The elliptical machine is a popular piece of equipment, but is it really the best for helping you burn calories and lose fat? I don't think so, here's why.
The latest Men's Health magazine comes down on elliptical machines hard. Now I know elliptical machines are often the only option for people with bad knees, but if your knees are healthy, think twice before using the elliptical machine for these three reasons.
First, on page 52 of the December, 2008 issue, Men's Health warns, "Never trust elliptical machines". That's a harsh statement against a machine you've been using almost every day. But if it did work, wouldn't you be getting amazing results from the machine?
They quote a study that found elliptical machines over-estimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31%! Ouch.
So if your "elliptical cardio workout" burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to only 300 calories.
Second, later in the Dec. issue, Men's Health magazine interviewed Biggest Loser contestant Ed Brantley. Ed lost 73 pounds on the show, but had this to say about elliptical machines, "I hated the elliptical. It was too easy, I didn't feel like I was doing anything." Exactly. I couldn't have said it better myself.
But that's EXACTLY why machines are so popular. You see, the third reason elliptical machines are inferior for fat loss is because they fail my "human nature" test.
Put it this way, if you take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100 elliptical machines. Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, and they have the choice to use either the treadmill or the elliptical.
Guess where 90% of folks are going? The elliptical! Why? Because it is human nature to take the EASY WAY out. And that is why elliptical machines are so busy at the gym and you rarely see anyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in the corner of the gym.
Often I see folks using the machine only to say they "worked out", but without getting any REAL work done. So if you are stuck at a fat loss plateau, and you've been counting on the elliptical machine to help you out, then forget it.
I recommend doing interval training outside, or on a bike or treadmill. Even better options include kettlebell training and bodyweight circuits.
Click here for a sample interval cardio fat burning program that has helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning.
The Turbulence Training fat burning workouts help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment.
Craig Ballantyne is an expert trainer for Men's Health magazine and Oxygen magazine, and his fat burning bodyweight workouts help you lose fat without any equipment at all.
You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.
The treadmill is a piece of fitness equipment which can consign all of your excuses to the dust bin, because you can have a treadmill in your home and ready to give you a great cardiovascular boosting workout whenever you have the time to spare. You won't have to pay for a gm membership and workout surrounded by fitness fanatics, but you'll still be getting some real health benefits with an in-home treadmill.
The Heart Friendly Treadmill
Your treadmill is a wonderful aerobic machine which will get your heart rate up., and when you combine your treadmill workouts with a sensible diet, strength training, and stretching, you'll have a truly balanced fitness plan. But even if you aren't ready to head for t he gym and start pumping iron, your treadmill will have your hart pumping blood at an elevated rate and lowering your chances of developing cardiac disease.
Working out on a treadmill only three times each week will get you away from a couch-potato lifestyle. After only a few weeks, you'll feel good enough that you'll wonder why it took you so long to get with the program!
Burn Off Those Excess Pounds
If you've been hanging on to your favorite pair of "skinny jeans," having your own treadmill will let you finally get back into them, and into all those other clothes that have become uncomfortably snug. Having a treadmill will let you exercise your chubby self without doing so in public, and show off your new physique when you are ready to impress the neighbors who will wonder what your weight-loss secret is
You can adjust the incline and speed of your treadmill to tailor your workouts to your current fitness level, and as you get stronger, increase the tempo. Soon you'll be burning away the fat at a noticeable rate, in only thirty minutes tree times each week!
Build Your Energy Level
The less you exercise, the more likely you are to feel tired much of the time. Your body has become used to idleness, so even the smallest physical exertion can be taxing. And you may also suffer form lack of sleep.
Exercising regularly on a treadmill will boost your energy levels, as your heart becomes stronger and you go to bed physically tired and begin sleeping better. You can get all of those benefits with just a few treadmill workouts each week.
It is, however, important for you not to push yourself too heard when you begin to workout on your best treadmill. Vigorously exercising when you are out of shape will only leave you too stiff to move the following day, and feeling that bad will simply discourage you from continuing your fitness program. Take it slow, and you'll be stronger than you though possible in a surprisingly short time.
You can also find more info on sole treadmills. Aerobicsmachine.com is a comprehensive resource which provide information about aerobics machine.
Home Multi Gym