Weight loss with Elliptical??

AISIGO

I have been exercising on the elliptical exclusively for a few weeks, 4 days/ week, 30 minutes each session.
I am not sure if it is just me but I am not losing any weight with whatever I am doing.
Have any of you had success with losing weight and using only the elliptical?
If so, how many days a week did you use it and for how long each time etc....?
Any advice would be appreciated.

migoi357

Yes. I've been losing weight on our elliptical. I "run" on it every morning. The length of the run and the amount of resistance varies. Some days I do it like a nice walk, other days I crank it up pretty high. Easy days, hard days.

I'm on the old side and the elliptical is a lot easier on my old joints than other forms of moving that are faster than a walk.

Right now my favorite workout is to simulate hills. Cruise for a while at a base level. Crank it up to the next number for 3 minutes, up another number for 2 minutes, one more number up for one minute, then back to the base level for 4 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help...t

bjohs

I have been exercising on the elliptical exclusively for a few weeks, 4 days/ week, 30 minutes each session.
I am not sure if it is just me but I am not losing any weight with whatever I am doing.
Have any of you had success with losing weight and using only the elliptical?
If so, how many days a week did you use it and for how long each time etc....?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Honestly, I was doing the elliptical every other day for at least 30-45 minutes on various levels and not losing weight. The only time I would lose weight is if I really pushed myself on one of the higher levels (5 or more) in bursts for 20 minutes. I've given up the elliptical now unless I can't get out for a walk. This week I only changed my cardio to include walking (window shopping actually) 3 days for 90+ minutes and lost 2.4 lbs. Exercise is an experiment. Challenge yourself with different types of cardio to see what works best for your body and metabolism. Good luck!

jamja72

Your body is accustomed to the current level of output. Change up your workout. Surprise your body...then the scale will starting moving again.

realme56

I lose weight with my elliptical, walking the dog and eating well. Are you overestimating your calorie burn? Eating too much or too little will stall weight loss as well.

As others stated change up routines and levels, keep your body guessing!

Katie3784

IMO, doing only cardio will not get you very far. You need to lift weights, and try some HIIT workouts on your elliptical.

megsmom2

I like the elliptical because its easy on my knees, but I do have to remember to vary my intensity from time to time. However...any exercise is better than no exercise.

minadeathclutch

I have been exercising on the elliptical exclusively for a few weeks, 4 days/ week, 30 minutes each session.
I am not sure if it is just me but I am not losing any weight with whatever I am doing.
Have any of you had success with losing weight and using only the elliptical?
If so, how many days a week did you use it and for how long each time etc....?
Any advice would be appreciated.

I used to do an hour on it at like level 5-7 everyday... no spectacular weight loss really..
then i decided to change it.. 15 mins weight lifting then 15 elliptical repeat 4-5 times each...
that was working a little better, i was better off to PUSH really hard..
from that I've been doing the arc trainer and weights 15/15 then 10/10 now im starting to do walking as well.. i dont know which works best really lol

Pebbles536

I would think as long as you're burning more calories than you're and mixing up the patterns and intensity there shouldn't be any reason not to lose weight using just an elliptical.

If people can lose weight just walking, Why not!

chelseaalicia

I just don't like the elliptical. Try a fast walk on the treadmill with the incline cranked up. Try putting the incline to level 4 or 5, and the speed to whatever is comfortable, I will walk on 3.7mph (I'm 5'0 so this feels pretty quick) or you can do a slow jog on the incline at whatever speed is comfortable... most importantly DON'T touch the handles... I burn more calories doing this than going 3.5mph at the highest possible incline while holding on. Best of luck!

AISIGO

I do vary my intensity.
Due to an illness that left me pretty weak, I have not had much endurance to do any other exercises.

taso42

You can exercise till the cows come home. In order to lose weight, you'll need to eat at (preferably moderate) a calorie deficit.

Dilfster

i have a shin splint thats prevented me from running on the treadmill for the past 8 days so I've been doing only elliptical during this past week. This is the 1st week i haven't lost weight in a month. Having said that, during the past week my clothing started becoming loose. so it's doing something.

