Calories Per Hour A Treadmill Burns

People running on treadmills for one hour to burn calories

Vladyslav Starozhylov/Shutterstock.com

By Simon Gould

Treadmills as cardio pieces of fitness equipment do the job very well. They give you the best workout for burning calories out of any cardio equipment. Using a treadmill takes a lot of effort and if you’re trying to lose weight then they’re ideal. They burn a lot of calories per hour. The actual amount varies due to a number of factors.

What affects how many calories per hour you burn

How big you are plays a factor. Your weight makes a big difference to how many calories you burn in an hour on a treadmill. Someone who is 180 pounds will burn more than someone who is 130 pounds. This makes sense because it’s harder to move a heavier weight and this counts on a treadmill too.

Your speed plays a role. If you’re running at 7 mph for an hour you’re going to burn far more than if you’re walking at 3 mph. Distance plays a part too but we can ignore that because we already have the length of time specified. So speed and time determine the distance. An hour is a long time on a treadmill but is doable with practise and training.

Finally we have the gradient or incline. It takes more energy to go up a hill than on flat. Therefore, if it takes more energy, it’s going to burn more calories. A large incline is something you shouldn’t do for a long period of time on a treadmill, especially an hour. It’s bad for your joints so if you want to make the workout harder then better to go faster.

How many calories you burn by walking on a treadmill for an hour

Walking for an hour on a treadmill is sometimes more convenient than walking outside. If you have a TV in front of you, you can enjoy a show or movie. We’ll take walking as 3 mph which is a brisk pace and a pace everyone is able to do. When it comes to walking, go at a pace that is comfortable for you because you’ll still get results.

  • Speed = 3 mph
  • Weight = 180 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 480
  • Speed = 3 mph
  • Weight = 130 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 347

As you can see the weight makes a difference of just over 130 calories in this example. These are on 0% incline, if you were to add an incline of 4% then the 130 lbs person would burn 398 and the 180 lbs 551 calories. An incline is something you can use, only if you’re walking, and as you can see it makes a big difference.

How many calories you burn by jogging on a treadmill for an hour

We’ll take jogging as going at 5 mph. This is where it gets tougher to last for an hour on a treadmill. It’ll take some practise and training to jog for an hour but it’s worth it if you’re trying to lose weight. You’ll have to work up to jogging that long but you’ll burn plenty of calories as shown below.

  • Speed = 5 mph
  • Weight = 180 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 744
  • Speed = 5 mph
  • Weight = 130 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 537

I wouldn’t recommend you using an incline for jogging or running except maybe 1% to make it like running outside. Using a higher incline for a long period is not good for the feet and legs and will cause injuries. It’s not natural to jog uphill for an hour.

How many calories you burn by running on a treadmill for an hour

This is where it gets really hard and you’re getting into athlete territory. I’ll do the calculations for running at 7 mph. You’ll really struggle at this and find it nearly impossible for an hour if you’re overweight. You may be able to manage it if you’re near to a normal weight. You don’t need to go this fast for so long to lose weight. Here are the results anyway.

  • Speed = 7 mph
  • Weight = 180 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 1006
  • Speed = 7 mph
  • Weight = 130 lbs
  • Time = 1 hour
  • Calories burned = 727

All calculations here were found by using this fantastic page. I recommend you having a play with it and you can enter your own exact weight and find out how many calories you can burn depending how fast you go. You can enter any time or distance to complete the calculation. It’s really useful and that’s why a treadmill is so ideal because calories burned can be measured.

If you only do 30 minutes then you can half the calorie amounts. The weights I’ve chosen are an average for a man and woman. As I said before, if you weigh more you’ll burn more calories, if you weight less you’ll burn less. Use the website above for your calculations as it asks for your exact weight.

It takes 3,500 calories to burn 1 pound of weight

So as you can see if you regularly walk, jog or run for an hour on a treadmill you’ll be well on your way to reaching your target weight. Not only that but you’ll make yourself incredibly healthy and will gain many more health benefits, you’ll be doing exactly what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends (source).

