How many calories does an eliptical really burn????
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I usually do elliptical and I get weird results, sometimes up to 900 calories even when I use the same routine. I understand that these machines aren't very accurate, so I tried a different one. Only 529 according to this, but I also did a different program and lower resistance. Does the resistance make a significant difference? If yes, how should I calculate it?0
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According to my HRM, I burn ~450 cals in my 35 min workout. But my weight, speed, intensity and resistance levels are different from yours. If you want reasonable numbers, get a HRM.0
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I usually do elliptical and I get weird results, sometimes up to 900 calories even when I use the same routine. I understand that these machines aren't very accurate, so I tried a different one. Only 529 according to this, but I also did a different program and lower resistance. Does the resistance make a significant difference? If yes, how should I calculate it?
Yes resistance makes the biggest difference. I'm not sure how accurate it's been for me either, I need to replace the battery of my HRM but frankly I'm scared to see how many less calories I burn (but at least I can measure my progress using the machine's calories, so it's not totally useless). So far my best on the machine is 630 calories for 61 minutes, which isn't bad considering I'm 133 pounds and 36, it's really high intensity when I get that high though... but I guess it's probably closer to 400 or something
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I get around 200 for 20 mins at level 16 resistance (of 25 levels) on my HRM...0
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I use a heart rate monitor for all my exercise. Figure you are actually burning 1/2 to 2/3 the number of calories the machine indicates0
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This is exactly why I try to not eat back my calories -- I log what the machine says, but take it with a huge grain of salt. I may not know how many calories I burned accurately, but I DO know I got my heart rate up for 30 mins and did some weight lifting afterwards, and that's good enough for me.0
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I had been wondering the same thing. I have read that the calories burned readout on cardio equipment is over estimated up to 30%. I did an experiment with my heart rate monitor and it said I burned 386 calories in an hour while the machine said 650. So unfortunately, I have had to increase the amount of cardio I do to reach my 800 calorie goal. Definitely not the news I was looking for!
General rule of thumb is 1 mile=100 calories. So walk 8, run 8 you get about 800 calories. Again a general rule. Ellip I would suggest either 1. Asking the gym how it is calibrated OR 2. Use it as a guideline. Good luck.
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As a general guideline, I never used a factor greater than 10 calories per minute. It is really hard to burn 10 calories per minute more than you otherwise would have doing nothing. 10 calories per minute is pretty much a level of effort for which holding a conversation would be next to impossible.
In my experience, most of my cardio workouts come in more like an 8 on average, even though there may have been points where I was at a 10...I'm generally not at a sustained 10 for an hour.0 -
Elliptical is my favorite cardio machine. It just seems to easy to me to be giving the numbers that it says it burns. When I was 340 pounds it was telling me that I was burning 900 in 45 minutes. Now, yes, I would put up the resistance on it and really push through the whole time, but no way was I actually burning that much. I kind of think maybe with that machine, heavier people can do it EASIER because all we have to do is shift our weight from side to side and the pedals almost go up and down by themselves..... and of course if it's EASIER, then you're not burning as many calories! I still did it to get my heart rate up without trashing my fragile joints but, I didn't put too much stock in the calories burned.0
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cwolfman13 wrote: »As a general guideline, I never used a factor greater than 10 calories per minute. It is really hard to burn 10 calories per minute more than you otherwise would have doing nothing. 10 calories per minute is pretty much a level of effort for which holding a conversation would be next to impossible.
In my experience, most of my cardio workouts come in more like an 8 on average, even though there may have been points where I was at a 10...I'm generally not at a sustained 10 for an hour.
I definitely wouldn't be able to hold a conversation when I'm on the elliptical. Man I really need to fix my HRM... I'm getting curious now!
