Running or elliptical?

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  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    Maybe if you have a small amount of protein right before a run you would not feel as dizzy?
    Eating protein would probably have almost zero impact on exercise.

    For high intensity exercise we use glycogen which comes from carbs. For the first 20 miles or so (in running terms), we use the glycogen in our muscles and from the reserves in out liver for fuel. After that, we burn fat deposits (I don't recall if fat is broken down into glycogen or if fat is metabolized into glucose et al — the last time I opened a biology textbook was in 1973…)

    Protein should be ingested after exercise to help rebuild muscle fiber that's been damaged due to exercise but, even then, very little protein is needed vs carbs. IIRC, we need about 1 gram of protein for each kilogram of body mass. Google is your friend there.
  • sailorsiren13
    sailorsiren13 Posts: 460
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    I like to do both i'm recovering from an injury right now and can't run at all and have been on the stationary bike for now. When i can find it i also like the summit climbers you just have to mess with the resistance and goals i get bored easily so i have to switch things up a lot.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    running is my personal preference, I enjoy it more.
  • hello77kitty
    hello77kitty Posts: 260 Member
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    I have wondered this as well. I seem to burn more cals on the elliptical, but I feel my heart rate is way higher when running. I don't have a hrm, but I just go according to the machines. I get way sweatier running, but I can do the elliptical way longer.
    I usually do 30min elliptical and 20mins jogging.
  • LelliAmi
    LelliAmi Posts: 327 Member
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    Elliptical all the way!! It's way easier and you burn more calories doing it!!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    If you're burning far fewer calories on the elliptical than running, it's your intensity and that can be adjusted. I work out at the highest resistence I can (but I lower it for a few minutes here and there) and push as fast and hard as I can and burn either as many or more calories as when I run, though I don't FEEL like I'm working as hard. I can do the elliptical longer and more intense because of the low-impact.

    I rarely run on a treadmill. If I can't run outside, I don't run.

    I like to mix it all up, though. I run two or three days a week, do Zumba one night a week, swim (when it's warmer) and use my elliptical at least one day a week. Plus yoga and strength training.

    I really think it's a good idea to mix up your workouts as much as possible. It helps with endurance and works different muscles or the same muscles in different ways. And keeps the boredom away.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
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    based on my normal interval workouts of 15 mins 1.5 mins fast/low resistance / 1.5 mins slow/high resistance the elliptical (level 6) burns a few more calories but i feel like i have worked a lot harder on treadmill (level 4) so if i could only do one i would go with running :)

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