My fellow gym fatties

I usually do 40 mins on the treadmill (5 min brisk warm up walk, 30 min run, 5 min brisk cool down walk), then do some strength training, and then do 20 mins on the elliptical to "cool down" (even though I push just as hard during that portion of my workout, if not harder). Helps to keep me from getting bored.

To answer your question - yes! 40 mins is 40 mins, and each will workout some different areas of your body. Just make sure you're calculating your calories burned correctly, as each machine will likely make you burn a different amount of calories.

I have a recumbent bike at home, so I do 40-60 minutes on that with a DVD of a good movie or TV show.

the key is to keep your heart rate in the fat-burning zone. Work too hard (even for 20 minutes) and you'll stop burning fat and start building muscle. I see "fatties" at the gym all the time SPRINTING on the elliptical...they have chicken legs and big guts...

If I remember middle-school Phys Ed...it's aerobic versus anaerobic exercise.

The fat burning zone is somewhat of a myth. It's really about burning calories vs. trying to stay in the "fat burning zone". You will burn more calories from fat in the low intensity zones, but you burn more calories total doing high intensity cardio. For example, let's say you stay in the fat burning zone for your whole workout. You may burn 120 calories of fat, but burn a total of 300 calories. Whereas if you stay in a high intensity cardio set, you may burn 100 calories of fat, but burn 600 calories total. You can workout for less time in high intensity activities and burn more calories which will allow you to lose weight. You lose weight by having a deficit, not by staying in some "fat burning zone". This is a "fatty" who does nothing but high intensity cardio and I am losing weight in all the right areas. Don't waste time trying to stay in some lower zone so you'll burn fat. Burn the calories and eat correctly and you will lose weight.

As far as your routine, do what works for you. I try to stick to one cardio activity per session at the gym whether that's running, biking, rowing, swimming, etc. I typically spend 60 minutes on cardio and an additional 30 minutes on weights.

I do 65 minutes on the elliptical 6-7 days a week. Pandora helps. Every other day I add strength training.


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That sounds great! What you described is cross training. It's typically an hour and you split it up between several machines. That way you get a different workout for different muscles, but still good solid cardio. You should start a strength training routine as well. Even if it's just poking around the weight machines at the gym. Pick a weight that you can lift comfortably but can barely pump out the last rep at around 8 or 10, and keep getting higher and higher as you get stronger. Building muscle will burn fat and help you lose weight "easier".

I do half of 30-50 minutes at at least 3.3 and incline of 10, and do weights in between because i get bored on the treadmill, too.

There are basically two types of cardio and they both have their benefits.... steady-state cardio is good for distance training and endurance, helps you last longer and fight the good fight. This is the kind where you plod along at the same pace, reading a magazine, or just waiting until the god-awful timer is up so you can get off the machine and get on your life.

Then there's HIIT or high intensity interval training, where you warm up, then turn up the speed/resistance (basically, raise the intensity) so you're giving it your all for a set amount of time (say, a minute), then you ease off and recover, going at a slower, easier pace. Rinse and repeat. Haul butt, recover. Haul butt, recover.

Do this for about twenty minutes or so. You will burn more calories because your body has to work harder to recover, thus providing an "afterburn" effect that steady state cardio can't offer. That means once you get off the machine and are done with your workout, you are still burning calories as your body repairs itself. Added on to that is your improved endurance and speed.

It is hard for me to get bored if I'm giving it my all, doing HIIT.

I'm sure someone can explain it better, but that's my go at it. Back under my desk with me, now.

i hate cardio but force myself to do 2.5 mins treadmill to warm up before doing weights then 10 mins intervals on the cycling machine after.

When I had access to a gym (and was definitely a fatty) I used to do:
10 minute brisk walk warm up on treadmill
10 minutes (or 100 calorie burn) on the rowing machine
10 minutes on stair machine
10 minutes on elliptical (god I hated that thing)
20 minutes on stationary bike (I do love cycling)
then I'd head up to the track to see if/how long I could run for, or walk until I got bored.

I just joined a gym for the first time last week and I find rotating different machines, for me works best. I get bored very easy. I am only doing 30 minutes right now because Im out of shape and dont want to push it. Im hoping by the end of the month I will be up t0 40/45 minutes. I do 10 mins each on the bike, elliptical, and treadmill.(NOT Including warmup/cool down time) I also work with weights/weight machines on a daily basis for my arms.. they needs some serious toning..:embarassed:

When I was losing most of my weight, my workouts went like this.

45 minutes of cardio (running/heavy bag, or ellipse, or step mill)
1 hour of heavy lifting
15 minutes of cardio (treadmill, or ellipse, or bike)

The 45 minutes was all on the same machine. I would just put on the headphones and crank.