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I take those estimates with a grain of salt. My typical workout is 65 minutes on the elliptical targeting a heart rate around 140. According to my HRM I burn around 450-500. According to the machine itself 700-750. According to MFP database 897.0
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I average just over 600 in an hour, on intervals, level 8, going full on, to a point I could not talk basically. That is with a hrm. It really depends how much work you put into it. I am inclined to push myself to my limits when I workout and the elliptical tends to give me the highest burn aside from running outside with hills.0
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I don't rely on the machines calculation anymore. I was, then I got a heart rate monitor. Very disappointed that the usual 400+ I would burn in 30-40 mins (I'm a big girl), now dropped to 250 to 300 for the same time using the HRM. I suspect the HRM is more accurate.0
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If I use the elliptical for 30 minutes and include warm-up time, I'd say I burn less than 300 calories. If I go hard and work at very intense intervals, maybe 300. I can't imagine just learning that right now.0
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I don't have a HRM, so I try to make an estimate using the heartrate sensors on the machine and plugging my average HR for every ten minutes into an online calculator with my age , weight etc. Not as accurate as a HRM but better than the machines I figure! On the elliptical I can usually keep my HR between 145 and 165, (usually around 155) and estimate a little over 500 calories per hour.0
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I can't afford a HRM so here's what I do:
I've read how ellipticals have the highest error when it comes to calorie readings, so I just don't enter in my correct weight. I weigh 250 lbs but I always enter in 150 lbs as my weight. In 65 minutes it says I burned approximately 700 calories. This is what I enter into MFP.
It has been working for me so far. I've lost a good percentage of weight so far.
Before I would do something like enter in 200 lbs and knock 10% off.0 -
The elliptical does not burn any calories. You do.
More to the point, it really varies how many calories are used. Variables include your weight, fitness level, lean body mass, effort, speed, intervals, and so on. Go ahead and plug in 700 cal/hr. If you don't lose weight and you are honest with your food tracking, take it down a couple hundred per hour.0 -
You can burn quite a few calories on the elliptical but it all depends on your heart rate.
No, that's wrong.The only truly accurate way to know is to wear a Heart Rate Monitor.
That's wrong, too.
Figure out how far you can run in the same amount of time. Then...
Calories burned = 0.5 * (0.62 * weight in pounds * miles run)
That'll get you close.
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The machines at my gym have sensors to measure heart rate, you can also enter weight, and age. On a level from 1-25 I usually have my machine on level 15. My heart rate is between 165 and 169 most of the time while I'm on it. I burned around 170 cals doing 15 minutes. I suppose it's reasonable to believe this?0
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There are a lot of things to consider. You body weight and fat ratios, your heart rate, your fitness level(the more we do things the less effort it takes) etc etc etc
Are you enjoying it and feeling good about it, stay at it0 -
Lets face it, if you were an elliptical sitting on the sales room floor, wouldn't you lie about how many calories a person would burn per hour......no elliptical wants to be unpopular and be left behind only to go to the sale rack and lose respect from their peers.1
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And from the same site as the above post: http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/how-inaccurate-are-calorie-counters-gym
I've noticed that all the elliptical machines at my gym give wildly varying figures on distance covered and calories burned for any workout. The problem with using calculations like 'X calories burned per mile walked/run' for an elliptical is that you aren't actually walking or running. You wouldn't use that calculation for a bike, so don't use it for an elliptical.
Ultimately, using an elliptical isn't walking or running - it's a completely different motion. Your body is much more supported by the machine, which makes it easier, which reduces the calorie burn. As you push down with one leg, the other leg is pushed up by the machine, which then makes the next down-movement easier - and so on. Effectively, it allows you to get up a lot of momentum, which is effectively unnatural and makes the exercise much easier. For example, on a low level on the elliptical you can effectively stand there and let the machine spin your legs for you once you've got going, and you're basically doing no work - but the machine will still say you've burned the calories.
