Help! Treadmill vs. Eliptical; walking vs. running

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

Hi friends,

So Sears is having a huge Memerial Day sale in their fitness department. My husband has agreed to replace our current dinosaur treadmill (Weslo) with a newer model. I found a ProForm within our price range that is preprogrammed (including a weight loss setting which includes hills I think) but allows you to program it as well. It also has automatic incline which my current treadmill doesn't have. I thought this was a cut and dry decision, BUT, I'm noticing the calories burned seems really high when my friends are posting their exercise for the day.

I don't know if this matters, but I want to put all my info out there in case it makes a difference. I am a new mom for the second time, my baby is 7 weeks old so I was just cleared for exercise a week ago. I am trying to get back into running, but am VERY prone to shin splints! I'm trying a 7:1 walk / run ratio and slowly build up the running part. It's been two weeks and now I'm up to 6:2....but my shins hurt already. When I plug in my exercise info, my calorie burn seems really small.....so I wonder if it's worth all the effort??

So I guess this question is two-fold:

If you had to choose between buying one or the other, what would you do?? Why??

Is it better to walk fast at various inclines or run? Which burns more calories??

Thanks friends!

bjberry

I haven't a clue about the machines (my grandson--5yo--is my coach), but here is a web site on how to prevent / treat shin splints. Maybe it will help.
http://walking.about.com/cs/medleg/ht/htshinsplints.htm

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

Thanks! I've read pretty much everything online about shin splints, I've tried them all and for some reason still get them. I don't get it, maybe I'm just not born to run?? Now I'm on the 7:1 ratio thing and thought was onto something, but history seems to be repeating itself.

xTattooedDollx

Personally, I'd buy the treadmill, you can walk, run, go up or down hills. I'd get one that has the heart monitor, calorie counter, and where you enter your weight and such.

thomas54

i have a proform treadmill which is a few years old and my husband just bought me the proform elpitical u burn twice as many calories on that and it doesnt hurnt your knees or ankles. on my elpitical i bought the i fit cards from jullian the biggest loser. mine has a slot for them. let me tell u she works your *kitten* off on the elpitical with the i fit card. itgoes up on incline and resistance with the card so u dont have to do anything. i got all 3 of them i got the weigh loss ones they have other ones too

kiffypooh

My sister-in-law programed the treadmill at the gym with her hight, sex, and weight and then wore a HRM. The HRM said she burned almost double what the treadmill said.
I prefer to walk so I would say treadmill all the way. Like someone else said you can do so many things with a treadmill, where an elliptical you are stuck doing that. However, I did see someone post on here once that their dr told her that the motion of the elliptical is the equivalent of running. Plus (like someone else said) it's less strain on your joints. So I feel like an elliptical is better for you. I can't seem to fall in love with the elliptical, but I do burn more calories (not twice as many though) on the elliptical then the treadmill.

xTattooedDollx

I have shin splints but they never hurt on treadmills. When i run on pavement, I put a thick layer of Bengay on my shins and wrap them with an ace bandage and it makes the pain more tolerable. Elipticals just kill my knees.

selbyhutch

I burn more calories on the elliptical. I've never been interested in treadmills... I prefer to walk & jog/run outside.

timandavan

Personally, i think the elliptical is more fun! When i am on it the time goes by WAY quicker... it's easier on your body and burns more calories.. I don't feel nearly as odd after getting off the elliptial as I do the tread. just my opinion.

deckerp

I had ACL surgery last year and the surgeon suggested I NOT jog but use an elliptical, bike, or rower instead. I already had an elliptical and so I used the snot out of that. I've been very successful with it.

Since I lost some weight, got into better shape, and the weather improved, I started walking outside. I got shin splints the first few times out. I guess maybe I just went at it too hard, but I figured "it's just walking for crying out loud". I took it easy for a week and then started a little slower at walking and no longer have a problem.

Since you seem to have a pattern of shin splints I'd sure recommend the elliptical. I think there's a lot of difference in the way different elliptical machines feel. So be sure to try several out at the store for more than just a minute. It should be nearly silent and not awkward feeling to you. It isn't quite like walking but some of them feel kind of goofy to me. Mine has the flywheel on the back and maybe that's just the way I prefer it.

The reason I've kept at the elliptical as well as I have is because I also got a TV series on DVD that I like. I did a 45 minute session morning and night for a couple months. The shows are almost exactly 45 minutes without the commercials.

