Stairmaster for Weight Loss: Slim Down Faster than Ever

Looking to lose weight and tone up?

Many people shy away from the Stairmaster because they think it’s too hard. But the Stairmaster is a great way to burn calories and tone your body, regardless of your fitness level.

In as little as 20 minutes, you can burn over 200 calories on the Stairmaster. That’s more than you would burn in an hour on the treadmill!

Side note: The first time I tried it, I burned 80 calories in three minutes.

And because the Stairmaster works your entire body, you’ll see results faster than you ever thought possible.

Let’s see how that works:

Table of Contents

Is a Stairmaster Good for Losing Weight?

The short answer is yes. But let’s see the long answer:

Increased Calorie Burn

Unlike a traditional treadmill, a Stairmaster simulates the act of climbing stairs. Therefore, you not only have to lift your feet higher with each step, but you also have to push against the machine’s resistance.

Basically, it’s the exact difference as between walking and climbing stairs.

As a result, you can expect to burn more calories in the same amount of time on a Stairmaster than you would on a treadmill.

Storytime: The first time I tried the Stairmaster, I considered my average walking pace of 100-120 steps per minute.

Then, I selected a 60-step per minute rate.

However, the incline I picked was a 40-degree angle.

And that combination fired up my whole body and accelerated my breathing. I felt like I was turned into a choo-choo train.

That explains my 80-calorie/3-minute success.

So, here’s how to increase the calorie burn on the Stairmaster:

Increase the speed and incline of your machine. This will make the workout more challenging and help you to see results more quickly.

Add HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) programs into your workout. These programs alternate between periods of intense activity and brief rest periods, making for a challenging and effective workout.

Increased Muscle Tone

When people think about losing weight, they often focus on cutting calories and increasing their activity levels. While these are both critical factors, there’s another element that can have a significant impact on weight loss:

Muscle tone.

The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism will be.

That’s because muscle tissue is more active than fat tissue, burning more calories even at rest.

As a result, increasing your muscle tone can be a very effective way to accelerate your metabolism and burn more fat.

And the Stairmaster is an excellent tool for building muscle, especially in the lower part of your body.

I’ve written about it here, but the main point is that the Stairmaster can tone your:

Quads
Hamstrings
Calves
Core

You can also apply specific strategies to increase that muscle mass, such as:

Increasing the incline
Adding weights or a weighted vest
Contracting your muscles
Trying different ways to land your feet on the steps

Decreased Appetite

When it comes to appetite, intense cardio can be a significant appetite suppressant.

There are several explanations at play.

One is that your body releases endorphins, which may regulate your appetite, according to research. Endorphins are hormones released when you exercise and act as natural painkillers.

They can also help improve your mood, leading to decreased stress levels and increased feelings of well-being.

Now, I know that I like my burgers topped high when I’m anxious, nervous, or plain mad.

There’s another easy explanation:

When stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol, which has been shown to increase your appetite.

Besides, lower stress levels may reduce the need for binge eating.

Also, many people (including me) report a feeling of fullness that lasts for longer after an intense cardio session.

According to Healthline, the explanation is simple:

We may just be feeling bloated, especially if the exercise we did:

Left us breathless, which meant gasping for more air (and that’s what the Stairmaster does)
Left us thirsty, and we gulped more water to stay hydrated and energetic

I personally feel much fuller after cardio than after strength training, so I identify with those two reasons above. But I have heard of people who tend to eat more after cardio because their blood sugar levels drop.

So, I guess you’ll just have to wait and see the category you fit into.

Is a Stairmaster Good for Fat Loss?

Again, the short answer is yes. Now, let’s see the long answer.

The Stairmaster Doesn’t Just Burn Calories; It Burns Fat Cells

Of course, you will have to challenge yourself first. That means adjusting the speed and incline so that you’re in the:

Anaerobic level, or:
VO2 max level

Wearing a fitness watch will give you a pretty accurate ballpark of your heart rate.

Otherwise, grab the Stairmaster’s handles for that heart rate measurement.

You can calculate the best range as 80-90% of your maximum heart rate. And that maximum heart rate is calculated by subtracting your age from 220.

