Elliptical-Too many Calories??

chachii26
chachii26 Posts: 45
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
I have a concern about my cardio workout...maybe someone can help me. I do the elliptical for 45 min at Max. Speed level 1, at the end of my workout says i've burn anywhere from 1000 to 1500 calories. It's that normal or its too much? I see everyone here burns around 300 to 600 calories so I was wondering...

Thanks!

Replies

  • risefromruin
    risefromruin Posts: 483 Member
    The machine really may not be telling you the truth. Some of those machines aren't necessarily correct. If you can enter your age, height, and weight into the machine before you begin you can possibly get a more accurate number. Or, you can invest in a heart rate monitor that will calculate it based on your heart rate, age, height, and weight!
  • bhb301
    bhb301 Posts: 338 Member
    Machines are not based on your age, height,weight, so most are wrong. Or have always been for me
  • ChristinaRamos
    ChristinaRamos Posts: 226
    I don't think thats accurate. You probably burn 500-800 calories in 45 minutes, depending on how much you weigh, your speed, and resistance.
  • cszammit
    cszammit Posts: 26 Member
    Usually i burn 1 cal per minute !!! try to use an hrm
  • mhig011975
    mhig011975 Posts: 181
    i have a timex HRM, and it calulates my calories through my heart rate, but I don't think I can enter my age or height. Is just my Heartrate good enough? I've been burning about 300- 500 calories depending how hard i push myself/
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
    Is that what the machine said or what MFP said...Since buying a heart rate monitor... I found out I only burn about half-3/4 of what MFP and the machines say that I burn... also depends on what your starting weight was to begin with... although honestly... if you were to legitimately burn 1500 calories in 45 minutes on level 1... then you would probably have to exceed the weight limit for most ellipticals... which you clearly don't... Do you enter your age height and weight into the machine? I say buy a heart rate monitor if you can... best $125 I've ever spent
  • tryinghard2012
    tryinghard2012 Posts: 419 Member
    WOW, I guess it depends on weight, and age.

    I burn about 1000 calories on Level 15-20, program random for 50 minutes at speed 55-60. I'm 229 lbs. I just purchased a heart rate monitor for accuracy and the machine is pretty dead on.
  • dolphin21
    dolphin21 Posts: 301 Member
    I do my elliptical every other day for 30mins and burn bout 500 calories, it depends on your weight and height. IM 5'3 and weight 142. Hope it helps.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
    In my experience, elliptical machine calorie numbers aren't entirely correct. I also think that the calories burned when you enter it into MFP's database is a bit high too. The best way to know for sure is to invest in a good heart rate monitor. You'll always know your (most accurate) calorie burn in whatever you're doing.
  • OntheShrink
    OntheShrink Posts: 12 Member
    I've found that larger weight individuals burn SIGNIFICANTLY more when using the elliptical that smaller individuals.
  • maemiller
    maemiller Posts: 439 Member
    i agree, get a heart rate monitor. I dont know how many people have adjusted the machines for themselves and it may be calculating the calories burned for someone that was on it before you
  • chachii26
    chachii26 Posts: 45
    I guess general consensus is I need a HRM! Ill get on it....Thanks guys!
  • btor
    btor Posts: 144 Member
    It totally depends on your age/weight... but I would beware! The elliptical used to tell me that I burned anywhere between 450-500 cals for 30-32 minutes of exercise. When I got my HRM, the reality was that I only burned between 250-300 cals. The only way to know for sure how many calories you are burning is to invest in a heart rate monitor, otherwise, just make sure your calories for the day take into account the machine's potential error.
  • ksabey
    ksabey Posts: 6 Member
    I have been working out faithfully for more than a year and feel like I am in "fair" cardiovascular shape. I use a HR monitor when I work out calibrated to my height/weight and only burn about 250 calories in 45 minutes on a standard elliptical on a "random" program with about a 5 (out of 10) resistance added. I get a much better calorie burn on the "cross trainer" version of an elliptical, in which your arms move.

    I agree with what others say - get a HR monitor and it will give you a better idea of what your true burn is. I feel like the machines are often more in line with what men would burn - my husband also uses a HR monitor and is consistently nearly double the calorie burn that I am for the exact same exercise.
  • get_fit2009
    get_fit2009 Posts: 827 Member
    The machine at my gym overstates my calorie burn by AT LEAST 2 1/2 times. I have an HRM so I have compared. The elliptical is a Cybex, and I love everything else about it except that it lies.:grumble:
  • mhadams2668
    mhadams2668 Posts: 25 Member
    Yep! heart rate monitor is the way to go!
  • chachii26
    chachii26 Posts: 45
    The Cybex is the one I do too!
  • vitamina19
    vitamina19 Posts: 30
    I just used mine with my new HRM the other day and the machine was estimating my calories at ~double the HRM. :huh:
  • jschavrien11
    jschavrien11 Posts: 10
    The elliptical sometimes isnt that accurate because at certain points you slow down and you still "burn" the same amount. I like the arc trainer because it automatically adjust your resistance based on your weight and work out. And when you log it on here its either right on point with cal burned or give or take 1 - 2
  • tryinghard2012
    tryinghard2012 Posts: 419 Member
    The elliptical sometimes isnt that accurate because at certain points you slow down and you still "burn" the same amount. I like the arc trainer because it automatically adjust your resistance based on your weight and work out. And when you log it on here its either right on point with cal burned or give or take 1 - 2

    I love The Arc trainer!!!! :heart:
  • Jenniferpinski
    Jenniferpinski Posts: 1
    wow! I didn't know that! mine says 500 calories for 34 mins at a 5 resistance..no wonder my weight hasn't moved much. Though my legs look less flabby :) Definitely will get a hrm!
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