| There is considerable controversy these days on | | | | calories you burn. |
| whether a treadmill or an elliptical trainer burns more | | | | As mentioned, the elliptical trainer is growing in |
| calories. Treadmills and ellipticals are the #1 and #2 | | | | popularity due to the low impact, and combined |
| most popular selling fitness equipment. | | | | upper and lower body workout. Since the machine |
| Many dedicated treadmill users are switching to | | | | moves in an elliptical motion and your feet never |
| elliptical trainers. The appeal is the low impact, upper | | | | leave the pedals, it minimizes the impact and strain to |
| and lower body workout. Although treadmills still | | | | your ankles, knees and back. This is an appeal |
| outsell elliptical trainers. The reason being, the most | | | | feature to the aging baby boomer generation. |
| common form of exercising is walking and jogging. | | | | In addition, an elliptical trainer workouts both the |
| In my research, I came across a number of reports | | | | upper and lower body simultaneously. The upper and |
| and studies, and in general, it appears that both | | | | lower body exercise utilizes the quadriceps, |
| machines give comparable results in burning calories. | | | | hamstrings, glutes, chest, back, triceps and biceps. |
| In fact, using a calorie burn calculator on I found that | | | | Studies suggest that exercising numerous muscle |
| a workout on an elliptical gives you the same results | | | | groups increases fat burning efficiency. The larger the |
| as running on a treadmill, but you burn fewer calories | | | | muscle mass involved in an exercise, the more |
| if you walk or jog on a treadmill. | | | | effective that exercise is for improving fat |
| Calories burned in 60 minutes by a 150 lbs. user: | | | | mobilization, burning calories and building muscle |
| Walking, 2 mph - 189 | | | | endurance in an efficient period of time. |
| Walking, 3 mph - 297 | | | | This would suggest that an elliptical trainer would burn |
| Jogging - 477 | | | | more calories, but there is no denying that running |
| Running, 7 mph - 783 | | | | also efficiently burns calories. |
| Elliptical Trainer - 774 | | | | So which machine should you purchase? |
| There was a basic flaw to the results, since it | | | | If your joints are suffering from strain or just old |
| allowed you to compare calories burned at different | | | | age, and if you would like to exercise your upper |
| levels of exertion on the treadmill, but not on the | | | | body, the elliptical trainer is a good choice. For |
| elliptical trainer. Often I see people working out on an | | | | walkers, joggers or runners you can't go wrong with |
| elliptical at health clubs, and they are basically going | | | | a treadmill. |
| through the motions. The calories they burn are no | | | | In either case, to burn calories you need to exert |
| more than what you would achieve from a casual | | | | yourself. Both machines offer a variety of challenging |
| walk. | | | | program. Most now come equipped with an "Interval |
| So which machine is better at burning calories? | | | | Training" program. You alternate between high-level |
| It depends on which machine will motivate you the | | | | exertion and cool down periods. This type of training |
| most and push you to the highest level of exertion. | | | | burns calories more efficiently in less time. With |
| If you are a devoted walker or runner then the | | | | proper supervision from your doctor, try to push |
| treadmill is an obvious choice. The treadmill offers you | | | | yourself to new limits. |
| a more forgiving surface in comparison to asphalt or | | | | I'm sorry I did not offer a definitive answer. It really |
| concrete. It provides you with various programs that | | | | is up to you to find the machine that best suites |
| can add variety to your exercise. But to get results | | | | your needs, and will help you achieve your personal |
| you need to crank up the speed and/or incline. | | | | best. |
| Without pushing yourself, you will limit the number of | | | | |