I feel like this article is being released just a couple of months early.
With New Year’s lurking around the corner, you are probably like most people and have the goal of losing a few pounds and achieving the "healthy weight" goal you have after the holidays. Whether it’s holiday season weight from eating too many sugar cookies and Oreo balls or whether it is that nagging weight you just can’t seem to shed. Trust me, I’ve been there.
Now, I said this article is being released early, but truthfully, there is nothing special about New Year's. It is just another day on the calendar. So maybe, this article is perfectly timed for you. Honestly, why wait to start your weight loss journey? Whether you are looking to shed 100 pounds or 10, today really is the best day to start.
If it truly matters to you, then waiting until a calendar changes shouldn’t impact your next steps today.
Okay, I’m done. I’ll get off my halftime speech, and motivational soapbox. But just know, I only say this because I care.
What’s the deal with weight loss?
Now, before we get into the treadmills. I want to briefly touch on weight loss. A treadmill in your house is not going to make you lose weight - just like a coffee pot doesn’t make you a barista. You’ve got to use the machine consistently to improve and see results. Now, a treadmill isn’t required to lose weight, but it is a great tool to have.
Losing weight for most people isn’t too complicated. Is it easy? No. But it is not complicated. Now, there are some people with more complicated health issues that we aren’t talking about here, but for 90 or so percent of people, losing weight is relatively simple. Remember, simple not easy.
There are a few things that really drive weight loss. Before we look at the first, let’s change our ideas on what it means to lose weight. You aren’t looking to lose weight. You are looking to lose fat - and yes, there is a difference between body fat and fat in foods, so don't avoid healthy fats like nuts, dairy, fish, etc.
I don’t know if anyone has ever said they want less muscle. So what helps us lose fat?
The first is diet.
You cannot lose fat with poor eating habits. A balanced diet is key.
No matter how hard you are training, unless maybe you are a teenager or really young adult, your eating habits cannot entail eating whatever you wish and expecting to lose fat. You probably already know this - you’ve seen those late-night infomercials for Weight Watchers or the TikToks about fad diets - and no that is certainly not an endorsement of either.
Weight loss is not about fad diets or even necessarily eating fewer calories to achieve a desirable body weight. Weight loss is about prioritizing healthy foods, not eating too much of them, training and moving regularly, and staying consistent. There is no point in trying to lose weight fast or pursuing rapid weight loss. You are only going to get frustrated and poor results. Fad diets often promise this. The basics are simple, but not easy.
The truth is, what you eat matters just as much if not more than how often, how hard, or even how you exercise. Your body naturally burns a set amount of calories per day just from daily functions. This number of calories is going to be higher the more muscle you have. Muscle requires more caloric energy expenditure.
Now, this is where adding exercise is additionally helpful to lose weight.
Let’s say you burn roughly 2000 calories per day without exercise. In order to, lose fat you would have to eat less than 2000 calories.
Now, for most people eating fewer calories than 2000 per day is pretty tough and unsustainable over the long run. But let’s say you work out for an hour and burn 600 calories. Then later that day, you hop on your treadmill and walk for 20-30 minutes and burn another 200 calories. You’ve now bought yourself an extra 800 calories allowing you to eat a much more normal amount of food throughout the day without eating more than you expended.
Now this is a very simplistic view of what it means to lose weight and yes there are nuances, but generally speaking, these principles are very helpful.
Now, something you may not have considered is that one of the keys to sustained weight loss and achieving a healthy body weight is lifting weights - squats, deadlifts, lunges, rows, presses, etc. This is because, as we discussed earlier, the more muscle you have the more calories your body naturally expends. Also, make sure you are eating plenty of protein throughout your weight loss journey - this will help build and sustain muscle as well as promote satiety.
Okay, why did we spend all that time going over losing weight when this article is about treadmills?
Because, if you are looking solely to a treadmill to lose weight and achieve your fat loss goals, you may end up disappointed.
Will it help you, of course. But, if you don’t consider resistance training and eating habits leading to a balanced diet, you may end up disappointed as you try to lose weight.
Now, if you include a treadmill as a part of your training with jogging and walking it can be an incredible fat-loss tool.
Walking truly is incredible in order to lose weight and having a treadmill can make walking so much easier.
Okay, with all that out of the way, let’s talk about what makes a treadmill great for someone looking to lose some fat.
#1) Quality
You don’t want to skimp on quality. Treadmills are typically heavy and somewhat large. The last thing you want to do is buy one and have to replace it in 6 months or a year. This one doesn’t have a whole lot to do with losing weight, but it is just a general consideration as you are looking at treadmills.
If you have the space, consider getting a commercial-grade treadmill.
They typically are a little bit larger and sturdier. Think about it - they are designed for commercial gym settings (Planet Fitness, Gold’s Gym, your local YMCA, etc.) At these gyms, they are getting tons of use - especially around New Year’s - so they can definitely handle all you can throw at them and last you a long, long time.
You are more than likely going to want to avoid those cheap Amazon treadmills.
#2) Ease of Setup
Similarly, this doesn’t have any effect on helping you lose weight, but how much of a pain is it to have a 100-page installation guide and parts and pieces lying everywhere? Look for a quality, well-designed simple machine for your treadmill needs.
This may be a “duh” statement, but be sure the treadmill can fit through your door frame. Some of the larger treadmills will easily fit in a garage, but trying to get them in that upstairs guest bedroom may be a workout in itself.
#3) Incline, Heart Rate, and More
Treadmills come with a ton of varying features.
