How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight? Tips To Burn More Calories

How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight

How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight? Tips To Burn More Calories

Exercising on an elliptical machine is one of the most popular forms of aerobic exercise. The question that many people have is how long should you run on an elliptical to lose weight?

In fact, The amount of time you should spend on an elliptical machine for weight loss depends upon your age, gender and fitness level. 

This article will answer that question and give you a few tips for choosing the best elliptical workout program. 

In general, it’s recommended that you spend at least 20 minutes exercising or 60 minutes total when combining cardio with strength training exercises.

When using an elliptical machine, your calories burned per minute can range from five to ten depending on your speed and resistance level so it may take longer than 60 minutes if you want to see significant weight loss results.

To get the maximum benefits from your workouts, try adding some interval training into your routine which will speed up your weight loss results.

What Is an Elliptical Machine?

An elliptical machine is designed to offer users a low-impact yet, efficient workout. The design of the machine itself allows it to move in a circular motion while its resistance can be increased or decreased with the turn of a dial.

These machines are ideal for people who prefer not to run because running can be tough on their bodies especially when they are overweight. An elliptical trainer helps burn calories and tone muscles without putting too much strain on your joints.

The Different Types of Elliptical Trainers

There are three different types of ellipticals that you can use to get in shape. They include:

·          General Use Ellipticals – This type of machine is suitable for everyone regardless of age and fitness level because its resistance levels are not too demanding. It is a machine that does multiple things including toning, strengthening and cardio training.

·          Advanced Elliptical Trainers – This type of elliptical trainer offers users many different workout protocols to select from depending on their fitness goals.

They include the ability to incline/decline, manual resistance adjusting controls, wide pedals, LCD consoles for performance tracking and heart rate monitoring capabilities.

·          Commercial Grade Ellipticals – As implied by their name, these types of elliptical machines are generally found in gyms or health clubs because they are powerful machines with heavy duty construction built to withstand constant use over time.

While they offer similar features as the advanced elliptical trainers mentioned earlier, they are generally more expensive and made from sturdier materials.

These machines also come with a weight limit of over 300 lbs so they can easily accommodate heavy users without the risk of being damaged or malfunctioning.

How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight?

It really depends on how intense your workout is and what you are trying to achieve. If you aim for maximum calorie burn, then you would need to run at high intensity for about an hour or more.

You can also choose other machines that offer lower impact workouts such as cycling/cross-training . With less stress on your joints, these workouts are suitable for people with injuries.  

Again, it is important to remember that the longer you run on the elliptical machine, the more calories you burn.

An hour is no joke! This might be too hard for some people who are trying to lose weight fast . They can opt for lower intensity workouts or choose other machines with less impact like cycling/ cross-training (see my home workout here  ).

You must make sure your body gets a break from intense exercises. After an intense workout, do not stop exercising immediately after your session.

Your body needs enough time to recover and if you don’t give it a chance to do so , then your next workout will be very challenging and painful because of muscle fatigue. You should at least wait 1 day before doing another intense workout.

How to Use an Elliptical Trainer to Burn Calories

In this section, we have listed step-by-step instructions on how you can use an elliptical machine for effective calorie burning:

Step 1 – Check your weight first before using the machine.

The reason being is that each brand or model has its own maximum weight capacity which should be adhered to at all times especially if you have plans on increasing resistance levels in order to increase calorie burn rate later on.

Step 2 – Start out on a low resistance level and pedal at a moderate pace until you get used to using the elliptical trainer.

Build up your endurance by increasing speeds and resistance levels over time. Once you feel more comfortable on the machine, feel free to add in upper body movements such as arm crunches and shoulder presses to burn more calories.

Step 3 – Always keep your abdominal muscles engaged when you are performing any movement that targets this part of your body because it will help strengthen and tone these muscles over time.

Step 4 – Keep track of your progress throughout the program by recording how many calories you have burned so far with each workout session combined with observations about how challenging certain routines may be for you subjectively speaking.

Step 5 – Use the data collected during the first few weeks as a benchmark for future comparisons to identify which aspects of your workout should be improved upon and how much. This will help keep you motivated until you reach your goals.

Elliptical Trainer to Burn Calories

Adding Arm Resistance To Burn More Calories

It is generally known that bringing in more muscle groups into an exercise session helps increase calorie burn rates because it elevates metabolic rate after the exercise session has ended for a period of time. The following are instructions on how to maximize calorie burn through proper arm movement:

Step 1 – Start out at low resistance levels and pedal slowly until you get accustomed to using the machine. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged and build up speed over time by increasing resistance levels.

Step 2 – Once you are set up, lean slightly forward and place your feet firmly on the pedals before bringing your elbows back slowly over your shoulder area until you feel a good stretch in the arms. Keep the movement controlled throughout each repetition at all times for proper muscle development.

Step 3 – Hold this position for 1-2 seconds before releasing slowly and then repeating for 10-15 reps depending on fitness level or machine specifications.

Treadmill Versus Elliptical

The treadmill is a time-tested machine when it comes to burning calories and toning muscles.

