    Running makes me drop weight fast. Just 30 minutes 3 - 4 times a week is enough to do it. That said, I f***ing hate it. I only do it when I have to drop a few quite quickly - for rehearsals, a music video, and so on, and when I need to get my fitness level up.

    Personally I don't think it's superior than any other form of cardio, but for me because I'm dancing sometimes 3 hours a day, my body is used to it. Running 'shocks' it, I'm sure!

    What I will say, though, is that I've had much more success on a higher fat diet. Low fat sucks.
  • chadya07
    chadya07 Posts: 627 Member
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    it has helped me lately, but only after i started taking it seriously.... long runs and increasing speed. i run continuously. at first i did whatever felt easiest... like when i got tired i would stop and walk a lot. i run through the tired now. try to keep my heart rate up. run a little faster each week. next week i start increasing incline too while i run. one of the trainers told me an incline of 2.0 will help prepare me for switching to outdoor runs (which are much harder) in the fall... so i can start training for a race.

    if nothing else it makes me feel amazing especially after my long runs (i run 6km every friday). and i breathe better and go about my day better without getting tired.

    personally i think the point is to get up and move and eat right and under calories (and other categories) without starving.... and that no matter what you do if you combine the two you can lose weight... not one or the other.
  • Emwyard
    Emwyard Posts: 7
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    Interesting topic as I have just started to use our treadmill again. I jogged for 15 mins this am before work. My problem with exercise is with 2 children & a husband that works random shifts, getting exercise in can be a pain, I can get to walk the dogs when it is cool but it isn't enough. Since returning to work I am forcing myself to walk at lunchtime, but I am also careful now that I don't "eat" the extra calories I burn, I just drink more water instead :)

    So I have started to use the treadmill & I know that other person said you don't tone etc, but try telling my bum muscles that after I am using inclines on the treadmill.. it has to be doing something good :) It does make me feel good too so it kick started my day today & that is always a plus..Once I get going on the treadmill I plan to use our cross trainer too for some upper body toning :)

    So I say.. if you want to do it & you feel good doing it then what the heck :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on using a treadmill to help lose weight and tone up a bit ..? I use mine everyday for 45 minutes 20 jogging and the rest a mix of sprinting fast slow and on incline...did anyone get good results using theirs and how long did it take to see a difference in your body ..I also follow this with a low fat diet ..

    running wont help you 'tone' a calorie deficit does that as 'toning' is just losing bodyfat. adding some resistance/strength training into your routine will help you look better.

    also you dont need to eat low fat to be able to lose fat.
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
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    I just thought a healthy not unhealthy low fat diet would help as well as the treadmill...certainly not taking it to extremes ..
  • derik999
    derik999 Posts: 73
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    I turn on Netflix, set the treadmill to 3mph and walk for an hour. Might not burn thousands of calories but I certainly do work up a sweat and get the old ticker beating.
  • paulperryman
    paulperryman Posts: 839 Member
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    Treadmill is completely useless as is any exercise machine if thats all you do. it has to be part of a healthy diet and incorporate resistance training to avoid losing muscle aswell as any fat.

    need to mix up exercises, and try cycling calories, keep the body guessing.
  • Scarecrowsama
    Scarecrowsama Posts: 85 Member
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    Generally speaking low cardio does not help anyone, why? because aerobic exercise is having a different response in our bodies compared to strength training. Yes, you may burn some fat, but that happens after 20-30 min. and you burn at a very slow ratio, also, after a while (and this is what happens to almost every body), your body will slow down your metabolism because the body DOES NOT like to burn fat, it will always go for any sugar first and foremost.

    For some specific people, with some specific problems, cardio will help them, but no by itself, alongside a proper diet for their problems.

    I am not saying don't do cardio, there is nothing bad of running a little bit sometimes, but it is even better to have walks, long walks, breath air, reduce stress..

    I have no clue about what you eat, but your problem, as always is in what you eat. If you are fat, that is just a symptom of a problem, not the cause, the cause is, most of the times, if not always, hormonal, liver, thyroid, ovaries, adrenal glands...

    Clean up your diet of ****, reduce stress, rest and get all your minerals, fats, proteins and vitamins in your diet.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
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    Was just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on using a treadmill to help lose weight and tone up a bit ..? I use mine everyday for 45 minutes 20 jogging and the rest a mix of sprinting fast slow and on incline...did anyone get good results using theirs and how long did it take to see a difference in your body ..I also follow this with a low fat diet ..

    running wont help you 'tone' a calorie deficit does that as 'toning' is just losing bodyfat. adding some resistance/strength training into your routine will help you look better.

    also you dont need to eat low fat to be able to lose fat.

    +1
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,771 Member
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    I have lost 52lbs since 2/13 using walking (3.5-4.0mph, 2-4miles daily), mostly on the road as my primary exercise, along with a 400-500cal deficit. I use the treadmill at the gym now just b/c it gets so hot and humid where I live. As for "toning", I try to incorporate strength training.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Cardio is great for heart health, but relying on it to lose weight is a fundamental misunderstanding of how weight loss works.
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
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    Pretty sure any exercise you get is good for you. I take my bike out for a ride for a few hours every day now and have dropped a bunch of weight while still eating 1700-1900 calories most days. Moving is great for the body, do lots of it!
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with doing cardio to help your heart and lungs stay healthy. The calories burned will add do your daily deficit, but that part of it isn't as much of a factor. If you like doing it, go for it!
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
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    Thanks for your replies...I still think if I have went from doing nothing to doing 45 minutes a day on the treadmill then it's better than doing nothing as my body is moving ...I don't really need to lose a lot of weight just a few pounds ...but I think mentally I feel a lot better and I enjoy it :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Thanks for your replies...I still think if I have went from doing nothing to doing 45 minutes a day on the treadmill then it's better than doing nothing as my body is moving ...I don't really need to lose a lot of weight just a few pounds ...but I think mentally I feel a lot better and I enjoy it :)

    You will look better if you do resistance/strength training not just cardio!
  • ChangeYourPace
    ChangeYourPace Posts: 127 Member
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    I trained for my first two marathons exclusively on treadmills. It's about the time invested, not the equipment. If you're dedicated, you'll do amazing things.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    Honestly, running has not helped me lose weight at all. In fact, I've pretty much stalled in my weight loss since I started running. It makes me hungry, and I tend to eat more than I've burnt! I still run, because I enjoy it. I don't run for weight loss, I run to unwind and keep fit.

    ditto on this. but I guess everyone is different. I know people who dropped weight from running but it's not me. Instead, I feel bloated and "fluffy"...now I am going back to my heavy lifting routines, maybe with a day or 2 of running instead of 6 times a week...
  • sokkache
    sokkache Posts: 220 Member
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    Running is good for you, especially doing the intervals. But rather than jogging, you should be doing intervals the whole time. Spend about 5 minutes warming up with a slow jog or fast walk and then after that, do one minute sprinting and then one minute walking. I do this about 8-10 times and I finish my treadmill workout within 30 minutes and I'm sweating like crazy.

    Other than that, running should help you lose weight sooner or later. I would also suggest going running outside, I find that if I run outside that I tend to run a little longer than I do on the treadmill. And if possible, add some weightlifting to your routine whether it be body weights or free weights or machine weights.

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