How to Lose Weight on a Treadmill in 2 Weeks (Detailed)

Looking to lose weight for an upcoming event?

Treadmills are a great way to burn calories and lose weight. In fact, you can burn up to 1000 calories per hour on a treadmill.

Imagine how good you’ll feel when you finally reach your goal weight. You’ll have more energy, feel better about yourself, and be able to wear whatever clothes you want without feeling self-conscious.

Losing weight is one of the best things you can do for your health and well-being. But how can you lose weight on a treadmill in just 2 weeks?

Keep reading the article below to find out how to reach your goals seamlessly and, more importantly, safely.

Table of Contents

How Many Pounds Will a Two-Week Spree Burn on Your Treadmill?

If your goal is short-term, you can lose up to ten pounds/ two weeks on your treadmill.

Remember this, though:

You probably need to lose weight quickly if you’re asking yourself this question. Maybe you’re taking a holiday or trying to fit some special-occasion clothes for a once-in-a-lifetime event.

That means you may afford to bend the rules a little.

Steady-state, long-term weight loss has specific rules to protect your health, such as:

Keeping a moderate calorie deficit of 10% maximum from your daily recommended intake

Alternating between upper and lower body workouts

Not working out on sore muscles

However, if you’re planning to lose weight quickly, you can restrict your calories a bit more and focus solely on running OR walking at a high incline for the low-impact option.

This is just the short-term solution, though.

How to Lose 10 lbs. on a Treadmill in 2 Weeks

A ten-pound weight loss equals a 35,000 calorie deficit. That means you will have to:

Run at 7.5 mph for an hour on the treadmill every day. This strategy should burn 1,000 calories/ day, so 14,000 for the entire period.
- If you can’t run, walk at an incline of 15% at 3.5 mph. It’s probably best to alternate running days with walking at an incline day anyway if you want to build more muscle.

Try intermittent fasting. Limit your calorie intake to 500/day for two to three days per week. If you decide it’s beneficial, you will burn an extra 12,000 calories during the two weeks. Studies show that intermittent fasting is perfectly safe and effective for otherwise healthy individuals. Besides, it can also improve symptoms of diabetes and high blood pressure. However, it’s always best to consult your GP before trying this method out.

Be mindful of your meals. Eat healthily and limit your portions for the 14-day period to cut another 10,000 calories from your diet.
- If you’re eating more calories (like almost all Americans do), limit your caloric intake to the daily recommended value.
- If you’re not eating more calories and don’t have any metabolic conditions (e.g., hypothyroidism), consider cutting your intake to 1,500/day.

Don’t want to do one of these steps?

No problem. Replace any of those with things that keep you active for at least two hours/day, such as:

Hiking (with your dog, if you want an extra treat)
Household chores
Playing with your kids
Swimming
Dancing
Walking to-and-from work or on your lunch break

Running Plan to Lose 10 Pounds in Two Weeks

That 35,000 calorie deficit for your two-week period translates into 2,500 calories burnt/day. Here’s what that looks like on a weekly plan:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:

7 am: Run for an hour at 7.5 mph. Try walking at 3.5 mph instead, at 15-20% incline if you can’t run.
8.30 am: Park your car twenty minutes away from your workplace at walk there.
12 pm: 45-minute walk at 3.5 mph in your lunch break.
5 pm: 20-minute walk to your car.
6 pm: Household chores for an hour (e.g., wash your car, do laundry, light cleaning).
After dinner: One hour of staying active with your family (e.g., walk your dog, play with your kids before bedtime, or dance in your living room while watching your favourite show)

Tuesday and Thursday:

7 am: If you’re too sore for running/walking, consider upper body strength training or swimming.
Repeat the other steps above.
Consider intermittent fasting.

Saturday

Learn to breakdance, do ballet, or Bachata.
Run for an hour on your treadmill.
Clean your house more thoroughly.
Consider intermittent fasting.

Sunday

Active rest day. Do what you like, but stay active – don’t wallow on the couch.

How to Lose 20 Pounds on a Treadmill in 2 Weeks

Losing 20 pounds on your treadmill in two weeks requires a 5,000 calorie deficit/day.

That’s not really doable unless you’re already overeating a lot. Exercise and staying active helps you burn up to:

1,000 calories with your treadmill workouts
1,000 calories/day with general activity (e.g., more steps, more playtime, more household chores)

Intermittent fasting can bring an average of another 1,000 calories/ day if you’re practicing it thrice per week.

All that leaves you with an extra 2,000 calories/ day.

Working out for longer is out of the question because you’ll get exhausted and even injured. Sure, you could try strength training to accelerate your metabolism, but that’s a long-term strategy.

So the only thing that’s left is cutting another 2,000 calories from your diet.

And that only works if you’re already eating at least 3,500-4,000 calories/ day. If you’re not, don’t do it. Ten pounds/ two weeks on the treadmill is good enough, and you can always make a better long-term plan with your GP or dietitian.

Is it Ok to Use the Treadmill Every Day for Two Weeks?

Yes, using the treadmill every day for two weeks should be perfectly safe.

However:

Don’t overdo it. Working out on sore muscles is dangerous in the long term. You can pull it off for two weeks if you need quick results, but not more than that. Also, never exercise if you’re in pain – your health is more valuable than any pounds lost.

Alternate walking with running. Keep your muscles guessing and even give them a break.

Incorporate upper body strength training. If you want beautiful before-and-after results, you want your upper body in top shape.

2 Weeks Treadmill Results

The strategies above will help you lose ten pounds in two weeks on your treadmill, but it will be tough. You should also consider easing up on yourself once you reach your goal.

Here are some tips to remember:

Monitor your heart rate to ensure you’re working out in the fat-burning zone. Make sure you choose the right treadmill for this; some lower-quality items have inaccurate measurements. A Polar-compatible running band would be even better.

Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Don’t limit your water intake just because it tips your scales. Remember that health is more important than anything.

Eat cleanly to nourish yourself. If you’re otherwise healthy, you can do that safely with 1,500 calories/ day for two weeks.

Use the incline option to accelerate your calorie burn. You’ll need at least 15-20% incline for power walking if you want quick weight loss. A 10% incline will get you 32% more calorie burn at the same speed. Otherwise, even a 5% incline is shown to increase your calorie expenditure by 17% for the same speed.

Consider purchasing a treadmill with included resistance bands to activate your upper body. The result is burning more calories while also toning your arms. Alternatively, you can do power walking while holding on to weights or standalone upper body strength two-three times per week.

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Mary D. Brown

Mary is a mom of three, blog writer, strength training addict, fitness psychology guru, Origami dork, and Metallica lover. She has degrees in Communication and Physics and is a certified Personal Trainer.

Mary advocates for one powerful idea: fitness is about challenging yourself, but it’s not a race against the clock. She wants people to understand that the best fitness equipment doesn’t have to be expensive or very popular. The best workouts and machines should always fit your style and needs, not the other way around. So, Mary’s dedication and hard work are the engines that keep this website going.