Elliptical or Total Gym or something else?

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mablesyrup
mablesyrup Posts: 286 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm "stuck" home everyday currently with 3 kids and no car. (ie- no car = no gym).

I am wanting to get something for exercise in my home. I have over 100lbs to loose still until I reach my target goal.
I want to tone my muscles/build strength and eliminate as much flabby skin as possible in the process.

What would be the best option for me?
-An Elliptical
-A total gym
-Something else?

I have problems with my knees currently- so running on a treadmill is out. (My sister has an elliptical i've used and so far it hasn't caused problems with my knees)..... Any advice?

Replies

  • snmonson
    snmonson Posts: 79
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    I have bad knees from catching for 7 years so I am not able to run everyday. I recently bought Gold's Gym elliptical and I use it just about everyday. My knees have NEVER hurt from using it and there are 3 different ramps you can adjust it to.
  • jeffrey71
    jeffrey71 Posts: 432
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    Hi There!

    Congrats on the accomplishments to date! Way to go!!! You are thinking correctly in my humble opinion. I too have struggled with knee issues. I have an eliptical and like to use it when I cannot run outside. The caveat to this is as follows: I can now run with only minor knee issues since the weight has come off. I also do P90X and swim and bike, but again this has been possible by getting good shape.

    A balance of workouts will probably suit you best at this stage. If I had to pick something for you with what I have read, I would suggest both! LOL I would probably suggest the eliptical over the total gym and supplement it with a Juillian Michaels DVD set for the strength aspect. You can find a lot of post on here for the 30 day shred and others that she has out.

    I actually began with an eliptical and Juillian dvd's. I wore the first eliptical out and went through all her dvd's. It will work! I don't know what kind of eliptical that you are looking to buy but get as good as the budget will allow. The cost will keep you on it and they just perform better. I can speak of that through experiece.

    I hope that this helps you along your journey! I am very happy for you and I wish you the very best as you travel towards your goal!

    Jeffrey71
  • FreindsCallMeCoach
    FreindsCallMeCoach Posts: 6
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    id say elliptical as my weight losing story starts with it when my father bought one home and going on it motivated. i was overweight nd then from that i got motivated enough to join mfp from that ive started p90 and so far ive lost 12 pounds and im on my 4th week so far. but the only problem with the elliptical would be you dont burn a many calories as you think unless you have a hrm however it helps people like me who when they jog get back pains or like the aboce comment states knee pain
  • marzenka012192
    marzenka012192 Posts: 31
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    i say a total body crosstrainer, which is sort of like an elliptical i guess. but you should get the one with the setting where you choose a resistance AND an incline. you work every part of your body, esp since there are arm handles too.
    thats the first thing i go on when i go to the gym, i love it!
  • ritodcin03
    ritodcin03 Posts: 105 Member
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    I love the elliptical trainer because it is easy on my knees and hips. However, if you don't want to invest in equipment right away, or are looking for something to alternate with cardio for toning, I love, love, love "Max Strom Yoga: Grace, Strength and Healing" DVD. My arms and back looked amazing after a short time probably because I had to use my own weight for resistance. He's a horrible narrator, but there is something about the DVD that keeps me inspired. I think the thing I like about him is that he isn't a Hollywood type--he actually had a severe physical disability as a child. So, it sounds more like a gentle friend reading index cards versus a slick professional production. In any case, the 90 minute video will make you sweat as you try to hold some of the poses and is a fantastic strengh builder. And maybe it comes from all the downward facing poses, but my skin always looks amazing after!

    Hope you find something fun!
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
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    I renovated a spare room last year. Put in an elliptical, free weights, Total Gym, recumbent bike. Spent a fortune and it didn't seem to help much.

    Next week I am going to start using them and see if that helps my success rate.
  • tn2010
    tn2010 Posts: 228 Member
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    I have a NordicTrack Audio Strider 800 elliptical with incline and resistance (and arm handles and hrm). I think it's fabulous and really easy on the knees. I definitely agree that you should try to get the best one possible. Do a lot of research before buying. My hubby bought ours and made sure it had as long of a stride as we could afford. I'm super happy with the quality of ours....and it has just enough bells and whistles w/o going overboard.
  • ANewLucia
    ANewLucia Posts: 2,081 Member
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    I renovated a spare room last year. Put in an elliptical, free weights, Total Gym, recumbent bike. Spent a fortune and it didn't seem to help much.

    Next week I am going to start using them and see if that helps my success rate.

    ROFL....

    Anyway, I have an elliptical and love it. You can get on it and put on the biggest loser and before you know it 90 minutes have flown buy and over a 1000 calories have been burned off. It is so easy on the knees. The suggestion of Jillian's Shred is great...huge difference when you do that as well. Get some hand weights too.

    Keep up the great work!
  • tattoodfreek
    tattoodfreek Posts: 520 Member
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    Try looking for an elliptical on Craigslist if finances are an issue. I happened upon mine at a yard sale for $12! Now granted, it's a very basic model, but it does what it's supposed to do. I have knee issues at times too, and have no problems with the elliptical. It's a great starting point. You may find that as you lose weight, your knees bother you less and you will be able to do other things. Also, just taking the kids for a simple walk is a great idea. If they have scooters or bikes, let them ride while you walk. It'll pace you to keep up with THEM! That's what I do with mine, as they'd be whining by the time I'd walked a mile. :)
  • cynthials
    cynthials Posts: 213 Member
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    There are a lot of home videos that require not many accessories for less than $100 total (video and all). I would suggest looking at some of the options on Beachbody.com. Power90, Turbo Jam, and Slim in 6 are some options to look at that would be great total body workouts for minimal investment.
  • sagithia
    sagithia Posts: 135 Member
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    kettle bell, THE MOST amazing workout ever and so beyind cheap. You can download free videos from youtube. The actual one costs 10-20 dollars and you will be amazined at the workout you get from it!

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