Question:
LOSS OF CALORIES BURNED ON A TREADMILL

HELLO ALL I USE THE TREADMILL EVERYDAY, AND I WORK OUT ON IT FOR 1 HOUR A DAY. MY DELIMMA IS, I HAVE TO HOLD ON TO THE TOP OF THE TREADMILL DURING MY WORKOUT BECAUSE I HAVE NO BALANCE AT ALL. EVERY NOW AND AGAIN I WILL LET GO AND SWING MY ARMS AND I NOTICE MY HEART STARTS TO PUMP MORE, BUT I CANT DO IT FOR LONG. I WANT TO KNOW, DO I LOSE SOME OF MY CALORIES BURNED BECAUSE I HAVE TO HOLD ON? I WORKOUT FOR 1 HOUR, 4 MILES, 10% INCLINE 702 CALORIES BURN. IM NOT OUT OF BREATH I CAN TALK DURING MY WORKOUT BUT MY HEART PUMPS BIG TIME. I DONT HAVE BIG ARMS AT ALL SO I KNOW IT WILL BENEFIT MY ARMS TO SWING THEM. I NEVER HAD BIG ARMS ANYWAY, BUT I USE WEIGHTS TO KEEP WHAT I HAVE TONED. THANK U IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR ANSWERS.    — sexysag37 (posted on April 24, 2004)

April 24, 2004
My guess is the calories burned is just an average regardless of if you swing your arms or not. I don't know for a fact, but common sense tells me someone who's bigger is going to burn more calories for the same distance and incline than someone short and not weighing as much like me. As you get smaller you have to increase your exercise either in intensity or duration or something to continue to tone and lose I would think. If you don't get a more definitive answer I bet you could call a big gym and ask a trainer, or call a school and ask a coach or p.e. teacher. Someone would know for sure. My brother told me those calories counters were totally bogus and he's kind of into exercise and sports and such. If you are worried about your balance, then I say better safe than sorry and continue to hold on and work your arm toning another way. Hope that helps some. S
   — sherry hedgecock

April 24, 2004
Try letting go with one hand for a while and then the other for the same amount of time. Next try just resting your finger tips on top of the bar. One developes balance over a long time. Also as you lose weight your center of gravity changes as does the way you balance. Good Lux
   — Robert L.

April 25, 2004
Yes you are still burning calories, and those arm rest/holders are there for that reason. A few Post-ops have told me they have experienced problems with balance it might be that the body is losing weight quicker than the mind can register, but I'm not sure. NEVER should you use the treadmill with your arms down unless you have a safety device or someone near you, in case you fall. Eventually, you will be able to use it without holding on. I' use to hold on but and it took a while for me to be sure of my footing. As for calories, you are not losing any, and if you are it has to be very small like 10-15/hour because your arm are not working out as well.
   — Anna M.

April 25, 2004
I think you're doing fantastic. Safety on the treadmill is important, and if you're not burning as much calories by holding on, I am sure it's minimal. One suggestion is to know your target heart rate and what results you hope to attain. In other words, do you want to burn fat, work on cardio, or build endurance? There are charts that tell what heart rate range you should be at depending on what you want to acheive. I am 40, and if I want to burn fat, which I do, then my target heart rate is 118 -- a lot lower than I would think. I, too, use the treadmill a lot and oftentimes don't use my arms because my heart rate increases when I use my arms to more of an endurance workout. The hour you put in is admirable, so rest assured you're getting healthier and healthier, plus you are jumpstarting your metabolism each time you work out for that length of time. Hope that helps. Chris L.
   — Chris L.