I'll have to check our local Sears and see what the sale looks like. I've worn my old elliptical out.
Good luck.

sleitner

I started off on a treadmill a few years ago, not knowing about elliptical. My routine went from walking to jogging/running. I always hated running (and really admire those who did) so I was excited to jog 3 to 4 miles (45-60 minutes) on it. I tracked my calories burned and though it was still a chore to get on it, I felt good after a good sweat. Then last Fall, it took a poop.

Good thing my husband and I purchased the extended warranty, which by the way we bought the treadmill at Sears. We got a credit towards the purchase of a new machine. We debated between getting another treadmill or an elliptical. By this time, I have been hearing more about the elliptical. How one can burn more calories for the same time spent on the treadmill. And since I was thinking of trying jogging outdoors, we decided on the elliptical.

It kicks my @$$. Which is just fine and I do burn about 1/3 more calories. Both the treadmill and elliptical have done right by me. So, it really is a personal preference. Whatever you enjoy more is what I would suggest going with. You'll be more apt to working out if you like what you are doing.

End note: I am doing my first 5K on June 5th! Probably would have never been a possibility if we never had a treadmill.

Good Luck in your purchase.

P.S. you don't have to purchase the extended warranty up front. They will send you an option for purchasing it before the current years warranty is up.

care1221

i also have shin splint but if i start at a slow walk and really warm up first like 15 min(ugh it stinks but it works for me) when i speed up or run there not to bad!! i love love love the eliptical though my knees and shins never hurt!!

sarahsmom1

My Dr said to walk on the grass its better for your joints. Go to a park walk and run and play on the grass, much softer

sarahpenney11

You've probably already tried this, but i'm an avid runner and I was once told to shorten my stride to prevent shin splints. I would suggest a decent warm up, stretching, then when you start your actual run, shorten your stride. Since you're new (again) to running it will be hard on your body in the beginning, take a day or two in between each run (depending on how your body feels) but it should adjust in a couple weeks and you can up your distance. You should not try to cover to many K's in the beginning, do intervals of walking on an incline (keeping your heart rate up) and jogging, you need to ease your body into an exercise like running because it is hard on the legs, also if you can prevent it, NEVER run on pavement, I used to have many problems but now I only run on dirt paths (trail running also burns more calories because it is more challenging) tracks, or treadmills and I rarely have problems anymore (unless I overdo it)

As far as your purchase goes, I would personally never trust the burned calories counter on any machine, there are too many factors that it just doesn't account for, current physical fitness level being one of them. You could jump on it today do a 20 min. workout and it may show 200cals. burned, and you could jump on it 6 months later do the exact same workout and the calories would read roughly the same, where as in that 6 months you may have increased your fitness level and you would not burn the same amount of calories. I would get yourself a digital watch with a heart rate monitor (you can get a sufficient one for under $100) This will give you a more accurate reading of your heart rate (which an exercise machine will not unless it has pads that your strap to your chest or wrist).

Also, I would probably go for the treadmill because I get really bored on an elliptical, if i'm forced to be inside I need to do intervals, and it challenges more muscles when you switch between running and walking on a steep incline, while you can still keep your heart rate going strong. You could also purchase some light weights and do power-walking on a treadmill, definitely more versatile.

Hope this helps!

FabiolaEnvy♥

i personally would say the elliptical

i have burn more calories on that then the treadmill for the same amount of mins.

LisaJayne71

I prefer the elliptical to the treadmill.

1. Because it definitely burns more calories than when I exercise on the treadmill... Not quite twice as much but definitely a significant difference

2. I find I enjoy it more and the time seems to go quicker

and

3. I have knee and ankle joint instability and I find that I have less strain on my knees and ankles and feet... also I make sure I really pull on the handles and flex my muscles when working out on the elliptical which means I can feel my arms aching the day after... which means I'm getting a better all round workout!... I don't have a huge amount of time to go to the gym with my job so anything that does more for me in a short space of time gets me vote!!
If you have 2 children and 1 being a newborn I know you'll be slightly pushed for time too!!!! (I'm a nanny and have been for 20 yrs so I know what it's like!!!)

SimonLondon

I really LOVE the treadmill but if I was buying something for home I'd get the Elliptical simply because you burn more, use more muscles and the intensity can rival any setting on the treadmill. Plus you also do less damage to your body.

As I said I really love the treadmill but the Elliptical is amazing for home use.