[dropcap]I[/dropcap]f you are at the point where you have to put in a lot of effort and time into dragging your gym pants on so that you have to suck in your gut, then you may need to take a long look at your belly – there’s probably a lot of extra fat in there! The good news, however, is that you can actually do something about it. You can permanently get rid of that belly fat with the right amount of proper fitness training and dedication. One such fitness training is the use of treadmills.
One of the most effective ways of overall weight loss is running on a treadmill. As it is, you can only really lose belly fat by losing weight overall. It is nearly impossible to focus your weight loss training on your belly alone. However, if you follow the tips that will be provided in this article, the process of losing belly fat will be significantly sped up. Let’s take a quick look at the history behind treadmills.
A brief background
They were invented as a way to test stress at the University of Washington, Seattle – this was back in the year 1952. About a decade after the initial invention, treadmills grew in popularity and slowly became standard gym equipment. Over time, the functions of treadmills have gone through many stages of development with the inclusion of features such as heart rate monitors, inclines, and even fans.
Treadmills and belly fat
Treadmills are known to be a very effective way to lose belly fat. When you run on a treadmill, you burn a lot of calories, and the visceral fat under your stomach muscles are also affected. Belly fat naturally responds to running and other forms of aerobic exercises. In fact, there are beliefs that cardio exercises work to reduce visceral fat at a faster rate than diets and other forms of exercises.
Apart from being a potential health risk, belly fat can be a contributor to a lack of confidence in one’s body. We mentioned visceral fat earlier, but there is another type of stomach fat – subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is less dangerous than visceral fat because it is just the extra fat that you can see attached to your skin, while visceral fat is the type that is lined around organs in the body – some of them vital.
Losing belly fat is a process that requires a lot of consistency and determination, as it will not be easy at all. However, there are other benefits to using a treadmill for your weight loss regime. Treadmill workouts reduce the risk of health issues such as high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and obesity. It is also a mood booster and strengthens your heart, contributing to a healthier, longer life.
Meanwhile, there is a wide range of approaches to working out on a treadmill. However, for the purpose of this article which is focused on losing belly fat, let’s take a look at some effective exercise tips for the process.
Tips for losing belly fat on a treadmill
Purchase a treadmill that packs features
This is important especially if you are buying a treadmill for the first time and you are still unsure what features you need. You might be tempted to go for the treadmills that have the fastest belt speeds or the highest number of pre-set workout programs. While there is really nothing particularly wrong with this, there are other features that are equally important to keep track of your weight information as your workout sessions progress. Therefore, treadmills that display real-time data that help you to monitor your cumulative progress are crucial to your belly fat loss goals. Check this site and follow the tips given to the letter, and you will be on your way to getting rid of that belly fat.
Additionally, another useful feature that you should look out for on your treadmill is the inclusion of cushioning to help relieve stress on your joints as you work out. People that need a treadmill for casual fitness training may be able to get away with buying one that doesn’t have this feature, but considering the regularity of your workouts, it is a handy feature to have.
Start slowly and work your way up
When you begin your weight loss training, you may get the temptation to overtrain due to initial overexcitement or a need to see instant results. However, it really does not work that way. Overtraining will only cause soreness and irritation, leaving you utterly disinterested in the entire process after a short time.
Start with a moderate pace for a short while and when you feel like you can make the step up, do so. Even if you have been running or jogging outdoors before buying a treadmill, you must still start off easy. Running on a treadmill is entirely different from running outdoors, so you must be careful not to overwork your muscles too early.
Keep track of your heart rate
Your body only begins to burn fat when your heart rate falls within sixty to eighty-five percent of its maximum rate. What this means, essentially, is that you must keep track of your heart rate and make sure that it falls within those levels or else, your body will simply be burning up stored sugar.
Interval Training
Many fitness enthusiasts have achieved considerable success by integrating interval training into their workout regimes. It is achieved by working out at high intensities for short periods at a time and alternating these with low-intensity workouts – also for short periods.
For example, interval training on a treadmill could involve dividing a ten-minute workout into five high-intensity workout minutes and five low-intensity workout minutes, alternating each intensity level by the minute. You should note that your body begins to burn fat at a significantly reduced rate if you have been working out for over 40 minutes, so you may want to keep your workout sessions within forty-five minutes.
Maintain a good diet!
No weight loss advice would be practical without mentioning the importance of a proper diet. Running on a treadmill is fantastic, but you will not be doing yourself any favors if you continue to eat unhealthily. Keep tabs on the number of calories that you consume per day and try to keep them at a lower level than your body needs to speed up the weight loss process further.
There are several online tools you can use to measure the number of calories that your body needs per day. If you want to lose weight healthily, you should be looking at shaving a pound off your weight each week.
Best of luck!
