Many people at the gym depend heavily on their cardio machines to tell them when they have burned enough calories to hit the locker rooms. I’d say about 40% of the people that use the wide variety of cardio machines depend on calories, not time, to give them permission to hop off.
Of course, as trainers we have already been telling our clients that the machines aren’t the most accurate. Instead, we would suggest using a bodybugg to measure their REAL calorie expenditure. Once they did, they understood the importance of having one!
Another important point is … the longer you do a particular type of cardio, the less amount of calories you burn! It’s human nature to adapt, improve and conserve energy. Therefore your body will find the best way to do an activity without burning up it’s precious fuel. That’s why you must consistently change the intensity, the type, or the time of your cardio to continually lose.
The Experiment
GMA technology contributor Becky Worley used the VO2 test on a treadmill, stationary bike, stair climber, elliptical machine and fitness watches. She used each for five minutes and, in each case, according to the VO2 test, the number of calories burned was overestimated.
On average, the machines overestimated by 19 percent and the watches overestimated by 28 percent.
Here’s the breakdown:
Treadmill: Overestimated calories burnt by 13 percent.
Stationary Bike: Overestimated calories burnt by 7 percent.
Stair Climber: Overestimated calories burnt by 12 percent.
Elliptical: overestimated calories burnt by 42 percent.
Are you shocked??? Human error can also really mess up the machines analysis. Your age, height and weight must be as accurate as possible to get a true reading. So if you are exercising next to some hot guy / girl and you deduct 20 pounds off of your weight (scared that they will see your real numbers), you’ll be staying on that elliptical a bit longer 
What Do The Manufacturers Have To Say?
According to the makers, calorie counting software doesn’t adjust to machine wear and tear. Also, machine resistance can change overtime, which skews the calculation. And none of the machines can calculate a user’s metabolism rate, health history and fitness level, all of which affect calorie counters.
The Answer : My personal favorite is a calorie counting device called the bodybugg. I use this with the digital display to see how many calories I’m really burning.
If you don’t have the money to buy extra equipment, the machine manufacturers recommend entering a slightly lower weight. This will compensate for some of the overestimation.
If you know a hard core gym bunny, then don’t forget to forward this on! This fitness tip should not be missed!!!
Adria Ali
BS, PES, CES, CPT
Tired of staring at the walls in your gym as you burn off those calories!?? Ditch the elliptical inside and use the streetstrider outdoors!
Reviews on the Streetstrider
It felt like a combination of low impact jogging, skiing, and cycling, and the unit was easily maneuverable given the lean-to-steer design. This machine can really fly once you get going. In fact, it can go as fast as 43 mph. You have complete control over your speed and can handle all sorts of terrain and inclines given the built in 8 Speed Shimano Nexus Transmission with Twist Grip Shifter. This machine can accommodate riders weight of up to 400 lbs (source).
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not as easy as it looks. Well, unless you’re super coordinated and in fantastic condition cardio-wise. Because it’s like an elliptical, riding a streetstrider is a no joke cardio workout. They claim it burns more calories in the same amount of time than running or biking. That I can believe since my thighs were burning after 15 minutes and I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears. We ended up taking several breaks in the course of our hour long session. Also because the mechanism is like an elliptical, the handle bars function more for braking and supplemental pedalling rather than steering. In order to turn you have to shift your body weight to either side. A little scary if you’ve never done it before..definitely takes some practice (source).
I have really fallen in love with the Streetstrider bikes! I bought a 6 pack of rentals through bloomspot because the bikes looked cool.
The first time I went to rent the bike, it was extremely difficult! I could not ride for very long, and I took many breaks. This had nothing to do with the bike, it was my lack of athletic ability! The second time I went back to ride, I had a much easier time riding. I was actually able to make it from the StreetStrider location past the Santa Monica Pier. I was very impressed with my progress in just a weeks time.
I have ridden the bikes now 2 Saturdays in a row and on a Monday evening after work, and I really enjoy it! Rentals are really enjoyable and fun, you do get a great workout. The downside is paying to park at Venice Beach, its $15 on the weekend, $9 during hte week! It may be worth it to search for street parking or even take public transportation.
How Many Calories Does The Streetstrider Burn Vs. Indoor Elliptical?
*According to research, the streetstrider burns more calories then the indoor elliptical trainer.
How Much Does A Streetstrider Cost?
This piece of equipment can be pretty pricey! Since there are 4 different models, the ellipticals range from $1,799 – 799. After reading through several reviews, the most expensive model seems to be the easiest to ride.
If you can’t afford to pay all this money upfront, the company also does financing.
Share these fitness tips with your friends and family who need fun ways to get in shape!
Adria
BS, CES, PES, CPT
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