I can't last long on the elliptical even though I push myself

GingerRebelle
GingerRebelle Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've lost over 50 pounds and I've done that basically from only eating healthy. Now that I have less pressure on my joints and can move around better I'm doing small daily exercises and am trying to really work my way up to vigorous extensive workouts. I can barely last 5 min on the elliptical (with no resistance and at a slow pace) at home, and that's pushing myself. It's so embarrassing. My daughter who is 11 and slightly overweight did it for 45 min!!! I was so proud of her but don't understand why I can't make it past 5 yet. Any advice???
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Replies

  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Take things slowly. When I started in January I was very unfit. I could only manage 5-10 minutes on my stationary bike at a low tension setting. I just kept at it and every night pushed for a minute or two more. I routinely do 45-60 now when I'm doing straight cardio and at a higher tension than when I started.

    You'll get there. Try going for more time at less exertion for the first few weeks. You've gotta build up that stamina.
  • Bxqtie116
    Bxqtie116 Posts: 552 Member
    The first time I tried the elliptical, I was on it for under 5 minutes. I was so out of shape that my legs were sore for 3 days. I stuck with the treadmill for my cardio and tried the elliptical again a few months later and was able to maintain it much longer and not be sore afterwards. Do what you can until you feel you can't anymore. Over time your body will get back into shape and you'll be able to manage it for 30-45 minutes.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,339 Member
    edited May 2016
    I feel you! I've been working out for years, but my cardio being mostly running. Recently purchased an elliptical, and for the last two weeks have only been able to do 5 mins at a time. My logic is that next week I will increase that to 7 mins, then 9....etc. Sometimes our bodies need more time to learn a thing before we become good at it. Give it time, be patient, YOU CAN DO IT!

    Also, please don't compare yourself to your 11 yr old daughter. At that age, their little muscles are like little elastic bands, they can do ANYTHING without feeling it the way we do. Give yourself a break, mama! xo
  • CaffeinatedConfectionist
    CaffeinatedConfectionist Posts: 1,045 Member
    edited May 2016
    lesleyweatherford1 wrote: »
    I've lost over 50 pounds and I've done that basically from only eating healthy. Now that I have less pressure on my joints and can move around better I'm doing small daily exercises and am trying to really work my way up to vigorous extensive workouts. I can barely last 5 min on the elliptical (with no resistance and at a slow pace) at home, and that's pushing myself. It's so embarrassing. My daughter who is 11 and slightly overweight did it for 45 min!!! I was so proud of her but don't understand why I can't make it past 5 yet. Any advice???

    Like others have said you'll get there if you keep working at it. Being slender is not the same as being fit, which was a mindset I struggled with at the beginning.

    I started back in 2011 just by going for walks every day. I still remember how excited I was the first time I was able to jog on the treadmill for 5 minutes. I tried to run a little longer each day, and it wasn't long before I was able to run a mile, and then two, three, etc. Then I got an elliptical, and used that until I basically destroyed it, lol. I loved the elliptical because it is so easy on the joints, but it started to not feel challenging enough eventually. Now I do trail running regularly, take fitness and self-defense classes, and weight train. My actual scale weight has barely changed since 2011 (I was fairly slender anyway, just tremendously unfit) but my body is capable of so much more.

    It sounds like you're on track to improve your fitness by working on pushing yourself slowly - don't be embarrassed or compare yourself to your daughter or others. Kids are tremendously energetic. I feel like I'm in good shape and I can't keep up with my 4 and 6 year old nieces. They're mental and make me feel old and creaky, lol. It's apples to oranges. One thing I would recommend, however, is beginning to add in some resistance training, either with weights or with body weight to begin with. There are plenty of good routines that you can do at home or even at a playground. Resistance training will really help you develop a well-rounded physical fitness (and makes a huge difference to what you see in a year - remember how I said my scale weight hasn't changed? Well, my body shape really has, and much of that is due to a progressive overload weight lifting regimen. I wasn't happy with what I saw in the mirror until I started that).
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    5 min a day for a couple of weeks and work your way up. Walking will help, too.
  • Hyperbum
    Hyperbum Posts: 93 Member
    Like you I was unable to do any length of time on the eliptical when I started. Less than five minutes at the lowest resistance setting. I started doing several small intervals throughout the day. During that first week I got up to 7-10 minutes each time. Week two I was able to go up to 15 minutes twice a day. It was a struggle. I was huffing and puffing, sweat pouring and I kept it at the lowest resistance. My body responded to these daily workouts and by week three I could go 30 minutes, even upped the resistance at intervals during the workout.

