hi all first post

woke up this morning and caught my reflection on the mirror it wasn't a pretty sight. So I decided on a routine that fits my work schedule .running on an elliptical machine every day for 30 minutes and then some sit ups. The next day i will on an elliptical machine than do some push ups . Is this sufficient for losing weight or am i just wasting my time?

best regards

lynx -- Congrtulations on gettin up and doing something. Just the 30 minutes a day of elliptical training plus sit ups/pull ups will improve your cardiovascular ability, improve your lipid profile (cholesterol, HDLs, LDLs, etc,) and boost your mood. For your routine to help you lose weight you need to couple it with a healthy diet. For most people, diet is about 80% of weight loss and exercise another 20%. So, eat five or six small meals a day that combine lean protein (chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna) with whole-grain carbs and plenty of fruits and vegetables -- and don't forget to avoid fast food and watch the portion sizes at restaurants. Above all, make sure your diet and execise program is something you can stick with over the long term.

-- MPFitness

Do your cardio everyday along with push-ups AND sit-ups. You'll need to make sure you're eating right as well, otherwise you'll be wasting your time. If you can, try to sign up with a local gym and begin weight training. That's a great way to burn calories and tone up.

The benefits of cardio, weight-training and other exercise has been long well established...nobody questions the importance of incorporating these activities into your life and/or weight-loss program....but it's only half the equation!

Diet is the other half of the equation. Just as the price of a good in the market is determined by both supply AND demand, so too will your results be based on how much you exercise AND how much you consume.

To lose weight, you need only create a calorie deficit where more calories are going out then coming in. I know this is obvious, but sometimes the obvious needs to be stated.

Weight-training is often overlooked, all too often people flock to aerobic classes or the treadmill figuring it's enough. On a per-minute basis, weight-training is more effective then cardio, but both have their place in a well-rounded program. Also, without weight-training, your body may be inclined to lose some of your lean muscle in response to what it perceives as a period of famine (dieting).

Elliptical; great
Weight-training; great

But get that diet dialed in. Based on your weight, height, activity level, gender, etc....a nutritionist, dietician or experienced trainer should be able to determine how many calories per day you should be looking to take in.

It's simple science and you'll find plenty of answers, help & encouragement here......welcome!