In today's world, where many of us spend countless hours working remotely, staying active can be a real challenge. Walking pads have emerged as a game-changing solution, revolutionizing weight loss routines and offering a convenient way to boost your daily activity levels right at home. Walking, a simple yet powerful exercise, is one of the most accessible and effective ways to support weight loss and overall health.
The Rise of Walking Pads in the Remote Work Era
Walking pads, also known as under-desk treadmills, are compact exercise devices designed for indoor walking. These slim, space-saving machines allow you to seamlessly integrate physical activity into your daily routine, whether you're working, watching TV, or simply taking a break.
What is a Walking Pad?
A walking pad is essentially a smaller, more basic version of a treadmill. It features a motorized belt on rollers but lacks the bulky frame and handrails of a traditional treadmill. This design makes it lightweight and easy to move around, perfect for homes with limited space.
Walking Pads vs. Traditional Treadmills
While both walking pads and treadmills serve the purpose of exercise, they cater to different needs and preferences. Walking pads are ideal for light walking or jogging at speeds up to 4-6 km/h, with some advanced models reaching 8-10 km/h. They are designed for steady movement rather than intense running, utilizing smaller motors that are optimized for consistent, low-impact workouts.
Traditional treadmills, on the other hand, are built for more vigorous workouts, offering higher speed ranges and incline options. They typically come with larger frames, handrails, and advanced features like electronic displays and preset workout programs.
Read also: Walking for weight loss
The Benefits of Walking Pads for Weight Loss
Walking pads offer a multitude of benefits for those seeking to lose weight and improve their overall health.
Increased Calorie Burn
A walking pad can help you burn calories steadily throughout your day. Walking at a moderate pace can burn approximately 200-300 calories per hour, while even slower speeds of 1.5 mph can burn around 150-250 calories per hour.
Just a 30-minute walk on a walking pad can burn around 100-130 calories. Walking pads boost your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)-calories burned during everyday activities beyond formal exercise.
Boost Your Daily Step Count
Walking pads are a great way to boost your daily step count, especially since most adults sit for over 10 hours daily. Research shows that office workers who used walking pads walked 4,500 more steps each day. Many people who use walking pads have doubled their steps from 6,000 to over 12,000 daily.
Even a gentle hour-long walk adds 5,000-6,000 steps to your daily count.
Read also: Weight Loss: Walking vs. Swimming Comparison
Low-Impact Cardio
Walking pads give you cardio benefits without stressing your joints, unlike high-intensity workouts. They work great if you have joint pain, arthritis, or are recovering from surgery. The minimal joint stress lets you extend your walking sessions safely.
You can exercise longer and more often without pain on a walking pad.
Improved Blood Sugar Control
Walking pads help control your blood sugar after meals in surprising ways. Research shows that walking for just 2-5 minutes after eating reduces blood sugar spikes by a lot. Walking makes your muscles work harder and use more glucose, which improves insulin sensitivity.
Walking after meals can reduce sharp blood glucose rises, even if you don’t have diabetes.
Convenience and Consistency
Walking pads have become popular because they solve the biggest problem with exercise-making it convenient. The real advantage of walking pads is how easy they are to use. You don’t need special workout times - just walk while you work or watch TV.
Read also: Weight Loss with Indoor Exercises
Results start showing up when you walk for 20 minutes three to four days each week. These devices let you walk at speeds from 0.5 to 4 mph, providing comfortable low-intensity workouts that make a real difference in your weight loss experience.
Additional Health Benefits
Research shows that using a walking pad during work improves your energy, reduces muscle soreness, eases hip and back pain, lifts your mood, and helps you think more clearly.
Walking is the most evidence‑based exercise for lowering long‑term health risks and supporting weight loss.
Creating a Walking Pad Routine for Weight Loss
Creating a walking pad routine at home needs smart planning and steady progress.
Start Slowly
Start with just 5-10 minutes at a slow pace (1-1.5 km/h) to help your body adjust while you work or do other activities. New users should focus on consistency rather than intensity and walk for 15-20 minutes at a comfortable pace.
Your comfort level will increase gradually with both duration and speed.
Gradually Increase Intensity and Duration
Mix slow walking days with brisker sessions to challenge different energy systems. Aim for about 60 minutes of brisk walking to burn approximately 300 calories.
