How To Lose Weight Using an Elliptical Trainer

Running and walking are two of the most popular cardio workouts. Plus, you don’t need any equipment to get started. All you need is a little determination to get started. However, these two are not the perfect workout for everyone. Some people experience joint pains and impact injuries due to running and walking. Good thing, you can still get the benefits of these two physical exercises with an elliptical trainer. You won’t only get a better-pumping heart, but you’ll lose weight, too.

Losing weight using an elliptical trainer is always effective. It will be more effective if you will follow the tips below:

• Familiarize how much calories are burned with elliptical trainer. This machine can help you burn calories depending on how long and how heavy you are. A 150-pound person who works out for 60 minutes can burn up to 481 calories. But a 200-pound person who uses the elliptical machine for the same duration can burn up to 641 calories. Usually, the lighter you are, the fewer the calories you can burn. The more calories burned, the more weight you can lose. Try using this calculator.
• Translate calories burned to losing weight. In the example above, a 200-pound person who burns 641 calories every hour of workout can lose up to 1.28 pound every week. He will lose 66.6 pounds in one year with everyday 60-minute workout. But he will only lose 28.5 pounds if the training is at least three times every week.
• Couple elliptical training with dieting. Exercising is not always enough to get your desired weight. Dieting is also important. If not, you’ll only replace lost calories with uncontrolled eating. Taking only about 2,000 calories can lose up to 2.78 pounds, when elliptical training is also continued.
• Design an exercise program that fits you. Not everyone can start a 60-minute elliptical training right away because of health issues or difficulty. If you can’t do that, too, better start the training with shorter duration, like 30 minutes. You can still lose weight with this, though not as much as with the 60-minute workout. Gauge your abilities and comfort. How far can you go? Do not over-exhaust yourself or you might end up injured.
• Team up with a fitness instructor. There’s nothing wrong if you accept the fact that you are not an expert and a fitness instructor knows more than you do. If you want the safest elliptical training, then better consult with a trusted instructor. He knows the effective and safe program for you.
• Maintain your proper posture while training. Although an elliptical machine is safe, you still need protection for your body. Keep your shoulders relaxed and knees should be in lined with ankles.
• Use a heart rate monitor while exercising. Check how much does your heart is working out with this monitor. Most elliptical trainers have this monitor. If yours doesn’t have, you can invest on an affordable monitor. It will be useful for other physical activities, too, not just for elliptical training.

Try losing weight with elliptical trainer. If your expectations were not reached, you can consider changing your exercise program and make it more challenging. Be patient also because losing 10 pounds doesn’t happen overnight. The road won’t be easy, but bear with it. You’ll soon have a slimmer body and a healthier heart with elliptical trainer.