How to Burn More Calories on a Treadmill

A treadmill is a prime tool for achieving a complete cardiovascular workout. Any degree of exercise you do on a treadmill, whether walking, jogging or running, will result in calories burned. You can, however, maximize your treadmill workout and burn more calories in a shorter period of time. As a result, you'll get more out of your workout, burning more calories and reaching your fitness goals more quickly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fitness attire
• Running shoes
• Water
• Heart rate monitor

1. Add incline. Instead of keeping the treadmill on a flat surface, maintain an incline as you walk, jog or run. This will serve to replicate the wind resistance and terrain variation that you encounter when you run outdoors. Keep an incline of at least 1.5 percent on your treadmill throughout your workout.
2. Increase your speed. If you run at the same speed every time you workout, your body will not be challenged and you may reach a fitness plateau. Up your speed by a quarter-mile per hour every few weeks.
3. Vary your workout time. In order to challenge your body in different ways, variety is key. If you run for half an hour three times a week, opt for a one-hour run for your fourth workout. This will help to condition your body for endurance training, resulting in more calories burned.
4. Use intervals. Interval training can dramatically increase your calorie burn in an average workout. Instead of running at a steady pace for your entire workout, mix in sprints. Jog at a steady pace for two minutes, and then increase your speed to a full sprint for 30 seconds. Return to the steady pace to recover. Your heart rate will rise on your intense sprint intervals and stabilize on your longer recovery periods.
5. Incorporate incline into your interval training. You can use incline in the same manner that you would speed to interval train. Walk or jog at a 5 percent incline for two minutes. Increase the incline to 10 percent for two minutes and then to the 15 percent maximum for one minute. Decrease the incline back to 10 percent for two minutes and finally back to 5 percent for two minutes. Repeat this same pyramid interval a few times.
6. Wear a heart rate monitor. This will monitor how hard you are actually working as well as how many calories you burn in each workout. You can then adjust your speed and incline accordingly to maximize your calorie burn.
7. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your treadmill workout. If you are dehydrated, you won't perform as well as you can. You'll work harder and burn more calories if you're hydrated.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow recovery days in between your intense runs. Your muscles need time to rest.
• Stop exercising if you experience any pain.