Which exercise is better jogging or the elliptical?

prettykonvinced

Which exercise is the best one to do if you want to lose fat? Is it running or the elliptical. I have been doing the elliptical and it seems like my legs get bigger. Not fatter, but more muscular. Am I building muscle on top of fat? What's going on?

iDreamNEON

Hmm Not sure since I haven't been brave enough to actually run but I had a similar concern in that I didn't want my thighs [problem area] to get bigger. It seems that so long as I don't use any resistance on the elliptical it's a very effective form of burning fat.

BUT if you let this copy of women's health that i bought yesterday tell it, running is more effective.

RaggedyPond

Running makes you loose muscle and fat. I like to switch it up between both running and elliptical.

gecho

don't know about building muscle or toning (my trainer friend says i'm toning) but the elliptical is better i think easier on the knees.

Nich0le

You are not building muscle on top of fat, and muscular is better than fatter. Both are good for you, both will build muscle. I would suggest adding yoga or pilates to your exercise routine. When we workout we tense up and stress our muscles and doing yoga or pilates will stretch and lengthen the muscles giving you the slimmer look you might be hoping for. :flowerforyou:

binary_jester

I like both, but I take a perverse satisfaction when I start doing sprints on the treadmill and the person next to me wonders where the wildebeest is charging from. :laugh:

coastalstorm25

I have been doing both...but I have been running on a treadmill longer and all i know is that I think it works better for me. I do alternate between both machines so i don't get bored. If you are going to run outside try nor to run on pavement...it can really wreck your knees ....maybe not today or tomorrow but in the future you will feel it....running on a treadmill is different since it has a cushion for impact.
I find that if you jog/run on the treadmill it works alot of muscles so you aren't bulking up on anyone muscle like an eliptical can..when i go on the eliptical i postion myself on it to work different muscle groups so they get the exercise too.
Hope this helps

JStarnes

For me, I feel like running incorporates more of my entire body in the workout whereas my elliptical I really only feel in my legs. I hate my elliptical though, I'd rather do triple workouts on the treadmill or at the track than get on that stupid thing. But that's just me.

JennaM222

I like both, but I take a perverse satisfaction when I start doing sprints on the treadmill and the person next to me wonders where the wildebeest is charging from. :laugh:

agreed!

jamie1888

I agree, incorporate both for best results! Don't be intimidated by muscle... you are not "bulking up"; you are getting firmer! That's a great thing!!

Vonnie2006

I like both, but I take a perverse satisfaction when I start doing sprints on the treadmill and the person next to me wonders where the wildebeest is charging from. :laugh:

You are hilarious! I love it!

I generally use treadmill only because we haven't purchased an elliptical yet. If I had my druthers and a couple more hundred dollars I'd use the elliptical at home so my knees won't hate me so often.

mandijo

I had this conversation with my trainer the other day and he said that the concept is calories in calories out. Both will do that. The elliptical, however, will help you burn them faster. I burned 566 calories yesterday on the Arc trainer in 40 minutes which is like an elliptical; on the treadmill, I would burn about 400 doing walking and jogging intervals. My trainer said women don't have enough testosterone to "bulk up". You will gain muscle and get firmer, but unless you are using steroids, women can't bulk up the way men can. Change it up a bit! It doesn't hurt to confuse your body sometimes.

RoadDog

Elliptical is a lot better on your joints.

LotusF1ower

Which exercise is the best one to do if you want to lose fat? Is it running or the elliptical. I have been doing the elliptical and it seems like my legs get bigger. Not fatter, but more muscular. Am I building muscle on top of fat? What's going on?

It doesn't matter which one you do, as long as you burn the calories and take in less calories that you burn in the day.

The day after a particularly heavy session, you may find you are slightly swollen, but that is just fluid and goes down once your body calms down.

Just keep burning the calories and the fat burns off.

cutmd

Elliptical is a lot better on your joints.

This. I loved sprinting but would get carried away with HIIT and end up spraining something. I have learned to let go of the handlebars on the elliptical and pump my arms which makes me feel like I'm running in suspension (also have to contract my abs to keep balanced). I concentrate on pushing back with my heels to burn my butt more than my quads. I bulk up easily so I do intervals and alternate between higher and lower resistance. I burn a lot and more importantly have more fun so I look forward to it.

In conclusion, the pat answer is the best exercise is the one you will do (without getting hurt )

Matter of fact I'm off to do the elliptical now - viva la ipod playlist!!!

mlb929

I've done both, I own an elliptical and run outdoors. I find that I enjoy the running more because it is also a stress relief, which I can't get indoors on the elliptical. My feet both go numb on the elliptical, so I can't go the distance I can running. I also worked on the elliptical for a year and didn't notice a visible change in my toning of my legs until I started running. I just completed my first marathon and did my cross training on the elliptical and rowing on the bowflex. Yes, the elliptical is easier on your joints, but I was easily bored on it as well.