Integrate into Your Daily Activities
The walking pad becomes easier to use when you make it part of your daily activities. Place your walking pad where you spend much time-near your desk or in front of the TV. This schedule helps you reach 10,000 steps daily without setting aside special exercise time.
Track Your Progress
Progress tracking gives you motivation and accountability. Most walking pads link to dedicated apps that record steps, distance, and calories burned. Step goals help improve results-try to reach 6,000-10,000 steps daily.
Note that a 65 kg person burns about 4 calories per minute walking at 5 km/h, which means a 30-minute session burns about 120 calories.
Maintain Proper Posture and Technique
Your walking pad results depend on how well you stand tall. Keep your head up with your chin parallel to the ground and look 10-20 feet ahead. This head position naturally puts your ears above your shoulders, so you won’t drop your head toward your chest.
A quick shrug-and-drop motion before you start helps relax your shoulders. This simple move releases tension and lets your shoulders fall naturally. Pull your belly button toward your spine while walking to activate your core muscles.
Wear Appropriate Shoes
You must wear appropriate shoes for walking pad safety. Pick shoes designed specifically for walking that have proper cushioning to absorb impact. Don’t wear flat shoes without arch support because they can cause plantar fasciitis and heel pain.
Find shoes with quality cushioning that fit well right away.
Ensure a Safe Setup
Put your walking pad on a level, stable surface where you have enough room to move. This setup stops unwanted movement during use and makes accidents less likely. The area around your pad should be free of cords and anything else you might trip over.
Avoid Distractions
Multitasking while walking might seem efficient, but some activities need too much focus for safe pad use. Skip tasks that need precision, like working on detailed reports or spreadsheets. Watch TV or use your phone carefully while walking to keep your balance.
Choosing the Right Walking Pad
A good walking pad plays a vital role in your weight loss trip. When selecting a walking pad, consider the following factors:
Space
Walking pads stand out because of their space-saving design. Regular treadmills weigh hundreds of kilograms and take up lots of room. But walking pads are light-usually between 13-23 kg-which makes them easy to move around. These machines work great in urban Indian homes where space is tight. The slim design lets you slide them under your bed or prop them against a wall after exercise.
Weight Capacity
It’s also a good idea to check the walking pad’s weight limit and pad size to make sure it’s a good fit for your body type. Walking pads normally handle about 220 pounds, but some models can handle 300+ pounds.
Speed Range
Walking pads also provide a range of maximum speeds, depending on the type of workout you want. Usual speeds are between 2.5 and 8.6 mph.
Additional Features
Some walking pads come with adjustable incline, foldable designs for easy storage, and smart features like Bluetooth connectivity and mobile app integration.
Noise Level
If you plan to use your walking pad in areas where co-workers or family members are, noise level is an important feature to think about. In general, folding walking pads may make more noise than stationary ones.
Examples of Walking Pads
- Sparnod STH-3002: This ultra-slim walking pad slides under a bed or sofa when not in use, which makes it perfect for small apartments. The built-in deck shock absorption system reduces impact on joints, so you can walk longer and more comfortably.
- Sparnod WalkyShaky: Built-in vibration modes in the WalkyShaky improve blood circulation and help relax muscles, which can speed up workout recovery and fat metabolism. The WalkyShaky can handle users up to 120 kg, unlike the STH-3002.
- Merach Walking Pad: It’s the most affordable, the lightest at under 48 pounds for easy handling, has a long 39-inch belt, and goes up to 3.9 miles per hour. It also has a handy remote control that allows you to adjust the speed, while the display tracks distance, time, and calories burned.
- Egofit Walker Pro: It has a five percent incline, which WH assistant social media editor Isabel McMahon says stood out to her. “Even when I’m walking at a slower speed like 1.5 mph, I can still feel like I’m getting a solid workout,” she says.
- Sunny Health & Fitness Treadpad: For beginners who need something to hold onto while jogging or fast walking, the Sunny Health & Fitness Treadpad is your best bet. The foldable handle provides stability and also doubles as a device holder to support your phone or tablet. The belt is 58 inches to accommodate long strides, while there are six levels of incline to simulate a small hike while grinding.
