How to burn the most calories in one hour at the gym?

We're joining the local YMCA in a few weeks and I'll have an hour every day to work out before I have to pick up my daughter from school. I know if all depends on height, weight, age, etc., but in general -- what are the best ways to burn the most calories in the time I have?  20 minutes on the elliptical, then 20 on the bike, treadmill? free weights, etc? I would love to take some aerobics classes, but I checked their current schedule and their classes are either during lunch or after I need to pick my child up. I have exercise bands and free weights at home and can do some strength training at home with those later in the evening so I don't have to do my strength training at the Y. Thanks.

I am a DIE HARD excersiser and I only have 45 minutes in the morning before work.  I do the elliptical Tues and Thurs and the treadmill and elliptical M, W and F.  I burn between 700-900 calories working my tail off!!!  If you have the extra 15 minutes, I would encourage some strength training too.  Free weights in the best versus machines (according to my man who's a body builder).  Hope this helps!

Jenn

I am a DIE HARD excersiser and I only have 45 minutes in the morning before work.  I do the elliptical Tues and Thurs and the treadmill and elliptical M, W and F.  I burn between 700-900 calories working my tail off!!!  If you have the extra 15 minutes, I would encourage some strength training too.  Free weights in the best versus machines (according to my man who's a body builder).  Hope this helps!

Jenn

I've found HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to be really good. it was something that my trainer recommended and said that it had effects on the body (calorie burning and oxygen conversion) long after the workout was over. It takes about 20 minutes, and is totally brutal - but feels really good when you are done. Do a 2 minute warm up - something moderately paced, on your favorite machine (or even walking outdoors, if you aren't at the gym). Then, for the next 20 minutes, alternate between the following: 1 minute at a moderate pace (a little faster than your warm up, but something you could sustain for quite some time if you had to). 30 sec at your "all out, I think I'm going to explode" rate. Then back down to 1 minute at that moderate rate. You keep that alternating pattern going for 20 minutes. I've really noticed that my fitness is much better (I do the HIIT training 3 times a week, and then do something a little less insane the alternate days). Hope this helps!

I have gotten the same results from HIIT as Fitnessfreak -- I just run outside, and alternate slow jog, moderate run/jog, and then very fast run... my stamina and overall fitness has vastly improved, and much faster than it would have had I just been doing normal exercise, I think.

Thanks. These are great posts! I can't believe you can burn 700+ calories in 45 minutes. That is awesome. Lately, since the weather has been nice here, I have been walking for almost an hour after work and it's only like 300 calories. I can't wait to join the Y!

I think the most effective thing you could do is use a heart rate monitor if you are not already doing that. Then you will quickly see what works for you and what does not. After I started using one I was amazed to see that after using the incline on my treadmill to increase my intensity I was adapted to it and I did not really get so much extra burn like I thought. I have a Polar F6 and love it. I think there are many good choices, maybe you can borrow one at your gym and try it out.