elliptical vs. treadmill vs. bike

Gym_E_Choo
Gym_E_Choo Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 70 pounds overweight running and jumping is not an option with my bad knees and large breast. I plan on doing up to 5 miles a day no matter how long it takes. Which would be the most effective out of the three?
A) Power walking on a treadmill.
B) 5 miles on a elliptical.
C) 8 miles on a stationary bike.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Replies

  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
    Whatever you can do and stick. Why not all 3? (not at the same time)
    I know the treadmill really pisses my knees off, so maybe the other two.
  • TheCakeIsALie86
    TheCakeIsALie86 Posts: 17 Member
    Bike or eliptical as long as you aren't ever fully extending your knees its a pretty gentle. Treadmill for me is too much impact at the mo x
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    can you go outside on a real bike?
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
    Mix it up if you can. Good luck to you. :)
  • Kenazwa
    Kenazwa Posts: 278 Member
    5 miles on an elliptical would take a long time. In 30 minutes, I get maybe a mile, mile and a half. (and I'm working as hard as I can on it)

    My calorie burn always looks better on the elliptical.
  • Christiandtroy
    Christiandtroy Posts: 7
    The elliptical will not cause you joint pain, is the bike inclined or upright,
    Inclined will tend to let toe relax and not work hard, upright may have posture effects.
    Elliptical works great for me and it kicks my but.
    Try them al mad find one that works for you and stick with it
  • Gym_E_Choo
    Gym_E_Choo Posts: 4 Member
    I currently do not own a bike. I can only go to the gym.
  • bleep
    bleep Posts: 68 Member
    Ellipticals feel so unnatural to me that I can't stand using one. I like to walk on the treadmill and work up to some steep incline. Burns a good amount of calories and when you get that incline going you really start working a sweat.
  • christopherphillips1983
    christopherphillips1983 Posts: 103 Member
    I'm in a slightly similar position; I've been doing a ton of cardio lately, but I'm also overcoming a knee injury so any extended running (basically more than about a full minute at a time) is completely out of the question. I love the elliptical machine, there's no real impact so I can do it forever without hurting my knees. I currently do 60 minutes of elliptical training per session and usually cover 10 - 10.5 miles in that hour.

    I do use the treadmill as well, but since it's difficult for me to run, I set it to 3.5 mph (I'm a tall guy so that's basically just a solid walking pace; I can put it to 4.5 mph and still be going at a fast walk rather than a jog) and just let it go while listening to audio books on my headphones. Depending on how my knee feels that particular day, I'll occasionally ramp it up to 6.5 mph and run for a quarter-lap (or until I can't anymore), but that's all.

    So far as burning calories goes, I find the elliptical far better than the treadmill. If I'm on the elliptical for an hour, I can reasonably expect to burn at least a thousand calories, with my current 60 minute high being around 1250. On the treadmill for the same period of time, I'm lucky to hit half of that.

