Comments (0)

By Toby, May 21, 2010 7:23 pm

Probably the second most frequent question I get is which machine burns more calories.  I briefly touched upon this in the article treadmill vs elliptical trainer, but I wanted to dedicate a full article to it.

What burns more calories treadmill or elliptical? While there is an argument for either one, I believe the points below will help clarify:

Treadmills:

As you probably know treadmills have varying speeds, so if you are walking on a treadmill you are going to burn less calories than if you are running on a treadmill.  Other factors also come into place such as your level of fitness, your age and even your weight.

Walking the calorie burn is calculated by taking .30 x your weight and running is .60 x your weight. So as you can see for the most part running will burn more calories than walking.

Elliptical Trainers:

Elliptical trainers are obviously different than treadmills, they have less impact on your joints which for most people means that you can workout longer without hurting your body.  These longer workouts can help you burn much more calories.  The key here is not everyone can workout longer.

Buying the right machine and reading elliptical reviews to make sure an elliptical trainer is right for you is important.

A half hour workout on an elliptical trainer burns approximately 450 calories.

Final Say:

As you can tell there is no one answer which is best. Ultimately you have to make the decision because no matter which one you buy if you do not use it you will not burn any calories. So the question is which machine will you use more frequently and is more convenient for you to use over the long term.

If you have certain joint issues an elliptical trainer might be better for you, while if you have balance issues a treadmill might be best.

These are all things you have to consider before making your buying decision.

Comments (0)

By Toby, May 19, 2010 11:36 pm

Anyone shopping for an elliptical trainer knows that you can find prices anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to approaching $10,000 depending upon the brand of elliptical trainer you are looking for.  Most companies also produce low, mid range and high end models that target different segments of the elliptical market.

Most of the high end elliptical trainers are for fitness clubs or individuals who have the extra money to spend on a club style elliptical trainer.  For the average person who does not have the extra money to spend on an elliptical machine that could cost as much as a small car they usually settle with a mid range or lower end elliptical.  This is just fine, especially if you are new to working out.  Sadly, the vast majority of people who first start working out to not keep up with it after the first few weeks.  When you are new to it, it is best to buy a lower end machine and upgrade once you see it is something you will continue with after the first year.

Another thing to consider is are you going to by a new or slightly used machine?  While buying a new one would be nice, often you can get a used one for nearly half the price. This is great since you can usually go from being able to afford a lower end new one to a slightly used mid range one for about the same price.

Start your search on the internet, you can look on Ebay or Craigslist to search out reasonable prices on used machines. Amazon even has a section where you can find people selling used models. Prior to buying any machine it is recommended that you read elliptical reviews online.  Also keep in mind if you buy something used online you are responsible for the shipping costs, therefore it is ideal to buy something that is somewhat close to you.

Shopping local is a good idea as well, not only do you save on shipping costs but the money stays within your local economy.  Craigslist usually has a local site for your region you can start their but don’t forget to check out your local newspaper classified ad section. Cheap elliptical trainers are usually plentiful their.  Lastly, consider looking on public display boards, you often find these in the entrance ways of local stores where people can post things for sale, business cards etc.. People will often put their used fitness equipment ad on their to sell it.