Elliptical Machines - Please help

[grouchie]

Guys,
I have decided that I am going to start eating better, exercise more (or start for that matter) and lose 40 pounds by the end of the year.

When I go to my little free gym in the apartment complex they have limited machines, an exercise bike, an elliptical and some small weight machine.

I have started using the Elliptical to help build up my cardio and strengthen my lungs (I have asthma and exercise induced asthma).

This is all good and stuff, but I know I would be 100% more likely to continue exercising to help meet my goals if I actually had the machine in my apartment, so I am looking to buy one.

Is there anything in particular that i should be looking for?
One brand better than the other?
One particular machine recommended?

I'm probably willing to spend up to $1500 as my upper limit.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, silly nancy-boy remarks welcomed.

[kyleb]

exercise induced asthma sucks. i have it too. fortunately i have a mild case of it and can work through it. after forcing yourself to run and keep your heart rate at a high level, it gets a lot better (as does losing weight).

i don't really recommend elliptical machines for weight loss unless you are rehabbing your legs. as thremp says, the ground is free. i was using elliptical trainers for awhile because of a knee problem, but it's more or less gone now. running >>> ellipticals, if you can.

[grouchie]

Thanks for the reply.

My biggest problem is I cannot run. My body has never been able to.

If I run for even a minute I'm out for 30. (especially here in Vegas with the heat).

If I could get my lungs to the point where i could run I would, but that's years off if ever.

So, I have to resort to exercise machines and am now looking into which way I should go

[Big TR]

My wife and I bought a Kettler about 4 years ago. It got limited use the first 3 years.

I have lost 40 pounds in the last 8 months through mainly diet and elliptical running.

[kerowo]

You might look at rowing machines if you want a cardio machine of your own.

[fitnessfreak]

[ QUOTE ]
exercise induced asthma sucks. i have it too. fortunately i have a mild case of it and can work through it. after forcing yourself to run and keep your heart rate at a high level, it gets a lot better (as does losing weight).

i don't really recommend elliptical machines for weight loss unless you are rehabbing your legs. as thremp says, the ground is free. i was using elliptical trainers for awhile because of a knee problem, but it's more or less gone now. running >>> ellipticals, if you can.

[/ QUOTE ]

are u saying that running is a lot better than elliptical machines for burning fat, or just that its not worth buying an elliptical machine if u dont have to.

since i started my weight loss program about 2 months ago i have been using the elliptical machines at my gym a lot, moreso than the treadmill. i dont really have any issues with sore joints or anything else related to jogging, so should i be focusing more on jogging if i want to lose weight or are they both fine?

[Milo]

40 pounds is a lot in 4 months and probably shouldn't be done as you will need to diet too much. Better to eat healthy and pound away at the exercise, losing the weight more slowly, say over 8 months.

As to the elliptical, I dropped 50+ lbs over about a year and when I started I was VERY out of shape. I did nothing but elliptical and swimming (some biking) for the first 6 months.

Once down 40 lbs I started running.

[CORed]

Start by walking fast. As your conditioning improves, add in short stretches of running, changing back to a walk as soon as you start to get winded. Eventually, you should get to the point where you can continuously run.

[lippy]

I can't run for more than 10-15 minutes but can 'run' on an elliptical for 45. Why is this? Should I work on gaining endurance running because the gains are much better?

[renodoc]

my knees and ankles suck. when i ran i got a fibular stress fracture.

eliptical machines are a savior. I have a life fitness, but I really like the cybex arc trainer as well.