Key takeaways:
Regular exercise on an elliptical machine can help you burn calories for weight loss.
Because you use your arms and legs, ellipticals provide a full-body workout, unlike a stationary bike or treadmill.
Elliptical training can also help you reduce stress and boost heart health.
Regular exercise is a necessary part of any successful weight-loss plan — and it supports your overall health. When it comes to indoor activity, the stationary bike and treadmill are the most popular choices.
An elliptical machine is like a standing bicycle that you “pedal” with your feet. Many also have handlebars that you push and pull as you ride.
This kind of full-body activity can help you burn a lot of calories. But it also offers other health benefits, such as building muscle and reducing stress.
Is an elliptical good for weight loss?
Yes. The elliptical, like all popular cardio equipment, can be a great tool for weight management. It also helps you build muscle and maintain your heart health. Using the elliptical, you can expect to gain many of these benefits.
1. Burn calories
Using an elliptical machine can help get your heart rate up and burn calories. This can help with weight management.
In one small study by the American Council on Exercise, participants who used an outdoor elliptical machine burned 9 to 18 calories per minute. Exactly how many calories you’ll burn depends on a few factors, including:
The type of machine you use
How fast you go
The resistance you set
Your sex
2. Improve heart health
Ellipticals can also improve your heart health. Cardio exercise strengthens your heart and lungs. Over time, people who engage in cardio can reap these health benefits:
Lower blood pressure
Lower resting heart rate
Lower stress hormone levels
Better cholesterol levels
These changes keep your heart healthy and lower your risk of developing health conditions like diabetes and stroke.
3. Build muscle
An elliptical workout also helps you build and maintain muscle mass. Having more muscle mass can give your metabolism a slight boost. This is because muscle mass has a higher energy demand: Your body uses more energy to build and maintain muscle mass. This can help with weight management.
Ellipticals help you build muscle all over your body:
Pedaling against resistance on an elliptical machine can help build and strengthen the muscles in your lower body.
Most elliptical machines have moveable arms that provide an upper-body workout too.
Pushing and pulling against resistance strengthens your back, shoulder, and chest muscles.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
This is one benefit of the elliptical compared to a treadmill or stationary bike.
Tips for losing weight on an elliptical
You can maximize your weight-loss results on an elliptical by following these tips.
1. Incorporate intervals
Interval training involves exercising at alternate levels. First, you exercise at a challenging pace for a short time. Then, you exercise at a low-to-moderate rate to let your body recover.
Some research shows that this may have greater benefits for weight loss. It works by triggering metabolic changes that can change how your body burns fat.
2. Increase resistance
Increasing the resistance on the machine challenges your muscles and requires more energy, which may help you reach your weight goals.
3. Use the handles
Using the handles as well as pedaling with your feet offers a full-body workout that can help you use more energy.
4. Cross-train
Cross-training challenges your muscles in new ways and gives your workouts more variety to keep you interested. Mix up your elliptical workouts with other types of exercise such as rowing or cycling. Sticking with a varied routine can help you reach and maintain your goals.
How do you use an elliptical machine?
Using an elliptical machine correctly can help you get the most benefit from your workout while lowering your risk of injury. Here are the basic steps to using an elliptical machine:
Get on the machine. Step on the machine and hold the stationary handles. Place one foot on a pedal at a time before starting the machine.
Start with low resistance. Choose a light resistance and a comfortable pace, especially if you’re new to elliptical workouts.
Maintain good posture. Stand upright with your head up, shoulders relaxed, and core muscles engaged. Avoid leaning heavily on the handlebars.
Use smooth, controlled movements. Keep your feet flat on the pedals and move in a steady, gliding motion. If your movements feel jerky, try slowing down until you feel in control.
Engage your upper body. If your machine has moving handles, gently push and pull them to involve your arms, chest, and back.
Increase intensity slowly. Increase resistance, incline, or speed slowly as your fitness level improves.
Cool down at the end. Reduce resistance and pace for a few minutes before stepping off the machine.
Frequently asked questions
Working out on an elliptical machine can support weight loss. But ellipticals don’t specifically help you lose belly fat. In fact, the idea of targeted fat loss is a myth. You can tone specific muscles. And that might help change how fat looks in that specific area. If your goal is to lose belly fat, you’ll want to combine cardio like an elliptical workout with strength training.
There isn’t a definitive winner in the elliptical versus treadmill debate. You can get a great cardio workout on both machines. But thanks to their handlebars, ellipticals target more muscles than treadmills. An elliptical machine is also great if you’re looking for a low-impact workout. This can be especially helpful if you have joint pain or arthritis. Treadmills, on the other hand, deliver a higher-impact workout, which can help keep your bones healthy and strong.
Yes, exercising for 30 minutes on an elliptical can be enough to support weight loss and improve cardiovascular health. Doing a little bit of physical activity is better than nothing. What counts as “enough” really depends on your health and fitness goals as well as the intensity and frequency of your workout. For best results, aim to do a mix of cardio and strength training.
If you work at a desk, you know that sitting for long periods of time can take a toll, including lower back and hip pain. An under-desk elliptical can help you get in daily movement and may help reduce the health risks of prolonged sitting. But because the intensity is typically low, an under-desk elliptical is most effective when you combine it with regular exercise. While an under-desk machine can be convenient, standing up to stretch or walking are also great options.
Working out on an elliptical machine can support weight loss. But ellipticals don’t specifically help you lose belly fat. In fact, the idea of targeted fat loss is a myth. You can tone specific muscles. And that might help change how fat looks in that specific area. If your goal is to lose belly fat, you’ll want to combine cardio like an elliptical workout with strength training.
There isn’t a definitive winner in the elliptical versus treadmill debate. You can get a great cardio workout on both machines. But thanks to their handlebars, ellipticals target more muscles than treadmills. An elliptical machine is also great if you’re looking for a low-impact workout. This can be especially helpful if you have joint pain or arthritis. Treadmills, on the other hand, deliver a higher-impact workout, which can help keep your bones healthy and strong.
Yes, exercising for 30 minutes on an elliptical can be enough to support weight loss and improve cardiovascular health. Doing a little bit of physical activity is better than nothing. What counts as “enough” really depends on your health and fitness goals as well as the intensity and frequency of your workout. For best results, aim to do a mix of cardio and strength training.
If you work at a desk, you know that sitting for long periods of time can take a toll, including lower back and hip pain. An under-desk elliptical can help you get in daily movement and may help reduce the health risks of prolonged sitting. But because the intensity is typically low, an under-desk elliptical is most effective when you combine it with regular exercise. While an under-desk machine can be convenient, standing up to stretch or walking are also great options.
The bottom line
Elliptical training offers a low-impact, full-body workout that helps build muscle and can improve your heart health. Using an elliptical machine regularly can also help you lower stress and improve your overall well-being. This will contribute to a healthier lifestyle and support your weight-loss efforts.
Why trust our experts?
References
Detroit Medical Center. (n.d.). Eight ways to get your metabolism moving.
Rendler, N. M., et al. (2015). Ready, set, ElliptiGO! ACE-commissioned research evaluates the ElliptiGO outdoor elliptical machine. American Council on Exercise.
Viana, R. B., et al. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing moderate-intensity continuous training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). British Journal of Sports Medicine.
