Ok, so i have a treadmill, but i really do not use it YET (the operative word). I looked at the ellipticals the other day in the store and i even got on one and used it for about a minute.

in just that minute i felt it in more of my leg muscles than i would have imagined feeling on the treadmill. (one of the elliptical's there were other's that weren't too good).

so, this is my questions, which do you think is better and why?

my treadmill is a very nice $700 one, but the elliptical i'm looking at only costs $189 and if i buy it, i'm selling my treadmill (i only have room for one good piece of exercise equipment..and really my treadmill is too big).

so please vote, and let me know.

Well I work out on the Elliptical. and as you can see I am bigger then you.

So it is not size. When I started on the Elliptical March 1st I only could do 6 minutes. The next time I did 8. I just kept increasing minutes. Yesterday I did 36 minutes. It felt so good to be able to do it. But I had to start off small and work up to it.

I definitely like the elliptical better than the treadmill. I burn more calories for the same amount of time. I can close my eyes and not worry about losing my balance and falling off. I have both at home. The treadmill is a nice one and I rarely use it. The elliptical is a cheap model, probably pain the $179 or less. It is really rickety and I don't like it. I use the one at the gym. I only kept this one in case (When!) I lose a lot of weight and then maybe it wont seem so rickety with less body weight on it.

Hmmm...I just can't get the hang of the elliptical. Maybe its my feet. I have weird feet and toes that throws off my balance when I am walking and tiny short little legs. I don't know, I just don't like it.

Like others I think treadmills are boring and I burn more calories on the Ellip. But I burn even more calories during aerobic classes like kick-boxing. Can't wait to be able to start my serious working out!

I have found that I burn almost double the amount of calories on the elliptical, than on the treadmill, I also got bored on the treadmill, and my knees would ache..So I have done the elliptical and it has worked out good for me..However I am picky I like some ellipticals over others..I have one at home but I am trying to sell it. I really like the ones at the gym better. I also get a better sweat off the elliptical, it makes me feel like I am really working...I like running too but on the treadmill it is harder on me..

I agree with you... I can burn just about 1000 calories on the elliptical for an hour and with the treadmill i think it would prob. hit about 500 or so... I do switch up every now and then but the elliptical's at the gym rock... omg they r the best.... I wish i could afford one.. but the one that i adore is made by life fitness and its like 5-6k.. Not in my budget...lol.. I have one that was like 600bucks but its not like the one's at the gym...

Oh I hate the elliptical. It hurts my ankles and I always think I am going to fall off of it. I can't do it long enough to really get a work out. Maybe I am just too big.

You are not too big.. When i first started working out a few years ago and i finally graduated to the elliptical i think i was about 325 u have to get on the right one. Use the one that moves the arm as well as the legs. Keep your resistance at about 3 or 4 and keep the level between 2-3 and go at your own pace. put a towel over the numbers cause some of them will shut off if you are not going fast enough.. so what go at your own pace dont try to keep up with the next person. take your time dont be afraid and make sure that you have on excellent running shoes... because they will support your feet better. I know its not always possiable to buy new running shoes but your feet will thank you. You will be able to workout longer if your feet don't hurt...

You are not too big.. When i first started working out a few years ago and i finally graduated to the elliptical i think i was about 325 u have to get on the right one. Use the one that moves the arm as well as the legs. Keep your resistance at about 3 or 4 and keep the level between 2-3 and go at your own pace. put a towel over the numbers cause some of them will shut off if you are not going fast enough.. so what go at your own pace dont try to keep up with the next person. take your time dont be afraid and make sure that you have on excellent running shoes... because they will support your feet better. I know its not always possiable to buy new running shoes but your feet will thank you. You will be able to workout longer if your feet don't hurt...

Thanks- I will try the towel thing that is a really good idea.

i like the elliptical. i think i get more workout on it. i stay one for one hour and clock about 5 miles and i burn 500-600 calories. it has worked wonders. i wish i had one at home. i use it at the gym. oh well at least i get to use it.

