Needing advice... running or ellipitical?

jenniffer86
jenniffer86 Posts: 65 Member
edited September 21 in Fitness and Exercise
Hello Everyone..
OK so I've been told.. Running is the fastest way to get fat off, ... but I've also been told.. u should do any exercise you like, as your better to stick with it that way.
thus, I have only been doing my Ellipitcal for about a year.. my weightloss has been stuck at the same number for months now.. and I know its from not exercising enough or eating poorly..
but I am making a change starting today!
What I want to know it..
Do you think running will help me kickstart my weight loss again? Because it will be a change for my body.. and maybe it does help you lose more quickly?
Or should I up the resistance on my Ellipitical? Or just try going longer on it?
I really only go on it for like 30-45min.. and I have no resistance on it, because I was told, adding resistance would build musle, and I'm looking to use it only for cardio, to loose weight/fat first.
Thanks!!

Replies

  • prettylyzard
    prettylyzard Posts: 98 Member
    The resistance will just help you tone, I would add resistance or do the intervals before I would run. Save your joints and knees!
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I started out using just the elliptical a few days a week and I found it wasn't enough of a challenge after 2 or 3 months. Now I do run/walk intervals for 30 minutes, then 12 minutes on the stationary bike and 10-15 minutes on the elliptical. It gives me a good workout, I'm using all different muscles, and I don't get bored on one machine. I've been steadily dropping weight doing this, plus workout DVDs on the days I don't go to the gym. Mixing it up instead of doing the same thing is the best suggestion I have. Your body is used to your current routine.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    I would say definately change it up and try some new stuff, your body will be using different muscles and doing different things should help with your weight loss
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    In theory you should change up your workout routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your body guessing, as the more you do the same exercise the less your body has to work (it gets used to it). A good program should consist of both resistance training and a variety of cardio types, time, and intensity. Good luck
  • recipe4success
    recipe4success Posts: 469 Member
    I've been using this machine called an "elliptimill". It is a combination between a treadmill and an elliptical (apparently) but looks very similar to an elliptical. I do level one on that machine and i am sweating tons and getting a huge workout.

    Yesterday i did the elliptical instead. I started on level 1, it was way too easy. I had to go up to level 4. I am not fit right now at all, so i have to conclude that the elliptical takes alot of the natural resistance out of your movement. So i am not convinced that it is a great workout.
  • kimjoan
    kimjoan Posts: 192 Member
    Definitely change it up, but if you have access to the gym you have more than two options. Also, doing incline intervals on the treadmill is as good, if not better, than running. When I do 30 minutes on the treadmill I do one minute at an incline of 5 and then two on 12 at a speed of 4.0 and I burn 430 calories. I have been stuck for a long time too and now the weight is coming off again.
  • zami
    zami Posts: 2 Member
    A running/walking program might help you. I started with only running half a mile and now I can run 3 to 5 miles. I worked at it very slowly. I just added three to six blocks at a time or .2 miles at the gym. Also working out at the gym helped me a lot. I could run and then use strength training to tone my body. I am also not into gaining a lot of muscle but the strength training will help. Thirty minutes doing running/walking on the treadmill and then do thirty minutes with strength training. My rule of thumb is I should be a sweaty mess by the time I am done. That way I know I burned calories and my heart rate was up.
  • Michellerw1
    Michellerw1 Posts: 367
    I would say to switch it up. It is hard to try to push yourself when you are in the same routine. If you are at the gym, try 10-15 minutes on the treadmill, then bike, then elliptical. Change up the order day to day.
  • StarryEyedGirl
    StarryEyedGirl Posts: 585
    google "couch to 5k" this is my next challenge because I feel a bit stuck in my ellpitical routine!!
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    Changing it up is great! Do elliptical one day, run the next.... split up the cardio and do both each day..... you don't have to get set into a single routine. And yes, adding resistance on the elliptical will help to build muscle. However, please don't mistake that for "bulk". You will be firming up your body, but not building bulk! In order to bulk, you would have to increase calories to support muscle building. If you maintain a low-calorie lifestyle, you will not bulk up! Building muscle is a good thing! You want to replace body fat with muscle! That's the goal! The more muscle you have in your body, the more calories you burn!

