Ok so before two weeks ago I had not actually exercised in probably 5 years.

I decided to start out slow and just hit the treadmill at the gym and walk walk walk until it started to get too easy. So I thought one day I would just give that Elliptical a shot.

OH MY GOSH it tried to kill me. My legs turned to absolute mush after like 3 minutes. I forced myself up to five minutes before I had to stop. I had no idea it would be that hard. It LOOKS like it would be easier than walking but it's SO muscle intensive (for someone as out of shape as me anyway).

Man, I couldn't believe how hard it was! I guess I have to build some more muscle from just walking before I can work up to it. My gym-buddy makes me look like a wuss because she hops on it and does 30 minutes to an hour but I just remind myself that she has less weight to push around and she's been walking for a couple years now. Once I reminded myself of that we just pick a part of the gym where there's an elliptical and a treadmill next to each other and just do our thing. Phew...I'm tired just THINKING about it!!!

The elliptical can be a killer, for sure! I can jog for a couple of miles now and still feel pretty good but after 10-15 minutes on the elliptical I'm really starting to sweat. I bought one in February and when I first started, I really could only go about 5-7 minutes before I was a quivering, sweating mess. I can do 30-40 minutes now but it's still quite a workout!

Just keep trying it and you will be able to do it longer and longer. it's not just you--the elliptical kicks everyone's butt at first!

Glad to know I'm not alone!!

Haha you made me laugh- I like how you say it tried to kill you.

That's like when I first got my treadmill, two minutes later I was DONE- now I can easily do half an hour

I swear at one point I looked down and the digital readout said "HAHAHA"

But maybe that was just the sweat in my eyes?

lmao...hilarious.

Yea... I used to use the elliptical alot. When I first tried it I lasted like 2 mins but I got up to being able to stay on the length of a movie (oh how I miss Golds Gym movie cenima)...

If you just do get on it everytime and do as long as you can you'll see that each day you can go longer and longer. =)

I enjoy reading this blog and applaud those working hard to accomplish their weight loss goals. It is certainly not easy to reverse the lifestyle process, set a new direction and succeed and I am cheering for you all the way because you can make it.
The elliptical feels more demanding, cardio-wise, than it looks because you engage many more muscle groups than running or cycling. However this is one of its best features, you don't fatigue one set of muscles you use them all so caloric expenditure is maximized. At the same time its low impact which means joint damage is minimized. Cross country skiing has been recognized for many decades as the best aerobic workout but without snow elliptical cross trainers are probably the next best exercise we have ever invented for ourselves. Rely on them and you we benefit.
The only problem with indoor elliptical cross trainers is the boredom factor, for many, a substantial hurdle.
In an effort to avoid self promotion and follow the guidelines for this post I will only mention that there are ways to take the elliptical cross trainer outside for an exhilarating ride and I would also say watch the Biggest Loser for an example. I hope this gets posted as my motivation is primarily to help others accomplish their goals. Thanks

I enjoy reading this blog and applaud those working hard to accomplish their weight loss goals. It is certainly not easy to reverse the lifestyle process, set a new direction and succeed and I am cheering for you all the way because you can make it.
The elliptical feels more demanding, cardio-wise, than it looks because you engage many more muscle groups than running or cycling. However this is one of its best features, you don't fatigue one set of muscles you use them all so caloric expenditure is maximized. At the same time its low impact which means joint damage is minimized. Cross country skiing has been recognized for many decades as the best aerobic workout but without snow elliptical cross trainers are probably the next best exercise we have ever invented for ourselves. Rely on them and you we benefit.
The only problem with indoor elliptical cross trainers is the boredom factor, for many, a substantial hurdle.
In an effort to avoid self promotion and follow the guidelines for this post I will only mention that there are ways to take the elliptical cross trainer outside for an exhilarating ride and I would also say watch the Biggest Loser for an example. I hope this gets posted as my motivation is primarily to help others accomplish their goals. Thanks

I find the elliptical to not be too bad... It's less harder on my knees than the treadmill. I find the rhythm more natural.

But I don't really get tired until about a half hour in.

To combat the boredom factor, I set up my laptop and catch up on old TV shows on hulu. I can't see the TV from where my elliptical is, but the laptop works well for me. I have found that shows with lots of excitement, car chases, etc keep me more involved and able to keep going longer than slow, gentle dramas.

melbell - I was just the same when I first started working on my elliptical. 5 minutes on minimum resistance was killer! Just do what you can each time and you will be shocked at one you can do in no time. Getting from 5 minutes up to 10 was the hardest thing ever. Getting from 10 to 15 was easier, 15 to 20 even easier, then before I knew it I had accidentally done 30. Now I do 30 almost every time, with the occasional bounce up to 45. I have been working on increasing my resistance. I do most of my 30 minutes at 2 or more and can go up to 5 for 5 minutes at a time or 10 for 2 minutes at a time now. It was just the beginning of July that 5 minutes on level 1 was killing me. It really is an awesome workout. Keep at it, don't wait until you are stronger, it is going to be hard when you start it no matter how much walking you've done before it. It is worth it though, it is among the highest calorie burns I get.

Oh! I understand!

Me and my sister went to the gym together a couple times, and I would jump on the elliptical (thinking it would be easy) and after 4-5 minutes, I would be sweating cats and dogs, and there was my sister, doing it, without as much as a tiny little drop on her forehead...

She would do it maybe a hour of that a day! It was crazy! And she couldn't understand how it would be hard for me.

Oh, but just for kicks, (I haven't been to the gym since then, I now just use my treadmill in the basement, haha) I can now run for almost 5 minutes at a time! I'm doing the C25K, and let me tell ya, when I first started, I couldn't even run a whole minute without dying.

I'm so proud of myself! haha

Ooh I *love* the elliptical because it's so evil! this time last year I struggled to do 5 min. Now I'm doing 45-60 minutes! Each time I pass another 10 minutes I shout out "Take that Mofo!" (I do not recommend this for in the gym- I do it at home and my husband just ignores because he knows I'm nuts anyway) Seriously, keep working that machine until it thinks you are the Butt-Kicker of Dooooooom and simultaneously watch your arms, butt, thighs and hips get smaller. It's truly an awesome machine

I also recommend watching something or making a rockin' playlist on your mp3 player to get you through it. One trick I use it to cover up the time counter. I use songs as an indication. Let's say I've made it through 2 songs, 1 more will be a piece of cake. 3 songs, hey that wasn't bad, I can definitely get through 4. Sometimes I'm enjoying it so much I don't even know what number I'm on! Happy to share a few play lists with you if you'd like

LMAO! You are funny! That thing tried to kill me too! No joke! I was JUST LIKE YOU not too long ago girl/ The first time I could barely get 3 min's, then 5, then 15, then 20, then I forced myself after about 6 months mind you, to do 30 and (Channeling Rosanna Rosanna Danna) OMG I thought I was gonna die!!!

But now I LOVE the Elliptical! On the Treadmill my knees and ankles and hips hurt a lot, but I can do 30 minutes on the Elliptical and sweat more, go further distances and burn WAY more calories! Also, if my hips are bothering me, I cna get on it for 30 min's and they don't hurt anymore. It's magic! I LOVE it. Sometimes I can even do 45 minutes to an hour, but then I am spent and you can't get anything else out of me that day! LOL!

Keep it up girly! The more ya do, the easier it gets, I promise.