How are you guys burning 500+ calories

animalldy · March 2014

Try not to worry about what other people are doing and focus on what works for you! I have a few friends who regularly have 1000+ calorie burns and it just blows my mind. I don't have time for that and for me that is not healthy or sustainable in the long run. I do 30-40 min every other day, around 250 calories max. I'm maintaining and this is my long term plan.

More power to ya if you can work in an hour plus workout!

lizzyclatworthy · March 2014

I run for an hour on the tread mill (ok so I have a weights break in the middle but it counts)

What are you doing that burns 30 calories?

the other day I burnt 11 calories on the treadmill before my 'emergency phone' went off (I am not saying I am batman but we've never been seen in the same room) and I had to leave. That wasn't a good day to be eating back calories :laugh:

Sharonks · March 2014

I'm cheap and don't have an HRM. When doing steady state cardio (running) I randomly take my pulse for 6 second and multiply by 10. I do this 2 or 3 times. I take the average heart rate and plug it in to a calculator http://braydenwm.com/calburn.htm to figure out my approx burn. I am short, a few pounds from goal weight, getting way too close to 50 and fairly fit. I burn about 500 cals with an hour of running.

Cal burn has to do with size and fitness. Someone very unfit and heavy will burn more than someone who is very fit and lean.A lean 6 foot tall guy will burn more than a lean 5 foot tall one.

If you have not achieved the fitness level you want then slowly increase what you are doing. Doing too much too fast will usually cause a lot of muscle soreness and be discouraging. I personally run 3 days a week and lift heavy 3 days a week. When I have more time I would like to add yoga back into the mix but right now my schedule is full with work and school. Since summer is around the corner there will be more hiking and outdoor stuff too. Find what you like to do and go do it.

dwood1231 · March 2014

I find between 50-60 minutes of cardio, walking 4 mph will burn about 500 calories. I try to walk daily, if you have a smart phone down load the map my walk app and link it to your MFP page.

UFITYETXX · March 2014

Good to know! Thanks!

bryannakay · March 2014

Hello!!!! I used to think the SAME thing!!!! I posted a topic like this a year ago and thought it would NEVER be possible!! But IT SURE IS!!!!

I am 5'2" and weigh 169 pounds.....I usually burn 500 plus calories every time I go to the gym now. My favorite is called "cardio blitz". I do 15 minutes of the elliptical, then 15 minutes of the rower, then 15 minutes of the stairmaster at about 8 or 9 setting, then end with 15 minutes of running at 5.5 mph. If you don't have access to a rower just do 30 minutes of something. I like this workout because you don't get bored. You are never at something for too long. Anyway, I ALWAYS burn at least 600 calories. My highest was 717, I have the Polar FT7 Heart Rate Monitor also to keep track.

The_1_Who_Knocks · March 2014

I simply walk 4 miles before work and 4 miles after work. MFP gives me credit for 400+ calories for each walk. Maybe that is too high, as someone suggested, but it's been working pretty well for me.

SingingSingleTracker · March 2014

Well, a cracker earned is a cracker earned. ;-)

Intensity and duration will dictate the amount of calories burned during exercise. It's not hard to surpass a 500+ calorie burn when doing intense cardio via cycling, running, etc... . And it takes time to build up to such intensity and durations required to do that.

If I look at a workout's profile I did on Thursday, I was on the bike outside in strong winds for 1:43:32 riding a distance of 28.9 miles. This workout profile showed an average heart rate of 146, a maximum heart rate of 177 during the ride, and the ride included 5 intervals of 8 minutes duration each targeting a heart rate of 174 for the duration of each interval. For me, that's the "feel bad hard" training zone and I got a total of 40 minutes of Thursday's ride in the "feel bad hard" zone.

Here are the zones - each burns a different amount of kcals...

1. Old lady pace
2. Chatty pace
3. Feel good hard
4. Feel bad hard
5. I am going to die
6. Flat out

I wear a HR monitor and have a power meter to measure the watts (power) that I produce on the bike. The software figures out the amount of calories burned, so for Thursday's ride, 1,294 kcals were needed to complete the exercise.

Compare that to an easy bike ride in the "old lady pace" or "chatty pace" which might only burn 215 - 325 kcal per 1/2 hour for me.

Again, it is intensity + duration for cardio that racks up the # of calories burned during a workout. I would only eat back a good portion of those kcals burned if I was maintaining, or planning on doing consecutive days of the same type of training to fuel the body. If dropping weight was still the goal, I would leave a nice deficit to see the scale register lower.

