Confused about calories burned- elliptical vs treadmill

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  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
    I would alternate the two. Do the elliptical one visit and the treadmill the next.

    ^This!
    Changing things up is best. Don't stick to one form of exercise. Alternate between the 2 and jump on the bike and stair climber too if you have access to them. Vary your speed and resistance; don't always do the same thing every time
  • ncavers33
    ncavers33 Posts: 3 Member
    How do you pace yourself on a treadmill for distance?? I can't get it figured out. I'm training for a marathon. Running outside for distance is cool but how do I bring that inside... I'm currently doing incline 1.5, 1 min walk (3.3) 2 min jog (5.5)
  • nixirain
    nixirain Posts: 448 Member
    The reason your muscles hurt more on the treadmill is because it is higher impact than the elliptical. On the treadmill your feet pound down, where the elliptical you are gliding really. You tend to burn more calories on the elliptical because you don't have to work as hard to move quickly and it allows you to work out at a higher intensity. The higher the intensity the more calories burned.

    Should you do both? That's up to you. I have been told by PT that it is good to change your cardio up so you and your muscles don't bored.\
  • adwjaw
    adwjaw Posts: 1
    My problem is the exact opposite. I can be on my home elliptical and will be sweating a lot any only burn like a 20oz soda.
  • Erienneb
    Erienneb Posts: 592 Member
    It has to do with heart rate and consistancy.
    I burn less on the treadmill because I can't maintain a good heart rate. Jogging bumps my heart rate up so high that I can't maintain it long, but walking doesn't burn as many for me as another machine. On the elliptical I can go at a more intense level longer and keep my heart rate where I want it the entire work out because it doesn't hurt my knees and other joints. On the elliptical I burn about 12cal a minute. On the treadmill while jogging I can jump to about 15 a min but only for 5-10 minutes. Then I drop down to 8-10 cal a min so overall I usually end up burning less. I'm starting to be able to even it out though. Soon I'll be able to interchange them.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    I burn less on the treadmill than the elliptical too (I've used the machine's numbers as well as an HRM), but I do both to keep things mixed up.

    Good luck with quitting smoking. As you see an improvement in lung function, you'll see a big improvement in your ability to run...hang in there!

    Edited to add...make sure you're stretching properly (and long enough) when you run on the treadmill. The impact of that workout is different than the elliptical and this might help with your soreness. Keep at both machines, and if you're planning to do a 5K, try to work in some actual outdoor running as your abilities improve (there's a big difference between treadmill and pavement)!
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    One reason you may be sore is it's a whole different set of muscles. Try going some distance on a bike at your gym and you'll probably feel a whole new set of muscles burn. This is part of why it's good to mix up your exercise and not just do one thing. Your body gets used to that and adjusts for it. This is part of the theory in crossfit and many other exercise programs where they are always doing different workouts to get the maximum bang for your buck..
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