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06-27-2012, 06:59 PM
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#1
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Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 49
S/C/G: 185/177/150
Height: 5'2
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What do YOU do on the elliptical?
Every day when I go to the gym, I always start on the elliptical for thirty minutes. Every five minutes I stop, take a drink of water/use my towel and switch the mode (hill, cardio, etc.)
When I reach about ten minutes, I can barely go a minute or two without stopping, drinking, and toweling off.
I always listen to upbeat music when on the elliptical, but I still find myself struggling to make it through the next five minutes of my workout.
I can watch TV while at Planet Fitness, but that's it. Watch. The little things they have that you can plug your headphones into do not work, so I can't listen.
I just need something more to keep me going. Any suggestions?
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06-27-2012, 07:01 PM
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#2
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I can do anything!
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posts: 2,509
S/C/G: 267/Ticker/150 & BAMF
Height: 5'9.5"
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I read!! I can get involved in a good book and lose 45 minutes on the bike or elliptical, easy!
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06-27-2012, 07:06 PM
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#3
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Getting my life back
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 1,160
S/C/G: 192.2/ticker/120
Height: 5'
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I don't go on the elliptical, but I bought a treadmill and stuck it behind my TV. I watch The Biggest loser while I try the C25K.
HOWEVER!
Before That, I would read. It's hard when you move a lot though, so it doesn't work very well. Sometimes I would look at the time and just think "10 minutes to go..." but... that gets taxing. I discovered the gym wasn't for me. (Hence the buying of the treadmill). I can't work out if I want it to end. So, pick things you DO like.
Instead of the gym machines, try the gym classes. Go for Zumba instead of the elliptical. Go for a hike instead of a treadmill. Ride a bike outside and find a new trail versus the gym bikes. Try the shred instead of weights. Etc...
After you get used to exercise you can tolerate, the ones you can't often don't seem so big because you get in shape and it's normal to work out.
You can also try downloading comedy shows or stories for your Ipod. Who knows maybe listening to Harry Potter being read is the distraction you need.
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06-27-2012, 07:08 PM
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#4
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Fat to Fab and Fit
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 6,122
S/C/G: 190/151.2/122
Height: 5'3"
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I listen audio books. A good mystery gets heart pumping and legs going
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06-27-2012, 07:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: st. augustine, fl
Posts: 527
S/C/G: 324/283/260
Height: 5'7''
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I have never been able to understand how people can read while working out. I am the biggest bookworm but I can't focus with the page bouncing up and down. I keep losing my place and end up reading the same sentence over and over...
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06-27-2012, 07:23 PM
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#6
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Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 49
S/C/G: 185/177/150
Height: 5'2
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I think I'll attempt to listen to an audio book now that it's been suggested, as well as try for a comedy show, too. Reading an actual book would add to the difficult with the moving for me, personally. Great suggestions.
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06-27-2012, 07:24 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: florida
Posts: 665
Height: 5'9"
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I move my feet around a lot and try to keep them from going numb. Cuz that's what my feet do on the elliptical. So I stopped doing it. But when I used to power through it, if I was hating it more than usual, I would only do 10 minutes on the elliptical, switch to the treadmill, do 10, then switch to the bike or stair stepper and finish it out. Sometimes I just couldn't stomach that much on one machine.
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06-27-2012, 07:24 PM
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#8
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Move over Kim Kardashian!
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 1,136
S/C/G: 220/ticker/135
Height: 5'5"
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I loooooove the elliptical!! I usually put on some good upbeat music to get me going or an audio book. I do HIIT so it's a little hard for me to hold anyhting in my hands, though I am jealous of my fiance who reads his comic books. lol
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06-27-2012, 08:21 PM
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#9
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STREET DOG
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 406
S/C/G: 231/230/145
Height: 5'8"
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Recently I've been using treadmills that sit in front of the window overlooking the pool. It seems silly, but I listen to music and stare into my own face the entire time. If the current song isn't pumping me up, I switch, and I've got lots of workout mixes ready to go as necessary. When I start getting really tired I basically stare at myself in the window and remind myself that I can finish. Also, I don't know if it would make a difference for you, but I don't stop at all until my workout is done. If I plan to do 15 minutes, I do 15 and then drink my water. If I lose my momentum for even a few seconds it's almost impossible for me to start up again.
