opinions on treadmill vs. elliptical for home use..

[snowflakeluvr]

dh and i really need to get our acts together. we are both overweight and i have not really had much of a fitness regime since #5 came along 3 years ago. i can feel it and need to get back into a routine. i have looked at treadmills(we''ve had a really good one in the past) and ellipticals. my college daughter feels the elliptical will help us to burn fat/calories quicker. i tend to agree. i am a stairmaster junkie when i used to go to the gym. problem is my left knee feels kind of icky these days(years of stairclimbing and step aerobics?) and i wonder which would serve me better. dh is an ex-football player, big guy, lots of injuries (and he''s a pathetic whiner too about them

) i am leaning toward an elliptical(found one around 1300) but i think dh would rather have a treadmill(found one for 1100) (he says, "whatever you want honey") any one have suggestions or experience? we are mid 40''s....thank you!!!!

 

[steph72276]

Hi there

I find the elliptical is easier on the joints and knees. I am a runner, but my knees act up sometimes and so I''ve been doing the elliptical at the gym and have had no issues. I think it is true that you burn more calories. I feel like I''m working out harder on the treadmill, but when I compare how many calories I burn with the elliptical, I always end up burning more with the elliptical. Hope this helps a little!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Ditto to steph - I find the elliptical much easier on my joints in general. I also find they are great for getting a good workout, you just need to vary the workouts you get on them, so I''d make sure to get one with plenty of different workout options.

 

[beau13]

Love my treadmill..HATE eliptical trainers. Every eliptical I have ever tried makes my feet feel tingly (like they are falling asleep). I have talked to others who experience the same symptoms. 12 minutes on an eliptical trainer feels like an hour to me! An hour on the treadmill..changing the incline, pace..etc..flies by! Treadmills are more verstaile than eliptical trainers. You can work out inner/outer thighs by walking sideways on the treadmill..walk backwards to work other muscle groups..up hills(great for glutes and calves) walk, jog, sprint! Whichever piece of equipment you choose, make sure you try it out for at least 15 minutes (in store) before deciding. Many people "think" they want a stairclimber, or eliptical, or versa climber, only to get it home, workout and decide they should have went with option #2. Good luck!!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Date: 1/14/2009 5:47:45 PM
Author:snowflakeluvr
dh and i really need to get our acts together. we are both overweight and i have not really had much of a fitness regime since #5 came along 3 years ago. i can feel it and need to get back into a routine. i have looked at treadmills(we''ve had a really good one in the past) and ellipticals. my college daughter feels the elliptical will help us to burn fat/calories quicker. i tend to agree. i am a stairmaster junkie when i used to go to the gym. problem is my left knee feels kind of icky these days(years of stairclimbing and step aerobics?) and i wonder which would serve me better. dh is an ex-football player, big guy, lots of injuries (and he''s a pathetic whiner too about them

) i am leaning toward an elliptical(found one around 1300) but i think dh would rather have a treadmill(found one for 1100) (he says, ''whatever you want honey'') any one have suggestions or experience? we are mid 40''s....thank you!!!!

With a Costco membership, you could get both!
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11324971&search=eliptical&Mo=8&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search〈=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=eliptical&Ntt=eliptical&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11337536&search=treadmill&Mo=11&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search〈=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=treadmill&Ntt=treadmill&No=1&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

Now, wouldn''t your husband be glad that you didn''t ask us which of two diamonds to pick?

f-d-l

 

[trillionaire]

I was going to vote for the elliptical, but I''m with Fleur, go to Costco and get both! you can work out together

 

[snowflakeluvr]

gosh darn it...i wish it was diamonds we were debating over!!! thanks everyone...a little more research but it''s time to bite the bullet and get on with my healthier life.
merci to all! ps is it super cold where you live? here in michigan, it''s frightful

 

[Judah Gutwein]

Treadmill is not so good on the knees..but I cannot offer substantive commentary, since I actually use mine as a hanging station for my shirts!!!

