Treadmill Calorie Calculator

Use this free treadmill calorie calculator to calculate calories burned during walking, jogging, or running on a treadmill.

Calories Burned on Treadmill

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Calories Burned

How Many Calories Does a Treadmill Burn?

The treadmill, the most popular cardiovascular machine at the gym, can walk, jog, or run you. But how many calories does a treadmill burn? The truth is, it's affected by many factors including your body weight, treadmill speed, and incline.

Our treadmill calorie calculator factors in all of these variables to get a very accurate estimate of the calories you burned. Generally, a 150-lb person can expect to burn 100-150 calories per 30 minutes of moderate intensity (walking).

How to Use the Treadmill Calorie Calculator

It's quite straightforward to use our treadmill workout calculator:

Enter your weight. Be accurate to the best of your ability.
Enter your speed. Your treadmill will indicate the speed in MPH (miles per hour).
Enter the incline. Most treadmills will have a percentage that indicates the incline.
Enter the duration. The time (in minutes) that you were exercising is needed.
Hit the "Calculate Calories Burned" button. Your calories burned will be displayed.

💡 Pro Tip: If you want to burn more calories on the treadmill, you can either increase the incline or speed. Even a 1% slope makes a huge difference. Try our Calorie Calculator to get an even more accurate value.

How Treadmill Speed and Incline Affect Calorie Burn

Both speed and incline have an effect on how many calories you will burn on the treadmill. For a rough estimate, you can use this chart:

Speed (mph)	Incline (%)	Calories per 30 min (150 lb person)
3.0	0	120-140
3.5	0	150-170
4.0	5	180-200
5.0	0	200-220
6.0	0	250-280

Benefits of Treadmill Workouts

Convenience: You can get a great workout no matter what the weather is like
Controlled environment: You can set the incline, speed, and duration
Low impact: A treadmill is easier on your joints than outdoor running
Versatility: You can walk, jog, or run on the treadmill
Calorie burn: Treadmill workouts can burn a significant number of calories

How to Maximize Calories Burned on a Treadmill

Increase incline: Incline walking is a fantastic way to burn calories while walking.
Add intervals: By varying the intensity, you can increase the number of calories burned during a treadmill workout.
Increase speed: Just walking a little bit faster will increase your calorie burn.
Extend duration: The longer you exercise, the more calories you will burn.

Treadmill vs Outdoor Running

Both treadmill and outdoor running have their advantages and disadvantages. Treadmills offer the advantage that you can work out no matter what the weather is like. They also allow you to control the intensity of your treadmill workout. On the other hand, running outside burns more calories than running on a treadmill. The difference is that outdoors, you have to fight wind resistance as well.

Our Walking Calorie Calculator and Steps to Calories Calculator can help you estimate the amount of calories burned for different activities.

The "Incline" Secret: Why 10% is the Magic Number

If you want to get the most amount of calories burned in the shortest amount of time, without running, you should try using the treadmill with a steep incline. Walking at an incline has been shown to recruit your glutes, hamstrings, and calves much more than walking on a level surface. This "hiking" simulation can be quite intense! It goes by the name "the 12-3-30 workout" (12% incline, 3 mph, 30 minutes).

Why You Shouldn't Hold the Handrails

You've probably seen people at the treadmill gripping the handrails with all their might. While this is a common sight at gyms, I don't advise doing this when you're on a treadmill. By holding on to the rails, you're eliminating a large portion of your load, and thus, you won't be burning anywhere near the amount of calories you could. In order for the treadmill calculator to give you an accurate value, you need to make sure you're swinging your arms freely and not holding on to the handrails.

The "Wind Resistance" Factor

If you are training for an outdoor race, you may notice that running on a treadmill is slightly easier than running outside. The reason is that you have to push through wind resistance when you are outdoors. To compensate for this, experts suggest that if you are trying to simulate an outdoor run on a treadmill, you should set the incline to 1%. This will create an artificial wind resistance similar to running outside.

Treadmill Running vs. Walking: Which is Better?

Walking: Good for beginners, low impact, ideal for fat burning (you can go for much longer)
Running: More time efficient, burns more calories per minute, higher impact on joints
The Verdict: It really depends on what you're looking for! If you're recovering from an injury, stick with incline walking. If you're in a hurry and have strong joints, go with running.

FAQs About Treadmill Calorie Calculator

How many calories does 30 minutes on a treadmill burn?

In general, a treadmill workout that lasts 30 minutes and is performed at 3.5 mph will burn about 150-200 calories for a 150-lb person. Higher speeds and inclines increase the amount of calories burned.

Does incline increase calorie burn on a treadmill?

Yes, walking or running on a treadmill with an incline will greatly increase the amount of calories burned. It also puts more stress on your glutes, hamstrings, and calves since you're fighting gravity.

Is treadmill running as effective as outdoor running?

Yes, treadmill running is pretty much as effective as running outside. But, you do burn more calories when you are outdoors due to wind resistance. A 1% incline is recommended to best simulate an outdoor run.

How can I burn more calories on a treadmill?

You can increase the incline or speed, or the length of your treadmill workout to burn more calories on a treadmill. You can also run at a steady, moderate intensity. One example of a good moderate intensity treadmill workout is the "12-3-30" (12% incline, 3 mph, 30 minutes). This simulates hiking up a hill.

Why is my treadmill calorie count different from my smartwatch?

Smartwatches and treadmills use slightly different algorithms to estimate calories burned. Treadmills generally ask for you weight and then calculate the calories burned based on the speed and incline. Smartwatches use something called your heart rate. The formula used by the calculator on this page is a very accurate MET formula.

Can I use a treadmill calculator for an elliptical or stationary bike?

No, different machines engage different muscles and have different "MET" scores. You'll need another calculator for other cardio machines.

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⚠️ Disclaimer: The information provided by this calculator is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or fitness advice or examination. Please consult with your doctor before making any changes to your exercise or diet program.