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The 'easy' run

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TavistockToad
TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
in Social Groups
Is it really possible that since October I have become so efficient at running that I'm burning 100 cals less on a 6ish mile run?

I'm half marathon training (my second) and have noticed my garmin is being rather stingy these last couple of weeks. Have I just mastered the art of the 'easy' run which means I'm not getting the high calorie burns or is my watch lying to me?!

Using the weight x distance x 0.63 I get 530 cals for today's run, garmin gave me 466 and in October the same run gave me 570.

I know they're all estimates but I'm rungry so I want to eat as many calories as possible!!!

Replies

  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    Does Garmin have your weight correct? Sometimes it changes these things without notice. As if to keep you on your toes ;-)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I'll check next time I sync my watch.
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
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    Unless your weight is way lower, I'd say that your Garmin is shorting you. I go with the weight x distance x 0.63 for my calorie burn.....unfortunately for me, that's a lower number than Garmin gives me
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    MNLittleFinn wrote: »
    Unless your weight is way lower, I'd say that your Garmin is shorting you. I go with the weight x distance x 0.63 for my calorie burn.....unfortunately for me, that's a lower number than Garmin gives me

    Just checked on here and I am 2lbs lighter today than I was in October... can't see that making much difference!
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
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    Your watch is robbing you!

    You might burn slightly less as your heart rate doesn't get as high but not 100 calories less over 6 miles.

    It doesn't tend to drop that many with HADD training.
  • BeeerRunner
    BeeerRunner Posts: 728 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Compare the Garmin with the formula on each run and go with the highest calorie burn of the 2. ;) You might gain a few lbs but you'll be less rungry!! :)
  • MobyCarp
    MobyCarp Posts: 2,927 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Your watch is lying to you. Unfortunately, it's not possible to tell what the correct number is.

    For a similar run, Garmin says I burn more calories if I don't wear the heart rate monitor. With the heart rate monitor, using the same data for the same run, Strava may tell me I burned twice as many calories as Garmin says. You're better off ignoring the calorie burn estimates and eating calories based on how your weight trends on the scale. For satiety, concentrate on getting enough protein and fiber; but as a distance runner, you don't want *too much* fiber!
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,704 Member
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    Are you wearing a HR monitor? Is your HR significantly slower? Alternately, are you running someplace flatter or is the temperature cooler/dryer so you aren't working as hard?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I have a garmin 225, so it's a wrist HM monitor. Which I know may not be super accurate but I've had the watch 18 months and have lost weight eating my calories back.

    My heart rate is dropping lower than I have ever noticed before on the down hill portions of the same route, into the 120's.

    I'll maybe go with @BeeerRunner suggestion of watch or formula, which ever is bigger.

    At the moment im too rungry to maintain a deficit at all, which is a bit annoying but not the end of the world!
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Quick question about the formula, as I haven't seen this before. What units do you use for weight and distance?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    FatMoojor wrote: »
    Quick question about the formula, as I haven't seen this before. What units do you use for weight and distance?

    Pounds and miles
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
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    Thank you.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    I use the formula exclusively and have maintained my weight for over 2 years eating with varying mileage during that time eating to account for those burns.

    Calorie counts by HRM are not as reliable and accurate as the marketing would lead you to believe. There are some great posts by Azdak(?) in the forums and blogs which go into the details on why. Your HR can be effected by weather and recovery, but the watch has no way of knowing that. I have gotten a 30% difference in calorie estimates for the exact same run in cool temps vs. hot weather. And unless it adjusts for changes to your resting HR and VO2MAX, it will drift down as you the same amount of work at a lower HR.

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