Cardio training vs. Heart Rate

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Kate40in3
Kate40in3 Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
Which is better to lose weight? It seems when I run, I get tired fast and my workouts don't last long at all (20 minutes of sustancial jogging)

Recently I've started doing the eliptical, usuing the heart rate thing on it... after figuring out what my target heart rate zone was, I've been able to do 45 minutes to an hour on it, keeping my heartrate between 135 and 150, usually keeping it at 145 and adjusting as needed...

Which makes you loose more weight? Which is better?

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  • Kate40in3
    Kate40in3 Posts: 10
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    Which is better to lose weight? It seems when I run, I get tired fast and my workouts don't last long at all (20 minutes of sustancial jogging)

    Recently I've started doing the eliptical, usuing the heart rate thing on it... after figuring out what my target heart rate zone was, I've been able to do 45 minutes to an hour on it, keeping my heartrate between 135 and 150, usually keeping it at 145 and adjusting as needed...

    Which makes you loose more weight? Which is better?
  • Kate40in3
    Kate40in3 Posts: 10
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    ...anyone????

    :(
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Kate40in3,


    You can get the calories-burned for different exercise at many different websites. Go to this thread:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/585-sit-ups

    It will be helpful to you to go through and read the previous posts here on MyFitnessPal, there are many good websites referenced.

    Since women tend to have more knee problems due to their anatomy (wider hips) I would stick to the elliptcal to lessen the stress on your knees. Doesn't the elliptical machine give you the calories burned? If you are using it at a gym, they have reference materials telling you the calories burned on their equipment.

    A calorie burned is a calorie burned. Burn 3500 more calories than your basic metabolic calorie needs, and you will lose one pound of weight. Remember you are also gaining muscle, which may increase your weight, though. More muscle means more calorie burn, since muscles burn more calories than no muscles. Do measurements in addition to weighing for accurate changes in your body.

    Hope that helps.

    ~cm
  • Kate40in3
    Kate40in3 Posts: 10
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    Thanks cm!

    First off, I do do the eliiptical for 30-45 minutes a day (mainly becuase ironically, i have horrible knees and have been told not to run anymore...). I also love racquetball, and try and do that for 30-60 minutes a day depending on if I am playing by myself or with a friend...

    someone once told me that what the machine tells you can't be true... like it seems that it would be off depending on your weight, speed, HEART RATE, ect... i put all my info in, but even after 60 minutes, I do NOT feel like I burned 600 calories... even though I do break a good sweat, keep my heart rate at 145, ect.

    any insight on that???

    I appreciate the feedback! Thank you!
  • VegasBaby
    VegasBaby Posts: 49 Member
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    I think that the heart rate monitor is a good "rule of thumb." Meaning it is probably pretty close to accurate.

    As far as feeling like you burn more when you excercise, may be because running is more "impact" your feet are hitting the cement, wind in your face, etc. Maybe on the elliptical because you are (indoors? I am assuming) and it is lighter impact, your body is still moving and burning calories it just doesn't feel as much like it is.

    Thats just my two cents ;)

    as far as heart rate monitors though, I think they do tend to vary....does anyone have a good one they swear by??? And if so where did they purchase?

    Thanks!
  • Kate40in3
    Kate40in3 Posts: 10
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    ahhhhhhh I'm so confused... but I do think it's that lack of impact on my body being why I feel so GOOD at the end of my elliptical workout....

    I NEED HELP! I don't get this....

    I did 60 minutes on the elliptical tonight. I put in all the information, age, weight, ect. At the end of my workout, the summery said I burned 450 calories...

    NOW... according to this site which someone suggested to me, they said that 60 min on an elliptical, at my weight burns 897 calories!

    according to this site, it says 714...

    what the bejezzus is this? I'm so confused... HELP!
  • VegasBaby
    VegasBaby Posts: 49 Member
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    hmmm well like I said it a "general rule of thumb" that the machines/websites give us. I would factor in your own intesity....maybe use a scale from 1(little effort)- 10 (can't speak) where were you through out most of your work out? Make 1 be 450 calories and 10 be 897 calories....and pick in between those caloric numbers depending on how much you exerted yourself.
  • eonblue
    eonblue Posts: 35 Member
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    If you have bad knees and you enjoy the eliptical better, then stick to that. Running is very stressful on the legs, plus you seem to be able to use the machine a lot longer. if you're not enjoyin gyour workout and only doing it to do it, then you're not going to stick to it. So find something you like and go with that. Exercise is good in any form.
  • amyjoy
    amyjoy Posts: 3
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    Hi Kate. Longer, more consistant workouts are better. It sounds like your heart rate is in a healthy range while you are on the eliptical. (there should be a chart on the machine) Most important, however, is to excersize everyday. So whatever you need to do to keep yourself interested and DOING IT!! Sounds like you are doing great.
  • want2lose
    want2lose Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi Kate,

    I also use the treadmill and the elliptical. I noticed the same inaccuracies that you mentioned. Also saw that when i typed it into the exercise journal here that it gave a total calories burned for 60 min. I think what is happening, is that the journal is calculating a person maintaining a certain speed throughout the workout and giving you the results. If your like me, you know its almost impossible to go one speed on the eliptical for 60 minutes, especially if you let your mind wander and have some good music on the old I-pod. What i ended up doing was just going in manually on the exercise journal page and adding my "own" exercise for that day. If the machine says i burned 723 calories when i step off it, thats what i put in my journal. Hope that helps :) Best of luck to you!

    Brian
  • hjcopeland
    hjcopeland Posts: 53 Member
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    Here is a good article on the subject:
    http://whatscookingamerica.net/HealthBeauty/HighIntensityWorkout.htm

    I read several years ago that lower intensity workouts are actually better for burning fat, but according to the above article, that theory is now out of favor.

    Basically your workout is a matter of Intensity X Duration. The harder you push, the less time it takes to burn the same amount of calories.

    Ultimately, the key is to do a little bit of everything so you use different muscle groups and avoid getting bored with your workouts!
  • sturge161
    sturge161 Posts: 37 Member
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    I do the elliptical for a 28 min weight loss program at a high intensity the entire time and the most the machine said I burned was 320 cal (per the machine it says for distance I went about 3.23 (not sure if that is miles or km though)). The elliptical exercise on this site had me at about 248. I feel the machine I use is a fairly accurate counter since when I roller blade for 30 minutes other sites have me burning 350 which seems only slightly more of a workout than the elliptical machine. I agree that there is no way for any site to tell you with any real accuracy how many calories you burn since everyone works out at different intensities. The elliptical takes into account weight, time, speed, etc which may also be a better predictor of calories burned.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    Strength/resistance training can also be very helpful. It allows you to retain more muscle. :)

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