Is this new treadmill trend the magic carpet to weight loss?

There is a fitness trend that started on TikTok a while ago and has gained popularity in the fitness world.

The trend is a treadmill formula that, going by online testimonies, seems to produce real results for users seeking to lose weight. The treadmill trend is known as “the 12-3-30 workout”.

You set your treadmill to an incline of 12, set the speed of three miles per hour and you walk for 30 minutes. Hundreds, probably thousands of testimonies are posed by users on several social media sites, praising its effectiveness.

History The concept is said to have originated from social media influencer Lauren Giraldo who first shared it on YouTube in 2019 and on TikTok in 2020. Viewers tried it out and reposted with their results and that is how it spread to millions of people. The 37-year-old explains in a TikTok video that she is not a runner, and trying to run on the treadmill was not working for her. So, she played with the treadmill settings to a walking pace on a 12 incline at three miles per hour for 30 minutes.

This was comfortable for her so she kept using those settings every time she went to the gym. After a while, she realised she had lost some 14 kilogrammes, so she posted about it on her social media. Little did she know she had inspired millions.

A simple internet search for "12-3-30 workout" on YouTube or TikTok will yield hundreds of users praising the formula as an effective way to lose weight, complete with the “before” and “after” images. It is easy to see why it works. Several studies have already shown that walking is a great way to keep in shape and lose weight.

The formula ensures that the user gets the benefits that walking comes with. Harder Johnson Busingye, a gym instructor at Kampala Serena Hotel, says the trend is based on a common workout, walking, that has been proven to offer many benefits ts such as strengthening the heart and promoting weight loss.

“This new treadmill formula just makes walking a little more difficult so that the benefits of walking are enhanced,” he says.

Busingye says in his experience as a gym instructor, a good number of people go to the gym just to use nothing else but the treadmill and yet the results are always evident. Having a formula that hits the sweet spot, such as the reviews of the trend claim, can make the benefits of a treadmill workout heightened.

“While walking is a low-impact exercise that is easy for the majority of people, the 12-3-30 treadmill workout raises the bar a little higher for users, and benefits abound,” he says.

He adds that the incline 12 setting represents a moderately steep hill on the ground and walking uphill at three miles an hour for 30 minutes is a pretty serious workout. He advises that only people who are already in good shape should try this trend since it is taxing. The workout puts you in a situation where you are fighting gravity resistance that is trying to pull you back down.

Glute muscles (muscles in the butt) and leg muscles are strained most during this workout. The workout is perfect for people who cannot handle heftier workouts such as jogging, weight lifting and cycling but still want an exercise that is more than just walking. Frequency Experts recommend that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week. While there are big numbers of people who do this workout daily, going by the online reviews, Giraldo (the ‘inventor’) does it five times a week. This frequency fits with research findings that have shown that casually walking for just 38 minutes each day is all one needs to be fit. The ideal frequency for the 12-3-30 workout is daily but reneging one or two days is okay, according to experts.

Studies have shown that a brisk 30-minute walk burns 200 calories. When done on a daily basis, this can lead to weight loss. The 12-3-30 formula, which is walking on a harder level burns 300 calories in 30 minutes. This should consequently help one lose weight faster than if they walked. It is a perfect workout for urban dwellers who cannot find perfect trails for walking outdoors.  

NOTE

If an exercise regimen is pushing you harder than your body can handle, you might injure yourself. Sprains and strains are among the most common workout injuries, and you may end up with one if you do not understand your body’s fitness abilities.

Understanding your fitness level is essential for proper goal setting. Creating goals for your workouts can guide how often you exercise, what intensity level you reach and what physical results you want to see from your fitness routine. While a goal can motivate you when it is within your abilities, an unrealistic goal can discourage you.  

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