Elliptical Machine

jen76love
jen76love Posts: 16
edited September 23 in Fitness and Exercise
So I have this elliptical machine in my house that I use for 30-35 minutes/ 4-5 days a week. I find that if you don't use the poles and instead bend your arms and swing them like you're running or incorporate some punching moves that it doesn't feel so repetitious. However, the number of calories that the machine says is different than the number of calories this site says an elliptical machine burns. So which number should I go by?

Also, the extra arm moves, does that add more burned calories that the machine doesn't recognize?

Seems like when I used this machine only 3 days a week a few years ago, I was losing more weight. Maybe I'm just getting older??

Replies

  • chantalicious
    chantalicious Posts: 68
    I tend to go with what the machine says. It's based on intensity and you can enter your weight along with your age as well as monitor your heart rate. Best bet is to purchase a heart rate monitor though. Good Luck and keep on keeping on!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    use the lower of the 2, the best calorie estimator would come form using a HRM though.
  • colochel
    colochel Posts: 263 Member
    I had the same questions. So I purchased a heart rate monitor with a calorie counting option. They're a lot more accurate than the machine itself, and the website is a "guesstimate" at best.

    You might not be working out as hard as you used to before, or maybe you need to switch up your routine a little bit. Try adding speed intervals to your workout to burn more calories. And keep an eye on what you are eating, that can definitely play a role.

    Good luck to you!
  • alliosn1234
    alliosn1234 Posts: 8
    I always go with what's on the machine it knows the resistance and how fast or other determining factors
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
    I have found that my elliptical machine (you can't put in age or weight) says I burn about 500 cal / hour (doing interval training). MFP says about 450/ hour. BUT my HRM says about 400/hour. :( Bummer, but I am sure it is more accurate.
  • crlujan
    crlujan Posts: 59
    I go with what the machine says but only count 2/3rds of the calories. Therefore, I gotta burn 300 calories on the machine to log 200 calories on MFP. I asked just about the same question you have here and this is kinda what I was told to do. I was told that the elliptical overestimates your calorie burn.
  • jen76love
    jen76love Posts: 16
    Well that's a bunch of crap! What about if you add leg or arm weights?
  • ErrataCorrige
    ErrataCorrige Posts: 649 Member
    The harder your heart is working the more calories you are burning. The more muscle you build the more cals your body burns all day long. But as for calories burned in a workout: it all depends on your body and the amount of weight.
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