how do I measure calories burned in a cardio class.

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LindyTD
LindyTD Posts: 4
in Fitness and Exercise
I do a lot of strength and cardio workouts. Problem is I got no idea how much calories I'm burning in my 1hr classes. Is there a way I can measure that or a gadget I can use

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  • ardavis23
    ardavis23 Posts: 95 Member
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    Purchasing a Heart rate monitor will get you accurate calories burned. They can be pricey, but it is definitely worth it. :smile:
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    LindyTD wrote: »
    Is there a way I can measure that or a gadget I can use

    Not reliably, consistently or meaningfully. Note that despite the above an HRM isn't designed for the use case you describe and will over-estimate expenditure.
  • LindyTD
    LindyTD Posts: 4
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    Thanks
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    LindyTD wrote: »
    Is there a way I can measure that or a gadget I can use

    Not reliably, consistently or meaningfully.

    Agreed.

    IMO, pick a number between 5 and 10 and mulitply that number by the number of minutes you worked out. Choose a lower number for lower intensity exericse or exercise with lots of rest intervals... choose a higher number for higher intensity and more steady/consistent effort.

    for example... lifting weights for 30 minutes with moderate rest between sets, I'd use something like 5 or 6 x 30 minutes, for an estimate of 150-180 calories burned. But 30 minutes of high intensity biking, I'd choose 9 or 10 x 30 minute for an estimated 270-300 calories burned.

    It's all just guesswork and estimations, so IMO, the best thing you can do is use the same method for estimating every time you workout out. Whether you choose MFP's estimates, an HRM, or something like I explained above, just be consistent with the method you use.

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