Could a TikTok Trend Tone My Tummy? After 21 Days, I Found Out.

My first thought when I started the 12-3-30 treadmill workout was that it was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I’ve been exercising regularly my entire adult life. Though I gave up running a couple of years ago for the sake of my joints, I can easily walk six miles on a Saturday morning and still have the energy to clean my house afterward. I’m the annoying friend on the girls’ trip who’s always saying, “We could just walk there. It’s not that far.” So I admit I thought this treadmill workout would be easy. But I was so wrong!

Consulting a health care or fitness professional before attempting a new routine is a good way to determine whether it makes sense for your body. A level 12 incline is quite steep. If you’re new to working out, you might slowly work up to level 12 instead of starting there. Incline walking may be unsafe for an exerciser with issues maintaining balance.

I also did some research. In an interview with Shape magazine, fitness professionals shared that exercisers should be able to walk on flat ground for 30 minutes straight before adding any incline on the treadmill. The article suggests that beginners should start at a level 3 incline and walk for a short period — maybe even as little as five or 10 minutes, depending on one’s fitness level. They might then increase the incline level by about 10 percent per week. And instead of trying to do the cardio workout daily, one should aim for no more than two or three times per week, the magazine notes.

Because I thought this workout would be easy, I had planned not to hold on to the bars of the treadmill during my walk. But one minute in, I was holding on for dear life! Giraldo has shared that she holds the bars about 30 percent of the time and goes hands-free for the rest.

I would say I held on about half the time. I did have a couple of lazy days when I had no desire to work out, and I held onto the bars the entire time. On those days, I barely sweated, while on the other days, I left the gym drenched. So, going hands-free seems to make the workout much more effective.

My 12-3-30 Treadmill Workout Experience

Throughout the challenge, I also continued strength training regularly, although I focused mostly on upper body workouts since my lower body was getting such a burn from my treadmill time. While I love cardio workouts, I am guilty of sometimes skipping those 2 to 3 weekly weightlifting sessions recommended by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. But the 12-3-30 treadmill workout actually made me want to do strength training. I think it was my body’s desire to feel balanced. Once a week, after my treadmill time, I would head over to the dumbbells and do three sets of three different exercises for my shoulders, biceps, and triceps. One or two days a week, I’d also do a dumbbell workout at home.

I am also a huge fan of Pilates, and I maintained my practice during the challenge. However, I couldn’t make it to my local studio for reformer Pilates much because I was busy with work and family for those three weeks. So, I did a few Pilates-inspired YouTube workouts at home instead.

As I expected, I didn’t see any major changes in my weight, but I lost an inch off my waist, which is pretty impressive considering I didn’t change my eating habits. (Although I did drink more water because those steep walks made me SO THIRSTY.)

Moreover, I had some important non-scale victories. My core felt stronger and must have looked tighter too because one day near the end of the challenge, when I was dressed in form-fitting workout gear, my husband said to me, “Are you losing weight? You look so slim in that outfit.”

On the final day of the challenge, I made it to a reformer Pilates class and was shocked by how much stronger my lower body was. I gracefully moved into poses that had been difficult before and held them with ease.

Because of these results, I will continue to include the 12-3-30 treadmill workout in my exercise regimen, two or three days a week. Treadmill time was a good way to catch up on my favorite podcasts and YouTube channels, but I missed walking outside. Plus, all workout regimens need variety to avoid overuse injuries. While incline walking is easier on my joints than running, it can still stress the low back, hamstrings, Achilles tendons and knees.

The 12-3-30 treadmill workout may not help me lose 30 pounds in 3 months, but I still believe it’s worth the hype.

Do you enjoy mixing treadmill walking or running into your fitness routines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.