Mompanda4

I used the elliptical mostly because it is low impact on my knees and ankles. I set it at interval, then I would increase the cross ramp to 14 - 16 and reduce my resistance to 3-4; some days I set it easier cross ramp at 8 or 10, while resistance is at 2-4. I keep my body guessing so I don't plateau. I like using the stair master for a bigger burn, but those machines are always busy. I try to do cardio at least 5 days a week from 65 min to 100 minutes. Since Oct 2011 I have lost 30 lbs, but I also watch what I eat. I started strength training last month...though I have not entered my strength training result (2-3 times per week). Good luck.

Hopelessbird

The estimated calories burned on elliptical on MFP is almost double than the actual calories burned from my heart rate monitor. So I don't trust the MFP database on actual calories burned (even the elliptical machine estimate burn).

For me, 30min/day 4X/week was not enough to see actual results. All the 30min workouts did was lower my BP from normal to awesome. So i mixed up my workout with elliptical/spin bike, upped my workout time from 30 min to 60min (sometimes 90 min if I have time) and strength training 2X/week.

The scale didn't move much but my thighs were shrinking and toning. I have "straps" on the side of my calves. My knee high boots are a little looser. Then I joined MFP two weeks ago to work on my diet. Combination of diet+modified workout = lost 5-6lbs in 2 weeks.

I am now a firm believer that the amount of time spent on exercise does a lot to change your body and the diet for weight loss.

Good luck!

AISIGO

Thanks for all of your responses. Definitely food for thought!
The only machine I own is an elliptical. I have to make it work somehow I guess.
Time is also scarce for me.
Keep the responses coming!!!

Lula16

i think your body has gotten used to the elliptical. why dont you try doing it every other day or every third day but add an extra 15mts? I lost some weight using the elliptical and i only used it maybe 2/3 times week. but i also did jillian videos in addtion to elliptical

KC4800

Yes. I've been losing weight on our elliptical. I "run" on it every morning. The length of the run and the amount of resistance varies. Some days I do it like a nice walk, other days I crank it up pretty high. Easy days, hard days.

I'm on the old side and the elliptical is a lot easier on my old joints than other forms of moving that are faster than a walk.

Right now my favorite workout is to simulate hills. Cruise for a while at a base level. Crank it up to the next number for 3 minutes, up another number for 2 minutes, one more number up for one minute, then back to the base level for 4 minutes. Repeat as necessary.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help...t

This has been my experience as well for the most part. Early on in my weight loss endeavor, all I did basically was the elliptical trainer. But I did it longer than 30 minutes, usually 40 or 45 plus the 5 minute cooldown. And I didn't stay on the same program, I switched it up...frequently. And I did it for 5 or 6 days a week.

Now, I rarely do the elliptical, maybe once a week. Im on the arc trainer mostly. I tried running on a treadmill and the impact hurt my knee, so I stopped that. I don't blame the machine, its that I don't have good running form.

I also ride my road bike whenever the weather allows. That is actually my goal, to get on the bike, and go.

BOLO4Hagtha

Try increasing the resistance level and/or the incline. Also HIIT helps with getting out of the funk.

BOLO4Hagtha

Time is also scarce for me.

In my previous comment I suggested HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), if you do it right, you could use the elliptical as little as 15-20mins and you will hopefully see a difference.

frosty73

If you don't have a HRM and you are measuring calories burned based on MFP's elliptical, that is most likely going to cause you a problem. I can never burn as many calories as MFP claims, and if I tried to eat back those calories I'm sure I wouldn't lose an ounce. What is your calorie goal? Do you eat back the calories you burn? How long have you been at it?

I've been working out about 5x/week since January 11, and I've lost about 20 lbs. Mind you, most of that was in the first couple of weeks and it was HUGELY due to changing my eating habits. They say that your eating accounts for about 75% of weight loss, whereas exercise only accounts for 25% of weight loss.

bringit30

I have a Nordic Track. At the end of my 30 minute workout, It says I burn over 600 calories because I hit it hard - however, my heart rate monitor says I only burn 330. Don't over estimate the calories Calories burned are calories burned!

kp1439

working for me ...

bwurtzel

I have been exercising on the elliptical exclusively for a few weeks, 4 days/ week, 30 minutes each session.
I am not sure if it is just me but I am not losing any weight with whatever I am doing.
Have any of you had success with losing weight and using only the elliptical?
If so, how many days a week did you use it and for how long each time etc....?
Any advice would be appreciated.

