How Much Treadmill Time Is Needed to Lose Belly Fat

If you're wondering whether treadmill workouts can help trim belly fat, the answer is yes but with a few important caveats. Walking or running on a treadmill burns calories, improves cardiovascular health, and can contribute to full-body fat loss, which includes the abdominal area. But the key lies in how much time and intensity you commit to each week.

Can You Target Belly Fat with the Treadmill?

Let’s clear up one common misconception spot reduction doesn’t work. You can’t target fat loss from one area, like your stomach, with a specific exercise. However, walking or running on a treadmill helps reduce overall body fat, and belly fat typically decreases as part of this process.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults aim for:

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or

• 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week

This is your starting point for both heart health and weight management. If your goal is belly fat loss, however, increasing your time or intensity is often necessary.

Brisk Walking on a Treadmill

Brisk walking is a moderate-intensity activity. You’re moving fast enough to raise your heart rate, but still able to hold a conversation. For many people, that’s about 3.0 to 4.0 mph.

To hit the 150-minute goal, try:

• 30 minutes, 5 days a week

• 60 minutes, 2 days a week plus one 30-minute session

Want to boost results? Increase duration:

• Add 10 extra minutes to three of your weekly walks

• Walk 6 days a week instead of five

Pro Tip: Incline walking (like the popular 12-3-30 workout) increases calorie burn and belly fat loss by adding resistance. To try it, walk at 3 mph with a 12% incline for 30 minutes.

Running on a Treadmill

Running is considered vigorous-intensity exercise, and it can burn belly fat more efficiently than walking. A general starting pace is 5.0 mph or faster, depending on your fitness level.

For baseline health, aim for:

• 25 minutes, 3 days a week, or

• 30 minutes on two days, plus 15 minutes once

To accelerate fat loss, increase your total time:

• Add 5–10 minutes to each run weekly

• Introduce a third or fourth running day

Mixing up your routine with interval training or increasing the incline can also improve results while keeping things engaging.

HIIT Treadmill Workouts for Faster Fat Loss

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on the treadmill alternates intense effort with rest periods. It’s time-efficient and effective for burning both calories and fat.

Walking HIIT Sample Workout:

• Warm up: 5 minutes easy pace

• 1 minute fast walk, 30 seconds slow walk (repeat 4x)

• Cool down: 5 minutes slow walk

Running HIIT Sample Workout:

• Warm up: 5 minutes jog

• 1 minute sprint, 2 minutes slow jog (repeat 4x)

• Cool down: 5 minutes walk

Why it works: HIIT boosts metabolism and can help burn more fat in less time. Just 20–30 minutes twice a week can supplement your steady-state workouts.

How to Safely Build Time and Intensity

Your treadmill workouts should evolve as your fitness improves but don’t rush it. Follow these tips:

• Increase gradually: Add time or speed slowly about 10% per week

• Watch your form: Poor posture or overstriding can lead to injury

• Warm up and cool down: Spend at least 5 minutes before and after each workout at an easy pace

• Listen to your body: Fatigue is normal; pain isn’t. Adjust if needed

Treadmill Workout Plan for Belly Fat Loss

Here’s a sample weekly plan to get started:

Beginner Level (Week 1–2)

• Monday: 30-minute brisk walk

• Wednesday: 20-minute walk + 10-minute incline walk

• Friday: 30-minute brisk walk

• Saturday: Optional 20-minute walk

Intermediate Level (Week 3–5)

• Monday: 30-minute run

• Wednesday: 25-minute walk + 5-minute HIIT

• Friday: 40-minute brisk walk

• Saturday: 20-minute incline walk

Advanced Level (Week 6 and beyond)

• Monday: 30-minute HIIT run

• Wednesday: 60-minute brisk walk

• Friday: 45-minute run

• Sunday: 30-minute incline walk

Key Reminder: For sustained belly fat loss, pair treadmill exercise with a balanced diet, rich in whole foods, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fiber. Without nutritional changes, exercise alone may not lead to noticeable fat loss.

If you found this helpful, share it or subscribe to our newsletter for more practical health tips.