Fitness

Hi everyone

I've recently gotten back into going to the gym after a long time off (several years!)

Five years ago I lost about 40 lbs, by going to the gym religiously 3 times a week, and doing the cross-trainer for 50 minutes, sometimes an hour, plus I did a few weight machines.  I also counted calories (1200 per week day, free on the weekends)

I now have quite a busy job, and I am struggling to get in more than 30 or 35 minutes on the cross-trainer.  Is this enough?  I am worried that because I have cut my time down by 15 or 20 minutes it's not going to be very effective. 

how long do you guys use the cross trainer for?

Thanks

i use the elliptical for an hour when i go to the gym (3-5 times a week, depending on the week/my schedule/my mood).

but 30-35 minutes is perfectly acceptable, even 20 is sufficient. as long as you're burning something, right?

20-40 minutes, but thats after 20-30 min of weights.   30 min is definately enough to be worth it.  Youll burn a bit less total but you are still working out.

I do 35 min. on elliptical and then 25 or 30 on treadmill and then do 25 weights. I would do as much as you can and then push yourself to do a little more every week. thats what i did and am still doing!

I know, that's what I have to keep telling myself.  I just don't want to be one of those people who "goes to the gym" but doesn't actually do much when I get there.  But, to be fair, I did 35 mins this morning, and it was hard work - so I must be getting something out of it.  And maybe I can work up to waking up even earlier to eventually fit in the 50 mins...

thanks guys

As a warmup, 10 minutes on a resistance/elevation of about 4.

For cardio, 15-30 minutes at high resistance/elevation (6-10) sometimes with intervals (3 minutes at level 6, 2 minutes at level 8, repeat). Upping the intensity def helps me burn more calories too. I give it my all so I can get the heck off of it! I get bored very easily :P

I do 35 to 40 mins a day. I start at resistance 3 and work up to 6. But I started by using the gazelle which was lower impact for 30 mins for about 5 months and when I move home I switched to the eliptical, so I didn't start with as difficult a work out.

High intensity is the way to go for fat burning. Warm up a couple of minutes then alternate back and forth between going as fast as you can for a minute and then a recovery pace for a minute. Go fast then recover for the bulk of your workout. Then warm down for a coulpe of minutes. For 20 minutes - 3 minute warm up, 14 minutes of alternating speeds, 3 minute cool down.

At the moment I'm only doing 20mins a day, sometimes more if I have time. I do that on a "Gluteal 1/2" setting, which starts off at elevation 4, working up to 13 for the first 17 minutes, and mixes forward and backwards pedalling.

Sometimes I add another 20 minutes to the end of my workout if I have the energy. I looooove the crosstrainer :)

if u feel like ur working hard, it means u r.  don't get down on yourself, since ti HAS been 5 yrs and u can't start off at how good u were back then.  keep up with what ur doing and try to add a few minutes each week, or if u cant t first, try doing something else as well as the eliptical: rowing machine, stairmaster, weights, crunches...

i always do at least 50 mins but no more than 60 mins on the eliptical

I do 50-60 minutes on the elliptical. I try to burn 660 calories mon, wed and fri. The other days I burn 760 calories except sundays because that's my day off.

30-45 mins depending on how much time i have. i always go past 300 calories though

I'm the fat kid with asthma and Have been working on the elliptical machines to improve my cardio and thus my breathing/lung strength.

When I first started I did 15 minutes, then 20, etc....

My breathing has been better lately and I have been pushing myself to do more every time I go to the gym (even if it's only a minute).

This week has gone like this for me.  30, 36, 40, 45, 46 (minutes)

My goal is to be able to get to a full hour.

At that point I want to start increasing my resistance.

I go to a gym with one elliptical with a 30 minute limit.  I never feel like it's enough and I don't enjoy it all that much.  I do that then go and walk/jog on the treadmill or go outside and walk/jog for another 30-45 minutes. 

I keep with it because I have knee pain these days and it's easier on my joints. 

I do 3 sets of 15 minutes on the elliptical at a resistance of about 10. I used to do 35 minutes straight, but I would get so bored so I just had to start breaking it up and hey, 45 minutes is better than 35 any day. After, I do about 30-45 minutes of weights.

Geesh, I feel like a slacker now. I only use my elliptical for 20 mins a day, 30 mins when it's cold outside and I'm not able to get out. Mine is just a home model so I'm not sure how that compares to the resistance levels at the gym but mine has a weight loss program and a cardio strength workout. I have two small children and they don't allow me more time than that, hehe. I also noticed that some of you lift weights for 30-45 mins.What is your routine? I have a home gym/weight bench and I can't imagine what I could do on it that would last me 45 mins. I usually do presses and leg lifts and that takes me less than 5 mins. So what else are you guys doing?? Man I feel like a lazy bum now, hehe

Original Post by varsityfrosh:

I do 3 sets of 15 minutes on the elliptical at a resistance of about 10. I used to do 35 minutes straight, but I would get so bored so I just had to start breaking it up and hey, 45 minutes is better than 35 any day. After, I do about 30-45 minutes of weights.

I do this too!  I get extremely bored on the cardio machines, so I usually warm up for 10 minutes on the eliptical, then stretch, do my weights.  Then 15 mins on the eliptical, stretch, do crunches/abs, then 10 mins on the treadmill walking the last five.