    What helped me was not giving up after I felt my body had. I would do my 5 minutes then later in the day do it again, and later again. Also, when I was sore after doing it I would still jump on and go as long as I could. I found this to help ease soreness. Over the span of that first month I went from no exercise (barely any activity) to pushing through +30 minutes and actually feeling better afterwards than I did before. I lost 20 pounds in the first month with just the eliptical and monitoring my intake.

    I wish you all the best. You've already had tremendous success with your weight loss and I know you will succeed at adding exercise into the equation.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    Right now, even after going to the gym five days per week for over a month, five minutes is my limit on that machine. My heart rate still gets waaaaay too high. So I get on the treadmill behind those things and give it the death stare. One day I will kill it on that machine. But I'm not there yet.
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
    edited May 2016
    I would start by dedicating 30 minutes to the elliptical. Rest every 5 minutes.

    @thefuzz1290 you haven't tried my elliptical!
  • chellekoren
    chellekoren Posts: 273 Member
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.

    Why do you say that? Curious. Shouldn't it be, if it gets your heart rate up then it is working?
  • R_is_for_Rachel
    R_is_for_Rachel Posts: 381 Member
    ellipticals are surprisingly hard work! i used to have one (don't have the room though) and did have to build up my use over time. Don;t beat yourself up!
  • thefuzz1290
    thefuzz1290 Posts: 777 Member
    chellekoren wrote: »
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.

    Why do you say that? Curious. Shouldn't it be, if it gets your heart rate up then it is working?

    Let me rephrase, the elliptical is the least efficient piece of cardio equipment. You essentially have to stay on it longer to get the same workout as a treadmill. You can get a good workout on the elliptical, but you have to push yourself. The motion of the elliptical also fails to mimic any real life movement (well, I guess if you cross country ski, but then its close and not exact). You can get your heart rate up walking on the treadmill with an incline and get more out of it than an elliptical.

    The only reason I would use an elliptical is if I had legitimate knee issues, though most people just think they do. Even then, a stationary bike is probably better.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    chellekoren wrote: »
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.

    Why do you say that? Curious. Shouldn't it be, if it gets your heart rate up then it is working?

    Let me rephrase, the elliptical is the least efficient piece of cardio equipment. You essentially have to stay on it longer to get the same workout as a treadmill. You can get a good workout on the elliptical, but you have to push yourself. The motion of the elliptical also fails to mimic any real life movement (well, I guess if you cross country ski, but then its close and not exact). You can get your heart rate up walking on the treadmill with an incline and get more out of it than an elliptical.

    The only reason I would use an elliptical is if I had legitimate knee issues, though most people just think they do. Even then, a stationary bike is probably better.

    Respectively disagree. It may be that you have had bad experiences with certain ellipticals. My elliptical has resistance that makes me push hard to keep it going. I don't use the arms which makes my legs work harder. And have you ever cross country skied? Without poles?
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
    I'll never forget my first time. 4 minutes. I kept at though and now I can use much more resistance and have built up speed. I could do an hour if I wanted (but I don't). If you keep at it, try increasing the time a bit longer each time you'll get there! Just keep your form right and when you're comfortable, let go of the bars. I don't hold on anymore and also like to pedal backwards for a change of pace. Good luck!
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,386 Member
    lesleyweatherford1 wrote: »
    I've lost over 50 pounds and I've done that basically from only eating healthy. Now that I have less pressure on my joints and can move around better I'm doing small daily exercises and am trying to really work my way up to vigorous extensive workouts. I can barely last 5 min on the elliptical (with no resistance and at a slow pace) at home, and that's pushing myself. It's so embarrassing. My daughter who is 11 and slightly overweight did it for 45 min!!! I was so proud of her but don't understand why I can't make it past 5 yet. Any advice???

    I'm wondering if you are using too low a resistance level? Personally I find that at my weight, most elliptical machines require a resistance of some sort to become close to a natural movement, even a slow walk. With zero resistance on my machine, it's like pedaling on a bike with no chain while standing up. Awkward at best.

