A recent study from the University of Colorado (published in the Journal of Applied Physiology) had participants perform an hour long easy ride and monitored the "afterburn" - to see how much fat they burned post workout. 

The Denver researchers were especially interested in how the athletes’ bodies would apportion and use calories. It has been well documented that regular endurance training increases the ability of the body to use fat as a fuel during exercise. They wondered, though, if the athletes — or any of the other subjects — would burn extra fat calories after exercising, a phenomenon that some exercisers (and even more diet and fitness books) call “afterburn.” Each of the subjects spent 24 quiet hours in a calorimeter, followed later by another 24 hours that included an hourlong bout of stationary bicycling. The cycling was deliberately performed at a relatively easy intensity (about 55 percent of each person’s predetermined aerobic capacity).

To their surprise, the researchers found that none of the groups, including the athletes, experienced “afterburn.” They did not use additional body fat on the day when they exercised. In fact, most of the subjects burned slightly less fat over the 24-hour study period when they exercised than when they did not.

The problem with “low” intensity work is you are teaching your body that is doesn’t have to adapt, you are not imposing enough stress to create the need for change. I don’t care if it’s an elliptical, stationary bike or a treadmill, AEROBIC TRAINING DOES NOT WORK. There is a difference between getting tired and creating change in your body. If “taking it easy” worked then why are so many Americans overweight? I worked in a box gym for a year and saw the same people day after day on the machines. Guess what? They Looked the same as they did when they started. (see above study)

Come in to the Movement and try a Kettlebell class and see results the first week! The workouts are hard enough to get the great results you desire and you won't feel like you are being abused. You will have fun, the members are great and the classes are fun.

Enjoy!

Chuck