anyone use the ellyptical. I kind of feel like I'm addicted to it. I love how it makes my butt all nice and tight and I really feel like I've worked out when I am done. Unfortunatley, I think my thighs are getting bigger not smaller on here. any ideas what to alternate it with to lose some inches?
To get smaller, you have to eat less calories a day than you are burning off. Just working out isn't enough. If your muscles are getting bigger, and your fat layer stays the same, then yes, you will get bigger.
Having bigger muscles will help you burn more calories, making it easier to lose fat. But you do have to do the step of eating less than you are burning off.
I do have an elliptical, and I love it. It's a non-impact cardio workout that I can really, really feel very quickly when I start. It's great, but it is only one tool I use to build the foundation of my weight loss strategy.
What ellipticals do you all use? Are you using gym machines or home exercise ellitpticals? I own the Orbitrek Platinum and I love it. It's surprisingly sturdy and I get a great workout on it! I also have a tendency to build big muscles in my legs so I just keep the resistance lower and use it for more cardio instead of toning. I also have a tendency to get thicker thighs when I do allot of squats or step workouts. Pilates builds longer leaner muscles much like a dancers body. I saw an infomercial for a machine called the Supreme Pilates and I'm so tempted to get it. But as far as cardio goes my first choice is the elliptical.
I use the elliptical at the gym. I moving soon and am thinking about getting a machine at home. How much is the Orbitrek? I am definatley losing weight and loseing my waist , stomach, and upper body its just the thighs but I think I am cursed to always have those thighs that I call horse legs because they are so muscle-ey.
I'm trying to alternate with pilates but its so boreing in comparison to my other workouts
Jennie,
The Platinum Orbitrek is between $180 and $200 which is actually not bad for an elliptical machine. It's made really well and I like mine. It doesn't take up allot of space either. I live in a small one bedroom apartment so I don't have allot of space for equipment. You can buy the Orbitrek at most sporting goods stores now. Our Sports Authority here had it this past weekend for $179 I think. That way you won't have to pay shipping cost. I get really bored with exercise so I have to keep things going. What I try to do is mix things up. For instance I will do 10 minutes on the Orbitrek and then go do a 10 minute toning tape (like a Quick Fix workout) and then I'll do 10 minutes of cardio or another 10 on the Orbitrek followed by another 10 minute toning workout. If I can't do all 40 minutes at once I'll do 20 in the morning and 20 in the evening. This seems to work great for me. Just an idea for you! Let me know if I can help further.
I got one for Christmas because our treadmill has been out for three years now (DH has been promising to fix it...I believe he broke it )! Because my knees are bad, we got an elliptical and the whole family uses it. It's a NordicTrak model and I believe it cost over $500. That Orbitrak one sounds like a good deal. Most good ones that I've seen out there are around $500 or so. They have a good one in the gym (I think it's ProForm) with an incline...mine lacks that but mine has the handles that move so you get a good upper body workout as well. The gym one doesn't. The salesman told me the home models have the handles that move and the gym models don't. From what I've seen, it seems to be true. Keep on ellipticizing!
Hmmm, the ones at my gym have the handles that move, plus stationary handles in closer. (I like to hold on to these, close my eyes, and get myself into a place where the noise of the gym is tuned out and I just keep going and going and going. . . ) I have used a couple other "lower" level models. One was at a gym while we visiting family, the other at a niece's house. Both were okay to use, but in both I found that the whole unit was narrower so that you had to be very careful that you don't get whapped by the handles if you're not using them. My feeling is that these lower level models wouldn't hold up as well to the heavy use of a gym, but are fine for home where only one or two people are using them. They are way quieter than a treadmill too.
I have a Precor EFX 5.23, which is one of those machines that you buy when you are giddy with a sudden income jump from a fortunate real estate sale. It is pretty much a gym quality machine, and I absolutely love it. It's quite enough that I can easily watch tv when I use it, sturdy as all get out, and really gets me all sweaty when I use it.
I consider exercise to be a cornerstone to my weight loss, every bit as important as diet is. And my elliptical is a cornerstone to my exercise.
tealeaf...oh I think that one is the one we have at my gym. I love it.
I feel like once you work out on the ellyptical, no other machine gives you the same amount of work out. I measure my work out is sweat so that might not be accuarte but for me it can't be matched. except for maybe a spinning class but I consider that a tourture devise, not a work out.
tealeaf-I would love to own a Precor! Some day I will!
WaterRat-The Orbitrek has an option to make them stationary or moveable. I usually put them in the stationary mode because it has a tendency to hit me in the chest area. It would have been nice if the made the handles just a little further apart!
Musicgal-The Orbitrek is about all I can afford and for the $200 I spent it's a really good machine. I like the option of using the handles or keeping them stationary. When I do use the handles it really does work the upper body. One day I hope to upgrade to a better model but this machine if fine for me now!
Ah, that makes sense. Since it was someone else's machine, I didn't want to fool around with it too much. My problem with having any of these machines is that I live in a VERY small house, and it's full! I'd love even more to have a piano instead of an electronic keyboard, but same problem, no room. Oh well, at least the gym is close, and nothing else screams out to be done instead - nor are there cats begging to be noticed.
Believe me, I know that I am lucky beyond all get out to have the machine I do. When I used to go to gym, I would do both the elliptical and the treadmill. For the amount of time, I always felt that was working harder, but easier, on the elliptical, if that makes any sense at all. I consider this machine to be one of the best purchases I've ever made.
And Waterat, my cats stare at me too when I work out. Freaks me out.
ellyptical machine
Don't worry about them getting too big -- as you burn fat they'll get smaller but toned.
! Let me know if I can help further.
)! Because my knees are bad, we got an elliptical and the whole family uses it. It's a NordicTrak model and I believe it cost over $500. That Orbitrak one sounds like a good deal. Most good ones that I've seen out there are around $500 or so. They have a good one in the gym (I think it's ProForm) with an incline...mine lacks that but mine has the handles that move so you get a good upper body workout as well. The gym one doesn't. The salesman told me the home models have the handles that move and the gym models don't. From what I've seen, it seems to be true. Keep on ellipticizing! 
