If you have set your treadmill to an incline or if you are running on a hilly route, routinely, you will definitely be burning more calories than you would burn if you were doing the same workout on a flat surface because walking on an incline burn more calories. Climbing boosts calorie burn up to 50 percent. Walking on an incline burn more calories and will help you build greater leg strength and you will feel the same effects of an intense workout, whether you are walking or running. When you walk on a treadmill with an incline, without needing to change the speed you are walking at, your heart rate increases. As a consequence, you will be using more muscle which will mean that you are improving your fitness and helping you lose weight simultaneously.
How does walking on an incline burn more calories?
According to a study published by the University of Michigan, you will burn 26 percent more calories because walking on an incline burn more calories. Likewise, it is recommended to warm up for a few minutes, walking without an incline before you start walking on an incline to burn more calories. Walk at a pace of 3.5 to 5 mph for 24 minutes on a treadmill with an incline and every two minutes change the incline. The order you will be following will start from a 10 percent incline, then a 6 percent incline, followed by 10, 7, 12, 10 and 12 percent incline. At the end of it walk on an incline of 4 percent for 5 minutes. You can add an additional two percent to your workout every week, doubling the workout to a total of 48 minutes, adding the incline percentages as you increase your time. To see results, repeat this regime at least thrice a week.
Reduce calorie intake to speed up weight loss
If you want to speed up your weight loss, then there is no better way to do it than reducing your calorie intake and walking on an incline to burn more calories. You will have to burn 500 more calories that you consume in a day to lose 1 or 2 pounds in a week. The goal is to reduce your calorie intake by 500 calories every day, to help you lose weight, with walking on an incline to burn more calories. At a persistent rate, you will be able to lose 20 pounds in 10 – 20 weeks.
Your total body weight acts as a resistance when you walk or run up a hill. Therefore, your muscles are basically working harder to propel you forward. Moreover, to do the extra work a large number of fibers are recruited from your calves, glutes and leg muscles and since more muscle fibers are used, more calories are burnt as walking on an incline burn more calories.
What are the added benefits of walking on an incline?
Hills do a lot more than just burn a great number of calories for your body. It helps you build a greater walking and running strength because your leg muscles have to work harder to get you up the hill. Moreover, the downside of walking on a flat route compared to walking on an incline to burn more calories is that it aggravates running weaknesses, for instance sore knees and shin splits. However, not much stress is put on these areas when you are running uphill.
If you intend on using this workout regime because walking on an incline burn more calories then, start modestly. A 2 to 3 percent increase in incline will be a good start to your workout. Always remember to warm up! An easy pace of 5 minutes should be a good enough warm up. Hills also serve as an opportunity for interval training to burn a significant number of calories. Moreover, a new dimension is added to working out on both a treadmill and outdoors with hills. Add extra intensity to your workouts and burn more calories by covering the same distance.