Walking On Treadmills For Weight Loss

by Torri Tompson

One of the best ways to get fit and healthy-and stay that way-is walking on a treadmill. Treadmills are great for people who are just entering the world of exercise because workout intensities can change as physical endurance grows.

Many people opt for walking on a treadmill instead of outdoors because it keeps their exercise regimen on course. Being unable to exercise for any reason, such as bad weather, can easily take good exercise intentions and derail them. Having your own personal treadmill that you can use at any time of the night or day takes away virtually all excuses a person may have for not exercising.

If you are new to walking, you may wonder how long you should walk. The answer is not universal. It depends on your overall fitness and health condition. It is generally recommended that you try to walk from 30 to 60 minutes at a pace that will take you to 50-70 percent of your maximum heart rate.

To get your approximate maximum heart rate you simply have to apply the formula of 220 minus your age. Let’s say you are 35 years old, then you would take 220 minus 35 and you would get 185. Fifty to seventy percent of that is 93-130. According to the expert guidelines, your goal should be to keep your heart rate between 93-130 beats per minute throughout your workout.

If this sounds too difficult for you, don’t panic. Simply cut those minutes into blocks. It may be easier for you to walk on your treadmill three times a day for ten minutes. The most important thing is that you try to walk every day, or as many days as you can out of the week and to keep your heart rate in that 50-70 percent zone during your workouts.

In a short amount of time you will find that your walking program will become easier and easier. This means you are getting in better fitness condition and your maximum heart rate has increased. When this happens, it’s a sign that you should intensify your walking program and go to the next level. Keep your heart rate at 60-70 percent of your new maximum heart rate and you will continue to get a stronger cardiovascular system, too.

No matter how young or old you are, or what health condition you may be in, it is never too late to start walking on a treadmill. It is easy to get healthy and fit with treadmills because they are made to be personalized. Treadmills are much like personal trainers. Their display windows can monitor your walking speed, length, calories burned, your heart rate and more. They are great exercise machines for someone just beginning to exercise and for the more advanced person who jogs or run-which could be you before you know it!

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