I generally don't use the elliptical for a proper cardio workout for that exact reason - if you want a walking/running exercise, walk or run. And when I do use the elliptical (which is usually because I'm feeling too tired or lazy to run, which tells its own story!!), I halve the reported calorie burn, to err on the safe side.0 -
Sorry but there is so much wrong with this post!the machines don't have your heart rate, your height, or your gender, so they're rarely right.
the best indication is a heart rate monitor. aside form that, when your entering your weight, always enter 10 pounds lighter than you actually are, and then subtract 20-25% of the calories from the final number,
Calorie burns are in relation to power produced so height has nothing to do with it. Weight is significant as it's a weight bearing exercise.
If the elliptical measures power (watts for example) it could be reasonable.
HR is also not a measurement of calories!
There is a relationship between HR and energy produced which is what HRMs use for an esitmate during steady state cardio.
As for entering incorrect settings and subtracting random amounts from a figure that is already an estimate - illogical.
So the "best" would be a power meter, second best a properly calibrated HRM. In the end it's all an estimate and provided your are consistent and adjust your calorie intake based on results over time you will be fine.
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Everyone's burn will differ, depending on age, weight, gender, as well as incline and resistance. I can tell you this though, when the machine's monitor says I've burnt 700 calories, my HRM shows anywhere from 360-440. Say ouch. Still, I'd rather know the truth than to keep lying to myself.0
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And from the same site as the above post: http://www.shape.com/fitness/cardio/how-inaccurate-are-calorie-counters-gym
I've noticed that all the elliptical machines at my gym give wildly varying figures on distance covered and calories burned for any workout. The problem with using calculations like 'X calories burned per mile walked/run' for an elliptical is that you aren't actually walking or running. You wouldn't use that calculation for a bike, so don't use it for an elliptical.
Ultimately, using an elliptical isn't walking or running - it's a completely different motion. Your body is much more supported by the machine, which makes it easier, which reduces the calorie burn. As you push down with one leg, the other leg is pushed up by the machine, which then makes the next down-movement easier - and so on. Effectively, it allows you to get up a lot of momentum, which is effectively unnatural and makes the exercise much easier. For example, on a low level on the elliptical you can effectively stand there and let the machine spin your legs for you once you've got going, and you're basically doing no work - but the machine will still say you've burned the calories.
I generally don't use the elliptical for a proper cardio workout for that exact reason - if you want a walking/running exercise, walk or run. And when I do use the elliptical (which is usually because I'm feeling too tired or lazy to run, which tells its own story!!), I halve the reported calorie burn, to err on the safe side.
Ok I don't know what kind of ellipticals you're using but mine definitely doesn't spin my legs for you lol. And how is that different from a bike anyway?
For what it's worth, my elliptical workouts are not great when I'm feeling tired of lazy. They are awesome and intense when I'm not - during my intervals there's no way I could carry a conversation, and intervals are one of the things that are much easier to do on an elliptical than a treadmill. But hey, it's thanks to people like you that there are always some available at the gym, so I'm not going to complain. Bottom line is that even if the calorie burn isn't accurate, I still burn more in an hour of elliptical than an hour of running, and it's easier on my legs and joints.
Also, I have a stationary bike and the calories were exactly the same as my HRM, and made me wonder why I even bother because the burn is so little!0 -
The elliptical is the worst machine for overestimating calorie burn. I'd cut that number in half to be safe. Seven hundred calories an hour is over 10 calories a minute. Ten calories a minute is what you burn doing jumping jacks, jumping rope, sprinting--real high intensity work that most of us can't do for very long periods of time.0
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The elliptical is the worst machine for overestimating calorie burn. I'd cut that number in half to be safe. Seven hundred calories an hour is over 10 calories a minute. Ten calories a minute is what you burn doing jumping jacks, jumping rope, sprinting--real high intensity work that most of us can't do for very long periods of time.
Depends on your weight though.
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If you add your exercise using the amount MFP suggests is MFP a using my height, weight etc? So would it be remotely accurately?0
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