Unfortunately home exercise equipment is never cheap, which means it is really important to invest in the right machine. For effective weight loss, you need to find out which piece of equipment is best at helping to burn up those excess calories.
The two best selling pieces of exercise equipment are treadmills and elliptical trainers, but which one is actually best at burning the most calories? There is certainly a lot of argument with many people liking both pieces of equipment. However when it comes down to which is best for you to buy, there really is only one definitive answer.
Both treadmills and ellipticals can help you to burn the same amount of calories, the major factor to bear in mind is how you actually use the machine while you are exercising! Running on a treadmill can deliver the exact same results as a workout on an elliptical, and vice versa.
It is true that running on a treadmill can be more intensive, and can have a greater impact on your body's muscles and joints. For this reason some people may find it very hard to run on a treadmill. By using an elliptical, you are still able to exercise and burn off the same number of calories, it's just the exercise has a gentler impact on your body.
It really does all boil down to how you use your exercise machine. For example, by running for an hour on a treadmill at about 7 mph your body would use up approximately 783 calories. Now if you were to use an elliptical trainer for about an hour, you should burn around 774 calories, so the figures are more or less the same. However, if you were to use the treadmill set at only 3 mph you would only burn 297 calories, which is a huge difference!
It's important to remember though that this is not a straight forward formula, the number of calories you can burn using an elliptical trainer vary greatly depending on how you approach your exercise routine. Some people go for a full force approach, which others decide to take a more moderate workout.
You really need to ask yourself which machine you would prefer. Remember, you will only do you exercise if you are motivated and excited, if you find it boring to use a treadmill, you are not likely to keep up to your workout regime. Equally, if an elliptical does not inspire you, then you are better off with a treadmill.
If you simply love walking, jogging, or running, then you want to invest in a treadmill. It's much better than walking on the surface of the street. But if burning calories is your main concern, you'll need to make sure that you increase the speed and up the incline.
If you've experienced pain in your knees or ankles, or simply want to enjoy a low impact routine, then you'll want to choose an elliptical instead. As you age, an elliptical trainer is much more forgiving on your body. Of course some exercise enthusiasts invest in both machines - an elliptical and a treadmill. This lets you mix up your workouts and avoid burnout completely.