I've gotten some great advice from this thread! Since my second pregnancy has killed my knees and ankles, I have made the decision to purchase an elliptical machine again. (First one I bought was a $200 cheapie, but I LOVED the workout I got from it!!!!!)
Can anyone recommend a good elliptical machine?? I am willing to spend $500-600 (or do I need to budget more?)
Until I get these 30 extra lbs off, I don't think I'll be able to do my first choice ---step aerobics (Cathe!!!!)

Actually that trainer is a real idiot!

Many athletes and runners (including myself) use the elliptical trainer. In between running days, using other cardio machines such as an elliptical trainer, stationary bike, stairclimber, etc. increase stamina and challenge other muscles and challenge your heart! A runner does not simply get better at running by just "Running". That trainer is a real dumb ***. I also incorporate weight training to strengthen muscles that attach to bones! Hmmmmm.....doing different exercises all the time keep a person from getting bored and to add challenge. Man....those kind of comments really irritate me!

As a runner....I like using the elliptical to give my knees and hips a break. I injured my foot recently training for a marathon and the elliptical trainer and stair climber is helping me out. I am by no means thin, but I think the machines are very challenging if you make it a challenge.

The only cardio I DO is the elliptical (at least until the snow STAYS and I can get out on my new x-country skis). My cardiovascular strength has VASTLY improved...I think it's the best! I started at elevation 1, resistance 1. Now I'm up to elevation 14, resistance 10 - 11. I do switch the elevation around a bit (I guess you're "supposed to") but I love good ol' 14.

That trainer guy is a goofball. He should swing by my gym sometime around 9pm when the clients have gone home and all the trainers get on the ellipticals. It's really a rather frightening site ! And the way I look at it is if the trainers at my gym do their daily cardio on their OWN ellipticals, it MUST be a pretty good exercise .

Having read this thread on elliptical, I'm so motivated and will want to
start soon. Thank you for giving me the motivation and inspiration to start all over again.

I am another person who is new to using this machine. I can only do it for a few minutes before my heart rate shoots up! After reading this thread and seeing that women of various sizes use it successfully, I am going to make it my goal to start including it as part of my regular workout routine I think I'll start with 5 minutes each workout and go up from there

Yogini, that's exactly what I did when I started. I can remember doing ten minutes on the elliptical and then having to sit in the locker room for ten minutes before I could drive home from the gym because I was so exhausted. But I gradually added a little time each day - it was a game to me - and got to where I was doing an hour a day, no problem.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that the elliptical isn't one heck of an awesome cardio workout! It's the ONLY cardio I did for the year that I was losing weight. I mix things up now to keep from being bored, but the elliptical is almost always part of the mix.

Matter of fact, I just got home from cardio: 30 minutes on the elliptical and 15 on the bike. With my iPod, the time just flew by.

Yogini, the first few times I used it, I thought I was gonna die.

It DOES get easier, though. You just have to stick with it .

I agree that it does get easier! It's amazing, one day you think you'll die after 5 minutes, and the next you feel like you could go for an hour! Since I love the machine so much I've gotten friends hooked on it, and they all had the same experience when they started.

Thanks, Ladies

I'm going to do it TODAY!!!

Thanks for the advice. Especially Meg. That's exactly what I was wondering.

I know exactly what everyone is saying about when you first start out on the elliptical. Five minutes was a killer! I built up quickly to 30 and then 45 min. It's great. You really work up a sweat.

Oh yah, it'll kick your butt! Plus the ones at my gym won't let you go slower than a certain point or they go into "pause" mode. I've found that what keeps me going is a good set of upbeat, fast music! I also challenge myself to stay in a certain range for a set period of time. It's the only cardio I can stand for very long...

I use the elliptical a lot too and enjoy it becuase I can read notes while I work out (I'm still a student). However, I have to caution that the data on all the ellipticals that I have tried have been way off (judging by my heart rate moniter). So enjoy the workout but know that at a really strong pace you are burning about 600 calories per hour, most likely 450-500. A treadmill will give you more calorie burning (according to my experiments). This makes sense to me because you are using more energy to physically pick up yur legs and not just glide.

I am mainly a treadmil girl, but have been wanting to try the eliptical. I have the fear of not being able to stant it for very long even though I have a pretty good endurance on the treadmil. After reading this thread I am going to give the eliptical a shot at the gym tomorrow.