Train Your Body

With the New Year comes another surge in fitness-related resolutions. You’re ready to eat better, exercise more, and achieve the calorie deficit needed to lose weight. But before you step on that elliptical, can you trust what it says? If you are using any kind of cardio machine and rely on the information displayed, chances are it may not be as accurate as you’d think (or hope).Does 400 Calories Really Mean 400 Calories?Even with all of the new technology popping up in gyms everywhere, the cardio machines -- ellipticals, treadmills, Stairmasters, and stationary bikes -- still come pre-programmed. Many times, you press a button made specifically for fat burning or cardio, and you are prompted to enter your duration and weight. Fast-forward to the end of your workout 30 minutes later, and the machine says you’ve burned off 400 calories. Great work!  Not so fast. Unfortunately, these machines cannot accurately measure each person’s individual caloric burn or metabolism. They are usually based on general calcula