Elliptical for weigh loss?

Hi everyone! I know running/treadmill is supposed to be one of the best cardio equipment for weight loss, and that some people claim the elliptical doesn't work, but I was wondering if there is a specific reason for that, and if the elliptical still works just not as well. I have an irrational fear of treadmills (don't ask ), and I really like the elliptical, but if it truly doesn't do much for weight loss (again, I don't care so much about strength-building or toning, as I do weights for that), I'd like to know that and also why. Thanks in advance!

Interesting question - I haven't heard anything about this and look forward to hearing others responses.  I've been doing that thing that's like a cross between an ellipital and a stairstepper for the past 5 weeks and have lost 12 pounds.  So, it seems to be working for me.  As far as I know a calorie burned is a calorie burned.

I think the elliptical works just fine -esp. if you challenge yourself often enough in it. I too am an elliptical person and it has worked for me.

In fact, I would go so far as to say its better.. because you get to up the resistance in an elliptical in addition to upping speed and inclination both of which you can do on a treadmill too.

Whatever gets your heart pumping should do the trick IMO!

I think the elliptical works just fine for weight loss.  I always just made sure I didn't slack off, and kept increasing speed and resistance. 

I haven't heard this before.  I got an elliptical last Christmas and lost 25 pounds using it and was in excellent shape.  If you feel the workout, I don't see how it wouldn't be working?

The treadmill allows for a wider range of motion, but if the elliptical has hand rails that move with the leg platforms, then you get the upper body workout too. I think the elliptical is better for me, personally, because there's not the jarring to the knees that running on a treadmill gives me.

http://www.ellipticaltrainers.com/articles/el liptical_treadmill.htm

 

pretty interesting article i read a while back.  I have a knee injury and can push myself a lot harder on the elliptical that I'd ever be able to do on a treadmill, and was trying to justify that I could give myself just as good of a workout :P     

I've been thinking about asking the same question!  I love to run, and it feels like a better workout to me, but I can't handle the long runs anymore.  My legs have more than enough physical endurance to handle running, but I constantly suffer from shin splints / stress fractures and this type of pain keeps me from running as much as I'd like.  I've been using the elliptical machine as a substitute, as this eliminates all of the impact that you get when you run.  I suppose I'm still getting a good workout, without the pain I'd have from running.  I'm just hoping that I get the same weight-loss results from this machine as I would from running.

I DESPISE running, so I use primarily the elliptical and it seems to have worked well for me. I lost 15 pounds (and probably would have lost more if I wasn't so bad with the dieting part!). But after hearing a couple of people diss the elliptical I was getting worried too that I wasn't going to be able to lose anymore!

I have bad knees, so I try to do the elliptical.  Its worked great for me!

Original Post by alle0299:

Interesting question - I haven't heard anything about this and look forward to hearing others responses.  I've been doing that thing that's like a cross between an ellipital and a stairstepper for the past 5 weeks and have lost 12 pounds.  So, it seems to be working for me.  As far as I know a calorie burned is a calorie burned.

I agree with this post -- a calorie burned is a calorie burned!

I have been using my Elliptical as a prelude to starting jogging in the spring.  I am hoping to tone up and strengthen my legs enough to help offset the harder workout jogging will be. 

I love the elliptical, it is just that the standing in one place is getting kind of stale. 

 

I have lost 75 lbs using an elliptical for cardio and strength training for building muscle 4x/week.

I love them!!! Just don't slack and hold on the stationary hand rails. :)

Thanks, guys, you've made me feel much better. I have been worried about so many people claiming it wasn't nearly as good (or good at all). I would still love to hear from someone who thinks it doesn't work, especially if he/she has good reasons for thinking so.

Original Post by amiright:

I have lost 75 lbs using an elliptical for cardio and strength training for building muscle 4x/week.

I love them!!! Just don't slack and hold on the stationary hand rails. :)

Oh, I definitely agree! I always feel like I get a much better workout when I use the ones with the moving handles.

