two women working out on elliptical machines

How to Maximize the Number of Calories Burned on an Elliptical Machine


Written by health and fitness expert Krista. Last updated:

Elliptical machines are one of the sought-after pieces of equipment during peak gym hours. They are one of the best calorie burning cardio machines. Elliptical machines also improve your aerobic capacity, increase leg strength, improve your balance, are easy on the joints, and have a quick learning curve.

But perhaps you’ve been wondering whether an elliptical or a rower machine is a better workout, and you’re unsure about how many calories you can burn on an elliptical. So, let’s get down to it. How many calories do you burn on an elliptical? And how can you burn even more calories on this cardio machine? Before we dive into this, let’s take a closer look at how the number of calories impacts weight loss.

Understanding Calories and Weight Loss

The amount of calories you must burn to lose one pound of fat is 3500. This means that to lose one pound a week, you must burn at least 500 calories a day more than what you eat. If you want to lose two pounds a week, you will need to burn at least 1000 calories a day more than what you eat.

Elliptical machines engage the arm and leg muscles, providing maximal calorie burn. Even when asking the question as to what burns more calories between a treadmill and an elliptical, the elliptical comes in a close second.

But maybe you’re still wondering, ‘What is the number of calories I burn on the elliptical?’ You can often use an online calculator for how many calories were burned on an elliptical. It should ask for your weight, gender, and height, as well as how long you have used the elliptical machine for. These types of calculators can often provide a more accurate measurement than what the machine might say.

a woman explaining to another how to use the elliptical machine

According to Harvard Health, a 155-pound individual burns about 335 calories on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes, which translates to about 670 calories per hour and 223 calories for 20 minutes. A 185-pound person would burn approximately 400 calories and a 125-pound person would burn approximately 270 calories for also a 30-minute duration. The number of calories ultimately depends on your body weight. The more you weigh, the more calories you will burn. However, you can play around with some of the machine settings to burn a lot of calories, as outlined in more detail below.

5 Easy Ways to Burn More Calories on an Elliptical

So, how can you burn more calories on elliptical machines? Surprisingly, you have more control over the calories you can burn on an elliptical than you think. There are various ways you can amp up the number of calories burned and make the most use out of your time.

1. Increase Your Resistance

On elliptical machines, increasing your resistance means your body must work harder. In turn, this means you burn a lot more calories than you would on a lower resistance. Your muscles use more calories the harder they have to work.

By playing around with an elliptical machine’s resistance setting, you can also target different muscles. This can provide you with some versatility when it comes to your workout, keeping it interesting. It can also drastically impact the calories you burn on an elliptical.

2. Switch Up Your Pace

Understandably, picking up the pace for your whole 30-minute workout might be asking too much. However, you can alternate between high-intensity intervals and low-intensity intervals. In fact, studies show that HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is highly effective at burning more calories and fat.

HIIT involves giving 110% for one minute, then performing the activity at a lower level of intensity for the second minute. Throughout your 30-minute workout, you can alternate between these two, increasing the calories out and increasing fat loss.

3. Select a Pre-Set Workout Program

Many elliptical machines come with an array of pre-set programs. All you need to do is select one from the list of options. You can even find ellipticals under $500 with pre-set workout programs, meaning you don’t need a fancy elliptical to get this benefit.

So, how many calories are burned on an elliptical with a pre-set program? This depends on the intensity of the program you choose. If there is more resistance or you increase your pace, you are more likely to maximize the number of calories that are burnt by using an elliptical. In turn, this also offers an easy way regarding how to lose weight on an elliptical. As previously outlined above, you lose more weight by burning more calories.

4. Don’t Forget About the Handlebars

The handlebars on elliptical machines are made to move with you. If your legs get tired, you can utilize this part of the machine, engaging your upper body more. This is a particularly excellent option when you switch to high resistance. Using both your arm and leg strength can help you push through those tough levels, and help you increase your calories burned on an elliptical machine. There are also many ellipticals under $1000 with comfortable and easy-to-use handlebars. Do your research and find the right one for you and your desired use.

a women using an elliptical machine

5. Move to the Beat

As mentioned above, the number of calories used during a workout partially depends on the pace you choose to go at. The faster your pace, the more calories you fry. When preparing for your workout, consider your playlist. Find songs that have a quick beat or a similar beat to the pace you want to go. It can make your exercise session not only fly by, but also way more fun.

Try Out These Calorie Burning Options Today!

Are you bored with the same old elliptical machine workout? Alternate between the options above and keep your workout interesting. Consistency is key when it comes to weight loss and improving your health. Find ways to stick with it. Elliptical machines can provide an intense workout to burn calories and fat; it all depends on how you use them!

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