As you can see by my ticker below, since January 6th of this year I have been striving to find a balance of building a huge aerobic base for cycling while trimming weight. Plenty of plateaus along the way as I had to eat to fuel the body for consecutive 2 and 2+ hour rides. This week, and next, I am attempting to run enough of a deficit to get down to my goal. My goal was 12 weeks to drop 12 pounds.

PinkNinjaLaura · March 2014

I'm a little bit embarrassed for you that you actually just said that, and with attitude. Pick up 80 pound weights and go for a run - let me know how your burn is afterward.

tycho_mx · March 2014

bicycle riding. And measured in the most precise way possible - using a crank power meter that tells exactly how much energy is used pedaling (not estimated using HRM, which is very variable).

So - 600 kJ (translates more or less the same to Calories, depending on efficiency) on an easy 1 hour ride. 800 Cal / h on a moderate, and 1100 Cal / h on a very hard ride. Note that for the last one I would be going over 40 km/h (25 mph).

My typical rides are 1 to 3 hours long, the longest has been 8.5 h. That was about 5500 calories. Cycling is a great calorie burner, since the strain on muscles is long and it's relatively easy to ride 15 h / week. Not so easy running, since the pounding on the joints can make you susceptible to soreness or injuries.

Cycling is a great weight-loss exercise!

Calliope610 · March 2014

Oh, I'm sure she knows what she is talking about. I mean, she IS a fitness competitor after all.

bjburg24 · March 2014

For my exercise, I tend to alternate between a brisk walk of 2 to 2 1/2 miles and swimming laps. The walk usually burns 100-150 calories, but 40 or more minutes of swimming is around 450, I have worked up to swimming 45 minutes twice a week. Those days are nice to have in the "burned it off" category, but I am not trying to eat to compensate. Just nice to have that cushion on a day when I might go out to eat or be 200 calories over the daily allowance. I have also been trying out the elliptical at our Y and it is a calorie burner! I am only up to 8-10 minutes on it so far.

xamykate · March 2014

I have just made a new MFP account, and I am currently doing Insanity. Before I used a HRM and logged my exercise as Insanity and burned about 400+kcals for month 1 and around 600kcal for month 2 - now I am using MFP estimates as circuit training which puts me at 300+kcal for month 1 ... no overestimating here haha.

knra_grl · March 2014

A fitter person can burn the same as an overweight person in the same amount of time - it's about the amount of effort and getting the heartrate up - A heavier person even though they may only be walking 3 mph might burn the same as a fitter person say running 5.5 mph for the same amount of time - it's about the energy exerted not the amount a person weighs - A fitter person seems like they are working harder but they actually CAN work harder than someone who is not as fit - just my opinion - not an expert

randomtai · March 2014

Oh please... :yawn:

shinkalork · March 2014

Good way to pump is to do intervals....low speed - high speed cardio ...or weights and high cardio. Pump your heart a lot.
Jumping ropes is a killer too.

Calliope610 · March 2014

walking @ 3mph is NOT the same activity as walking 5.5mph. Doing the SAME activity (i.e. same intensity, same speed, same distance, etc), the larger person WILL burn more calories than the other because of the increased mass being moved, resulting in more energy being exerted to move the greater mass = increased calorie burn.

randomtai · March 2014

crazybookworm · March 2014

I use a Heart Rate Monitor to get a more accurate calorie burn. I burn about 500 doing Cardio and Strength training. I'll switch up my routine every 2 weeks to keep things fresh. A typical for week for me would be like:

Monday: Cardio(Stairmaster, Arc Trainer, Jogging)
Tuesday: Free Weights and Body Weight Strength Session
Wednesday: Yoga and an evening Gym Class
Thursday: Cardio(Whatever I'm in the mood for)
Friday: Cardio for 30 minutes, Strength Circuit for 45 minutes
Saturday: Free Day(Whatever form of exercise I feel like doing. Like A class, or just a good gym session)
Sunday: Yoga/Rest Day

knra_grl · March 2014

Where in my response did I say it was the same activity? Maybe I worded it wrong? A heavier person walking 3 mph (which could take a lot of effort on their part) and a fitter person running 5.5 miles per hour (possibly the same amount of effort as the heavier person's walk) could burn the same amount of calories. A fitter person would have to increase their effort to get to the same heartrate as a heavier person whose heartrate would increase at a slower pace.

