What's the best?

Oompa_Loompa

What is the best machine to use when trying to drop serious pounds? My sister says that she thinks walking on the treadmil is the best and that's all she does. When I go to the gym I do the arc trainer for 30 minutes and I sweat like a MAN and the machine says I burn 400 calories so I think that, that would be the best machine to use. Is there even a specific one that is better for trying to loose weight?

rtmama

I think your body will get used to whatever exercise you are doing, and you really need to switch it up and do different things to keep your body guessing.

Any machine can be effective as long as you keep cross training. You also need weight training.

Oompa_Loompa

I think your body will get used to whatever exercise you are doing, and you really need to switch it up and do different things to keep your body guessing.

Any machine can be effective as long as you keep cross training. You also need weight training.

How long should I do one machine until switching to another. Like I've only been going to the gym for a couple weeks and I'm doing weights too.

erickirb

How long should I do one machine until switching to another. Like I've only been going to the gym for a couple weeks and I'm doing weights too.

It is good to switch your routine up every 4-6 weeks.
Since you are just starting out, you could continue with what you are doing for 8 weeks then switch it up every 6 weeks thereafter.

Oompa_Loompa

This may be a stupid question BUT the bikes...I feel like that isn't really a good machine to use to try to loose weight because your just sitting down...but is it good to use when trying to drop pounds?

TropicalKitty

Another thing to do is vary the intensity within the work out. For example, 5min warm up to a moderate speed, keep at moderate speed for 5min, increase to fast speed for 1-3min, drop to slowish speed for 2, etc.

The variation in intensity is supposed to help with the amount of calories burned and is a good way to get yourself up do doing a faster speed (like if you can't run, but want to).

And yes, weights are important. The muscles you build will utilize more energy post workout in rebuilding and maintaining.

Happy working out!

Oompa_Loompa

Another thing to do is vary the intensity within the work out. For example, 5min warm up to a moderate speed, keep at moderate speed for 5min, increase to fast speed for 1-3min, drop to slowish speed for 2, etc.

The variation in intensity is supposed to help with the amount of calories burned and is a good way to get yourself up do doing a faster speed (like if you can't run, but want to).

And yes, weights are important. The muscles you build will utilize more energy post workout in rebuilding and maintaining.

Happy working out!

Yes I also do that too.

TropicalKitty

This may be a stupid question BUT the bikes...I feel like that isn't really a good machine to use to try to loose weight because your just sitting down...but is it good to use when trying to drop pounds?

You are still using the bigger muscle groups (legs) in your body while biking. Back when I was in college I had racked up some good time biking and lost about a dress size in a month.

Also, something I didn't mention above, you can switch up machines to accumulate the cardio time you want to reach. And instead of using the calorie burned info from the machine, the most accurate way is to have a heart rate monitor.

suejonestx

I've been told 45 minutes of cardio should be the goal. I switch it up between elliptical, stationary bike (not the recumbent kind) and running, trying to get an hour total. That's 20 minutes per machine. For me, running burns the most calories, but the elliptical is a close second. If you push yourself on the bike, it can be a GREAT workout! Also, the intensity of workout you get depends on how much you push yourself and what type of "program" you choose on the machine. The one machine I really want to try but haven't mustered the courage yet is the stair stepper. I'd probably only last like 5 minutes, but everyone I've ever seen on it has a great bod...which tells me a lot! Walking is good, but you really want to get your heart rate up for a true cardio workout, IMO. Good luck.

JJRunning

I run and use the elliptical... I think the elliptical burns more calories, but I like the variety!

mvl1014

biking/cycling is excellent! Many cyclists are former runners because their knees can't handle all the weight. (Your knees experience 4x the weight, so for every 25 lbs you lose, your knees carry 100 lbs less.)

aippolito1

I use almost every machine at my gym. One day I walk and run on the treadmill. Another I do the stair master. I've used the bike but I don't like the one my gym has. I try to shoot for a specific amount of calories burned per machine/visit and switch it up everyday. I find I don't get bored since I'm doing something different everyday. Once something is too easy, I increase the speed or resistance. I used to start at 5 on the stair master and work up to 6 and then 7 and back down but now I start at 5 and end up doing a majority of it on 7 because 5 and 6 have gotten too easy. For the treadmill, I used to run my intervals at 5.0 and now I'm at 5.5 mph. So just make sure to switch it up once it becomes too easy...there isn't really a set "time". Everyone's different.