Elliptical

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Susiepoop345
Susiepoop345 Posts: 43 Member
edited February 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I recently bought an older nordictrack elliptical off craigslist. It has resistance up to 10. How do you think is the best way to use it to lose weight? High resistance at a slower pace or a fast pace at a lower resistance? I recently read it was a wasted workout to use the elliptical:(
So Do you think using the elliptical or a brisk walk is better? I would run but even a jog hurts my knees. (Sports injury)

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  • JenniferLynWhatx
    JenniferLynWhatx Posts: 141 Member
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    I do intervals on resistance and keep my pace up....For me cardio means my pulse and respirations should both be up....I should be sweating and I shouldn't be able to have a full conversation with someone....I feel like walking is probably more beneficial in general...but I burn more calories on the elliptical, and it hurts my knees less.
  • jpcebu
    jpcebu Posts: 18 Member
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    A 2011 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that a 200-pound person burned 455 calories in an hour using an elliptical trainer, but burned 255 calories an hour walking at 2 mph, and 391 calories walking 3.5 mph.Aug 7, 2015
  • Kapoten
    Kapoten Posts: 327 Member
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    I've lost weight and improved my fitness using the elliptical. If you like it and use it regularly, it's a great tool. Don't let workout snobs tell you otherwise! For me, it depends on how I'm feeling, but I usually use it with a lower resistance and a faster pace. As my fitness has improved, I've increased the resistance, but only to a level where I can still maintain a fairly fast pace. Try out different combinations and see what you prefer. According to my Fitbit with a heart rate monitor, the calorie burn is not substantially different between lower-resistance/faster-pace workouts and higher-resistance/slower-pace workouts.
  • Susiepoop345
    Susiepoop345 Posts: 43 Member
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    Thanks for the responses! I went from not working out in years to a minimum of 30 mins a day since I got it for last 20 days. Plus it got me on this site and eating healthier! So Even though I I hear a lot of flak about the machine, it has to be better than nothing.

  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Whover said that the elliptical was a 'wasted workout' is probably one of those fitness people who only believes that what works for them is what will only work for everyone else. I've heard the same things about swimming and walking. Do what works for you and gets your body moving! :)
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    Oh, to answer your original question:
    My husband is an elliptical fanatic (hurts my post-surgery back, can't use it) and he 'warms up' with ten minutes at high-resistance slow pace, then does half an hour at low resistance, fast pace, and does a ten minute cool down. Don't know how if that's the best way to do it, but his calves, thighs and rear are even hotter now than they were when we met twenty years ago. :)
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I love the elliptical. I can't run (osteoarthritis), so the elliptical and stationary rowing are my go-tos. (Biking in the summer too.)

    The elliptical can definitely give you more of a calorie burn than walking, depending on how vigorously you use it. The resistance settings are somewhat arbitrary. I work at a resistance setting that allows me to keep up a good level of exertion without getting exhausted. Most machines offer interval programs and that's what I like to do.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I love the elliptical as well

    I do interval for 65 minutes. It is my gym machine of choice and I do it almost every day.

    BTW, losing weight is at least 80% eating at a calorie deficit. I am on maintenance and joined a gym 1 year ago, and have been maintaining for a little over 2 years. No additional weight lost from exercise, but I am eating @ maintenance.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,390 Member
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    I try to mix it up to avoid boredom. We have a machine that allows resistance and ramp angles to change, so there is a lot of flexibility to be had. As for wasted workouts, my guess is that a lot of people that would claim such things have never spent much time on a decent elliptical. Used properly the one we own can withstand and challenge even a cardio monster.

    I usually try to mix up resistance some, and make sure cadence never gets too low. The one we have is claimed to have more accurate calorie burn data at 100 or higher strides per minute IIRC.

    I did a true Tabata HIIT session on our machine. I bet anyone doing that won't think the elliptical is a waste of time! :)

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