- WalkingPad: The WalkingPad is the most compact under-desk treadmill we’ve seen-it folds 180 degrees to 32 inches to stash away under a couch or bed. When full-length it’s 56 inches, ironically the longest on this list. So, keep that in mind if you’re in a tight space.
- GoPlus 3-In-1 Treadmill: If you want a two-in-one piece of workout equipment, the GoPlus 3-In-1 Treadmill goes up to 7.5 miles per hour for fast-paced runs during breaks or after work. And, don’t worry about slipping-it has a seven-layered, textured anti-slip belt. When it’s time to get back to the grind, there’s a built-in desk (!) and handle to keep you moving.
- Go Youth 2-In-1 Under-Desk Treadmill: Can’t be bothered to manually adjust the speed? The Go Youth 2-In-1 Under-Desk Treadmill features 12 preset speed settings that can be controlled with a remote. It goes up to six miles per hour, slightly less than the GoPlus.
- Soozier Under-Desk Treadmill: A major highlight of the Soozier Under-Desk Treadmill is it’s the only one we’ve seen that comes in an eye-catching pink color. Aside from its aesthetics, it goes up to four miles per hour and has a "wear-resistant" belt for durability-perfect for fast walking sessions.
- Sunny Health & Fitness Foldable Under-Desk Treadmill: The Sunny Health & Fitness Foldable Under-Desk Treadmill stands out for having over 10,000 reviews on Amazon-the most out of all products on this list. It’s also the only manual model, so it’s the most challenging.
Walking Pads and Belly Fat Reduction
In the quest for weight loss and achieving a trimmer midsection, walking has long been heralded as a beneficial exercise. But can simply walking on a foldable under desk treadmill lead to significant reductions in belly fat?
Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is not only a cosmetic concern but also a health risk. It accumulates around internal organs and has been linked to various health issues, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Walking is a low-impact aerobic exercise that can be easily incorporated into daily routines. It helps burn calories, improve cardiovascular health, and strengthen muscles. While spot reduction of fat in specific areas, such as the belly, is a common desire, it's essential to understand that targeted fat loss is not possible through exercise alone. Instead, walking contributes to overall fat loss by creating a calorie deficit, which occurs when you burn more calories than you consume.
Several studies have shown the efficacy of walking in reducing belly fat. For example, a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that regular walking exercise significantly decreased waist circumference, a marker of abdominal fat, in overweight and obese women.
A foldable under desk treadmill offers a convenient way to incorporate walking into your daily routine, even while working or performing sedentary tasks. While walking on a foldable under desk treadmill can contribute to overall fat loss, including reductions in belly fat, it's essential to approach weight loss holistically. Consistent exercise, coupled with a healthy diet and lifestyle habits, is key to achieving and maintaining a trimmer waistline.
The Importance of Lifestyle Changes
At Weight Loss NP, LLC, we teach that medications like GLP‑1s are powerful tools-but true success comes from lifestyle changes you can maintain long‑term. A walking pad is a simple, effective way to boost your daily step count, support calorie burn, and build healthier habits-all from the comfort of home.
Addressing Common Concerns
Are Walking Pads Worth It?
A walking pad is a useful tool for a lot of desk-bound people. But you have to be able to use it if you’re going to reap the rewards. If you already live a pretty active life, a walking pad may not add much to the equation.
Walking pads are probably more beneficial to beginning exercisers than for people who are more active and more regimented with their workouts,” Dempers says. “If you already get a lot of exercise, a walking pad might not add too much. But if you’re going from a more sedentary life to starting to use a walking pad, you might find more benefit.”
Can an Under-Desk Treadmill Replace Cardio Workouts?
It’s also important to acknowledge that under-desk treadmills should not be used to substitute cardio workouts. When people talk about getting in their cardio, they’re referring to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week, says Erica Coviello, an RRCA-certified running coach. Most likely, you’ll be walking at a relatively slow pace on your under-desk treadmill, which wouldn’t get your heart rate into that Zone 2 range to qualify.
In short, think of the steps you take on your walking pad as “bonus” Zone 1 cardio rather than an excuse to skip your brisk walk, jog, or cycle.
How Often Should You Use It?
"If you have a way to track your steps, 7,500 steps is a great goal to aim for each day," Potter says. "If you are mostly sedentary, I would start with 30 minutes per day on your walking pad and build up from there," she adds.