drosebud · March 2014

MFP has cut my cals for combat based on my weight going down, which makes perfect sense to me. You try doing the same exercise whilst carrying a 20kg back pack and see whether you feel like you are using more calories.

drosebud · March 2014

I just read this after I posted mine, and totally agree! I went on holiday recently and my suitcase weighed 20kg, and it felt VERY heavy. It was very motivational to realise that was how much weight I had shed. Your weight loss is brilliant!

randomtai · March 2014

But... the argument was for 2 people (one overweight, one thinner) doing the SAME activity. Not sure what the heck you are talking about. :huh: :huh: :huh: :noway:

Calliope610 · March 2014

The premiss you responded to contains the implied assumption of the same activity. But you are right, of course a fit person will burn more calories in the same about of time running than an overweight person will burn walking. But for that matter, an overweight 240lb person will burn more calories in the same about of time running @ 5mph than another overweight 240lb person walking at 3.5mph. Therefore comparison with all variables being equal except weight is necessary for an accurate analysis.

TRD66 · March 2014

I cycle to and from work. Not only is it quicker than the bus (when you take into account the walk to the bus stop). Does it ffor me during the week. I'll through in a couple of runs, maybe a swim at night as well - when the kids are in bed.

ayalowich · March 2014

No. Double is just as big an exaggeration. For distance running MFP is probably 20-25% high, sometimes less.

I use my Polar which is reasonably accurate given it bases off of HR, vo2 max and probably some other algorithm factor that I am not thinking of at the moment. When I run in the 7:40 to 8:00 per mile I usually burn 100-105 calories and that has been relatively consistent over time.

Ran an hour this morning and with the 1-2 minute recovery burn was around 800 calories for 7.6 miles

katerosserx · March 2014

Anyone good with advice on diet plans? Add me:)

Calliope610 · March 2014

just read this and apply the principles contained within....

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

momma2azoo · March 2014

[/quote]

"A fitter person can burn the same as an overweight person in the same amount of time - it's about the amount of effort and getting the heartrate up - A heavier person even though they may only be walking 3 mph might burn the same as a fitter person say running 5.5 mph for the same amount of time - it's about the energy exerted not the amount a person weighs - A fitter person seems like they are working harder but they actually CAN work harder than someone who is not as fit - just my opinion - not an expert"
[/quote]

You're comparing apples and oranges here. Admittedly, I like a whole basket of fruit but it's not fair to say grapes are equal to blueberries. 2 oz of grapes has a lot more calories than 2 oz of blueberries. Now, I could eat enough blueberries to equal the calories in the grapes but gosh. If I'm trying to watch my calorie count wouldn't it make sense to eat the food that has more volume (make me feel fuller) for less calories?

Comparing different exercise for different weight people and saying 'They can burn the same'!! Is like saying grapes and blueberries are the same just because you can work it out to eat the same number of calories for each. I'd rather have a bunch of blueberries than a few grapes personally.

You need to stick to one thing to understand the point being made (as I make mixed analogies....). If a 150 lb person walks a mile and a 250 lb person walks a mile, the 250 lb person is going to burn more calories. It really is that simple. It takes more energy to move 250 lbs a mile than it does 150lbs. Now, that 150 lb person could run circles around the 250 lb person for the entire mile, covering more overall distance and exerting more effort and maybe burn the same calories. But, now the two people aren't doing the same thing anymore, are they?? They're grapes and blueberries.

To the OP... How do you burn more calories? Real simple. Move more. More harder. Move longer. There's no magic to it. If you weigh 100 lbs or 500lbs. If you want a good calorie burn expect to work for it. For a fat out of shape person going for that one mile walk may feel like just as much effort as the hour and a half of high intensity cardio a thin in shape person does for a similar calorie burn.

Our bodies adapt to exercise by building cardio, muscle, bone and connective tissue strength. As the body gets stronger it becomes more efficient and burns fewer calories than it used to in order to perform the same exercise. If you're eating at a deficit, you'll loose weight along the way. At you get stronger and lighter it becomes easier to work harder. For me, this is the addictive part of exercise. It's hard to start. Once you get going though, seeing the gains you make is excellent encouragement to keep going and to go harder.

momma2azoo · March 2014

Ahhh, but both people will burn the same calories (respectively) for the mile regardless of whether they walk or run.

My brain likes to point out the unfairness of that during the first mile of my runs when my muscles are warming up and protesting the abuse.

How are you guys burning 500+ calories

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