Can Sole Treadmills Help You Lose Weight?

Walking on a Sole treadmill

Sole are well known in the fitness equipment industry. Their treadmills have been market leaders and are always considered when researching to buy one. They have a very good reputation and their users are always recommending them. They’re not cheap but you get what you pay for.

Here I’ll look at Sole treadmills and look at ways they can help you lose weight. I’ve included 5 tips on how to use their features to get the best results.

How Sole treadmills help you lose weight

Sole have thought about what people want from their treadmills. They know that a common reason for buying a treadmill is for weight loss amongst other benefits. For this reason they have some specific workout programs to help you burn fat and lose weight effectively and quickly. This is built into all their models.

Sole treadmill range

There are 6 Sole treadmills. They start at $1,099 which is around the minimum price I recommend when buying a new treadmill. They’re available at most high end retailers, but you’re better off buying directly from their website. They have free shipping and you can try them out first using their 30 day money back guarantee.

This chart shows the 3 budget treadmills:

Sole F63Sole F65Sole F80
Price$1,099$1,399$1,599
Drive Motor3.0 CHP3.25 CHP3.5 CHP
Top Speed12 mph12 mph12 mph
Incline15 Levels15 Levels15 Levels
Deck Size20″ x 60″22″ x 60″22″ x 60″
FoldingYesYesYes
Chest StrapYesYesYes
Screen Size6.5″ LCD7.5″ LCD9.0″ LCD
Max User Weight325 lbs350 lbs375 lbs
Labor Warranty1 year1 year2 years
Treadmill Weight254 lbs262 lbs278 lbs

This chart shows the 3 high end treadmills. Note two of then are non folding.

Sole F85Sole S77Sole TT8
Price$1,999$1,999$2,499
Drive Motor4.0 CHP4.0 CHP4.0 CHP
Top Speed12 mph12 mph12 mph
Incline15 Levels15 Levels15 Levels
Deck Size22″ x 60″22″ x 60″22″ x 60″
FoldingYesNoNo
Chest StrapYesYesNo
Screen Size10.1″ TFT Touch Panel10.1″ TFT LCD10.1″ TFT LCD
Max User Weight400 lbs400 lbs400 lbs
Labor Warranty2 years2 years2 years
Treadmill Weight308 lbs258 lbs322 lbs

With the high end chart, you can see the specifications are nearly identical so you don’t need to go for the TT8. Go for a cheaper alternative. They all have the same preset programs which includes one they call “Fat Burn”. Remember all the programs will help you lose weight because that’s what exercise can help you do.

When exercising to lose weight it’s better to try and increase the duration rather than the intensity. This is more effective for weight loss. One stand out feature of Sole treadmills are their maximum user capacity. They cater for people on the heavy side.

At 400 lbs this is the most you’ll see for a home treadmill. If you’re approaching that weight then consider a form of exercise that has less impact, like cycling first. The treadmills have to be built in a very sturdy to be able to withstand someone of that weight exercising on it.

It’s a sign that the treadmill will last, as is the warranty. The powerful motors also deserve a special mention. The incline is often a useful feature to help you burn calories. It does this by making your walk or run that little bit harder.

There are 15 incline levels on all Sole treadmills, this gives you a good choice to make your workout as hard or as easy as you like on any given day. The console shows a calorie burn number but, as with all treadmills, this should be used as a guide. Use it as a way of seeing how hard your particular workout has been. The higher the number, the more work you’ve put in.

Calorie numbers are never accurate because they need your height, weight and other details to find the true number. Unfortunately Sole treadmills lack the feature to use streaming classes. What you do get with Sole are the most durable and reliable treadmills on the market.

That’s what their reputation is all about. If you’re serious about losing weight and getting healthy, then they’re a good choice. If you want entertainment, you can always mount a TV in front of it. If you purchase through their website (which I recommend), they’re currently offering free shipping.

5 Tips on using Sole treadmills to lose weight

These 5 tips help you lose weight faster. They take advantage of the features you can find on Sole treadmills.

1. Exercise in the fat burning zone

The fat burning zone is a scientific fact. Research has shown that if you exercise in this zone, you’ll burn fat quicker. So if your goal is to lose weight, then it’s something worth looking into. You can do this on a Sole treadmill because it has the ability to read your heart rate when you wear a heart rate chest strap. Your heart rate is shown on the console.

Apart from the TT8, all Sole treadmills come with a chest strap. You can always buy one if you go for that treadmill, they only cost around $40. To exercise in your fat burning zone you need your heart rate to be between 60% and 80% of your maximum. To find your maximum, take 220 and minus your age.

So a 30 year old will have a maximum heart rate of 190. They would need to exercise between 114 and 152 beats per minute. If you’re just walking to lose weight, you may still be able to reach your fat burning zone. Use the incline and your heart rate will increase.

Remember this is just the optimum. All exercise will help you lose weight. I personally have always found the fat burning zone a struggle to stay within. I still managed to lose 30 pounds though by exercising on my treadmill.

2. Power walk on hills

Whenever I go to the gym, I always see people using the incline on their treadmill and walking briskly. They call this power walking and it’s a great way of burning calories. All Sole treadmills have 15 levels of incline. There is no excuse not to use them and introduce them into your workout routines.

