Incline walking has gained attention as a simple way to make treadmill workouts more challenging without necessarily increasing walking speed. Wellness professional Shraddha, who says she lost 33 kg from an initial weight of 95 kg, recently shared her incline-walking routine on Instagram, describing it as one part of her weight-loss journey alongside a good diet.
Her suggested 30-minute treadmill routine uses different incline and speed levels depending on fitness experience. The beginner approach involves a 5 incline with a speed of 3, while an intermediate routine increases the incline to 10 and speed to 3.3. For an advanced level, she recommends a 15 incline and speed of 3.5.
Walking uphill increases the effort required from the body compared with walking on a flat surface. This can raise energy expenditure and engage muscles in the legs and lower body more intensely. However, the amount of weight a person loses depends on several factors, including overall calorie intake, physical activity, consistency, sleep and individual health conditions.
Incline walking may also provide a lower-impact alternative to some higher-intensity exercises, but a steep incline can still place additional demands on the calves, ankles, knees and other joints. People who are new to treadmill workouts should increase the incline gradually rather than immediately attempting an advanced setting.
Most importantly, one person’s weight-loss experience should not be treated as a guaranteed formula for everyone. A sustainable exercise routine combined with appropriate nutrition is generally more useful than relying on a single “weight-loss hack”. Anyone with existing joint problems, chronic health conditions or concerns about starting a new exercise programme should seek professional guidance before significantly increasing workout intensity.