    EDIT: just like to add that adding resistance training (using hand weights, machines etc.) is also a cardio exercise as long as you are doing enough to keep your heart rate up.

    Many people think they should to do cardio (run, walk, elliptical) to lose weight and then start resistance training. When actually, the more resistance training you do, the more muscles you have, the more calories you burn, the more fat you lose. Look at body builders, minimal body fat doing NO cardio. You will accelerate fat/weight loss by building muscle. I'm not saying don't do cardio... I'm saying do both. Cardio does help in burning calories and overall heart health.
  • jerren
    jerren Posts: 196
    +1 to c25k.

    I'm the opposite of what you said apparently. I hated/dreaded running but for whatever reason, I decided to jump into it and I'm on week 8 of c25k now. I think when I'm done with it, I'll start lifting weights.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I just happened to run across this article today.....

    http://health.yahoo.net/rodale/WH/fitness-fact-or-fiction

    In particular,
    "1. FACT/FICTON: Cardio burns more calories than strength training.

    FICTION!!!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    There is a difference between "varying your training stimulus" and "changing up your activities to 'keep the body guessing'".

    One is a proven and absolutely necessary training strategy and the other is infomercial-blah-blah-blah sloganeering.

    Cross training (i.e. incorporating complimentary exercise activities into your routine) can also be useful for recovery and injury avoidance. Changing activity just for the sake of change, under the impression that you are "fooling" the body, or "shocking" the body into burning more calories is one of those silly exercise myths that refuses to die.

    If you are doing the same exercise the same way every day for the same amount of time, then, yes, you will plateau and the exercise will become less effective. However, one can do the same activity (e.g. cross trainer), but vary the training stimulus so that you are utilizing all of your energy delivering systems and steadily increasing your fitness level. Increasing your fitness level allows you to work harder and THAT burns more calories. That means including longer, slower endurance workouts, medium tempo workouts, and various types of interval workouts or higher-intensity steady-state workouts into your routine.

    Cross training--rotating through different exercise modalities--can be helpful to avoid overtraining and injuries. How much it helps with weight loss depends on how well and how hard you can do the activity.

    From your description, it sounds like you are basically going in circles. There is no need to leave resistance off the elliptical. Cardio equipment is not going to increase your muscle size.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    Hello Everyone..
    OK so I've been told.. Running is the fastest way to get fat off, ... but I've also been told.. u should do any exercise you like, as your better to stick with it that way.
    thus, I have only been doing my Ellipitcal for about a year.. my weightloss has been stuck at the same number for months now.. and I know its from not exercising enough or eating poorly..
    but I am making a change starting today!
    What I want to know it..
    Do you think running will help me kickstart my weight loss again? Because it will be a change for my body.. and maybe it does help you lose more quickly?
    Or should I up the resistance on my Ellipitical? Or just try going longer on it?
    I really only go on it for like 30-45min.. and I have no resistance on it, because I was told, adding resistance would build musle, and I'm looking to use it only for cardio, to loose weight/fat first.
    Thanks!!

    Why do you have to do one OR the other, why can't you do the elliptical one day and then running the next day, perhaps even the rowing machine (if you are at a gym or have one yourself).

    Vary it, perhaps do 20 minutes on the treadmill then move over to the elliptical and do 20 minutes on that followed by a stationary bike or something. I'm not joking either, vary it and you won't get stale and if anybody tells you to only stick to one machine and one machine for good they do not have your best interests at heart!

    Adding resistance by the way will not build big massive muscles on females unless they are taking steroids or some other such substance. It will, however, tone you up.

    Who exactly is it that is telling you all that?
  • ssmom
    ssmom Posts: 128 Member
    I have an elliptical machine at home and since I'm stuck here with a 4 year old and a 5 month old it's what I can do the most. I change up my resistance levels and stride lengths to get variety but when I get the chance I do other things like jog, wii, or a dvd. But I am steadily losing with mainly my elliptical for exercise. I like it and it's what's convenient for me.
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