Here are some that are worth having.
Incline.
Incline is pretty standard on most treadmills.
It is a great tool to have especially when losing weight is your goal. Incline walking has made a comeback recently from teenage girls on social media, but it is a great way to get a great workout in. Imagine you aren't at home, but are hiking your nearest national park. I hear this helps.
Just do your best to not lean back as you walk while holding the handles, this essentially cancels out the incline as your body angle is adjusted to the treadmill angle.
If you want to significantly increase the difficulty of your running workout, add a little incline as well - makes a huge difference in difficulty.
Heart rate monitoring.
One of the best tools to help you lose weight is zone 2 cardio, also known as low-intensity steady state (LISS) cardio.
Now there are ways to try and judge whether or not you are in this zone as you are working out without heart rate monitoring, but they aren’t as reliable. The best way to know if you are in this zone is to measure your heart rate with a chest strap. Chest straps often come with treadmills, or can be purchased for not all that much money, and connect to the monitor to show you your heart rate in real-time.
Those are the really important features.
Other features like monitor size, live classes, and deck size are worth considering.
Do you want to be able to feel like you are in a workout class in the comfort of your own home? Do you want a larger deck size if you are a taller individual? Do you want a smaller more compact deck size for your small area? Would you prefer your treadmill can be easily folded and unfolded for space-saving fitness?
All of these questions are certainly worth considering.
While they may not directly affect your ability to lose weight, they will affect your desire to use the treadmill, and that does affect you losing weight. The last thing you want is for your treadmill to turn into an expensive clothes hanger.
Okay, let’s jump into the actual treadmills. Here are four of my favorites. They are all very different but depending on your needs can be a great solution.
Star Trec 4 Series Commercial Treadmill
This treadmill is a beauty and a beast.
Its sleek design and sturdy frame coexist to bring together a beautiful, quality, commercial-grade treadmill.
One of the biggest pros of this treadmill is its durability and quality as it is built to last and withstand years of use.
It is also incredibly easy to assemble. Our team has assembled many of these and says it takes them about 15-20 minutes tops. That’s less time installing and more time working out.
It has a standard plug that can connect to any outlet making installation even easier. This machine is simple to install, simple to use, and will last many, many years.
If you are looking for a quality, traditional treadmill this is a great option.
AssaultRunner Pro
I’m a big fan of these as well. These treadmills are relatively new to the space and are increasing in popularity.
Traditional treadmills are powered by a motor that powers a rotating belt. You are essentially running in place as the ground moves beneath you. It does a great job of imitating running or walking inside, but it isn’t perfect.
The manual, curved treadmills bring some unique features to the treadmill market and the AssaultRunner Pro does this well.
Manual treadmills are powered by you the human. You are now the engine, propelling the belt with your strides. Typically, the argument is that this is slightly harder than running outside or on a treadmill as you have to apply force to get the belt to move.
The benefit of this is that once you stop running the belt stops. You don’t have to worry as much about safety and falling off the treadmill.
The curve of the treadmill is also great for better mimicking running outdoors or on a track.
It allows your foot to strike the “ground” sooner, mimicking a more natural stride. Is this a huge deal when trying to lose weight - no, but I have found it more similar to my natural running pattern, so I appreciate that.
If you are looking to do more jogging than walking, this is a great treadmill for you.
XEBEC SledTrac 6000
Okay, so earlier I mentioned that one of the best ways to lose fat is to resistance train. Well, this treadmill combines both.
The XEBEC SledTrac 6000 has sled push, pull, and drag options.
If you are unfamiliar with these movements they can help build muscles in the quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Depending on how hard you push, you can do short intervals or long sessions with less resistance. Either way, you are sure to get a great workout.
While there is no actual sled on this machine, the treadmill tread increases to a high resistance and the handlebars adjust allowing you to get into the exact same position as when you are pushing, pulling, or dragging a sled. This is a really cool product.
One of the best things about it - it also functions fully as a treadmill with walking, incline, and running features.
One downside to this treadmill is that it is pretty large. On the flip side though, we always talk about maximizing space and the ratio of space to use in your home gym. If walking, jogging, and sled push, pulls, and drags are a huge part of your ideal training - this is a really cool product.
Walking Pad
So this one is interesting. While not what we would consider a traditional treadmill, a walking pad may be one of the easiest ways to shed fat. Most of these are very similar and have similar price points. If you decide to go this way Amazon or Facebook Marketplace can be great options.
Walking is a huge mover when it comes to trying to lose weight. Many of us simply don’t move enough throughout the day.
So maybe, you are tight on cash.
Or maybe you are tight on space.
Or maybe you live in a cold area and getting steps in outdoors is pretty difficult.
Or maybe you just work from home and have the ability to throw a walking pad under a standing desk.
This may seem like a really simple idea, but it can have a huge impact on your weight loss goals.
Consistently getting your step count up each day, think 6,000 to 10,000 per day will help you burn extra calories without much exertion.
Plus it can be done while you work or watch TV.
In order to lose weight it is about consistently making the right choices.
Consistently, moving.
Consistently, strength training.
Consistently, eat protein and less than you expend.
A treadmill is a great tool to get you there, but don’t rely solely on 30 minutes on a treadmill.
Put in the work and you’ll be proud of your effort and results!
Sources:
Meier, Kate, et al. “13 Best Treadmills for Home in 2024, Tested by Experts.” Garage Gym Reviews, https://www.garagegymreviews.com/best-treadmills-for-a-home-gym.