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Does the Elliptical Help Slim Your Body? | Live Healthy - Chron.com

If building a sleek, slim body is atop your list of fitness priorities, it's time to turn that dream into reality. The elliptical trainer at your gym provides a versatile workout. New exercisers can use the machine at a low setting, while experienced fitness buffs can crank up the resistance and feel the burn.

Building a slimmer body through exercise involves creating a calorie deficit, which means you're burning more calories than you're consuming. Using an elliptical trainer is a simple way to work toward this goal, as the machine can contribute to a rapid calorie burn. A 165-pound person who uses the elliptical trainer for 45 minutes will burn about 638 calories, notes HealthStatus. In the same amount of time, a 215-pound person will burn about 832 calories. Slimming Vibration Machine

A single workout on the elliptical trainer is beneficial, but don't expect to see a difference when you step on the scale after hopping off the machine. The key to building a slimmer body is to exercise consistently. Your diet also contributes to your goal of slimming your body but, in general, aiming for five hours of cardio weekly can help you effectively lose weight. If you can exercise and modify your diet enough to lose an extra 500 calories every day of the week, you'll lose a pound weekly.

Although it's possible to build a slimmer body through a variety of exercises, using the elliptical trainer provides some specific benefits. This form of exercise, in which your feet remain in the pedals, has comparatively minor impact on your joints, making it more suitable than using a treadmill. The machine's handles allow you to vigorously exercise your arms and upper body, which results in more calories burned during the workout. Pedaling the machine backward, notes MayoClinic.com, also allows you to build your hamstrings and calves more than forward pedaling does.

Operating the elliptical trainer at a moderate pace as you watch TV might burn calories, but a short, vigorous workout is ideal if your time is limited. "Shape" magazine recommends increasing the machine's resistance and incline every few minutes and working out for 30 to 60 minutes. As you boost the resistance and incline levels, the workout starts to mirror that of a stair-climbing workout, which quickly burns calories and strengthens your muscles.

Pansly Hair Removal Toronto-based journalist William McCoy has been writing since 1997, specializing in topics such as sports, nutrition and health. He serves as the Studio's sports and recreation section expert. McCoy is a journalism graduate of Ryerson University.