I have started working out on my Elliptical. We are supposed to be getting 30 minutes of exercise daily (I have been walking). However with the elliptical, well it's pretty obvious in less than 30 seconds that it has been 20+ years since I have actually "worked out". LOL. I was following the training settings on mine and their recommendation is to start with 20 minutes the first time, and do that for 5 days and then the following week go for 25 minutes.. and keep increasing over the weeks until you reach 40 minutes.

Well I have everything I can do to even get through 1 song on my playlist. LOL I'm assuming I should just start there and go? 5 minutes this week and try for 7 or 10 minutes per time the following week?

So there is my confession and someday my inspiring starting point: "The first time I got on my elliptical, I couldn't even finish the first song on my playlist".

I started walking a few miles outside first post-op. I was already down about 40lbs (25 pre-op, 15 post-op) before I started on the elliptical. I first went as long as I could. I hit 10 minutes and that seemed hard. I stuck with that for a week, then I hit 15. By the end of the second week I was at 20. I am at 20 now still, 3 weeks later. It will take some time. Everyone is different so just go at your pace. I have been following this one rule when working out. Take yourself as far and as hard as you are comfortable with. If you start feeling light headed, shortness of breath, like really struggling to breath, slow down to a walk and then get off the machine. You seem to be dropping weight very well based on your signature tracker. Keep it up, you'll be cruising 20 minutes in no time. Stay focused and best of luck.

if you are not used the elliptical - yes its CRAZY hard. couple of things helped me.

Day 1 - started with 5 minutes (I like your plan). Also - focus on your legs only. forget the arms when you are starting. And keep a good pace - like 90 strides per minute. Once you can do the legs for 5 minutes at a steady pace then start adding minutes. then start adding arms. Then add resistance....

Make sense???

Before you know it... 60 min on that machine (and I watch a TV show when I am on it) will be nothing....

Try the couch to 5k program! Look it up on Google images. I've done it in the past and it really helps!

I could barely do 2 minutes!

The elliptical has long been my favorite machine. I started out on a stationary bike, but my gym eventually switched them all to recumbent ones and I hate those. So I was already used to doing cardio workouts. I tried the rowing machine for a while, but we never clicked. The first time I tried the elliptical I didn't care for how little up and down motion it had, but the sweat that poured outta me convinced me to continue using it. I started on 20 minutes and stayed there for years. I only had so much time at lunch away from work.

But now that I have a more flexible schedule, I routinely do 30-45 minutes on level 8. I just sign into the gym wifi and stream a Netflix show. I get lost watching that and before I know it the show is over and I have a 150 bpm heartrate. Just keep at it.

I was like you at first. I could barely do a minute. Like the poster above said, I started a Couch 25K program 9 months ago, and that REALLY built my tolerance up. Now I can run 3 miles on the treadmill, and probably can go 4 on the elliptical if I wanted. You gotta start slow and build up tolerance. Just takes consistency and time