    I can't offer any input on the bike as I can go for about 5 minutes on a bike before my right knee is like "nope" and I have to either stop or tone down the resistance so far that it's next to pointless.
  • kgaylord76
    kgaylord76 Posts: 12 Member
    I usually do all 3 of these. I will walk on the treadmill at home 3 days a week. Then the other 3 days I go to the gym and switch up between the elliptical and bike. I have been told that if you have bad knees the elliptical is better to use. My gym has this arc trainer that looks like an elliptical but the foot pedals are in the air. I can burn 400 calories in 40 minutes. It doesn't hurt my joints at all. It's almost like skiing.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I would alternate all three. Any one of them will get super boring if it's the only thing you do.
  • AndiGirl70
    AndiGirl70 Posts: 542 Member
    I prefer using a crossramp machine over the elliptical/treadmill. You get the benefit of an incline without any pounding of your knee joints.
  • mistress8956
    mistress8956 Posts: 265 Member
    This is what I do/stats : elliptical/20min/1.5 miles/ 205ish calories
    : treadmill/20min/1 mile/ calories vary depending on level of incline
    : bike/20 min/ 4-4.5 miles/ calories vary because of incline
    So I usually burn 450-500 calories in 60 min, I do this 6 days a week and then add weights 2 or 3 days as well
    Hope this was helpful
  • StephTheBookworm
    StephTheBookworm Posts: 177 Member
    I use all three and have been for the 2 years I have been on this journey. Elliptical is the most gentle on knees and legs though, in my opinion.
  • amberflo143
    amberflo143 Posts: 94 Member
    My vote would be for the bike and the treadmill. The elliptical is a un natural motion and doesn't truly work muscles. It does burn calories through. I think rotating beteen walking and biking! Good Luck!
  • PRprincess
    PRprincess Posts: 200 Member
    I love to run! So I start every workout with a 30 minute walk/run, then I either go to the elliptical or the bike for 30 mins. Then I move on to strength training. Do whatever works for you. :) Good luck on your journey!
  • Lynn1098
    Lynn1098 Posts: 13 Member
    Do you have access to a rowing machine? It's my favourite piece of equipment - good for an all-over workout and it wasn't too hard on my ankle when it was healing from a break.
  • professormudd1
    professormudd1 Posts: 59
    I like the calorie burn on the elliptical best, personally. I feel like I am getting more bang (not to mention sweat) for the time I spend on it. I do about 2.5 miles in an hour working as hard as I can. I don't think I could do that for 2 hours (yet). I aim for a calorie burn goal rather than distance.

    Then again, I imagine different brands are calibrated differently.
  • Tony1223
    Tony1223 Posts: 2 Member
    If you are using the elliptical, which I perfer . I suggest you find out what your target heart rate is. Its not how far you can go, but the idea for me is calorie burn. I am a man and I stay between 134bbm to 144bbm and usally burn about 1020 calories per hour on resistance 19 ( which I worked up to). I find that this works for me and i do this 6 days a week. Once you start to see results you may want to add so weight training, which I include with cardio 3 days a week.Since I been following MFP, I have lost an additional 9lbs. My first 12lbs was just dieting, but now i have noticed my body is gaining some muscle tone as well It will be a slow process in losing weight and that is what you want. Keep track of what you eat ( calories) and you should see good results in a month. You want to make going to the gym fun and not a chore.
    Good luck
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Do you have access to a rowing machine? It's my favourite piece of equipment - good for an all-over workout and it wasn't too hard on my ankle when it was healing from a break.


    very great piece of equipment, also the one i never see anyone using properly.

    if you decide to go with the rowing machine, look up how to adjust the resistance and do the motion the right way. it is NOT like rowing a boat.
  • ChancyW
    ChancyW Posts: 437 Member
    Whatever you can do and stick. Why not all 3? (not at the same time)
    I know the treadmill really pisses my knees off, so maybe the other two.

    ^ This.

    Also, it will keep it a little more interesting. Maybe add in some weight training as well. :smile:
  • nightshutter
    nightshutter Posts: 54
    For me the best sweat and calorie burner is the arc trainer. A new style machine that's like a elliptical/stair stepper in one. My shirt is soaked after 45 min. I burn about 700-750. Second choice is elliptical. I don't burn as much on this. For ME the stationary bike is a waste of time.
  • x1v16
    x1v16 Posts: 66
    As someone who is quite overweight I also do not run and I have limits on what I can do on a treadmill. When I am at a gym I cycle between those three options. Ussually it looks something like this:

    Eliptical 15-30 minutes
    Treadmill 15 minutes
    Bike 15 minutes
    Eliptical 15-30 minutes

    Do whatever you can manage and whatever you enjoy the most but I find the bike burns less calories and it's just something I use when my back starts bothering me. My favorite is by FAR the eliptical as is probably obvious. After more than 15 minutes of walking my back is pretty sore and running kills my knees.
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
    Rowing. It's a full body workout + it'll tone your upper body as well.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Whatever you can tolerate, lol. I have a hard time with the elliptical and the bike... I prefer the treadmill, but I don't run, typically I use a 'hills' setting with a difficulty of 7 or so (higher inclines), at 3.5 mph.

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