Elliptical with Weights

I am a backpacker/hiker that would like to push things to the next level. However, due to work, I am unable to get on the trail as much as I would like to. Since I have an elliptical, I have planned to start using it with a weighted backpack. My question is how to compute calorie burns when doing elliptical training with weights as I am trying to lose a few pounds. On various websites, I have read where a 30 minute workout burns 2.16 calories per pound of body weight. According to this formula, if I weigh 200 pounds, I would burn 432 calories every 30 minutes.

My question is if I wear my hiking backpack while doing a 30 minute elliptical workout, would the calorie burn then be 230 pounds times 2.16 calories per pound, thus giving me a burn of 496?

Thanks

Replies

  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    You would add the weights to your body weight, but I don’t know about the burn you mention. My rule of thumb is 10 Cals per minute for a very hard workout. I read that elite athletes working very hard burn about 15 per minute.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    You would add the weights to your body weight, but I don’t know about the burn you mention. My rule of thumb is 10 Cals per minute for a very hard workout. I read that elite athletes working very hard burn about 15 per minute.

    Ditto. My rule of thumb is 100 calories/10 minutes if really pushing.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    A weighted backpack seems a bit of an odd way to go about it - can you not turn up the resistance on the eliptical machine?

    A good bit of that increased calorie burn may be both from moving the weight and the weight around your body moving too - while on an elliptical a backpack may not actually move too much.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    I am a backpacker/hiker that would like to push things to the next level. However, due to work, I am unable to get on the trail as much as I would like to.

    Another option for backpacking/mountaineering training is stairs with the pack. One group I was training with used the indoor stadium/running track at the university with the following...run 1 lap (1/6 mile) then climb up and down each aisle in that section, then run another lap,...
  • MarkInTheHV
    MarkInTheHV Posts: 11 Member
    Thanks for the great ideas
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited November 2017
    "According to this formula, if I weigh 200 pounds, I would burn 432 calories every 30 minutes."
    Formula based on what intensity level? Which machine with which range of motion or resistance setting? What power output? What efficiency ratio?
    Honestly wouldn't give much credence to that estimate at all.

    432 - highly unlikely. That rate of burn would take a remarkable level of fitness and working really, really hard. 496 - hell no, unless you are a high level competitive athlete perhaps and pushing to maximal levels.

    Do you have access to a machine that's gives more reliable calorie estimates based on power? A high quality indoor bike or a Concept2 rower perhaps?
    Or can you run non-stop for 30 minutes?

    These would give you a far better idea of what you are actually capable of burning.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Oh and I should note...
    In the end the real 'tell' is how your weight changes over time - I like recording weight with the 'Libra' app which lets you record daily and gives trends, smoothing out outliers etc.
    It provides a figure in calories for your deficit/surplus.

    (And note I actually have a proper RMR / Vo2 machine - but still generally advise that daily logging gives the most useful information.)
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    edited November 2017
    I'm not sure if wearing your backpack on the elliptical would actually provide as much benefit as you might think. Since the resistance is set by the machine and not your body weight, I don't think it would really make a difference. There would be some benefit just by virtue of the fact that you are supporting slight more weight but it would probably be more akin to the benefit you'd get from wearing the backpack while sitting or standing still.

    The parallel I would draw is wearing the backpack on a stationary bike. The overall effort you expend isn't as much dictated by your weight as it is by the resistance level you choose on the machine itself.

    Note that weight driven calorie burn differences are driven by the fact that larger bodies in general require more energy to sustain themselves and not because of a function related to specific amounts of resistance. Case in point - heavier people burn more calories than lighter people while lying down. If your premise were directly true, you could theoretically increase your calorie burn by lying down with your backpack on.
  • MarkInTheHV
    MarkInTheHV Posts: 11 Member
    sijomial wrote: »

    Do you have access to a machine that's gives more reliable calorie estimates based on power? A high quality indoor bike or a Concept2 rower perhaps?
    These would give you a far better idea of what you are actually capable of burning.

    I have the Sole E35 elliptical (2008 model), so not sure how accurate the calorie counts are from the machine.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    sijomial wrote: »

    Do you have access to a machine that's gives more reliable calorie estimates based on power? A high quality indoor bike or a Concept2 rower perhaps?
    These would give you a far better idea of what you are actually capable of burning.

    I have the Sole E35 elliptical (2008 model), so not sure how accurate the calorie counts are from the machine.

    I would guess very exaggerated unfortunately.
    Closest comparison I can give you to your numbers is a friend of mine who is ridiculously fit and hit a maximum of 936 (net calories) in an hour on a bike. He was a podium finisher in a national 24hr bike event to give you an idea of how fit he is.

    Obviously I don't know your fitness level and you haven't described your intensity but 432 or 496 for half an hour is very, very high.