Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill That Helped Me Lose 100 Pounds

I started my weight loss journey at 14 after being obese my entire childhood. I knew nothing about weight loss or fitness and nutrition. What I did know was that I was determined to do whatever it took to lose weight.

My weight loss journey started with going for a walk every day, which would help me lose 10 lbs in the first two weeks. Many of these walks happened on the treadmill at my neighborhood gym.

I went to to the gym at least 3 days per week for 30-minutes for an entire year. Exactly one year later I weighed 100 pounds less. Below are some of the weight loss exercise for treadmill that helped me lose 100 pounds in one year.

My Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill Walking Plan

Walking is one of the best exercises you can do and the first form of exercise I focused on when I decided to lose weight. I was out of shape and inexperienced in the gym.

Walking felt more natural for me. It was something I knew I could do, no matter what kind of shape I was in. When I first started walking, I would walk a mile out and back (2 miles total) every single day.

On the treadmill, I aimed for at least 30 minutes of walking, 3 times per week. As far as my pace went, I aimed to keep my cadence at a brisk walk. Something that I could work up a sweat without gasping for air.

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill Tip:

If you’re a beginner, gradually increase your walking speed or walking distance/time each workout. For example, if you can’t walk for 30 minutes straight, walk for as long as you can.

The next time you workout (or the following week), aim to walk for just a minute or two longer. Continue adding a minute to your workout time until you are able to walk for the full 30-minutes.

You can do the same with your walking pace. Start by walking at a pace that is comfortable enough for you to walk for the full 30 minutes. Each week bump up your pace by just a little bit. For example, if you’re walking at a 3.2 mph pace, bump it up to 3.3, then 3.4, and so forth.

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill: Speed Intervals

Although I loved walking, becoming a runner was my ultimate goal. I wanted to be able to run one mile without stopping but when I started, running even 30 seconds without stopping was difficult.

As I got more comfortable with walking regularly, I decided to try my shot at jogging. To do this, I would do intervals of jogging throughout my walking workout. Doing interval training helped me build up to jogging and helped me burn more calories in my workouts.

An example of an interval weight loss exercise for treadmill workout can look like this:

5 Minute warm-up at normal walking pace
Interval 1: 30 seconds to 1 minute light jog
Interval 2: 1 to 2 minutes walking normal pace
Interval 3: 30 seconds to 1 minute light jog
Interval 4: 1 to 2 minutes walking normal pace
Interval 5: 30 seconds to 1 minute light jog
5 to 10 minutes cool down at normal walking pace.

Aim for at least 5 jogging intervals per workout, working your way up to more each week as you progress. If you’re not ready to start jogging yet, you can do this same interval weight loss exercise for treadmill by changing your walking pace. Instead of jogging for 30 seconds-1 minute, increase your walking pac

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill: Incline Intervals

Changing the incline on the treadmill is another tactic I did to keep my walking workouts interesting. Walking at an incline can help build up your leg muscles, which can help you get stronger. It will also help improve your cardio fitness while burning even more calories during your workout.

A sample incline interval weight loss exercise for treadmill could look like this:

5-minute warm-up at a comfortable walking pace with no incline

Interval 1: Increase the incline to 5% and maintain a steady walking pace for 2 minutes.
Interval 2: Reduce the incline back to 0% and walk at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes.
Interval 3: Increase the incline to 8% and walk for 1 minute.
Interval 4: Reduce the incline back to 0% and walk at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes.
Interval 5: Increase the incline to 10% and walk for 1 minute.
Interval 6: Reduce the incline back to 0% and walk at a comfortable pace for 2 minutes.
Finish with a 5-minute cool-down at a comfortable walking pace with no incline, gradually reducing the speed until your heart rate comes down.

Repeat the main workout sequence for a total of 2-4 sets, depending on your fitness level and time available. Also, adjust inclines to your current fitness level.

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill: Sprinting Intervals

When I got really comfortable with running on the treadmill (post 100 pound weight loss), I experimented with sprinting intervals. Sprinting is a great way to burn more calories and become a faster runner.

A sample sprinting workout could look like this:

5-Minute warm-up jogging at comfortable pace

Sprint Interval 1: Sprint at maximum effort for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to a challenging level, aiming for around 8-10 mph depending on your fitness level.
Active Recovery 1: Reduce the speed to a comfortable jogging/walking pace for 1 minute. This allows you to catch your breath and recover before the next sprint.
Sprint Interval 2: Repeat the sprint at maximum effort for 30 seconds.
Active Recovery 2: Follow with another 1-minute recovery walk or jog.

Repeat this pattern of sprinting for 30 seconds followed by 1 minute of active recovery for a total of 6-8 intervals, depending on your fitness level and preference.

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill: Hop On Hop Off

Sometimes the treadmill gets boring. On days when I didn’t feel like staying on the treadmill for the full 30 minutes I was in the gym, I’d switch things ups. I might do a workout that looked like this:

10 Minutes walking/jogging on treadmill
10 Minutes on the elliptical
10 Minutes on the stationary bike

Other times I would mix in some weight training or body weight exercises into my treadmill workouts. For example:

5 Minutes walk/jogging on treadmill
5 Minutes body weight circuit (ex. pushups, situps, squats)
5 Minutes walk/jogging on treadmill
5 Minutes weight lifting circuit (ex. dumbbell presses, lunges, bicep curls)
5 Minutes walk/jogging on treadmill
5 Minutes body weight circuit
5 Minutes walk/jogging on treadmill
5 Minutes weight lifting circuit

Weight Loss Exercise for Treadmill: The Bottom Line

The treadmill is an excellent piece of workout equipment that’s super versatile and easy to use. Treadmill workouts can definitely help you lose weight if you do them consistently and combine them with a healthy diet.

Whether you’re a beginner or looking for something new in your workout routine, these weight loss exercise for treadmill routines may help your get out of your workout rut. Adjust each workout for your fitness level and give them a try!

Thanks for reading! If you’d like to hear more about my weight loss story, check out my book 1 Year 100 Pounds.

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube for weight loss tips and workout motivation!

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