The following are the pros and cons of each machine:

Pros of using the treadmill

You burn more calories in less time because of increased resistance levels; it can be customized according to your comfort level; you can target different areas of the body by either adding in arm movements or small incline/ declines; concentrated upper body workouts can also be done with ease without having to turn around later on.

Cons of using the treadmill

Not convenient for people who lack space at home; long term usage may lead to joint issues over time (especially knees); tough on the feet if high speeds are being used for a long period of time without proper warm up and cool down.

Pros of using the elliptical

portable which makes it suitable for use at home or small gyms; less impact on body joints especially knees, ankles and hips compared to the treadmill; burns more calories when combined with upper body movements such as crunches, shoulder presses and arm pulls/ curls.

Cons of using the elliptical

Lacks variety in terms of exercises that can be performed; may lead to muscle imbalance issues if only one muscle group is being targeted over a longer period of time (e.g arms); takes a while to master good form for maximum calorie burn during each workout session.

Combining The Two Machines

On a final note, it’s best to alternate between using the treadmill and the elliptical when you’re working out in order to reduce any chances of overuse injuries which may occur when one specific muscle group is constantly targeted over a long period of time.

The following are instructions on how you can combine both machines into a great home workout program:

Step 1 – Warm up for 5-10 minutes at low resistance levels by doing simple movements such as arm rotations forward and backwards, heel pulls and hip circles to avoid injury due to sudden movement changes.

You should be able to carry on a light conversation while warming up so that your muscles don’t get cold after stopping suddenly from strenuous activities.

Step 2 – Once you’re done with the warm up, increase the speed and incline on the treadmill and step onto it simultaneously while bringing your feet together.

Bring your arms up at shoulder height to form a “T” shape while holding onto the railings for support. Keep your abdominal muscles engaged throughout so that you’ll get toned faster.

Step 3 – Engage in simple movements such as arm rotations forward and backwards, heel pulls, hip circles and shoulder presses for about 15-20 minutes or until you start feeling exhausted by using both machines at once.

Finish off by cooling down for 5-10 minutes before putting everything back into place and calling it a day.

FAQs related to How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight

How many calories can I burn on an elliptical machine in one hour

It really depends on how intense your workout is and it varies from person to person. You can use a calorie calculator online or apps that calculate how many calories you burn based on your heart rate, weight and workout time.

Generally, if you run an hour at high intensity (12-13 mph), one would burn 500 calories.

Is there a maximum time limit for how long you should run on an elliptical to lose weight?

There really isn’t a maximum time limit because people have different fitness levels and goals. So, if you want to run for an hour, go ahead!

But make sure you push yourself such that your body will always be challenged while remaining safe. After all, the whole point of working out is to challenge yourself so why not do it in the safest way possible?

What are some of the benefits of using an elliptical machine for exercise and fitness?

Using an elliptical machine offers many benefits! It’s low impact so it’t put too much strain on your joints. It can be used by people with injuries because it minimizes the stress on your joints.

Also, it’s convenient to work out at home if you don’t have much time to go to the gym. With top elliptical machines available today, they are also very efficient in burning calories so you get maximum results for your workout!

Can I use my phone while running on an ellipitcal machine without it affecting my workout performance or heart rate?

Yes, but only if you’re using cross-training workouts such as cycling/ elliptical machines . If you want to use treadmill, then no because that would require too much focus just like running outdoors because there are distractions around you that could prevent you from focusing on your workout.

As long as you are using cycling/ elliptical machine, then it should be fine. You can listen to music or watch TV when working out at home so it’s no problem!

However, if you want to focus much on your workout intensity and maximize the calorie burn, then set up a tv next to the elliptical machine . That way, you can still enjoy watching TV while pushing yourself for maximum workout performance.

Is the elliptical good for abs?

Yes, it is! By performing activities such as arm rotations forward and backwards, heel pulls, hip circles and shoulder presses , you can tone your abs faster than doing crunches or sit-ups.

What’s the best intensity to exercise on an elliptical machine ?

You should push yourself at a pace where you won’t be able to hold a conversation with another person.

But make sure that you retain proper form throughout each set so that you won’t risk injuring yourself because one wrong move could cause serious harm to your body!

How many calories can I burn in 30 minutes on an elliptical machine ?

Generally speaking, if it takes about 10 minutes for someone to reach 70% of their max heart rate (220 minus age), then they could burn around 200 calories in 30 minutes.

This is assuming that the person is running at 12-13 mph on a high intensity setting with a constant pace and resistance level.

Last Verdict

The key to weight loss on an elliptical is frequency, intensity and duration. So when coming to the question that “How Long Should You Run On An Elliptical To Lose Weight”. The answer is using the machine for a minimum of 30 minutes at least three times per week will help you lose more calories than if you only used it once or twice each week.

For best results, keep your exercise below 75% of your maximum heart rate so that you can burn fat but not put too much stress on the body.

If none of these guidelines work for you personally, feel free to contact us with any questions about how to use this device most effectively! 

Related post: 6 Cross Trainer Workouts & Eating Tips To Lose Weight