Can an elliptical be a good tool? Have heard negative things......
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It's an efficient way to burn calories, more than walking or running or pretty much anything else.
If you like it, do it.
But don't rely on exercise for weight loss. Most weight loss comes from controlling calories in.
It's easy to not eat 250 cal, but takes a while to exercise away.
Also, most people underestimate what they eat & most machines (including MFP) overestimate calories burned, so ignore exercise or "net" calories. Just eat at your calorie goal (10x a healthy goal weight).
elliptical is more efficient at burning calories than running? i sort of doubt this.0 -
I don't think it's more efficient for burning calories than running. However, it is much easier on the joints. I don't have to worry about shin splints, having the best shoes, proper running form, messed up knees and ankles, etc. I wear a heart rate monitor to ensure that I am maximizing my workout (and the machine isn't doing the work) and it has been a great tool for me (without the injuries)0
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Most of the negative things I've seen people say about it are in the context of explaining that you shouldn't just do cardio you should also strength train or that exercise alone won't help you lose weight you need to add in a calorie deficit as well.
It's much lower impact than some forms of cardio and can be very helpful for people who are just starting out. It's much easier stay motivated using the elliptical if you live somewhere that doesn't have the best weather. I've seen people run in all sorts of weather but it really takes a committed person to do that.0 -
Anything that is machine-based hurts my knees and hips so I rather go running in the sun, rain, or snow than doing an Eli. Plus I get a exercise the heart & lungs better. Whatever works for you is best for you...0
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Thank you for all your thoughts and input. I usually exercise while the kids are asleep and can't leave the house so running outside is not an option for me. I think that doing the elliptical must be better than nothing at all so I am going to keep it up and start doing some strengthening exercise as well.0
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I have an elliptical and other cardio machines (spinning bike, rower, etc.) All are effective if I put the effort into my workout. You can do intervals with an elliptical or steady state cardio. You can do steep incline and/or higher resistance. You can use handles (if you have them; mine don't) or even try to use "no hands" which strengths your core since you have to balance. If you do a flatter incline, it "mimics" running on a treadmill but without the impact to your knees. If you do a higher incline, it's "like" hiking. The sky is the limit. My advice would be to mix up the workouts (intervals for speed or resistance or incline or steady state cardio) to keep your body guessing and yourself interested.
Have fun!!!0 -
It's an efficient way to burn calories, more than walking or running or pretty much anything else.
If you like it, do it.
But don't rely on exercise for weight loss. Most weight loss comes from controlling calories in.
It's easy to not eat 250 cal, but takes a while to exercise away.
Also, most people underestimate what they eat & most machines (including MFP) overestimate calories burned, so ignore exercise or "net" calories. Just eat at your calorie goal (10x a healthy goal weight).
elliptical is more efficient at burning calories than running? i sort of doubt this.
Pretty sure "more efficient" means that it takes less energy to do the workout. That means a lower calorie burn.
OP, if it gets you moving and you enjoy it, do it.
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concordancia wrote: »Are you sure the negative stuff you heard wasn't from people insisting that you needed to do resistance training instead of cardio (as opposed to in addition to cardio)?
Honestly, I've never heard any lifters say negative things to me or anyone else about the elliptical being "bad" (even those not really into cardio), but I have heard it from runners.0 -
IMO the cross trainer (arms and legs) style is a better choice than the legs only elliptical, but in either case, modern commercial machines have a resistance range from very easy to beyond the capacity of any elite athlete. If you can't get a quality cardio workout on an elliptical, ur doin' it wrong.
^QFT
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AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »It's an efficient way to burn calories, more than walking or running or pretty much anything else.
If you like it, do it.
But don't rely on exercise for weight loss. Most weight loss comes from controlling calories in.
It's easy to not eat 250 cal, but takes a while to exercise away.
Also, most people underestimate what they eat & most machines (including MFP) overestimate calories burned, so ignore exercise or "net" calories. Just eat at your calorie goal (10x a healthy goal weight).
elliptical is more efficient at burning calories than running? i sort of doubt this.
Pretty sure "more efficient" means that it takes less energy to do the workout. That means a lower calorie burn.
OP, if it gets you moving and you enjoy it, do it.
oh! i misunderstood.0 -
If it means anything, the elliptical machine was the first cardio I did on my journey. I used it for a few months then stopped. I have nothing against it.0
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