elliptical. is it possible for me to burn THIS many cals?

Without having expert knowledge of the machine, how it works, if it works and various other factors it's kinda impossible to answer. As an example I wear a HRM to do Zumba, I did a 70 min class, didn't stop once, was out of breath half way through and near dripping with sweat and burned around 600 cals, I'm 234lbs. So it's possible your machine could be a little off? MFP says I would burn 1100, nearly double, I trust my HRM more!

Wow, sounds like I need to get an elliptical!!

The reading on machines is notorious for over estimating. The best thing to do is buy an HRM for an accurate reading, or if eating back your cals burnt then use a lesser percentage. However saying all of that it does still seem to be one of the machines that offers high burns.

Way to go and to stick to it! 30 mins of cardio is very good! Don't get caught up on the numbers the machines spit out. Use it as a guide. Keep up the good work.

A person's weight has quite an effect on the number of calories burned as well. At around 200 pounds, you will burn quite a bit more than someone that weighs only 100 pounds. And me weighing in at around 300 will burn significantly more than you. So 400 does not sound unreasonable at all.

And keep up the great work!! You will get stronger the more you do it and will be able to push yourself harder with less perceived effort! In the beginning, the strength gains will come pretty quickly...even though they might not feel like they are , but they are!

Dave

The reading on machines is notorious for over estimating. The best thing to do is buy an HRM for an accurate reading, or if eating back your cals burnt then use a lesser percentage. However saying all of that it does still seem to be one of the machines that offers high burns.

I believe this statement is spot on. I would trust a HRM much more than the machine.

If you think about it, the machine maker has a conflict of interest in estimating calories expended. The more they say you burn, the more likely you are to use or even buy the machine. They would never give you an underestimate or you'd think the machine was a waste of time.

That being said, depending on you exertion, weight, etc, it is possible to burn 300 calls in 30 min, just pretty darn strenuous.

Personally, I use the readout of calories to gauge my progress and step it up from week to week to beat my prior calorie records.

If you were on a treadmill, you'd need to jog at 4.6 mph for 30 at your weight to burn 405 calories.

And that's likely within 4% of accurate.

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/WalkRunMETs.html

The problem with ellipticals is there are no good studies on calorie burn related to HR or even watts produced, because there are too many variables, and even outside the setting variables, there is how you do it personally.

It's why even the above very accurate formula for walking/running loses accuracy outside those ranges or inclines - your personal way of doing it can start to vary too much from an average.

So if you could jog that fast for that long, then yes, easily accomplished. If not a chance in the world - then unlikely.

It's really not that hard to hit high calorie counts. In fact some HRM's lacking in vital stats start underestimating badly when you become fit but still have weight to lose.

I do the elliptical for 30 minutes at least twice per day. The machine usually tells me I burn in the 150 range...when I plug my BodyMedia Fit Armband in, I'm usually in the 320-350 range. I trust my on body monitoring more than the elliptical's general calculation. Either way...GREAT BURN!

But it says I burned 400 calories.. is this possible???? thanks!

No.

Not until you're much more fit.

The HRM is the best way to go (i love my Polar F7) with my elliptical it has a HRM with chest strap, but when i dont use that, it actually UNDERestimates my caloric burn.

The machine did not ask for my weight, it's a pretty cheap model- but I am moving arms and legs simultaneously. I noticed my fastest speed was around 9 and my average is 6 if that helps.. all I know is I'm doing more than I was last week!

Then it will only be a rough estimate. For the sake of calories counting here, many people say to just eat back maybe half of the calorie burn a machine tells you, to account for the probable overestimate. If you do end up getting a HRM monitor, it will give you a better estimate, but even a HRM may not be 100% accurate.

On the elliptical I use at the gym, it tells me I burn about 450 cals in half an hour. I have no idea if that is accurate, so I simply use it as guide for how well I did: was it more or less than last time?

Just keep going!

Self.com has a calculator: http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/caloriesburned/elliptical_trainer/

Set to moderate exercise, at your weight, you burned approx. 325.05 calories. If you were working vigorously for 30 minutes, it says 385.06 calories. The 400 calorie thing is probably overestimating, especially if you were struggling to finish. I recommend getting a heart rate monitor to really learn how much you're burning.

That link is pretty dang accurate! I matched it up with my bodymedia numbers and it was almost dead on!

I'm female, weigh 197lbs and usually burn 360cals in 30 mins at 7.3mph on my elliptical. i hope that helps you some.

But it says I burned 400 calories.. is this possible???? thanks!

No.

Not until you're much more fit.

What? That's a load of crap. The more you weigh, the more calories your body will naturally burn during activity. A 130 lb person walking 3.5 mph for one hour will burn about 354 calories. A 205 lb person walking the same speed for the same amount of time will burn about 558 calories.