So you have decided to kick-start a fitness routine in order to lose some weight. Congratulations for taking that bold step, however you must realize that losing weight is not an easy task, it requires dedication, consistency, and hard work. It also requires your time because you have to visit the fitness center on a regular basis. It’s even better if you have fitness equipment at home so that you can work out as often as you can, especially during weekends in order to maintain your fitness and remain in top shape.
Additionally, there are so many YouTube channels and videos online that you can download to learn any workout regimens that you feel like practicing. One of the best equipment that is available on the market for you to use to lose weight is the elliptical machine. This machine is easy to use and has a lot of advantages over the popular treadmill.
So, in this article, we will be walking you through some of the best ways you can maximize your use of the elliptical machine so that you can burn fat as fast as possible. But before we dive into the nitty-gritty of the article, we would like to explore some of the benefits of using the elliptical machine over the fitness equipment like the treadmill.
The Benefits Of Using Elliptical Machine
Elliptical machines are one of the popular fitness or gym equipment aside from treadmills that a lot of people across the world use to stay in shape and maintain top fitness. Find below the top five reasons why you should consider using the elliptical machine to maintain your fitness and stay healthy.
1. Boost your stamina and cardio capacity
A balanced exercise routine is required if you want to stay in top shape and maintain your fitness level. An example of a balanced exercise routine is aerobic exercise, also known as cardio. When you engage yourself in this exercise, your lungs and heart will work harder in order to provide your muscles with enough oxygen and blood.
If you use the elliptical machine to practice aerobic exercise, the machine will allow you to get a good workout session and it will strengthen your lungs, heart and muscles. This will in turn, help to build your endurance and stamina level. Additionally the elliptical machine can help you perform both steady state cardio workout and high intensity interval training.
2. Burn a lot of calories
Another benefit of using the elliptical machine is that it is a perfect fitness equipment to burn a lot of calories in the shortest possible time. If you jump on the elliptical you will discover that your calorie levels will shrink within a few seconds of your starting. This cardio machine can burn between 270 to 350 calories within the next 30 minutes depending on your exact weight.
For instance, if you weigh around 125 pounds, you can expect to burn between 10 to 15 lb in a space of 30 minutes. The best way to lose weight is to burn more calories compared to the amount of calories you consume. You can increase the intensity of the elliptical to boost your calorie burn.
3. Put less stress on your joints
In the 1990s when this cardio machine hit the fitness machine market, so many athletes and runners who have sustained overuse injuries and achy joints were happy simply because they can train with the equipment and also relieve their joints of immense or intense pressure. Your hips and ankle can relax a little bit when you are running or doing high intensity cardio exercises.
Remember that with an elliptical machine, your feet will remain permanently on the pedal, which enables the machine to offer a low-impact type of cardio workout. Compared to jogging, running and other similar exercises, this cardio fitness equipment can significantly reduce users’ weight. In other words, the elliptical machine does not easily experience the problem of wear and tear that usually come with other fitness or gym equipment.
4. Get both an upper and lower body workout
If you are looking to get both lower and upper body workouts, the perfect machine to use is elliptical. The elliptical is capable of providing both lower body and upper body workout. The key to maximizing the use of the elliptical is to evenly distribute your resistance and wait. You can move your arms as fast as your legs are moving. If you do this correctly, the elliptical will then target your back, chest, hamstrings, glutes, quads, triceps and other core muscles.
By now, you can see the number of benefits you stand to derive using the elliptical machine, but the question still remains how do you use the elliptical machine to burn fat or reduce weight as best as possible and within the shortest possible time. Ahead, you will learn how to maximize the use of the elliptical machine to stay in shape and maintain your health and wellness.
How To Use Elliptical Machine For Weight Loss
1. Incorporate intervals
The best way to use an elliptical machine for weight loss is to incorporate some interval training. Incorporating some interval training is actually simple. All you need to do is to start by increasing and decreasing your resistance every minute.
What we mean is that you can work at a specific resistance in a particular minute and then return to a recovery resistance in the next minute. The best part about incorporating interval training in your use of the elliptical machine is that it can reduce the total time it will take you to work out. The whole process is similar to sprinting instead of jogging.
