The Elliptical Machine is Fun

by Lee
(Virginia)

My favorite kind of exercise is working out on the elliptical machine. It burns a lot of calories and gives you a good workout, but isn't as hard on your joints as running. I have a home elliptical machine set up in front of the TV and I use it while I'm watching television.

I usually burn about 300 calories in a half hour, although people who weigh more or who are more fit can burn more calories. For some reason working out on the elliptical machine doesn't seem as hard to me as doing other activities, like running, even when I burn the same number of calories in the same amount of time.

I used to use the elliptical at the gym but I found that since that was the only machine I used regularly, it made sense to purchase an elliptical machine for my home use rather than spend money on gym fees. I got an inexpensive model that doesn't keep track of your heart rate because it's cheaper to buy the elliptical machine and heart rate monitor separately. Also the fewer bells and whistles you have on your machine, the less likely it is to break.

I supplement my elliptical workouts with stretching and also with some light weight training- my main goal is to keep my heart healthy with cardio and to prevent osteoporosis by doing weight-bearing exercise, so I don't need to bulk up. It is easy and relaxing to listen to music or to watch TV while working out on the elliptical machine, so it isn't difficult to incorporate into my day. I really enjoy my workouts.