 

[BeachRunner]

I agree with everyone here, the treadmill is hard on the knees. As a runner, I''ll alternate so my joints can rest. Maybe you can opt for the elliptical and during the spring, summer, and early fall months, you can walk/jog/run outside.

ETA: The elliptical is a GREAT workout, plus you can add resistance which is a plus!

 

[MMT]

If you could afford both that would be great but if you only get one I would get the elliptical. I am a runner and I have an elliptical at home. I worry about my joints when I run too much but I never worry about using the elliptical too much. I bought a great one from Sole. Good luck!!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

The best exercise is the one you are going to do on a regular basis. Buy the machine you will enjoy using, not the one you dread.

ETA: I read your post a little more closely, with both of having a good injury history, I would count on doing walking or the elliptical. Running might be rough on both of you, and the last thing you want to do is injure yourself more. There are great things about being 40, but at that age you will be slower to recover if you re-injure part of your body. If you don't plan on using the treadmill to walk, than I would go with the elliptical.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 2/9/2009 1:06:49 AM
Author: LtlFirecracker
The best exercise is the one you are going to do on a regular basis. Buy the machine you will enjoy using, not the one you dread.

ETA: I read your post a little more closely, with both of having a good injury history, I would count on doing walking or the elliptical. Running might be rough on both of you, and the last thing you want to do is injure yourself more. There are great things about being 40, but at that age you will be slower to recover if you re-injure part of your body. If you don''t plan on using the treadmill to walk, than I would go with the elliptical.

Good advice.

 

[tlh]

Every mile you walk you will burn only 80 calories a mile. Every mile you run, you burn 100-120 depending on how FAST you run and your heartrate. (this of course is very general, as the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn...but this rate decreases as you lose weight...)

What I find is that people perceive RUNNING as more painful than the elyptical, and will actually put more effort into the workout on the elyptical... so RUNNING would burn more calories than an elyptical... but very few people will get on the treadmill and RUN for an hour straight... but you might keep your heart rate up on an elyptical machine, as it is MUCH easier on ALL of your connective tissue... THIS IS TRUE.

I would reccomend an elyptical personally with only one word of advice. If you are looking to "burn fat" do not pay attention to the "fat burning zone" on the machine. THIS IS NOT what it seems... it has more to do with the way your body processes oxygen between an aerobic, and an aneroribic workout. The harder you work... the more calories you will burn. 3,500 calories = one pound.

The fat burning zone is really complex and is really to be used for the athlete who is trying to push his/her levels of fitness for Distance sports where they need to make sure Glycogen levels are not depleted and the body will go to the fat to burn the calories as opposed to the carbohydrates in the blood....sorry it is complex... but this takes a lot of training and dedication to get your body to do this....

So basically, do what you can do... and push yourself to your own personal limits! The harder you work, the more calories you will burn. ALSO DO NOT LOOK TO THE CALORIES ON THE MACHINE TO BE ACCURATE. They are based off of a 150 pound person w/o regard for gender. They are not calibrated to you. I would recommend a HR moniter that you can program with your own information... as this will give you better measurements of your success.

Best wishes!

 

[tlh]

Date: 2/5/2009 8:51:29 AM
Author: MMT
If you could afford both that would be great but if you only get one I would get the elliptical. I am a runner and I have an elliptical at home. I worry about my joints when I run too much but I never worry about using the elliptical too much. I bought a great one from Sole. Good luck!!

DITTO.

 

[soocool]

I have both a treadmill and recumbent bike at home. Sorry I didn''t get an elliptical. About 5 years ago I developed what I thought was a "knee" problem. Turns out it was an Illiotibial Band problem. Nonetheless, I went for PT and it was recommended to use the elliptical trainer as it gave a better lower body workout. I also learned that stretching is extremely important (warm muscles only... do not stretch cold) especialy as you get older.

Stretching helps prevent injuries and keeps you on track with your workouts.

But whatever you choose, treadmill or elliptical you are headed in the right direction in trying to get fit. Just don''t try to do too much all at once. Pace yourself and increase your workout each week and remember to make it fun so you''ll want to do it. My body craves that 3 mile walk each day with my dog, rain or shine.