Calories burned on an elliptical... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Wild Vulpix · 07-09-2010, 12:56 PM

Nowhere can I find a good calculator or estimate that suggests how many calories you REALLY burn while on the elliptical... I know no calculator would be completely accurate, but I'd love to have a ballpark. At least with running, you can guess it's about 100 calories per mile, but what about the elliptical?

At first, I was guessing 100 calories per mile, when on 0 resistance... but then how in the world do you calculate it if you ramp up the resistance??

I wish the calorie counter on the machines was more accurate!

rritchey · 07-09-2010, 01:17 PM

If you have the means, invest in a Heart Rate Moniter. You can get a nice one for $80-$100. You input your personal information so that's the most accurate way you'll be able to measure calories burned on any piece or equipment or doing any activity... Hope that helps

mkroyer · 07-09-2010, 01:24 PM

i persoanlly do not think 100 cals per mile on an elliptical at 0 resistance is anywhere near correct!
I would go more with 10 minutes at a decently intense level (HR up, sweating, breathing kinda hard, slightly uncomfortable) would be *closer* to 100 cals, but i would round down to like 75 or 80...... and it also really really depends on how good of shape you are in! I am very conditioned and am LUCKY to burn 400 cals running a 10k.... theres no way to know without HR monitor, and even then its only so accurate..... good luck tho!

Krazy · 07-10-2010, 03:17 PM

I have the Ironman 1815 Elliptical Trainer, and the little monitor on the elliptical says I burn 350 calories in 50 minutes for my age and weight. I'm not sure if this is right or not. Also, I usually have the resistance level set to 4.

sweetnlow28 · 07-11-2010, 07:16 PM

I recommend a heart rate monitor as well. I am 164 pounds and my workout varies between about level six to the highest resistance and a speed of 5.5 - 7mph. I use my elliptical for 30 minutes of HIT training, going from a low level to a high level then back again. My HRM says I burn about 300 calories for that 30 minutes. I don't know if that is helpful to you or not though. A good HRM is the best investment I have made. I got mine for less than $50 off ebay

charmtime · 07-11-2010, 07:34 PM

My heart rate monitor seems to do a good job measuring my heartrate but I think it overestimates my calories burned. I paid 90 bucks for it too....yuck.

I have it set for my low and my high and just make sure I work out somewhere in that zone. Is that what you guys do?

I am assuming as this fat leaves me, my numbers will change and I will be able to work out harder.