Exercise Question

mjtmorr
mjtmorr Posts: 75
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I am working hard to lose a total of 120lbs, part of my daily workout is 45 minutes on an elliptical, usually covering 3 miles and burning between 650 and 680 calories.
Now the question, is it better to increase the time spent on the elliptical or maintain the 45 minutes and increase the pace?

Replies

  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
    I would say to maximize your burn, you should get to your target heart rate and try to keep it there for as long as you can. Remember that your body gets used to your workout, so try to change it up every now and then. If you want to stay on the elliptical, try doing intervals, hill climbs,etc and try to challenge yourself to do a longer distance inthe same amount of time. These are just a few ways to challenge yourself to make sure you don't get too comfortable on the machine.

    Good luck!
  • sassyg
    sassyg Posts: 393
    increase your pace.

    There are people who will say, if you can do more than 30 minutes cardio at a time, you're not going hard enough.

    Apparently 30 minutes is the point where you may start to burn muscle, which isn't ideal.

    the 30 minutes doens't include warm ups and cool downs though.
  • jessicaboepple
    jessicaboepple Posts: 6
    You could keep going for about the same length of time, but alternate time periods of normal-level exertion with slightly more intense than usual levels of exertion. As time goes on, you can spend more time out of your workout working a bit harder. Also, you can gradually start adding time to your workout, even for just a couple of minutes, to work up to doing more. Most importantly, have fun and work hard! :)
  • jeremymaritz
    jeremymaritz Posts: 70
    The time is going to be irrelevant if you're not tracking your heart rate accurately. Are you wearing a heartrate monitor? Don't trust those hand sensors on the elliptical handles...

    I say irrelevant because say theoretically that you go for two or three hours on an elliptical at 150 bpm...congratulations, at your weight, you just powered your anaerobic workout with pure muscle mass; probably not what you were shooting for. But if you did 45 straight minutes at 135 bpm or so you'd power those minutes with stored carbs and fat, which I assume is the goal. :)

    I love working out on the elliptical...it's relaxing, there's no impact, and you can go forever and ever...just make sure you're powering your workout from the right source!

    Keep it up!
  • mjtmorr
    mjtmorr Posts: 75
    The time is going to be irrelevant if you're not tracking your heart rate accurately. Are you wearing a heartrate monitor? Don't trust those hand sensors on the elliptical handles...

    I say irrelevant because say theoretically that you go for two or three hours on an elliptical at 150 bpm...congratulations, at your weight, you just powered your anaerobic workout with pure muscle mass; probably not what you were shooting for. But if you did 45 straight minutes at 135 bpm or so you'd power those minutes with stored carbs and fat, which I assume is the goal. :)

    I love working out on the elliptical...it's relaxing, there's no impact, and you can go forever and ever...just make sure you're powering your workout from the right source!

    Keep it up!

    Thanks, I will have to get an HRM, according to the hand held monitors I am staying between 115 - 125 bpm. You are correct I do not want to burn muscle. I have a long way to go but I am determined to get there, 230 by Christmas this year.
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