A total misconception?

M

MindiK

New member
Ok, I've always heard about how an elliptical trainer was this awesome, total body workout machine that burns a ton of calories. I also heard it was hard, so I've been working up to it. On the treadmill and recumbent bike.

In 25 minutes on a recumbent bike, on my normal program, I burn upwards of 160-180 calories, depending on intensity and speed, according to the machine.

This morning I did 15 straight minutes on the elliptical trainer, at a resistance of three. I was sweating like a HOG. My pulse was up. It was great. At the end, the screen said I burned 45 calories.

45!!!!! Is that ALL?! Afterward I dragged my tired self to the bike and did another 12 minutes. Yes, 12. In that 12 minutes, the bike said I burned approximately 90 calories.

Ok, so either something's entirely WRONG here, or all I've been hearing is wrong. Is the calorie count on the elliptical trainer off, or is that a normal calorie amount for 15 minutes of very hard work? And how can I be burning so many more calories on a bike that works my legs, and my legs ONLY?
 
I don't put faith into the calorie computations the machine spits out.

That said, the elliptical is just another tool. It's certainly not the almighty ruler of weight loss.
 
Mindi,

If you were sweating and worked your booty off, then that is a better indicator than the calorie counter. I have a precor and my calorie counter for 20 min., is generally in the high hundreds (depending on how hard I'm working the machine.)

I think the thing with the elliptical is that you are in charge of how fast you get it to go (you can up the resistance levels, but you are the one making the machine do the work.)

The calorie counter is definitely off - IMHO.
 
Thanks SweatPea!! That's kind of what I was thinking....as much as I was sweating it HAD to be doing something more than the screen said.
 
Sweating is not really an adequate measure for caloric expenditure though... FYI.
 
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Steve said:
Sweating is not really an adequate measure for caloric expenditure though... FYI.
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Oh I know that, I sweat in my sleep (ew!) I wish it was a measure of weight loss like everyone thinks. I guess what I meant was that if you "feel" the workout, you have a better indicator than if you don't "feel" it.
 
SweatPea said:
Oh I know that, I sweat in my sleep (ew!) I wish it was a measure of weight loss like everyone thinks. I guess what I meant was that if you "feel" the workout, you have a better indicator than if you don't "feel" it.
Click to expand...

I was speaking in general, more to the original poster, than directly to you. I figured you knew this.
 
Steve said:
I was speaking in general, more to the original poster, than directly to you. I figured you knew this.
Click to expand...

Oh ok, I didn't actually know it though. LOL

I'm a sweater, that's probably why when I typed up "SweetPea" for a nickname I accidentally typed in "SweatPea". Freudian slip and all...Ha!
 
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