So, the maximum heart rate is 190 bpm for a 30-year-old person. The fat-burning zone is above 152 bpm.

Of course, you will have to consider:

Your current fitness level
Individual particularities
Preexisting health issues, especially cardiovascular conditions

Warning: The figures above are just for information purposes; they don’t represent recommendations of any kind.

Best advice?

Talk with your doctor(s) to personalize your fat-burning plan.

The Stairmaster Builds Muscle

We all know that to burn fat, we need to consume more calories than we consume. But did you know that one of the most effective ways to do this is to build lean muscle?

That’s because muscle tissue is much more metabolically active than fat tissue.

In other words, it takes more energy for your body to maintain muscle mass than it does for fat mass.

And that means that when you have more muscle, you’ll naturally burn more calories – even when you’re at rest.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should neglect aerobic exercise – after all, cardio is still a great way to burn calories.

But if you’re looking to maximize your fat-burning potential, then building lean muscle should be your top priority.

Trust me; it’s the key to a scorchingly hot physique.

Luckily, as I explained above, the Stairmaster is a cardio machine that can help you build muscle in your lower body.

And since those muscles take up a lot of space in your body, can you guess the good news?

You will accelerate your fat loss process throughout your body. Yes, you can even get slimmer arms even if the Stairmaster does not target those arms specifically.

The Stairmaster Features HIIT Programmes

Well, hopefully, yours does.

Because HIIT can slash through your fat stores. Here’s why:

HIIT involves alternating between periods of intense activity and brief rest or recovery periods. This type of training causes your body to burn more calories during and after the workout, leading to more significant fat loss over time.

Additionally, HIIT has been shown to boost metabolism and shift the body’s caloric burn from carbs to fat.

Remember: You must choose the correct Stairmaster HIIT program for your current fitness level and likes.

But if you choose the right machine, you’ll have numerous options:

HIIT for endurance
Climbing-based HIIT
Speed-based HIIT
HIIT for fat burn

And those are just the options that my initial Stairmaster had. Imagine the possibilities yours can bring.

Is a Stairmaster Good for Belly Fat Loss?

When it comes to weight loss, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions floating around. One of the most common is the idea that you can target-burn specific areas of fat, like the belly.

Unfortunately, this isn’t possible.

The reality is that when you lose weight, you lose it from all over your body – not just one specific area. So, if you’re looking to burn belly fat, you need to focus on overall weight loss.

The best way to do this is through diet and exercise.

And the Stairmaster can take care of that exercise part.

We already proved that picking a challenging Stairmaster program can:

Increase your heart rate to the fat-burning zone so that you can burn more fat throughout your body, implicitly your belly
Build more lean muscles throughout the body with the same purpose
Lead to weight loss, making your abs more visible

But here’s another thing to consider:

Working out on the Stairmaster can actually build lean core muscles.

I talked about my experience here, but the point is you will feel those abs working the second you step foot on the Stairmaster.

You will feel them engage, contracting to support your posture.

And you can take additional actions to make them work harder, too, such as:

Increasing the incline
Using ankle weights
Twisting to engage your obliques

1 Month Stairmaster Results

Taking all those things into account, here’s what you can expect after one month of using that Stairmaster.*

* Disclaimer: Exercise responsibly. 30-45-minute sessions, 3-4 times per week, is all it takes to achieve good results.

If you follow the general recommendations above, you’ll probably notice:

A drop in body fat percentage
An increase in lean muscle mass
Smaller waist and hips
Tighter buttocks and thighs
A flatter stomach
Improved cardiovascular endurance
Increased energy levels throughout the day
Better quality sleep at night

My one-month before and after results left me feeling ecstatic, to say the least.

I had more energy, felt great, and saw visible changes in my body. And what’s even better is that these results are sustainable in the long run.

So if you’re looking for a workout to help you lose weight, tone your body, and improve your overall health, I recommend giving the Stairmaster a try.

It’s one of the most effective workout machines out there, and it’s definitely worth your time and effort. Trust me – you won’t regret it!

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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.

Stairmaster for Weight Loss: Here’s how to Slim Down Faster than Ever