You might be asking yourself, “do ellipticals help lose belly fat?” or “should I be doing a different exercise?” If that’s the case then hopefully this article will shed some light on your situation. Is the exercise worth the effort? That is, will your time be spent on a workout that is valuable or will you be wasting your time? Maybe there’s something better you could be doing!
Well, one immediate benefit you’ll notice is that there is much less impact on your knees and hips when using an elliptical in comparison to a treadmill or running outside. The machine is designed ergonomically so that there is a significant reduction of injury. The machine is also great for individuals with prior injuries. They can still get a workout in and stay healthy without hurting themselves.
Another added benefit is that you’re also working your upper body when using an elliptical trainer. When pulling the handles, you’re performing more work than you would with running, so you can typically burn more calories here. So, the signs are looking good so far!
Do Ellipticals Help Lose Belly Fat? The Rundown
This study from Harvard Medical School states the caloric burn of 30 minutes of activity in various exercises and various body weights. The researchers looked at 125, 155, and 185-pound individuals and measured approximately how many calories they burned after activity. The elliptical trainer was one of the best: 270, 335, and 400 calories burned in relation to weight.
This is great news. With only a 30 minute workout, you can burn A LOT of calories. Running at 5 mph for a 185-pound person equated to 355 calories burned, so it appears that you’re better off using an elliptical if your purpose is to get an efficient workout. Of course, the elliptical machine isn’t for everyone, so it depends on your preferences.
The more calories you burn, the better chance you have of reducing fat. This is the essential bottom line of losing belly fat. So the answer to the question, “do ellipticals help lose body fat?” is a resounding YES!
The exercise is extremely efficient, and you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to get an awesome workout. If you have the goal of losing weight, reducing fat, and enhancing cardio health – you can’t go wrong with an elliptical machine!
Do Ellipticals Help Lose Belly Fat? YES – Other Benefits
So we’ve discovered that adding the elliptical into your routine will definitely help burn calories ultimately leading to fat loss! Awesome. Here are some other added benefits of the elliptical:
Improved Cardiovascular Health
Pretty much any aerobic exercise will help your heart and increase your overall bodily fitness. The elliptical is no exception. You’ll get healthier and improve your cardiovascular system with this exercise. In fact, the elliptical is also great for individuals recovering from heart problems. This research study found,
Cardiac rehabilitation is important to CAD patients because it assists them in improving health and prevents the risk of future cardiac events through diet and exercise lifestyle changes (1). One meta-analysis revealed that cardiac rehabilitation resulted in a 24% reduction in all-cause mortality and a 25% reduction in cardiovascular mortality (14).
The researchers looked at ellipticals and treadmills and found that both were great from improving heart health.
Low Impact
As mentioned earlier, the elliptical trainer offers a low impact alternative to other exercises. This study discusses the benefits of using an elliptical in comparison to running outside, on a treadmill, and others. There is significantly less strain on the knees, joints, and hips when performing this exercise. Whether you are injured or not, this may be a great way to stay in shape and prevent injury.
Improved Stamina and Balance
If you like to play sports or in general, you aren’t very coordinated, the elliptical will help. Not only will your lung and muscle stamina improve, but you’ll also notice a change in your ability to move without feeling off. Your balance certainly improves. One reason for this is that you are moving your arms and legs simultaneously. This is strengthening your ability to do multiple things at once while also working your core. Having a tight center will definitely improve your posture and balance.
Anyone Can Do It! Do Ellipticals Help Lose Belly Fat?
Virtually anyone can use an elliptical machine. Small, big, young, or old – it’s simply a great exercise. Whether you are healthy or injured, this machine will offer something for you. Since there are many levels of resistance built into the machines, you can recover from a knee injury, or get in a really tough workout. It’s easy to learn, and certainly easier on your body than a treadmill.
Leg Muscles are Activated
This research study compared the elliptical, treadmill, exercise bike, and walking in regards to various muscle activation. They concluded that,
“Elliptical training demonstrated greater quadriceps activity and greater quadriceps/hamstrings coactivation than all other conditions. Consistent with previous work, treadmill walking demonstrated greater quadriceps activity than overground walking. Minimal differences in hamstrings activation were observed between conditions, limited to lower peak activity during cycling compared to treadmill walking.”
So, with the elliptical, it appears you can have a greater quad and hamstring activation level!
Do Ellipticals Help Lose Belly Fat? The Final Say
If you made it this far, thanks! We now know that there are many benefits to using an elliptical machine. One of them is that you will definitely burn calories and lose some fat. If you’re starting a new routine, then you should definitely look into trying the elliptical. Who knows? You might even enjoy yourself!
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