How To “HIIT” The Treadmill For A Super Fat Loss Workout

If you are interested in losing fat using a treadmill, HIIT workouts are an extremely effective way to do so.

Rather than being just the next fad workout routine, HIIT workout results are backed by scientific studies. Best of all, you only need to do HIIT workouts 20 minutes for 3 days a week to reap their benefits. 

Read on to learn more about HIIT, its benefits, and how it helps you shed fat. You will also see some samples of how to create a HIIT treadmill workout for fat loss. 

Looking for a suitable treadmill? Check out our article on treadmills for big people.

What is HITT?

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. HITT has become a popular way to attain a next-level cardio workout. 

You can use the HITT method with any cardio exercise you do. So, whether you go outside for a bike ride or you’re inside on your treadmill, you can use the HIIT method in your workout.

HIIT involves a cycle of alternating between working out at an intense level and then slowing down for recovery.

The intense portions of your workout should last for six seconds to four minutes. During the intense part of your workout, you should be reaching between 80-100% of your maximum aerobic ability.

What Are the Benefits of HIIT?

You can use HIIT with any of your favorite cardio exercises, and you don’t need a long workout to receive advantages from the workout. According to a study at the University of New Mexico, HIIT has many health benefits:

• Speeds up your metabolism: HIIT workouts elevate epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) 6.2 to 14.5 times above your regular baseline. 
• Improves insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism: Studies show a 23% to 58% improvement in insulin sensitivity after 2-16 weeks of HIIT workouts.
• May decrease your risk of stroke, heart attack, and heart disease: Studies show that HIIT reduces total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood triglyceride levels after a minimum of eight weeks of training. 
• Helps build, maintain, and repair muscle, organs, and brain tissue: HIIT increases growth hormone ten times above your baseline.
• Improves overall circulation: HIIT provides improved venous blood return to the heart.
• May increase your exercise threshold and make non-insense workouts easier: HIIT can increase lactate levels ten times above your baseline.
• Improves your overall neural system: HIIT workouts speed up your sympathetic nervous system and slow down your parasympathetic nervous system.
• Improves cardiorespiratory fitness: 2-15 weeks of HIIT training improves cardiorespiratory fitness by 4% to 46%.  
• Increases fat loss: 12 weeks of HIIT workouts result in notable weight loss and body fat percentages. However, success also depends on dietary intake and other behavior changes.

How HITT Workouts Provide Fat Loss

Yet more studies prove that HIIT workouts provide significant fat loss. 

HIIT workouts result in a huge surge of adrenaline and noradrenaline. When these hormones increase during your HIIT workout, they break down fat and release the fat that you’re storing under your skin and muscle to use as fuel for your exercise. 

HIIT can even specifically lower the fat that you store in your abdominal area, which is one of the least healthy places that we store fat.

If you want to see a significant change in the fat percentages in your body (including a loss of fat in your abdominal area), you need to commit to at least 12 weeks of HITT workouts. 

HITT Treadmill Workouts for Fat Loss

Here are three treadmill workouts you can try for fat loss. Each HIIT treadmill workout for fat loss is different so that you can vary your routine to make the workout more interesting. 

19-Minute Treadmill Incline Workout

You can do the treadmill incline alternating walking and speed walking, jogging and running, or running and running faster.

If you start out trying this workout walking, you may find that you can change to jogging and running as your fitness levels improve. 

If regular walking is getting a little boring, why not try a lateral workout? You never even have to break into a run to get a good workout. It both improves your heart rate and tones your glutes. 

Walking sideways (or laterally) on the treadmill may seem a little strange at first, so you’ll want to start slowly.

You’re going to be facing and holding onto the bar on one side of the treadmill and walking sideways like you would do to get through a narrow space.

Options include moving your feet together and apart or crossing your feet behind or in front of each other.

• 5 minutes of walking forward for warm-up – gradually increase speed
• 2 minutes of lateral walking – decrease speed (1 minute facing right, 1 minute facing left)
• 2 minutes of lateral walking – increase the speed slightly (1 minute facing right, 1 minute facing left)
• 1 minute of walking forward – as fast as you can
• 1 minute of walking forward – decrease speed
• 2 minutes of lateral walking – increase the speed slightly from your last lateral walk (1 minute facing right, 1 minute facing left)
• 2 minutes of lateral walking – increase the speed slightly (1 minute facing right, 1 minute facing left)
• 1 minute of walking forward – as fast as you can
• 1 minute of walking forward – decrease speed
• 2 minutes lateral walking – decrease speed and go to a 5% incline (1 minute facing right, 1 minute facing left)
• 5 minutes of walking forward for cooldown – increase speed to a medium-speed walk and gradually slow down

30-Minute Walk, Jog, and Run Workout

This workout swings between walking at 20% effort and running at 80% effort. Since the 80% effort run is only for 30 seconds at a time, it’s the perfect workout for getting better at running if that’s not something you can do for long periods.

• 5 minutes of warming up – start with stretches and dynamic exercises like squats, ending in a slow jog
• 30 seconds of running – 80% effort
• 30 seconds of walking – 20% effort
• Repeat the running and walking cycle x10
• 2 minutes jogging – 40% to 50% effort
• 30 seconds of running – 80% effort
• 30 seconds of walking – 20% effort
• Repeat the running and walking cycle x 10
• 3 minutes of walking cooldown – 20% effort or below

People Also Asked

Here are answers to common questions people ask about doing FIIT on the treadmill.

Is HIIT on a Treadmill Effective?

As long as you’re alternating between intense speeds and slower speeds, doing HIIT is effective on the treadmill.

Doing regular HIIT treadmill workouts for at least 12 weeks is an excellent way to increase fitness and reduce body fat.

How Often Should I Do HIIT on Treadmill?

Studies show that doing HIIT three days a week burns plenty of fat. Your body needs one or two days of rest between each HIIT workout on the treadmill or any other type of HIIT workout for that matter.

Is 20 Minutes of HIIT a Day Enough?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing at least 20 minutes of HIIT three days per week. But that should be enough.

Can I Do HIIT 5 Days a Week?

Experts recommend doing HIIT three days a week max. Doing it five days a week won’t give your body enough recovery time.

Final Thoughts on Using HITT for Fat Loss on a Treadmill

Don’t choose another fad workout that doesn’t really work and that you give up after a week.

HITT can be an excellent way to lose fat on a treadmill. You will want to be sure to do a HIIT treadmill workout for weight loss at least 20 minutes per day, 3 days per week for 12 weeks to see results. HIIT workouts on a treadmill can be a positive path to getting fitter and healthier.

And if you haven’t got a treadmill and are looking for the right one, check out these articles on…compact treadmills, treadmills with tv & screen, manual treadmills, under the bed and folding treadmills.

And for other cardio machines that burn off the calories.