    Unless you are using a messed up machine, you should be able to set it to efforts no harder than walking. Now if you are going crazy fast at zero resistance, maybe still a hard workout. But you certainly look thin and fit enough to walk, so I think maybe you are fighting the machine in some way.


    But in any case, no matter where you are starting, building a cardio base takes time. Take whatever data the machine displays (strides per minute, resistance, watts, pace, whatever) and use it to your advantage while building up. If you now go 5 minutes at zero resistance and incline and 80 strides per minute, that's fine. Just build up until you can go at those settings for longer periods, or add resistance, ramp, or whatever to mix it up.



    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    chellekoren wrote: »
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.

    Why do you say that? Curious. Shouldn't it be, if it gets your heart rate up then it is working?

    Let me rephrase, the elliptical is the least efficient piece of cardio equipment. You essentially have to stay on it longer to get the same workout as a treadmill. You can get a good workout on the elliptical, but you have to push yourself. The motion of the elliptical also fails to mimic any real life movement (well, I guess if you cross country ski, but then its close and not exact). You can get your heart rate up walking on the treadmill with an incline and get more out of it than an elliptical.

    The only reason I would use an elliptical is if I had legitimate knee issues, though most people just think they do. Even then, a stationary bike is probably better.

    Any decent elliptical is simply a resistance based machine, and no less efficient than any resistance based training. If you think pushing 200 watts on an elliptical is any less taxing that pushing 200 watts on a bike, running, or rowing, then you've got it all wrong.

    Though any machine has mechanical limits of motion and such, most used properly can produce a really solid workout. I've yet to see any treadmill type machine that can come even remotely close to the variety of workouts I can get on the elliptical we own.

    Our machine can provide resistance up in the 700 watt range, and give instantaneous calories per minute readouts up to about 25 calories a minute. For someone capable of burning 1500+ calories per minute the readouts might limit them. I doubt many people will find that a concern.

    With any workout, you get out what you put in. This isn't limited to elliptical machines.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,386 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    chellekoren wrote: »
    thefuzz1290 wrote: »
    Ditch the elliptical and walk on the treadmill at an incline to get your stamina up. The elliptical is a machine that makes you think you're working hard when you're really not.

    Why do you say that? Curious. Shouldn't it be, if it gets your heart rate up then it is working?

    Let me rephrase, the elliptical is the least efficient piece of cardio equipment. You essentially have to stay on it longer to get the same workout as a treadmill. You can get a good workout on the elliptical, but you have to push yourself. The motion of the elliptical also fails to mimic any real life movement (well, I guess if you cross country ski, but then its close and not exact). You can get your heart rate up walking on the treadmill with an incline and get more out of it than an elliptical.

    The only reason I would use an elliptical is if I had legitimate knee issues, though most people just think they do. Even then, a stationary bike is probably better.

    Respectively disagree. It may be that you have had bad experiences with certain ellipticals. My elliptical has resistance that makes me push hard to keep it going. I don't use the arms which makes my legs work harder. And have you ever cross country skied? Without poles?

    I've actually cross country ski'd with 100+ pounds, and didn't work as hard as I sometimes do on my elliptical. Did I ski wrong, or elliptical right?

    The one thing I really love about our machine is that I will never beat it. I can work a lot of leg muscles, including ones I rarely use doing anything else. Or I can do it at steep ramp and high resistance, feeling the glutes work. But no matter what pace, resistance, ramp, etc I use... it can take the abuse and make me work hard.
  • AdmireDeVoll
    AdmireDeVoll Posts: 46 Member
    For me, the first 10-15 minutes are the hardest and then it's like a switch flips and I can power through, so maybe you can psyche yourself into it. That's what I have to do.
  • its_laura_btw
    its_laura_btw Posts: 48 Member
    Oh man, I just avoid the elliptical all together. I last about a few minutes and I'm done. My legs KILL. Mind you I am a heavy gal and am very unfit, so I suppose it would take practice and stuff.
    I suggest just going on it a couple of times a day and eventually you will be able to start doing longer!
    It's like increasing in weights after practice, you just start finding it easy and you can move up, you might find the next step up hard at first, but soon you'll be on the next level!

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