Exercise calorie burn difference between young and old!

justmytype

So, I started MFP the end of January this year with watching my diet and exercising. My adult daughter started MFP about 3 weeks ago. We have been working out together at home doing a low impact DVD and wearing a HRM (we both have the Polar FT7) which gives us the estimated calorie burn during the exercise time (45 minutes).

My HRM shows the calorie burn as 234 calories while hers shows just over 400 calories. WTH! We are doing the same DVD at the same intensity and for the same length of time. I am 50 and she is 26. We are both the same weight (approx 210 lbs.) and height. We've found the same with other exercise DVD's we've done together...she burns much more than I do.

My question is this: Is age really such a big factor in calorie burn here or is there perhaps another factor we're not thinking about? Any ideas are appreciated. I have to say I'm getting very jealous!! Lol. :grumble:

omma_to_3

Yes, age is a big factor. As we age, not only does our basal metabolic rate drop, but our muscle mass typically drops as well. So, your daughter is starting with a higher metabolism, and then likely has a higher muscle mass which means a bigger burn. Also, effort has a lot to do with it as well. While it may seem you're doing the same workout, she may be putting enough extra into it that her burn is higher.

MinnieInMaine

What omma_to_3 said plus - there are several other factors like fitness level and medications that can make a difference.

My gym buddy is about 10 pounds heavier and about 3 inches shorter than me and takes meds for high blood pressure. She ends up burning about 60 calories less than me in a session eventhough she usually puts in a slightly better effort (usually goes with higher weights, does full push-ups, etc). You'd think she'd burn about the same but the meds keep her heart beat lower so the calorie burn isn't as high.

justmytype

Not fair!!

omma_to_3

It's really, really not LOL.