Reviewed by최연승대표원장
I want to lose weight using a treadmill. What should I do to see results?
In many cases, relying solely on the treadmill is less effective than expected. If you feel exhausted even after sweating heavily, you may have a spleen deficiency (pi xu) constitution. Starting with brisk walking for about 20 minutes is actually more helpful for fat burning. Conversely, if you have good cardiopulmonary endurance but still can't lose weight, I recommend incline intervals. Rather than excessive speed, raising the incline to 5–10% and walking for 30–40 minutes is a method that does not deplete qi while promoting metabolism.
Many patients often say that using the treadmill makes their thighs thicker or causes knee pain. This occurs because the exercise intensity does not match their constitution. From a Korean medicine perspective, the fixed speed and movement of a treadmill tend to make the flow of qi and blood monotonous. Especially for those who tend to feel cold and accumulate fatigue, they often have spleen deficiency (pi xu) and qi deficiency (qi xu) states. Forcing running in such cases burdens the spleen's transportation and transformation function, leading to phlegm-fluid (tan yin) accumulation and edema. Therefore, I first recommend brisk walking or incline walking. When I check the pulse in my clinic, most patients show either qi deficiency or blood stasis (yu xue). For those with a certain level of stamina, adjusting the incline is better than increasing speed. An incline engages the lower body muscles evenly and helps the liver's dispersing function (gan de xiao xue), facilitating fat metabolism. However, if you already have discomfort in the knees or lower back, it is safer to maintain a steady pace within 30 minutes and limit it to three times per week or fewer. Based on my personal experience and some trial and error, instead of sticking only to the treadmill, combining it with outdoor walking or stretching once or twice a week helps balance the body's energy much better.