Heart rate not as fast, but I burned more calories?

Kel_Loves_Coffee
Kel_Loves_Coffee Posts: 8 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey all,

I don’t have a fitbit, so I’m going by the heart rate reading on my treadmill. I just did a “fat blast” 35 minute program on my treadmill, which is basically walking at 3 mph with varying incline levels throughout. My heart rate was not as fast as when I walk/jog for 45 minutes at 3.5 mph with NO incline & I also burned more calories in a shorter amount of time today (due to the incline I assume). I’m wondering then, am I supposed to watch for most calories burned or higher heart rate?? My goal is weight loss.

Thank you!

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Calories burned.
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    An incline increase will burn more calories than a speed increase.
  • Kel_Loves_Coffee
    Kel_Loves_Coffee Posts: 8 Member
    I felt like today’s workout was a lot easier for me, being it was a slower pace & I wasn’t dripping sweat, and heart rate not as high, so I was surprised to see the calorie burn was higher. If I can burn more calories this way, I’d rather do it this way for sure! I’m just starting out 😉 thanks everyone!
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    edited September 2018
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    DoubleUbea wrote: »
    An incline increase will burn more calories than a speed increase.

    Only if you don't hold on to the rails

    I use the front grips on the treadmill with arms mostly relaxed and only slightly bent so I can get HR measured without much "rail effect". There is still a little; I catch myself tensing the arms every now and then. But being a hinge point out in front of me I don't think I can put much weight on it. It would be interesting to try that with a scale sometime; see how much body weight I can support like that with elbows out in front of my body. EDIT - Implied in that weighing would be without straining or tensing my legs. I am sure I am doing neither of those things.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    It's the same concept as how walking up a flight of stairs burns more calories than walking the same amount of steps on a flat surface, even if you're speed walking. Fighting against gravity can do a lot to up that energy expenditure! Do whichever version you feel more comfortable with.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Also remember that there a lot of things play a role in your HR. A big one is how warm it is but illness, caffeine, and recovery (from a workout for example) also factor into your HR.
  • Kel_Loves_Coffee
    Kel_Loves_Coffee Posts: 8 Member
    dewd2 wrote: »
    Keep in mind that heart rate does NOT equal effort or calories burned. The same effort on different days may result in different heard rates. Over training, lack of sleep, heat, and sickness can all cause your HR to vary. I suggest ignoring it (especially the nonsense about fat burning zone unless you're training for a long distance event).

    You know...I was wondering if lack of sleep affected heart rate! I’ve been feeling tired this week...and wondered if that was resulting in a lower heart rate. Good to know!
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    Getting on a treadmill in front of the news versus a sitcom varies my HR/BP these days...

    Fake news. :wink:
  • juliafromrf
    juliafromrf Posts: 106 Member
    Kel_Loves_Coffee wrote: »
    You know...I was wondering if lack of sleep affected heart rate! I’ve been feeling tired this week...and wondered if that was resulting in a lower heart rate. Good to know!

    I don't know which effect lack of sleep has on a resting heart rate, but the heart rate during a workout is definitely higher (or gets higher much faster) for me if I don't sleep enough.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    DoubleUbea wrote: »
    An incline increase will burn more calories than a speed increase.

    Only if you don't hold on to the rails

    I use the front grips on the treadmill with arms mostly relaxed and only slightly bent so I can get HR measured without much "rail effect". There is still a little; I catch myself tensing the arms every now and then. But being a hinge point out in front of me I don't think I can put much weight on it. It would be interesting to try that with a scale sometime; see how much body weight I can support like that with elbows out in front of my body. EDIT - Implied in that weighing would be without straining or tensing my legs. I am sure I am doing neither of those things.

    I think you would move more if your arms were free swinging. I know I do quite a bit of hiking and when I get tired I put my hands on my hips or loop my fingers through my backpack straps to conserve energy. Holding on to treadmill handholds does nothing good calorie-burn wise, regardless of the fact that you're not resting your weight there nor using it as assistance.
  • DoubleUbea
    DoubleUbea Posts: 1,115 Member
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    Only if you don't hold on to the rails

    ARE YOU WATCHING ME? :dizzy:
    fy9bj6xazghb.gif

    NorthCascades wrote: »
    Fake news. :wink:
    It's all fake. (no wink)

  • Kel_Loves_Coffee
    Kel_Loves_Coffee Posts: 8 Member
    juliafromrf wrote: »
    Kel_Loves_Coffee wrote: »
    You know...I was wondering if lack of sleep affected heart rate! I’ve been feeling tired this week...and wondered if that was resulting in a lower heart rate. Good to know!

    I don't know which effect lack of sleep has on a resting heart rate, but the heart rate during a workout is definitely higher (or gets higher much faster) for me if I don't sleep enough.

    Haha I’m the total opposite!
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    CarvedTones wrote: »
    singingflutelady wrote: »
    DoubleUbea wrote: »
    An incline increase will burn more calories than a speed increase.

    Only if you don't hold on to the rails

    I use the front grips on the treadmill with arms mostly relaxed and only slightly bent so I can get HR measured without much "rail effect". There is still a little; I catch myself tensing the arms every now and then. But being a hinge point out in front of me I don't think I can put much weight on it. It would be interesting to try that with a scale sometime; see how much body weight I can support like that with elbows out in front of my body. EDIT - Implied in that weighing would be without straining or tensing my legs. I am sure I am doing neither of those things.

    I think you would move more if your arms were free swinging. I know I do quite a bit of hiking and when I get tired I put my hands on my hips or loop my fingers through my backpack straps to conserve energy. Holding on to treadmill handholds does nothing good calorie-burn wise, regardless of the fact that you're not resting your weight there nor using it as assistance.

    I agree. I should do that when I decide on the combination of speed and incline. Right now I am tweaking that and watching HR. I would like to keep it up around 150. 4.7 mph at 15% was doing that, but I think it is hard on the joints to go at what is pretty much top speed walking for me. Today I tried 4.0 mph at 15% and the HR was too low until bumped speed up to 4.2. So next time I will got to that setting and go free arm for a while and then just grab the grips for a reading every now and then. I won't be surprised to find out that 4.1 or maybe even that same 4.0 is enough when I don't have the grips. I try not to put any weight on them, but I bet there is a little.

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