Whether you hit the treadmill first depends on your main fitness goal: do cardio first if you're training for endurance (like a marathon) or want to warm up effectively; do weights first if your priority is building strength/muscle, as cardio can fatigue those muscles; for general fitness or weight loss, do whichever you enjoy more first or prioritize weights before cardio for fat burning, says GoodRx and Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials.
Here are a few expert tips to help you decide: If you want to increase your endurance, do cardio before weights. If you want to build muscle strength, do weights before cardio. If you want to improve your overall fitness, you can do either cardio or weights first.
The 80/20 rule in running is a training principle suggesting you should spend 80% of your training time at an easy, conversational pace (low intensity) and only 20% at a harder, more intense effort (high intensity), like tempo runs or intervals, to build aerobic fitness, improve performance, and prevent burnout. Developed by exercise physiologist Stephen Seiler, it combats the common mistake of running too many days in a moderate "gray zone," which hinders adaptation, and helps runners build a stronger aerobic base to support faster speeds.
The "12-3-30 rule" on a treadmill is a popular workout created by Lauren Giraldo that involves setting the treadmill to a 12% incline, walking at a speed of 3 miles per hour (mph), and doing this for 30 minutes, as detailed on sites like LSG Fitness and Myprotein AU. This low-impact routine, which involves no running, is praised for building strength, improving cardiovascular health, and aiding in weight loss by mimicking hiking.
If you care most about getting stronger, hit the weights first. If you want to build your endurance or burn fat through running or cycling, start with cardio. This way, your body has the best energy available for your main focus.
Many folks can do moderate runs lasting less than an hour on an empty stomach with no problem. (Though you certainly can eat beforehand if you want to.) But if you're going longer or are doing something intense like intervals, hills, or speedwork, it's a good idea to get something in your stomach, says Scott.
Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
Walking 10,000 steps on a treadmill typically requires 90 to 120 minutes at moderate pace (3–4 mph), making it an achievable daily fitness goal for most individuals regardless of weather conditions or time constraints.
You can't go downhill - There's no downhill feature on most treadmills. That reduces the benefits for your anterior tibialis muscles at the front of your legs. It can be boring - They're fine for shorter training sessions but treadmills can become monotonous on longer runs.
Going from sedentary to running 3km daily at a moderate pace can be transformative. In fact, running as little as 2 miles a day can already bring benefits to your body. It can help you lose weight, become fit, and fall in love with running.
Generally, from a base endurance (sometimes called zone 2) development perspective, men run between 8 and 10km/h. Good runners can run up to 12km/h in this training zone. Very good runners run up to 15km/h.
This could lead to physical signs of over-exercising, such as:
Ideally, work out every day
But whatever you do, the most important thing is that you do it regularly. Working out sporadically has no positive effect on your body in the long run, no matter how good it might make you feel in the moment.
Many people find it helpful to start with cardiovascular to get the blood flowing, then to move to strength training, and to end with flexibility once the tissues are already warmed up. By touching all three phases, you develop a comprehensive, full body workout routine.
Warm up by walking at an incline of zero and speed of 2 to 3 mph. Ramp your speed up to 4 mph for a light jog. Focus on keeping your body upright, your core engaged and your hands loose and off the handrails. Great job!
As fitness trainer Rachel Cosgrove explains, “Incline training activates the glutes, hamstrings, and calves more intensely, turning a simple walk into a full-body workout.” Increasing the incline on your treadmill not only intensifies your workout but also boosts your heart rate, contributing to more fat burning.
Stop Holding On
Holding onto the side rails or the front rails means you prevent from achieving the full benefit of your workout. Since your arms aren't moving, you're not engaging your arm muscles or core, and holding on may be shortening your range of motion with your legs.
The best exercises for burning belly fat involve a mix of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for maximum calorie burn and metabolic boost, and Strength Training (like compound lifts) to build muscle and raise your resting metabolism, coupled with consistent Cardio (running, cycling) and a healthy diet for overall fat loss, as spot reduction isn't possible. HIIT, with activities like sprint intervals, burpees, and jump squats, creates an "after-burn" effect, while deadlifts and overhead lunges build core and full-body strength.
In any case, fast walking is recommended to tone the legs and strengthen the muscles, while running is better suited for weight loss. With one hour on the treadmill, you can burn many calories and enjoy many health benefits. However, always remember not to overdo it and to reach your goals gradually.
In 60 minutes of walking, you can take approximately 5,000 to 8,000 steps, depending on your pace, stride, terrain, and fitness level, with a brisk 3 mph walk often equating to around 6,000 steps (100 steps/minute), while a slower walk might yield fewer steps, and a faster pace or longer stride increases the count.
Eat after you exercise
Eat a meal that has both carbohydrates and protein in it within two hours of your workout if possible. Eating after you work out can help muscles recover and replace their glycogen stores. Think about having a snack if your meal is more than two hours away.
For most people, 3–4 mph is the ideal pace for weight loss. At this speed, a 155-pound person can burn approximately 133–175 calories in 30 minutes. Walking at a moderate pace increases your heart rate into the fat-burning zone while being sustainable for longer sessions.
A walk on an empty stomach usually done in the morning can help boost fat burning, improve mental clarity, and set a positive tone for the day. On the other hand, a post-meal walk is excellent for aiding digestion, stabilising blood sugar, and reducing bloating.