Why don't Aerobics burn as much as the elliptical?

Hansonian
Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey ya'll,

I see people on my profile post that they burned 400-500 calories either running or working out on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes a day. I do Walk Away the Pounds with Power Walk and light strength training and carry 3 pound weights throughout the entire 45 minutes.

I log it as aerobic, but according to MFP, I only burn about 350 calories every 45 minutes. I think I get a better workout from this video than the elliptical because I push myself harder, longer, and do more than what they do in the video, but should I just be running on the elliptical instead? I like the video because it's so upbeat and I'm sweaty and exhausted after I'm done, but if I burn more calories on the elliptical then I would rather be doing that.

What do ya'll think?
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Replies

  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
    I think the MFP number for elliptical calories burned is outrageously overestimated.

    The only way to really know your burn is to get a HRM.
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    I agree. Elliptical machines way over-estimate calories burned! I also think that MFP over-estimates calories burned with walking. I've seen posts with burning 375 calories walking 3.5 mph for 45 minutes! Given that a good generic estimate is burning about 100 calories per mile, that's a clear over estimate. Even 100 calories per mile is high, being a smaller person, I only burn about 75/mile, while larger people may be able to burn a bit more, like 110/mile. Either way, the MFP estimate is WAY off.
  • m1ke1984
    m1ke1984 Posts: 15
    I agree that MFP overestimates elliptical calories. I aim for 1,000 calories on the elliptical at the gym. According to MFP, that takes me 61mins. According to the machine, it takes me about 80mins going at about level 14 resistance. I use the number I get from the machine and then tell MFP I have only done elliptical for 61mins.

    I hope this helps.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    375 calories does seem like a lot ( 1 hour seems more accurate ) but I log "walking" when I go on the treadmill. I usually burn more if I make it on an uphill setting, than just flat walking on the treadmill.

    I bet you're still burning quite a bit doing aerobics. Sometimes I do low impact aerobics at home. I don't know how many calories I burn ( not a lot according to MFP ) but I still feel like I get a good work out.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I see people on my profile post that they burned 400-500 calories either running or working out on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes a day.

    Their burns are highly inflated...one does not burn 500 calories in 20-30 minutes.
  • Hansonian
    Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
    That makes me feel much better! :)

    Do you think the aerobics count is accurate?
  • Hansonian
    Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
    Also, thank you so much for the responses! :)
  • Lauren8239
    Lauren8239 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.
  • Flab2Fab27
    Flab2Fab27 Posts: 461 Member
    I see people on my profile post that they burned 400-500 calories either running or working out on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes a day.

    Their burns are highly inflated...one does not burn 500 calories in 20-30 minutes.

    This.
  • Hansonian
    Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
    Ouch. I just ordered an elliptical the other day... I wonder if amazon takes returns... :(
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I seriously doubt too many people are burning 400 to 500 cal in half an hour ( a 200lb runner would burn close to 400 in half an hour if they were running at 6mph).

    Most machines & MFP overestimate the calories burned exercising. Heart rate monitors aren't perfect but if set up properly will give you a reasonable estimation (a decent one with a chest strap)
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    I see people on my profile post that they burned 400-500 calories either running or working out on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes a day.

    Their burns are highly inflated...one does not burn 500 calories in 20-30 minutes.

    This.

    Depends on their weight. I need to run for more than an hour to get close to this, but for someone with double my weight, it would be realistic.
  • summertime_girl
    summertime_girl Posts: 3,945 Member
    The elliptical doesn't burn as much as the elliptical says it burns.
  • m1ke1984
    m1ke1984 Posts: 15
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.
    Ouch. I just ordered an elliptical the other day... I wonder if amazon takes returns... :(

    Almost every pound I've lost since joining MFP has been on an elliptical, and my chest and arms feel great too. I don't have the context that her remarks were made in, but I certainly do not think ellipticals are a joke. I feel great after using them.
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.
    Ouch. I just ordered an elliptical the other day... I wonder if amazon takes returns... :(

    Almost every pound I've lost since joining MFP has been on an elliptical, and my chest and arms feel great too. I don't have the context that her remarks were made in, but I certainly do not think ellipticals are a joke. I feel great after using them.

    Jillian just wants to promote her junk. I lost almost 40 lbs in 4 months eating better and doing just elliptical twice a day. 20 min morning / 30 min evening. I do however know they are over estimated. I usually knock off at least 100 calories per workout according to mfp estimates. Whether its a 3 mile run or 45 min elliptical burn.
  • susmita29
    susmita29 Posts: 7 Member
    An elliptical isn't a total waste. I have one at home, a nice one from Costco that goes up to a good resistance. It's a good low impact workout, as long as you turn up the resistance and make an effort. With my HRM and doing a pretty decent pace/intervals at level 10 I can burn around 265 calories in 30 minutes. Or I can burn 120 in 30 minutes casually going along (at level 10) while reading a book or watching tv. It's the level of effort you put into it.
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
    Personally I don't believe you can burn more than 600kcal an hour and I think these people are vastly over-estimating.

    Also I did five minutes on the elliptical today and compared to my HRM the machine was already over-estimating 8kcals
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    I go by my HRM, The elliptical at the gym generally says I have burned 50 calories more than my HRM.
  • csuhar
    csuhar Posts: 779 Member
    Hey ya'll,

    I see people on my profile post that they burned 400-500 calories either running or working out on the elliptical for 20-30 minutes a day. I do Walk Away the Pounds with Power Walk and light strength training and carry 3 pound weights throughout the entire 45 minutes.

