Eliptical? yay or nay for weight loss

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  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Ellipticals burn calories. If you burn more throughout the day (with our without exercise) than you eat, you'll lose weight.

    Elliptical machines do not build muscle.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I love love love the elliptical. I lost 28 pounds counting calories and using the elliptical. its a great cardio workout of you do high intensity/incline even better. I have always had strong legs but they are like steel at this point. ( I do level 9) i swear by the elliptical.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
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    I started with the elliptical because it's low impact. As long as you don't get bored, it's a great cardio workout :smile:
    Agree -- It worked for me. I liked/like it for the "low impact" benefit.

    I wouldn't rely on it as my only cardio, but I think it can add benefit.

    Heck, anything is better than sitting on the couch! :)
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    The elliptical is my go-to cardio machine. The nicest part about it is that, while it is low-impact, you can also set some resistance and mix a small amount of leg (and arm if you have the right machine and the discipline) crossfit training into it.

    But other than that, it's cardio. And cardio is good for you.

    Cardio plus some weights is better for you.

    But cardio is really good for you.
  • beckyboop712
    beckyboop712 Posts: 383 Member
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    I'm glad someone else has that problem too. Although the one in the gym in my apartment building doesn't seem to tear me up as previous ones I used. I still hate them more than treadmills (which I absolutely despise, just let me run outside!) and will only use ellipticals when I am in recovery mode after a race or dealing with an ankle or foot injury.
  • beckyboop712
    beckyboop712 Posts: 383 Member
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    My knees hate the eliptical! Not a fan, myself.

    I'm glad someone else has that problem too. Although the one in the gym in my apartment building doesn't seem to tear me up as previous ones I used. I still hate them more than treadmills (which I absolutely despise, just let me run outside!) and will only use ellipticals when I am in recovery mode after a race or dealing with an ankle or foot injury.
  • RealWomenLovePitbulls
    RealWomenLovePitbulls Posts: 729 Member
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    it's a good work-out. i lost 13 lbs (which is all i needed to lose) using it and most of it came off of my tummy and thighs.
  • aprus5542
    aprus5542 Posts: 81
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    No. It is terrible. You do not want to burn calories.

    hhahaha
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
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    I have had an elliptical for years and still think it is the best inside cardio machine. That being said, it is a machine and you have to be very careful about making sure it is ergonomically set up for you. I have one that is adjustable and I can vary the stride length and resistance during my workout. With my weight too high, the elliptical lets me work on developing my cardio strengths without impacting my feet and knees. As my cardio capacity improves, my body builds a capacity to burn fat more efficiently and I would argue that it does help lose weight. It also has done an excellent job on toning my legs and giving me calves and thighs of steel. The important thing is to have a quality unit which matches your body's natural motion. Otherwise, you do repetitive stress to your hips and knees.
  • blonde71
    blonde71 Posts: 955 Member
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    Yay.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    We have a home gym that includes an eliptical (I'm more of a treadmill girl but my boyfriend likes the eliptical). I've heard good and bad things about using it for weight loss and more so building leg muscles more than anything.

    Is anyone or has anyone had great weight loss using the eliptical? I want to start the C25K but would like to first maybe use the eliptical for 2 weeks prior to build up my cardio which is really poor right now.

    Yay or Nay?

    what are your weight loss results??

    Thanks everyone!

    I used the elliptical for the first 6 months of 2010. During that time, and also thanks to a diet of 800 to 100 net cals/day (+/-), I lost 95 pounds.

    I tried running in March, 2011 when I was about 230 but I found it unpleasant. "stuff jiggled" as I recall.

    I stopped using the ellip and started running on June 6. Ten weeks later, I ran a half marathon.

    The elliptical will build cardiovascular endurance, will increase calorie consumption (which may lead to weight loss), and it will build muscle.

    I have had some injuries since I started running in June 2011 and, when I'm able to use the ellip, I will do so. One of the great advantages of the ellip is that it's low impact so you can get a good muscle workout (muscle overload is one of the key components of getting stronger) without putting a lot of strain on your feet, ankles, knees, and hips.

    As a long distance runner, my training focuses on speed and endurance. The ellip allows me to low impact exercise to stress my legs (and build muscle) in a way that would be very high impact if I were running.

    Want to use the ellip? Go.For.It

    See you at the starting line!
  • txylxr
    txylxr Posts: 19 Member
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    I personally love the eliptical trainer, I feel like I get a better workout in the same amount of time vs just running or jogging. I've lost 81 lbs and I do a combination of cardio (running or eliptical trainer) and weight training. So I say yay! Good luck :happy:
  • asprague917
    asprague917 Posts: 28
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    hate them, had one for a short time and made my knee problems worse! the foot spots are spaced too far apart for me and make my knees go weird
  • ahjenny
    ahjenny Posts: 293 Member
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    I do really well on the elliptical (45 minutes in a session at times), but switching to the treadmill to start C25K, I felt like I was completely starting over. I could recommend that you start C25K now and not try to use the elliptical in hopes to make the program easier. Anyway, I love the elliptical, so if it works for you (and you like it), go for it! Just my two cents.
  • edrake44
    edrake44 Posts: 14
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    It's a good way to start or even to simply burn more calories that you eat if you want weight loss. It's also low impact, which is a PLUS!
  • babyglock1
    babyglock1 Posts: 8
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    I don't go only by the machine but just base an average. I know the machine isn't exact but I've also reviewed other sites online to verify an average calories for each time of machine. General estimates of calories burned with an eliptical trainer on one of the sites for example said a 150 pound woman burns an average of 387 calories per 30 minutes of exercise which is pretty close to what the eliptical I train on states and I've found it on several other sites. I know it's not exact but it just gives me an idea of about what I may be burning on each type of machine. The machine I use does have you to put in your weight so it supposedly factors that in as well. :smile:
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I used it extensively before I began weight lifting. I can assure you it did not build any muscle on my legs, but it did help me scorch a lot of calories.

    Some people dislike the motion of the machine, and there are some ellipticals I feel wonky on, but for the most part, it's a great way to do cardio.
  • Chrisswa
    Chrisswa Posts: 71
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    I have just discovered the Elliptical trainer upstairs at my local Y after hurting my lower calf muscle which meant i could not take part in group fitness for a few days. I love it ! I can get a good sweat up and be almost breathless with 10 minutes using high Resistance. I will do around 80 minutes on the machines now and am thinking about hiring one over the xmas break to use first thing in the morning to get my heartrate up and start my calories burning. I found its gentle on my knees and especially my calf and heel which i had hurt. I have a FT7 Polar HRM and i find the Machine will over estimate by around 20 or 30 calories. I have also found by engaging my core muscles and pulling my stomach my heartrate will go up from 131 to 139. Although overweight i am pretty fit and find it hard to burn calories as i work out everyday. I can burn a good 300 calories in 40 minutes. So i say Yay !!
  • adubyou
    adubyou Posts: 24 Member
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    When I lost a TON of weight the first time around, before my injury that "helped" me chunk back up, the elliptical was almost all I did for cardio. Using the interval setting on my gym's machines, 60 minutes a day, helped me drop 150+ lbs. in approximately a year and a half - so I'd say that's pretty good testimony for the elliptical. :P
  • kareinlib
    kareinlib Posts: 98
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    You can get a fantastic work out on the elliptical, especially the ones where you can change around the incline settings and such! And if you listen to music or plant yourself in front of the news on tv or something while doing it, the time goes super fast.

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