How to Burn 400 Calories a Day on a Treadmill

Woman running on a treadmill to burn 400 calories

David Pereiras/Shutterstock.com

By Simon Gould

A treadmill is the best piece of fitness equipment to choose to lose calories and weight. You lose more per time on a treadmill than on any other fitness activity. What’s more, it’s convenient to use and cheap. Apart from the treadmill itself and maybe some running shoes you need not buy anything else for superior weight loss. Burning 400 calories a day is doable.

Weight loss is the aim of nearly everyone who starts using the treadmill. Or at least getting a better body shape and it works for that. If you feel more comfortable walking then the treadmill is still good for that and will still burn a lot of calories. I have 2 workouts that will burn exactly 400 calories and you’ll see how long they take.

Two 400-calorie treadmill workouts

Warm-up and cool down before and after these workouts by brisk walking with no incline for 5 minutes. This prepares the muscles and heart for the workout to come. I’ve taken a very average weight of 180 lbs. If you weigh more, you’ll burn 400 calories doing the same activity in less amount of time. And the opposite is true if you’re lighter, it will take you longer to burn 400 calories.

1. Walking incline workout

This is the sort of workout you can do on most days of the week. It’s surprisingly effective at burning calories. At 42 minutes it’s a big commitment, but it works. Mount a TV in front of your treadmill and enjoy your favorite shows while you do it. There’s a 5% incline and this is commonly called power walking. It’s the incline that makes it work so well and why treadmills are so suited to it.

  • Activity: Walking 3 mph
  • Weight: 180 lbs
  • Incline: 5%
  • Time: 42 minutes
  • Calories burned: 400

2. Jogging workout

This is harder than the walking workout even though it’s not using the incline. By the way, jogging on an incline for a long period of time is bad for the joints so keep it flat. It may take some weeks to build up to 32 minutes. Try 5 or 10 minutes on your first week and add 5 to 10 minutes every week. If you can manage this on multiple days of the week, you’ll achieve visible results.

  • Activity: Jogging 5 mph
  • Weight: 180 lbs
  • Incline: 0% (flat)
  • Time: 32 minutes
  • Calories burned: 400

Burning 400 calories on a treadmill

So the average person weighing 180 lbs will burn 400 calories after just over 30 minutes of exercise. The secret to losing weight is to do these workouts regularly. Do them 3 or more times a week and you’ll start seeing results after 3 weeks. You’ll burn fat as well as calories by doing these treadmill workouts. This way, you’ll see your body shape changing for the better.

If you’ve already been using a treadmill then you’re at a big advantage over those who haven’t when it comes to burning calories. A 32-minute jog isn’t something you’re going to be able to do straight away. It will take some training to work up to that amount. Here is a couch to 5k treadmill plan that will have you burning 400 calories a day after 9 weeks of a slow build-up.

Losing weight and inches

Although the question is how to lose 400 calories on a treadmill, it would be pointless doing that if you didn’t have a weight loss strategy as well. What other reason do you have for wanting to burn 400 calories? Just burning 400 calories per day and eating the same amount of food to maintain your weight would mean you have a 400-calorie deficit. This, in time, would help you lose weight.

To lose 1 pound of weight you have to burn 3,500 calories per week. That’s 500 per day. So the 400 calories make a big step toward your weight loss goal. All you would have to do is eat 100 fewer calories than you were before to start losing around a pound per week. Combined with the weight loss due to the calorie burning you will find inches will come off your waist and thighs.

Remember, every body type is different so for men if you have that stubborn belly that won’t go, it may take a while to see it shift. Women if you have a naturally bigger butt, then that could be the last place that you see the inches shift. Embrace how you look and weigh yourself weekly at the same time of day. This way you’ll see predictable results from your workout efforts.

Take it easy and take rest days

Burning calories is the easy part. The hard part is the patience. We can all burn 400 calories but sticking to that routine for weeks or months at a time to see results takes commitment. Run for 3 times a week or more and if you do more take 2 rest days a week. Losing weight doesn’t happen overnight but it does happen and your calorie burning is what does it.

Even when you rest you’re still burning calories at a higher rate than if you had not done the exercise. Athletes have rest days to help their legs heal from the work and this is the same for you. Even if you’re walking, which still counts as moderate exercise, take rest days. Then enjoy people commenting on your weight loss because of your workouts on the treadmill.

Summary

Burning 400 calories a day is ideal if you have a special occasion or vacation you want to lose weight for. Doing my 2 workouts regularly will get you there. Doing 30 minutes on every workout is exactly what the World Health Organization recommends we do for great health benefits. One of those benefits is weight loss and weight management, amongst many others.

Weigh yourself weekly at the same time to see your progress shown on the scales. I lost 30 pounds by doing the jogging routine above so I know it works. Whatever you do, keep going. Make that lifestyle change and you’ll feel more confident and look good too. If you have a treadmill, there really is no excuse to get on there and make your life better and yourself happier.

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

Similar Posts