There are ways of calculating your calorie expenditure. You’ll notice using an incline makes a significant difference to the number. Power walking is considered moderate intensity exercise by the World Health Organization. They advise you do 30 minutes of this kind of activity on 5 days per week.

If you can get on your treadmill that regularly and power walk. You’ll find you’ll lose weight very quickly and successfully. It may take some practice to exercise that long, especially if you’re quite overweight to begin with. But it’s a good target to work towards.

The amount of incline you use is up to you. But try and use enough so you can physically feel your walking is getting harder. Go for the fat burning zone I describe above for the best results. Try changing the incline every few minutes to keep your routine interesting and varied. I like to set myself targets and you should too.

I have some incline routines on another page that you may find useful, here:

3. Use other workout programs

All Sole treadmills have 10 built in programs. These can be selected easily on the console. I recommend you try them all and see which ones you prefer. You don’t need to tie yourself down to the “Fat Burn” program. They all help you lose weight like any exercise can.

They have different names that broadly describer the effect they’re trying to replicate. Like “Hills” and “Cardio”. Essentially they all change the speed and incline during the program in a predefined way. There are 2 user defined programs where you can create your own routine. You can make it as hard or easy as you like.

There are also 2 heart rate programs which will use the included chest strap. These change the treadmill settings to ensure your heart rate stays at a predetermined level. Of course there’s the manual program. Simply step on the treadmill and set the speed and incline by yourself. This is the one most people use and including me.

If you do want to stick with weight loss routines there are thousands available online. Whether you want to walk, jog or run you’ll find one to suit you.

I’ve created a few myself which you can find through the following links:

4. Try longer distances

The longer you can exercise for, the more calories you’ll burn. I’ve already mentioned the World Health Organization recommending we exercise for 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. If you can manage it, try extending one of your walks or runs by 5 minutes per week. I especially recommend this if you have a few stubborn pounds to lose that you can’t seem to shift.

It’s quite common among people who exercise as a hobby to do one longer run or walk per week. There are a few key benefits from doing this. It makes your exercise on the other days feel a lot easier. For weight loss it helps you burn more calories. And by placing different demands on your body, you’ll benefit more from the exercise you.

It’s a way of challenging yourself and you can feel a sense of achievement when you’ve done it. When I lost 30 pounds I incorporated a long run into my treadmill exercise routine. Sole treadmills like any display the time and distance. These are essential stats to use to track your progress. Write down what you do every week when you weigh yourself.

Another way of burning more calories is to increase the speed. Again, try this once a week as you don’t want to over exert yourself.

5. Stay motivated

Unfortunately exercising to lose weight requires commitment and perseverance. Starting an exercise routine is one thing. Doing it for the months it takes to see significant results is another. You might just be focusing on your weight and seeing how much weight you’ve lost ever week. The problem is the scales don’t shift much at first.

It’s only when you’re exercising regularly that you’ll start to see some movement on the scales. So at first work up to doing the 30 minute per day target. Don’t worry though, you will see results if you put the time in. Depending what you weigh to begin with, it could start falling quite quickly when you do 30 minutes on a regular basis.

Plan your exercise into your day. This way you’ll have less excuses not to do it. See it as an investment into your health which is what losing weight is. Sole treadmills have an audio Bluetooth capability. So you can connect a music device to it and play those motivating songs to keep you going.

Use the time to watch a show you’ve been meaning to see on TV, if you have one in front of you. Only watch it when you exercise and you’ll look forward to it. There are all kinds of ways to keep you motivated if you put your mind to it. Obviously the weight loss will be the most important one for you at first.

Combine diet and exercise for the best results

Remember that for best results you should ensure you’re eating properly. Don’t starve yourself as you’ll need energy to exercise. But if you tend to over eat, then that’s something you need to do something about. Just eat normally and you’ll lose weight.

Eat 3 meals per day with sensible portions and a few snacks if you need them. We’re aiming for a calorie deficit and you’ll get that by exercising. Sole treadmills really help, but if you’re eating too much then you’ll dent your progress.

Get Free Shipping on Sole treadmills

Good fitness equipment companies usually offer free shipping. It’s expected now. Gone are the days where you would be charged hundreds of dollars extra. Even the cheapest Sole treadmill has free shipping. Assembly does cost more if you want that service, although it’s quite reasonable at the time of writing.

Final thoughts

If you’re thinking about a treadmill to help you lose weight reliably and predictably, a Sole treadmill is ideal. Their features lend well to weight loss if that’s your priority. Science says it’s safe to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week to maintain our health and lose weight while exercising. I know, from personal experience, I achieved this thanks to my treadmill.

Why not do it on a treadmill that’s designed and proven to be more durable and sturdy. This is the reputation that Sole has and it’s gained it from it’s users. I have a page of my top 3 recommended treadmills and there’s a Sole one in there. All of us who know about treadmills will recommend a Sole treadmill.

They may lack entertainment, but if you’re serious about and losing weight and being healthy, they will serve you well. Make sure you get free shipping through the link below and let me know when you’ve reached your weight loss goal!

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