Hitting the gym for a treadmill run is an excellent backup when outdoor conditions aren’t favorable. Some may avoid the treadmill, but others appreciate running in air conditioning during summer or in warmth during winter, along with the benefits of indoor fitness machines. Treadmills typically let you set your pace, incline, and track calories burned for motivation. But, is that calorie tracker you monitor during your workout accurate? Great news for treadmill enthusiasts — the answer is mostly yes.
Though not perfectly accurate, as long as you input your weight before starting, experts say it’s “accurate enough for government use” (via The Wired Runner). If your treadmill lacks this feature, the calorie count may be less precise, typically defaulting to 155 pounds.
How does a treadmill count calories burned?
Avoid relying solely on the machine to calculate calories burned during your workout. Because it can’t consider personal health factors affecting calorie burn, expect an overestimation of 15 to 20% according to Verywell Fit. Treadmills use a standard calorie-burn formula, which you can calculate yourself, without considering body size, composition, age, and fitness level.
Additional factors a treadmill may use to estimate calories burned include your stride length, efficiency, speed, and incline setting, according to The Wired Runner. By avoiding the handles and maintaining good form, you can achieve maximum calorie burn efficiency.
Another way to assess workout effectiveness is by tracking your target heart rate and using a wearable fitness tracker. While the treadmill gives an approximate calorie total for your workout, this number shouldn’t directly convert into extra calories consumed. Always prioritize how you feel, your health, and safety over the treadmill or scale numbers.