I lost 49 pounds in 4 months (7 years ago), mainly doing elliptical. (5 days a week, 30 minutes, M, W, F, and 45 minutes, Tues/Thurs). But, I was also following weight watchers too. You need to make sure your calorie intake is below what you should have for your weight.

the Fat burn option on the machine worked for me and make sure to keep your heart rate up to where it should be for cardio.

AbiNichole

I rarely see results if I only exercise 30 mins a day. For me to lose consistently (more than 1 lb. a week) I have to work out at least 60 mins x 4 days a week. Is there any way to squeeze in an extra 15 mins a few days a week? I know you said time is scarce but I feel like an extra 15 mins would do you a bit of good.

Also- often times people on this site neglect diet when they ask fitness questions. You can't out - exercise a bad diet. I would take a very critical look at your eating habits. Are you getting in enough lean proteins, veggies, and fruit? Limiting your complex carbs? Staying away form sugar and salt?

Good luck girl! I'm sure you'll figure it out soon. :flowerforyou:

Sl1ghtly

You can exercise till the cows come home. In order to lose weight, you'll need to eat at (preferably moderate) a calorie deficit.

They'll never understand...

ejohndrow

I've lost weight doing only the ellitptical. About a year ago I was keeping my level of reisistance at about a 10-12, now it's at a 16 mainly, and I've begun putting it at 17. As others have said, use the hill settings too, or add in intervals. I personally prefer to keep mine on random. So about 4 times a week I do about 40 min on random at a level 16. Some days I burn more calories than others depending on how my body feels, but overall, I've definitely seen good results. Sometimes its hard to think that upping the resistance level is the thing to do, or it sounds like it's too much, but for me it's made a big difference and I honestly can't imagine ever going below a level 15 again.

Of course I should add that for the past 8+ months I've been doing weight training. Now I don't purely rely on the elliptical to stay in shape-but when I first started out I did, and I saw good results.

chipembele

I've lost nearly 10lb since 13th January doing eliptical twice a week, level 8 for 40 minutes, three sessions of weights per week and watching my diet.

I'm sure I could get better results doing other methods but it seems to be working for me at the moment. If I start stalling i'll do HIIT but on the eliptical, not the treadmill as it hurts my knees.

I should add that I have it on the hills setting, 20 minutes round the world then 20 minutes kilimanjaro.

weight2go

Im so glad you asked this. I that is was only me. Before when I lost I walked. The weather outside has not been good for walking so I have been working out on the elliptical and most of the time I do 65mins. The weight isnt coming off for me either. So I started last week to add some weights in twice a week and see how that goes. I was told this is easier on the joints and Im not a young soul(just at heart) so for these two reasons I left walkng and starting doing the elliptical. Speaking of I m off to do mine. Cant wait to see what others say.:indifferent:

Fubar_Bill

I started on January 8 at 234 pounds.

I am now 212.5 pounds.

During that time I have done 2 hours on the elliptical most days.

It can work, but the elliptical is likely over estimating calories and if you are eating them all back, then you are getting the loss you expected.

When I started in January I could barely do level 4 on the elliptical, now I can comfortably do level 14.

Personally, I couldn't imagine a better way to lose weight and build up a good sweat.

Best of Luck,

- Bill

nhudson79

As a new mommy that used nap time as exercise time, the elliptical became my friend. I started keep a spreadsheet of how long and how far I went. I alternated with 3 workouts to keep it fresh. 1. Just run on level 2 resistance for 30 minutes (not counting warm up and cool down) - the challenge was always to beat my last distance. 2. Start at level 7 resistance and increase resistance every 5 min. for 40 min (not counting warm up and cool down), and 3. Interval Training - This was a program on my machine that would alternate resistance with no resistance every 3 minutes - I would use level 7 as my hard and 2 as my easy for 30 to 45 min. (Using the spreadsheet to beat my last distance - helped me make it work.)