WHO recommends adults between 18 and 64 do 150 minutes of exercise a week. As you can see if you do one hour on a treadmill you’re well on your way to achieving this. One hour is so much you only need to do that 3 times a week or so. If you can do that, not only will you notice weight loss but you’ll start to gain confidence and feel great as well.

3,500 calories for 1 pound of weight may sound like a lot but once you’re exercising regularly you’ll notice your weight loss. If you work up to one hour on a treadmill you’ll lose weight very quickly. You can see by the stats above that one hour burns a lot of calories no matter what exercise you’re doing. Take it easy at first as one hour is a lot.

Watch what you eat as well

If you’re doing all that exercise you’re going to feel more hungry. It would be a shame to eat so much that you undo the work you’re doing and you don’t lose weight. So eat well but make sure it’s 3 balanced meals with the right portions including fruit and vegetable and 2 small snacks per day. This could be a big adjustment depending on your diet at the moment.

Know that you will still feel a bit hungry but that’s part of losing weight. You won’t have to wait long until you’re next meal or snack so hang on if you can. Don’t eat too soon before exercising and eat quite promptly afterward. The protein will help your tired muscles build up for the next hour of treadmill punishment you plan to give them.

Measuring your results

If you exercise for an hour and eat properly you’ll notice your weight loss very quickly. By the time you’ve worked up to doing an hour you’ve probably noticed you’re getting slimmer already. You’ll notice inches falling off your waist. Perhaps those love handles or cellulite are going and your face is noticeably less podgy.

The best way to measure your results is obviously the weight scales. Try to resist the urge to weigh yourself after every workout. My advice is to weigh yourself weekly. Do it in the morning and at the same time of day. If you take your shoes off then do that every time. This way you can measure your weight loss accurately.

Safe weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds a week (source), but it’s generally acknowledged now that those who weigh a lot to begin with, can lose weight faster safely. This makes sense if your diet and physical activity change drastically. As long as you’re eating the right amount in a varied diet you’ll be ok.

What to do when you’ve reached your goal weight

Here is a chart telling you your ideal weight depending on how tall you are. If you’ve reached a normal weight by exercising on a treadmill, congratulations. Losing weight can be tough and a lot of work for some people. It can be very difficult to have the motivation to exercise and eat the right amount. Once you start you can make it a habit.

When you’ve reached a normal weight the best piece of advice I can give is keep going. Keep getting on that treadmill for those amazing health benefits, it is so good for you. Make sure your weight stays in the normal range. Don’t let it go under. This is a real possibility if you’re exercising for an hour every time. Being underweight is just as unhealthy as being overweight.

Exercise can be addictive. If you’re at a good weight try and incorporate some strength training into your routine if you’re not already. A treadmill is fun but you can get too much of a good thing. As with a lot in life everything is best in moderation. By the same token if you start gaining too much weight, work out why and adjust your habits to stay in the normal range.

Summary

I love my treadmill, I can work out on it and watch the TV I have mounted on the wall in front of it. I don’t have to worry about traffic, other people or hard terrain. There are many advantages to owning a treadmill. They’re ideal to get fit and healthy and, most of all, they’re ideal for losing weight. You burn more calories on a treadmill than any other exercise equipment.

I must admit I don’t go on it for an hour much anymore. Unless I have a race that will take at least an hour to complete. To lose weight you don’t have to go for an hour every time. Just regular exercise is all you need to do. It’s how often not the amount of time you spend exercising which is important. Although 150 minutes per week is advised.

Remember to eat properly and once you reach a normal weight, which you will, especially after an hour on a treadmill. Keep exercising and stay within that normal weight range. If you are normal and you still have stubborn fat deposits, I’m afraid they’re a part of you and your genetics. Accept what you are and enjoy your new exercise routine.

Thinking of buying a treadmill? Here’s my favorite, I always recommend it when asked.

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