Making it Count on the Elliptical

I love the elliptical.  It is the ONLY exercise machine that I enjoy.  You heard right.  I ENJOY being on the elliptical. I found this article at Livestrong.com. If you dislike the treadmill, as I do, give the elliptical a chance.  You can choose different workouts and resistance levels to challenge yourself! Check out the article and hop on the elliptical the next time you are at the gym.

Do Elliptical Machines Burn Fat?

Overview

Elliptical trainers are exercise machines that simulate a cross-country skiing motion. They have hand-held poles with foot platforms that both move back and forth in a gliding motion when you exercise. If you have lower back pain or joint issues, the elliptical is a good choice because there is virtually no impact. If you are looking to burn fat, find out if the elliptical achieves this goal.

Weight Loss

The way to burn fat is to decrease your caloric intake and expend calories through exercise. When you burn calories, you decrease fat on your body. The elliptical burns calories through cardiovascular exercise, so it does melt fat.

Size

The size of your body has a lot to do with the amount of calories you burn with elliptical training. A 160 lb. person, for example, burns about 825 calories in a 60-minute session. However, a 200 lb. person burns more than 1,000 calories for that same time frame. If you were to exercise on the elliptical every day of the week, you would burn well over 3,500 calories. Because 3,500 calories equates to 1 lb., you would in turn lose more than 1 lb. a week.

Potential

By making an adjustment with your intensity, you can boost your fat-burning potential even more on the elliptical. Instead of gliding at a steady pace, perform interval training. Begin your workouts at a slow speed, then glide as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Glide at a moderate intensity for 60 seconds, then glide fast again for 30 seconds. Continue this pattern for the whole duration of your workout. The more vigorously you exercise, the more calories you'll burn -- even if you increase intensity for just a few minutes at a time, according to the Mayo Clinic's website.

Effects

When you work out on the elliptical, you recruit multiple muscles in your upper and lower body, such as the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, pectorals and latissimus dorsi. Any time you build muscle, your resting metabolic rate increases and you burn fat more efficiently while at rest. To increase the intensity and work your muscles harder, simply adjust the resistance on the machine.

Considerations

If you are trying to lose weight quickly, pay strict attention to your diet. By cutting back on your caloric intake, you can maximize your fat-burning and weight-loss results. If you were to cut your daily intake by 500 calories and burn 1,000 calories with elliptical training, you can conceivably lose 3 lbs. a week. Eat foods that are high in nutrients like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, low-fat dairy products and lean meats. Eating healthy foods will give you adequate energy levels during your training sessions.

References

• Spine-Health: Elliptical Trainer
• Health Status: Calories Burned Estimation
• MayoClinic.com: Interval Training: Can It Boost Your Calorie-burning Power?
• University of Michigan: Beginning Strength Training

About this Author

Kevin Rail has worked in the fitness industry since 2001 and has been writing since 2004. He has professional experience as a certified personal trainer, wellness coach, motivational engineer and freelance fitness writer. He currently writes a monthly column for Ron Jones High-Performance Health. Rail has a bachelor's degree in sports management: fitness and wellness from California University of Pennsylvania.

 http://www.livestrong.com/article/280092-do-elliptical-machines-burn-fat/#ixzz12xIeeQ9W