If your elliptical machine doesn’t display how many calories you burn during a workout, you can use calorie-burning estimates to get an idea of how effective your elliptical workouts are.
Harvard Medical School provides a chart of common exercises, and the number of calories people of various weights could burn while running.
Image | Item Name | Programs | Max Capacity | Dimensions | Warranty | Price |
  | 12 | 300 LB | 54 x 23 x 63 inches | 1 Year limited | ||
  | 10 | 375 lbs | 32.28 x 26.38 x 8.66 inches | Lifetime frame; 5 years electronics and parts; 2 years labor | ||
  | 18 | 500 lbs | 60 x 32 x 44 inches | Lifetime frame; 3 years mechanical and electronic parts | ||
  | 22 | 300 lbs | 70.1 x 28.2 x 63.2 inches | 10 years frame, 2 years mechanical parts, 1 year electronics, 90 days labor | ||
  | 29 | 350 lbs | 73 x 27 x 67 inches | 15 years frame/motor, 5 years frame, 2 years parts | ||
  | 12 | 300 lbs | 54 x 29 x 52.5 inches | 12 MONTHS PARTS WARRANTY & 24 HOUR LIFETIME CUSTOMER SERVICE | ||
  | 7 | 350 lb | 46.5 x 22.5 x 26.5 inches | 1 Year limited | ||
  | 16 | 400 lbs | 48L x 25W x 62H inches | Lifetime part warranty | ||
  | 22 | 325 lbs | 80 x 32 x 67 inches | 10-Year Frame, 2-Year Parts, 1-Year Labor | ||
  | 12 | 350 lbs | 70.5 x 24.5 x 60.5 inches | 5-year frame warranty and 90-day parts and labor warranty; |
Based on the information provided in that table, you burn approximately 2.16 calories for every pound of your body weight during 30 minutes of general use an elliptical machine.
For example, a 185 lb person would burn about 400 calories in a typical 30-minute elliptical workout.
Step 1
Use a scale to determine your weight in pounds.
Step 2
Multiply that number by 2.16 to determine how many calories you burn in 30 minutes of using the elliptical.
Step 3
If you want to burn more, increase the duration of the workout. For example, increasing your workout duration from 30 to 60 minutes will double the number of calories you burn.
Tips
Note that the numbers provided are rough estimates. You could burn calories more or less based on the intensity of your workout. The more intense the exercise, the more calories you burn.
Do not lean on the handles while using the elliptical machine. Allow the lower body to do most of the work to maximize the number of calories burned.
It may also increase the number of calories burned during elliptical training by increasing the resistance of the machine.