    I log it as aerobic, but according to MFP, I only burn about 350 calories every 45 minutes. I think I get a better workout from this video than the elliptical because I push myself harder, longer, and do more than what they do in the video, but should I just be running on the elliptical instead? I like the video because it's so upbeat and I'm sweaty and exhausted after I'm done, but if I burn more calories on the elliptical then I would rather be doing that.

    What do ya'll think?


    You're really going to need to check out the numbers for yourself and not use your friends.

    There are just too many variables to really compare your results and theirs. Some may use the machine's estimates while others may use MFP or another calculator. Perhaps there's a resistance level they don't mention. Maybe their own body affects how much they burn (it stands to reason a heavier person might burn more calories walking or running at the same speed than a lighter person, simply because they're pushing more weight around).

    And who knows, by trying these activities for yourself, you might find something you like, which can be a great motivator.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.

    Her results at the Malibu Triathlon were a joke and she allows her name to be used for "detox" products.........suffice it to say her opinion on anything would not carry much weight with me.
  • Polarpaly05
    Polarpaly05 Posts: 74 Member
    You don't have enough information to draw conclusions about their workouts. If they are running at top incline and high resistance, it may be possible they are burning high amounts.

    And the problem with any machine is that the equations it uses have no way to accurately measure ramp up and ramp down time. They can only plug in your current stats (weight, age, speed, incline, resistance) into a formula and spit out the result.
  • Meekipanda
    Meekipanda Posts: 14
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.

    It kinda depends on what he was using it for, I guess. I don't think it useless. Anything that allows you to get up and exercise is better than nothing.
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 698 Member
    I've actually had the opposite experience as most people here. I have an HRM, with a chest strap, and I regularly burn 400+ in 40-45 minutes. My elliptical and MFP both estimated less... though as I get more and accustomed to the cardio, my calories have been steadily decreasing and are getting closer to the MFP estimates. I tend to maintain my HR at 165. (To get over 500 I was overdoing it, my HR would go over my max.) I do interval training on it and increase resistance as I get more fit. I can't imagine anyone burning 400+ in 20 minutes though.

    I've done power hiking (way back when it wasn't frozen outside) in the hills. It's the same or less intense than when I do the elliptical... unless there are stairs involved. *shrugs*
  • Hansonian
    Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
    There is so much great advice here! Thank you all so much! I'm definitely going to keep my elliptical and just use it to supplement my current workouts. :) And I might even purchase a HRM... :)
  • JessicaPippen
    JessicaPippen Posts: 21
    I agree. Wear a HRM
    I think the MFP number for elliptical calories burned is outrageously overestimated.

    The only way to really know your burn is to get a HRM.
  • DeliriumCanBeFun
    DeliriumCanBeFun Posts: 313 Member
    A HRM is a must for accurate calorie burn counting. I don't use the eliptical, but every time i see someone log using it the calorie count looks way too high. The cycling amounts are also greatly overestimated in the database here. One of my friends has done a little survey, and has come up with an average 600-700 an hour for strenous cycling and running for those wearing HRM. I really don't see how any exercise can get you 1000 calories in an hour like i see sometimes.
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
    I agree that MFP overestimates elliptical calories. I aim for 1,000 calories on the elliptical at the gym. According to MFP, that takes me 61mins. According to the machine, it takes me about 80mins going at about level 14 resistance. I use the number I get from the machine and then tell MFP I have only done elliptical for 61mins.

    I hope this helps.

    You can just override MFP's estimates. Enter the minutes you worked out and then type over the calories burned and change to what the elliptical said.
  • Vicxie86
    Vicxie86 Posts: 181 Member
    I used the elliptical i just bought for the first time today. I have a polar ft4 which i used during my workout.

    i am 202.8lbs and 6'2 (189cm). I spent 41mins on it and my hrm reported 516kcal burned. I was doing some weights while on it and dancing too. When i calculated my gross burn using my average heart rate of 151 on shapesense.com, my gross burn was 368 and my net burn was 313.

    I, my good sir, will take 516 thank you very much. Seeing as i only ate back 200kcal, even if 313 is correct, i am still well within my zone.
  • DavidSTC
    DavidSTC Posts: 173 Member
    Jillian Michaels was in Toronto the other day, promoting her new workout for Goodlife Fitness. I listened to her being interviewed on a radio station while going in to work, and she said that the elliptical was a joke. She said that it was useless and you may as well do no exercise. I've never used one, so I have no clue. The guy interviewing her said he had just bought one, and she said to take it back as it was a huge waste of money.
    Ouch. I just ordered an elliptical the other day... I wonder if amazon takes returns... :(

    Almost every pound I've lost since joining MFP has been on an elliptical, and my chest and arms feel great too. I don't have the context that her remarks were made in, but I certainly do not think ellipticals are a joke. I feel great after using them.

    I don't use them often ... but when I do, I really work the arms AND legs both. I get a good workout. It may just depend on the type of machine and its quality (just like anything else).
  • littlebrownbat3
    littlebrownbat3 Posts: 54 Member
    Elliptical useless? Good Lord....I can't run due to a back injury, and need low impact cardio. Aside from swimming, the elliptical is the only thing that gets me to a sweat. Granted, it's a nice elliptical with high resistance, and honestly I figure out my calorie burn experimentally (if I lose the expected amount of weight using a given calorie count, thats what I use, I usually take what the elliptical tells me and divide by 2).

    Ellipticals are not useless...

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