Ok, here is the negative on the elliptical you were looking for....sort of.   Now, I know you have to take the "calories burned" readouts with a grain of salt on those machines.  But my husband and I have been working out for several months and have both noticed that we get more bang for our buck on the treadmill vs. the elliptical.  I walk at 3.4 MPH at a 15% grade for 20 minutes...according to my machine which asks my weight (currently 189), I burn 320 calories in 22 minutes (including a 2 minute cool down).   Now, I don't think it is actually that much...but I do assume that the calorie readouts are as inaccurate on a treadmill as an elliptical.   I simply cannot top that readout in 20 minutes on an elliptical or even running at a low grade on a treadmill.   Keep in mind, however, that  there is no way I could maintain an intensity level on an eliptical or running on a treadmill that could match the calorie readout I get after my treadmill climbing session. 

So, I guess what I am trying to say is that to one person, it would be easier to maintain a high intensity on one machine and to another person it would be easier on another.  My husband can in no way, shape or form, do my treadmill workout.  And I in no way, shape or form, could do his.  (He runs...)  So the negatives you may have been hearing that prompted your post could be from people like me....the elliptical just isn't worth it for me...but that doesn't mean it doesn't work for you or a million other people, because clearly it does from the other posts! 

In my opinion, you have to have the same work out plan as diet plan....your own.  I think we all have to write out own diet plan based on what works for us individually, and the exercise plan is no different. 

lost 15 lbs with an eliptical at home!!

I lost 40 pounds using mostly the elliptical.  My knees couldn't take the impact of a treadmill.  But 40 pounds later, I have a completely different body, and I've begun to jog on the treadmill.  It's true, you can't duplicate as much calorie burn on an elliptical as treadmill, in as short a time.  And I was surprised at how little the elliptical prepared me for jogging.  I could do 30 minutes at high effort on the elliptical, but the first 1/10th mile I ever jogged, my blood was pounding so hard in my head that it gave me a headache!

One more note.  I read a blurb on Women's Health magazine a few weeks ago.  A study of older women who exercised regularly (don't remember the age range: 50+? 60+?) showed that neither stationary bike nor elliptical made a significant difference in preventing osteoperosis.  Jogging/running, however, reduced it significantly.  The impact strengthens the bones.  When I read that, I decided that I'm going to make jogging/running a part of my routine for the rest of my life.  To what degree, I don't yet know.  But at least something every week.  

Do whatever workout makes you feel comfortable to push yourself with. You'll do it more if you do! 

I prefer the elliptical trainer to a treadmill (feeling like a gerbil on a wheel aside) mainly because if I'm going to spend an hour doing cardio in a gym, I want it to be at least a bit interesting. I like to set up for a hills type program and do intervals. You can't really do them on a treadmill...I also don't have to worry about falling of the darn thing when I'm going for my "uphill finish"! I don't know if I burn more calories than those on the treadmills do, but I'm a bigger sweaty mess when I'm done!!

Another thing I like about the elliptical is it does mimic some of the motions of cycling and hiking (with poles) I'd also say X-country skiing as well, but I'm usually just hitting trees and I haven't experienced that at the gym yet!

PS if you're going to try to figure out how many calories you burn, you're much better off with a heart rate monitor from a company like Polar or Suunto and having a trainer help you find your max heart rate.

the problem with ellipticals is not that they do not work but that people who use them often do not WORK. 

I work in a gym (instruct classes, chill at the desk) etc and I see a lot of people on like level 2, not working at all. The calorie expedentiure meters are usually way off too due to overuse and what not. But then again, the only way to truly know your calorie burn is by using a heart rate monitor so I recommend you do that - i think you will work harder that way and be pleasantly surprised by the elliptical.

 

Also, Dr. Oz was on Oprah yesterday and talking to some woman about her excercise routine. She worked out on the elliptical, MAX at a level 6. Now all machines are different, but when she started wearing her heartrate monitor she found that she really should have been at a level 12. Ellipticals can be awesome, just do not trust the burn meter and do not be afraid of cranking up the resistance! 

For what it's worth, whenever I use the elliptical my heartrate shoots up to about 190. The machine then starts flashing the "you're going to have a heart attack" lights, but I know my body better than it.