Last edited by Kahokkuri; 06-27-2012 at 08:21 PM.
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06-27-2012, 08:34 PM
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#10
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Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan, USA
Posts: 49
S/C/G: 185/177/150
Height: 5'2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kahokkuri
Recently I've been using treadmills that sit in front of the window overlooking the pool. It seems silly, but I listen to music and stare into my own face the entire time. If the current song isn't pumping me up, I switch, and I've got lots of workout mixes ready to go as necessary. When I start getting really tired I basically stare at myself in the window and remind myself that I can finish. Also, I don't know if it would make a difference for you, but I don't stop at all until my workout is done. If I plan to do 15 minutes, I do 15 and then drink my water. If I lose my momentum for even a few seconds it's almost impossible for me to start up again.
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I'm currently attempting to try for ten minutes without stopping in order for water, so fifteen will definitely be a goal of mine. If only PF had a pool, then I would definitely try that.
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06-27-2012, 08:39 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Washington
Posts: 274
S/C/G: See tracker :3
Height: 5'5
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If I read on the elliptical I fall off. Ha! It has happened more times than I'm comfortable admitting.
Upbeat music doesn't do it for me. I have netflix on my phone so that helps....I also bought the biggest loser seasons and have them on my phone!!! That has been really inspirational. Time flies when you're watching other people suffer, right?
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06-27-2012, 08:41 PM
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#12
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I got this
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Near St. Louis
Posts: 2,823
S/C/G: 206/162/135
Height: a little over 5'2
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I cannot exercise due to an muscle injury but when I did the elliptical, I usually watched TV shows and movies, just listen to the ipod or both, lol. I would love to set up something where I can read books on the elliptical. Hmm, maybe a DIY project sometime in the future.
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06-27-2012, 08:41 PM
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#13
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Embracing the suck
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: California - East Bay
Posts: 3,185
S/C/G: 300/234/abs
Height: 6'9"
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I'm confused are you stopping because you're bored or because you're tired?
Also - why are you doing cardio? Do you want to have more endurance? If you're doing it for fat loss you would be FAR better off (in my opinion) doing weight lifting instead and I don't mean the 5lb pink dumbell arm curl lifting.
3x a week full body workout would be far superior (and is far more interesting) than cardio when it comes to fat loss. As an added bonus it will do a whole lot more for the shape of your body if you happen to care about that kind of thing.
To answer your question - when I am doing cardio (because I want to improve my endurance) I will do 45-60 minutes and watch a TV show or movie on my phone or ipad.
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06-27-2012, 08:59 PM
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#14
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I can do anything!
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posts: 2,509
S/C/G: 267/Ticker/150 & BAMF
Height: 5'9.5"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnP
I'm confused are you stopping because you're bored or because you're tired?
Also - why are you doing cardio? Do you want to have more endurance? If you're doing it for fat loss you would be FAR better off (in my opinion) doing weight lifting instead and I don't mean the 5lb pink dumbell arm curl lifting.
3x a week full body workout would be far superior (and is far more interesting) than cardio when it comes to fat loss. As an added bonus it will do a whole lot more for the shape of your body if you happen to care about that kind of thing.
To answer your question - when I am doing cardio (because I want to improve my endurance) I will do 45-60 minutes and watch a TV show or movie on my phone or ipad.
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I totally agree with this!!
I'm not OP, but the ONLY reason I do 'cardio' is because it's my down time. The gym has childcare and I use it for quiet time. I'd be sitting reading, anyway, might as well do it while moving around a little bit. (After I knock the weights around for a while). I think it's relaxing. I don't really consider it cardio, anymore. Sprinting, yeah... bike/elliptical... not really.
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06-27-2012, 09:39 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: st. augustine, fl
Posts: 527
S/C/G: 324/283/260
Height: 5'7''
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i get bored on the elliptical so I blast my music and do intervals to challenge myself and keep it from getting old.
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