Exercising on a treadmill burns calories and to be fit you must expand more calories then you are taking in. Running on a treadmill burns more calories than jogging does, which in turn burns more calories than walking does. One of the reasons if because of the resistance that is caused by the treadmill, what this means is that you have to expand more energy each time you put your foot forward. That translates as more energy expanded, which gives your heart a more robust workout!

Two basic possibilities treadmill exercise, one is a brisk walk and two is a run/jog. Take note, it is a brisk walk and run/jog. Many people take a slow walk but that does not do much for you so you have to be a little faster to get your heart pumping. Run/jog is not a full sprint, the key point here is not to go for speed, the main focus is for staying power and most importantly and time. Your body only starts to draw on your energy reserves after 20 minutes. Thus if you are looking to lose weight you need to stay on the treadmill for a good half hour every day. If your aim is for a good cardio workout, the 20 minutes a day is fine.

Methods of exercise

Walking on a treadmill differs slightly to say walking in the park. One main difference is that your speed is constant. When we walk, we normally can speed up or slow down, but with the treadmill, our speed is forced to be kept constant. The good thing for that is that it then conditions our bodies to increase the energy output. We get to have a consistent workout. The bad is that this is not natural, and if you are getting older, a robust exercise will only sever to wear out your joints and ligaments.

As walking is considered to be excellent exercise, anybody can reap a benefit of treadmill exercise by setting it on a slow to moderate walk, even older people with limited mobility and pregnant women who are trying to keep healthy in a safe way. A point to note is doctor's advice. Always consult your doctor before embarking on a exercise program, even something as easy and safe as a treadmill exercise.

A step up is running, and quite obviously it is a terrific form of exercise. Compared to say biking which burns about 500 calories per hour, a good hour run on the treadmill easily nets a calorie burn rate of 700 calories per hour! Wow in terms of food intake that translates to burning away a serving of salad with egg topping.

These are estimates and each person will have varying results but on an average scale this is the norm. Another benefit of treadmill exercising is the tracking ability that it provides. There are counters that show total calorie spent, distance traveled, speed, and your current heart rate.

Measures of activity are especially important if you are on a dedicated exercise program, and you have to track your improvement on a daily/weekly basis. Also it is a good way to show you just how far you have progressed with your treadmill exercise plan.

The Best Exercise Treadmill Plan

For many the even the best laid exercise plans can go awry after a couple of weeks. There is no discipline, or we find excuses to do something else rather then hit the gym to workout. Here are some easy steps to keep us focused to obtain that healthy goal we seek.

Playing your way to a better heartbeat

An exercise plan should include some fun, so keep it amusing. Some folks read, but focus on your physical action during the treadmill exercise. To keep your mind occupied watching TV or listening to music is also another option to consider.

For the busy executive, there are treadmills that even allow you to work while you exercise. These treadmills have holders for reports, or even laptops. Newer models even allow internet excess while you run!

For the serious athlete

Always start slowly, and after stretching properly, and remember to complete a consistent distance; go through the paces of normal walking, then quick walking, then a slow jogging pace, and finally up to running. Always follow up your run with a cool down period, this is a crucial step that many people forget to do. A good cool down will enable your body to carry on burning calories as well as slowly bring your organs back to a rest state.

Two different plans for treadmill exercises are to either go for intervals or to go for a sustained speed. Both have their benefits, but intervals tend to burn up more calories while sustained speed tends to build up endurance. So depending on your aims, choose one then stick to it for a couple of weeks to see results.

Challenge yourself and make exercise fun; these two combined will enable you to see results and get you excited on your next training day. When making your official treadmill exercise plan remember to make it modifiable, for example when a moderate run can be replaced by a sprint or a walk/jog can be replaced with run/jog.