While ellipticals offer stationary movement with low impact on the knees, they also seem to offer burning off insane amounts of calories when compared to equal time/work on a treadmill.
Same brand equipment, similar workout profiles
~200 calories 30 minutes on a treadmill
~670 calories 30 minutes on an eliptical
~200 calories 30 minutes on a bike
I've heard from many different sources including personal trainers both sides that ellipticals are great for burning calories and also that they are just lies.
The equipment I have at home all have a calorie counter that continues to climb even if i'm stationary. It's making assumptions about my effort to determine calories burned so I dont believe either one.
The equipment at gyms ask for weight, height and even use your heart rate to determine your calories burned.
The spread between the treadmill and the elliptical calories burned readings both from my home equipment and the gym equipment are very similar.
What is the truth? Does the eliptical really just burn 2-3 times more calories per session than a treadmill?