We got some $$ back from taxes, so we treked on over to our local Sears store to buy a treadmill last saturday. We ended up coming home with an Eliptical Machine. DH and I both tried all the treadmills and eliptical machines at the store and really liked the way it felt. Yes some felt very rickity to us, so we bought a more steady one as there will be 3 of us using it in my house....

Ok, so i have a treadmill, but i really do not use it YET (the operative word). I looked at the ellipticals the other day in the store and i even got on one and used it for about a minute.

in just that minute i felt it in more of my leg muscles than i would have imagined feeling on the treadmill. (one of the elliptical's there were other's that weren't too good).

so, this is my questions, which do you think is better and why?

my treadmill is a very nice $700 one, but the elliptical i'm looking at only costs $189 and if i buy it, i'm selling my treadmill (i only have room for one good piece of exercise equipment..and really my treadmill is too big).

so please vote, and let me know.

treadmill :thumbup:

elliptical :regular_smile:

I get sooo bored on the treadmill. My trainer has me doing 60 minutes of cardio a day, I was doing 20 minutes bike, 20 minutes, elliptical, and 20 minutes treadmill.... this week I am switching it up. I can't take much more of the treadmill, I can hardly make it through the 20 minutes even with the ipod and tvs. I am going to try 15 bike, 30 elliptical, 15 treadmill.

I prefer the elliptical. My knees hurt, and when I use the treadmill, they really hurt. The elliptical does not bother my knees, and you can walk backwards on it, and work different muscles, plus, it's not as boring as the treadmill.:purplebananna:

Woo Hooo Toot toot <----tooting my own horn

I am up to 55 minutes on the elliptical It is a great feeling watching someone get on. and off while I am still going strong. lol.

Elliptical all the way. I used to love the Treadmill until I tried the Elliptical. The Elliptical doesn't kill my feet and knees like the Treadmill does and I feel like I can do more on the Elliptical. I burn alot more calories on the Elliptical too.

I love the elliptical at the gym, so I bought one for the house, too!

I am so happy, it's here! They're going to deliver and set up for me on Friday!!

I used to have a treadmill, but I've also got plantar fasciitis in my left foot and the impact of the treadmill made working out painful. My guy bought me an elliptical for Christmas a year ago and I love it. The impact is greatly reduced, without sacrificing effectiveness.

I consulted with my trainer before switching to the elliptical and he told me it was a good choice because you get an excellent cardio workout and the opportunity to vary your workout. It's true that you can change the incline and speed of the treadmill, but you can do the same with the elliptical. In addition, you can choose the forward motion OR a reverse motion on the elliptical, which gives you two totally different workouts. I can REALLY feel it when I go backwards for a bit. In different muscles. This is a valuable plus to me. It's hard to walk backwards on a treadmill.

However, my mom has tried my elliptical and she says it kills her knees and hips and makes it really hard for her to stay on it very long. What this says to me is that every BODY is different and what works for some, might not work for others. So I would definitely recommend "borrowing" one first before sinking the money. Try it at a gym if you can. I know gyms can be inconvenient and expensive, which is why many of us have equipment in our own homes, but many gyms will let you try it out for a few sessions before joining. Or, if you have a friend who has one, ask if they mind if you give it a couple tries before committing. It should be more than once though, cause problems might not become evident until you've done it a couple times.

Like a few other posters here, I had to start slowly on mine. It was such an intense workout it killed me. I thought the baby Jesus was sitting on my chest, ready to take me Home. I was able to stay on maybe five minutes before giving up. I can report though that I stayed with it and added a few minutes at a time and eventually I was able to work up to a full 30 minutes with hardly breaking a sweat, but it took me a while.

I supplement this with bike riding with my boys, walking with my guy, bands and weights and an exercise ball, which makes doing sit ups a breeze.

If you Google the topic, there's a wealth of information out there: Google results for treadmill vs. elliptical. It might just convolute the issue and confuse you more, but you might also find something there that will help you decide.

Hope that helps and remember, it's not what you do it on, it's that you do it at all. That's more important than the type of machine you buy. Good luck! Let us know what you decide and how it turns out for you!