woops, meant to post as a reply to what kind of exercise everyone does :)
Hi Snowflake! I do the elliptical trainer also. It is such a smooth movement and you end up sweating so much I think its a great exercise.
I mainly use the elliptical machine too, but I've been wondering how good a workout it really is because I ran outside last week when I couldn't get to the gym and it was so much harder! I used the treadmill once and that was worse too. I'm not sure how much is psychological (I can read on the elliptical, but not with the others, so I'm distracted from how much longer I have to go etc), but it seems like I'm not really burning that much energy with the elliptical.
i measure it by sweat value. how i feel afterwards. all machines are not made equal. you're lucky you can read while on the elliptical, i can't keep my eye straight!
What? lol, im confused :(