Treadmill vs Elliptical: Which is better?

Shopping for fitness equipment can be daunting…and how to you choose between a treadmill vs elliptical? Being a mom of *almost four small children I rarely get the chance to get out to work out and find the best time to workout is usually at home during a nap time or early/late in the day. So I have been jonesin’ for a machine I can use from home and have Netflix binge sessions while burning some calories.

If you have followed my journey, you may know that I started running about a year ago. I have always been a terrible runner, well, I shouldn’t say that I have always been a terrible runner, but once I developed into a woman I felt like I became a terrible runner. I have had some serious mental blocks to overcome and it wasn’t until I started to run last year that I realized I could be a runner. It didn’t matter if I was the fastest or had the best technique, I just wanted to enjoy it and see if I could really get to the place of “craving a run.”

I ran for a few solid months in the early summer and then became pregnant. I got to the point that I was running 3.5 miles without stopping and I was pretty dang proud of that! I ran a few times in my first trimester but slowly did less and less as it caused some cramping/pain and I decided I would rather stop at that point then worry if I was causing any harm to the baby.

Are you still with me?

Okay…so I am shopping for a new machine and having to decide whether I would like to get a treadmill or an elliptical and this is what I found.

Shape Up Outlets is a local fitness equipment liquidation for amazing fitness equipment and the good news is that you can also shop their inventory online. The timing to partner up with them couldn’t have been better because I am over 37 weeks pregnant and getting really ansy to get my body moving again! This was not the optimal time to have my photo taken, but hey, what can you do! 🙂

When you are shopping for a new piece of equipment there are key factors that you want to consider. For a treadmill you want to consider the size of the motor, fold-ability, brand, width and the “extras.” I will be putting my machine in the basement so I really wanted to find a machine that had fans attached as the room will get a little stuffy. I also really wanted a machine that could hold my iPad so I could watch shows and I love the idea of trying the new iFit program where you can actually watch on the screen different trails of places around the world.

I really fell in love with the Nordictrack 1750 Commercial Treadmill as it came with a fan, can fold up, has a touch screen, iFit, a great motor, and allows for incline training to work my booty. Because HELLO, I have a major booty going on right now! 🙂 Babies are totally worth it of course.

Treadmills offer a slightly higher calorie expenditure for an overall workout, but it is high impact so if you have knee issues it might not be the best choice for you.

When I’ve worked out in a cardio room before I have always naturally been more attracted to the elliptical. It seems like it takes a little less overall effort and it works your upper and lower body at the same time. The elliptical is also considered safer because it is self propelled rather than having a belt going on its own and you having to keep up. There are of course pros and cons to this. The elliptical is lower impact and works really well for people who have knee or joint issues.

I really like the Nordictrack se9i Spacesaver Elliptical, I really like about this elliptical is you can fold it up and get it out of the way. If you order it online and have it shipped to you, it is ready to use in 15 minutes. This elliptical can also fold up and offers 24 resistance levels. You can see more pictures of this machine HERE. And I apologize for the blurry picture, I am just moving SO fast it couldn’t be avoided. 😉

If you are looking for nitty gritty details of the pros/cons between the elliptical and treadmill I found this article really helpful.

I’m excited to announce that I can offer a discount to all of you to receive 10% off your entire purchase using the code: camille10! This can be applied in store or online. With the steep discounts already offered you will save a lot of money on your machine as it is the “off season” for fitness equipment!

When it comes to the final decision it really is about preference as they both offer an excellent workout. Because I am attempting to become a better runner I am going with a treadmill this time around. It is suggested that you have high and low impact workouts in your weekly routine. I would love to hear which machine you prefer!

If you are in Utah and close to Davis County we would love for you to attend our fitness sales event happening this SATURDAY in the Bountiful, Utah store. The event will be from 11 am-2 pm. We will have giveaways, grab bags for the first 20 people, and special discounts for the first hour in addition to your 10% off!

Shape Up Outlets Bountiful location 460 West 500 South Bountiful, Utah 84010