2. Focus more on your upper body
Another way to maximize the use of the elliptical machine is to focus more on your upper body. Keep in mind that the elliptical machine requires most of the movement from your lower body. For this reason, if you don’t focus on your upper body, it is very easy for you to ignore that part of your body during workout.
If you can incorporate both your lower and upper body into the workout, the better for you. If you cannot incorporate the two body parts, ensure you go for 30 seconds with your arms working more. You can also change things by making sure your legs keep pushing for at least one minute.
3. Reverse your movement
When working out on the elliptical machine it is most convenient to conduct a forward Motion. But if you want to burn more calories very fast your best bet is to reverse the movement with the pedals.
Final Thoughts
Okay, that’s it. You can see that it is very easy to use the elliptical machine to reduce weight, but before we wrap up the article, there is another best practice that you can leverage to reduce weight as long as you use an elliptical machine. This practice is to squat down. Squatting down will help you add lower body intensity. It will also increase the intensity of your leg. You can start with small intervals like 10 to 30 seconds while squatting down and then return to your normal standing position.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Question: Do ellipticals help lose belly fat?
Yes, elliptical help to reduce belly fat and burn calories.
Question: How long should you run on an elliptical to lose weight?
You should run up to 30 to 60 minutes long to lose maximum weight.
Question: How much elliptical should I do to lose weight?
15-30 Minutes on elliptical is appropriate to lose weight.
Question: Which is better for losing belly fat treadmill or elliptical?
You can’t target specify areas by both training tools. These fitness tools help you to reduce belly fat but none of these are not good or enough.
Question: Is elliptical better than walking?
Elliptical machine is better for burning more calories than walking. Walking gives preferable exercise over elliptical machines for the hamstrings, calves and little muscles around the lower legs. This is because walking involves more body movement from side to side thus effectively engaging these muscle groups in a way that an elliptical machine does not have.
Walking will be better for burning fat, while an elliptical machine will help you build muscle. While walking and running are great for your cardiovascular health, ellipticals can be more effective in working out certain muscle groups.
Question: Is it OK to do the elliptical everyday?
You probably wouldn’t want to do it everyday anyway. You should take rest one day from every 7-10 days exercise.
Question: How long does it take to lose belly fat on elliptical?
15 to 30 minutes a session helps you to lose belly fat. Cardio exercise can help to reduce belly fat. You can use elliptical or any cross training method.
There is a common misconception that elliptical machines are the best way to lose belly fat. While it’s true that certain activities like cycling, running or walking can help burn off your midsection flab, so does using an elliptical machine in some cases!
Question: How long does it take to see results from elliptical?
You can see the result after 3 to 4 weeks of regular workout. After 6-8 weeks results will be more visible.
Question: Has anyone lost weight with elliptical?
Life Fitness reports that once Michael committed to a weight-loss program that included a healthy diet and working out for one hour on the elliptical 6 to 7 days per week, he lost 103 pounds in one year.
Question: Is doing the elliptical for an hour good?
This is a tough question. Some people will say that 30 minutes of exercise on the elliptical is good enough for them while others feel like they are not getting their workout done unless it takes up an hour to take care of business and burn as many calories as possible.
Question: Does the elliptical tone your legs?
Your legs will become stronger if you use the elliptical machine frequently. Legs supply the power for the exercise. Increase the resistance level to increase your leg muscle tone.
Question: How long does it take to burn 500 calories on an elliptical?
The length of time it takes to burn 500 calories on an elliptical depends upon several factors, such as your weight and the intensity at which you work out.
However on average around 30-45 minutes exercise you can burn 500 calories on an elliptical machine.
Question: Does the elliptical get rid of inner thigh fat?
No, the elliptical does not get rid of inner thigh fat. The only way to truly lose that stubborn area is through a combination of diet and exercise.
Inner thigh fat is a result of sitting for long hours, so it makes sense that the elliptical might decrease your thighs’ circumference. However, some people tend to lean forward when they work out on an elliptical machine—which can actually cause them to gain weight in their inner thighs! So do you want slimmer outer hips or bigger inner thighs?
Most diets recommend exercise as part of optimal health and fitness levels because regular physical activity boosts metabolism and helps maintain muscle mass. The main target areas are usually arms (pectoralis) chest (triceps), back muscles(latissimus dorsi).
