Workout DVDs - calorie estimate help

fortally

I'm looking for help figuring out the estimated calories burned from workout dvds. I don't have a heart rate monitor, and really I'm just looking for a rough idea of how many calories I'm burning from these (so I know what to enter for the exercise diary). I'm 36, 5' 6" and 132 lb. I know no-one can give exact numbers, but maybe other people with similar height/weight can give their opinion?

Oh - and I am HORRIBLY out of shape (just getting back into things). These are a few that are making the rotation right now. I can get through them, but just barely.

Biggest Loser (Cardio, Boot Camp)
Jillian Michaels (Frontside, Backside, & 30 Day Shred)
Pilates - just a rough idea of calories burned??

I'm also doing step aerobics for cardio because I actually find that fun, but I have a pretty good idea of calories burned for that. It's just the dvds - can't find anything with googling, so I thought I'd try the forum and see if anyone has rough ideas or opinions. Thanks!

MoreBean13

Most of them I would log as "aerobics- general" and the pilates I would log as Pilates.

IB4 a million HRM suggestions.

unhgoose

I'm the same height and age but about 20-25 lbs heavier, and when I wore my HR monitor for Jillian's Ripped in 30 I would get between 275-290 calories per workout. I'm heavier than you so your burn would probably be a little lower. My battery died in the HR monitor a while ago so a lot of the time I just add it as circuit training, general and that has given me similar numbers.

skyfall91

im 5"5 and 14lbs and find most workout dvds burn about 5-7 calories a minute for me. Maybe use 5 cals a minute as a rough guide?

NatalieLJ

I Googled how many calories are burned during Jillian's 30-day shred exercise session - it said about 175 for level 1. That's gonna vary depending on weight though.

fortally

Thank you - this was all really helpful. I've been logging the dvds as "circuit training" for 200 calories, so it looks like I'm in the ballpark with accuracy. Right now I'm not too worried about being 100% accurate - I just wanted to get an idea to make sure I wasn't totally off.

I've gotten on & fallen off the exercise wagon so many times that I was really hesitant to shell out the money for a heart monitor. But when I got winded pushing the shopping cart across the parking lot I realized how out of shape I really was and decided it was time to get my butt in gear. So the deal I made with myself is that if I stick with it and really commit (and improve my fitness) then I get to buy a heart monitor - that's the goal!

But in the mean time the estimates really help, so thank you!

Katthen

How about trying to check your HR / pulse a few times manually during your training? Like 5 minutes into yr training, half way through and at the end? Use that as your average and use it to calculate. Smart phones usually have apps that you can use and while they aren't as accurate as a HR monitor- it's better than nothing. And easier than checking manually. I do various forms of cardio 4-5 times/wk and live by my HR monitor to measure progress- it's a great motivator!

misschoppo

I found a website a while ago that let's you use an online calculator to calculate your burn for various DVDs based on your height/weight/age etc. I've not been able to find it again since as never saved the page but at the time I noted down the numbers for several DVDs I have. obviously it's still only a guide but for me it estimates that I burn 70cals for every 20minutes of 30 day shred. I'm 5ft3 weigh 103lbs & am 24. Not sure about the other DVDs you mention as I don't have those but that is what it gives me for 30DS

karlospiklington

I just log Jillian Michaels shred as circuit training but take 5 mins off as it can come out with an estimate I think is a little too high.