People are slowly but surely realizing the health benefits of working out and how it can help them lose weight. It’s no secret that exercise can boost your metabolism and make you burn more calories than you consume, but did you know what exactly makes the elliptical machine so special? Find out in this article about the health benefits of the elliptical workout and how it can help you lose weight.
Quiet And Stress-Free
Even people who complain about being over-stimulated and overwhelmed by noise and chaos in the middle of a busy workday can appreciate the benefits of an elliptical workout. While you’re exercising, you won’t be making as much noise as you would on other types of machines, and you’ll certainly be exercising in a more relaxed environment. Since it’s quiet, you won’t be distracted by unnecessary noises from outside sources, which can help reduce stress.
Introspective
Pace yourself during the workout and take a break when you need to. The elliptical lets you know how many calories you’re burning and how far you’ve gone, so you can keep track of how your workouts are progressing. This encourages you to continue exercising, as you’ll constantly be aware of how much you’re improving.
Challenging
The elliptical is a challenging workout machine, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t just work your arms. In fact, the resistance levels and the frequency at which you need to work to maintain your speed vary according to the model, so there’s always something new to try. Even people who’ve been on a fitness journey for years will still find new things to challenge themselves in terms of speed, endurance, and strength.
Effective
While other types of exercise bikes require a lot of room to push yourself around and to achieve high speeds, the elliptical is more akin to a cross between a bike and a treadmill in terms of how it works. This makes it more convenient to use since you don’t have to allocate a lot of space to accommodate your workout routine. You can purchase an elliptical machine that folds up, so it’s easy to transport and even easier to use wherever you go.
Unexpected Health Benefits
Even if you’re not exactly sure what exercises are good for you and how they can help you lose weight, you can be sure that the elliptical will surprise you with all of its benefits. Since it involves walking and standing, it helps build muscle, which as we know, is good for you. In general, it’s recommended that you do at least two hours of moderate exercise a day, and that will work out just fine whether you’re using the elliptical or another workout machine.
Prevents Arthritis
Walking is among the best exercises for your joints. In fact, it was found that people who spend more than three hours per day walking, stand, or exercising, have a 25% lower chance of getting arthritis. It would be a massive understatement to say that the elliptical is good for your joints. It’s been found that using the machine for three to four hours per day can reduce your chances of developing arthritis by up to 50%. Doing regular weight-bearing exercise is one of the most effective ways of avoiding arthritis, so it’s not surprising that the elliptical has proven to be so beneficial for people who suffer from the condition.
Helps With Blood Pressure
Weight loss is a key component in the treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension), and the elliptical has been found to help with that. It’s been established that aerobic exercise is the best way to lower blood pressure, and walking is among the most effective exercises. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people with hypertension do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week and if they are overweight, they should try to lose weight to lower their blood pressure. The AHA guidelines also state that weight loss can help improve the function of many organs, including the heart.
Reduces The Chances Of Depression
It’s believed that exercise can help reduce stress and depression. A study from the United Kingdom Department of Health found that people who participated in an integrated exercise program, comprising both walking and water aerobics, experienced significant improvements in their moods and feelings of wellbeing. The study also noted that there were fewer reported cases of depression among the participants than in the control group. It is thought that exercise can create a sense of achievement and wellbeing which provides some relief from the daily stresses of life.
Detoxifies The Body
The liver, your largest internal organ, plays a vital role in metabolizing toxins and breaking them down into substances that are more manageable for the body. For this reason, it’s considered a “cleansing organ”. Walking helps your liver by increasing the levels of toxins in your bloodstream, which in turn helps your body flush out toxins.
According to research, people who walk at a steady pace for 10 to 15 minutes per day have a significantly reduced risk of developing chronic liver diseases. It’s recommended that you do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week to benefit from the organ’s detoxifying effects, and if you are over 40 years old, you should do more than that to reduce your risk of liver cancer.
Improves Mental Function
Walking is a mentally taxing activity, and it is known that your thoughts improve as you focus on moving your legs. This is why it has been used throughout history as a form of “quiet time”, allowing the body and mind to relax and refresh after a stressful day. Studies have also shown that the more you walk, the sharper your mental faculties become. If you are interested in improving your mental function, you should consider incorporating more walking into your daily routine.
There are also numerous studies that have shown the incredible mental and physical benefits of running. It’s well known that running improves both your mental and physical capacities. One study from Austria found that people who participated in a five kilometer trail run each week for three months experienced higher levels of both energy and mental clarity than those in a resting group. If you’re looking to improve your mental and physical capacities, running is certainly the way to go.
Whether you’re looking to shed some weight or just want to improve your overall health, the elliptical is a great option. As you might imagine, it involves walking and standing, so it’s good for your joints, helps with blood pressure, and even improves your mental function. Not bad for just about any way of working out, right?