Still burning calories?

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Laceyrae
Laceyrae Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello MFP friends, I recently noticed that I am having to work harder and harder to get a burn or sweat while doing my turbo jam. I am pushing myself but have noticed that I'm not out of breath or soaking wet when i finish. Should I do something else to get that burn? i really enjoy Turbo Jam and Zumba and both get me breathing pretty heavy but not as hard as a used too. Am I still burning the calories that MFP says I am even if I feel like I haven't worked as hard as I once had too? i don't want to cheat my self out of weight loss because I'm eating more calories than i am really truly burning....What do you think?

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Most likely you are not burning as many calories. You would have to wear a HRM to confirm if that is so. As you get in better shape, and do the same workout numerous times your body becomes more efficient and will burn less calories doing the same routine.

    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    If your weight is going down go into MFP settings and re-save- the activities estimate your cals burned based on your current weight but it doesn't always update unless you go in and re-save.
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
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    That means your getting fitter but also your body is probably use to the workout. Always challange your body and change your workouts up every o4-6 weeks so your still challening your body and muscles. The body does gets use to the same thing over and over.
  • mizfit
    mizfit Posts: 118
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    Most likely you are not burning as many calories. You would have to wear a HRM to confirm if that is so. As you get in better shape, and do the same workout numerous times your body becomes more efficient and will burn less calories doing the same routine.

    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.

    Great advice. Best thing to do is get a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. That's the best way to know how many calories you are really burning. The amount you average from MFP may be higher or lower than what you are really burning. I use an HRM with my Insanity workout and even doing the same routine I don't burn the same amount of calories each time.
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
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    How long have you been doing Turbo Jam? I did TJ back in June, but then started ChaLEAN Extreme and Turbo Fire. TF has a bunch of different kinds of workouts so it keeps your body from getting efficient from them. Also, you still can be burning the same calories. Some people don't sweat as much as others and you may not be out of breath as much because it's getting easier for you because you are getting fitter.
  • AmeeY
    AmeeY Posts: 1 Member
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    James and I were talking about this exact thing last night. He told me that the better my body gets at doing exercise more work it will take to have same calories burned. Takes loner to sweat and get the heart rate up to burn calories.
  • Laceyrae
    Laceyrae Posts: 10 Member
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    How long have you been doing Turbo Jam? I did TJ back in June, but then started ChaLEAN Extreme and Turbo Fire. TF has a bunch of different kinds of workouts so it keeps your body from getting efficient from them. Also, you still can be burning the same calories. Some people don't sweat as much as others and you may not be out of breath as much because it's getting easier for you because you are getting fitter.
    I have been doing TJ for a couple months along w/ Zumba and dancinf with the stars., they have quite a few videos you're right, but all of them have gotten to where they still work me out but I still feel like maybe I'm not getting the burn I used too.And I understand that when you get in better shape you won't be as out of breath but man, i just fly through them. i will look into the ChaLEAN Extreme and turbo Fire. Thank you so much!
  • DJH510
    DJH510 Posts: 114 Member
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    Just because the workout becomes easier, it does not mean you are using less energy (burning less calories) to complete it. Regardless of how hard you are working, you are always burning the same amount if you do the exact same routine.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Most likely you are not burning as many calories. You would have to wear a HRM to confirm if that is so. As you get in better shape, and do the same workout numerous times your body becomes more efficient and will burn less calories doing the same routine.

    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.

    Not necessarily. Depending on the complexity of the routine, a person might experience some improvement in mechanical efficiency as an early adaptation to a new routine, and that might result in a decrease in calories burned for that exact same routine. However, it is much more likely that the increased mechanical efficiency would allow the person to work HARDER (since their movements are now more coordinated and focused) and actually increase the calories burned per session.

    For simpler, less complex activities such as running, there will be only a modest increase in mechanical efficiency over time and so the energy cost of an activity at any given workload is relatively fixed. And, once again, as fitness levels improve, a person is much more likely to work harder and actually burn more calories.

    This idea of randomly changing activities in order to "shock the system" is informercial marketing mumbo jumbo. It is an inaccurate extension of the very real and very important concepts of varying your training stimulus and periodization.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.

    This is marketing garbage. It is important to change intensity as you progress but not the routine. Find a good routine, stick with it, and keep increasing intensity, this will benefit you more than changing routines.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.

    This is marketing garbage. It is important to change intensity as you progress but not the routine. Find a good routine, stick with it, and keep increasing intensity, this will benefit you more than changing routines.

    Not marketing garbage at all, ask almost any trainer or athlete. On top of hurting progress not changing up your routine can lead to repetitive strain injuries (RSI). If you don't change up routines, not just intensity you will plateau on your progress whether it is to lose weight, gain weight, run faster, farther, or get stronger.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Options
    It is suggested that you change up your workout routines every 4-6 weeks to shock your system and keep your body working to burn calories.

    This is marketing garbage. It is important to change intensity as you progress but not the routine. Find a good routine, stick with it, and keep increasing intensity, this will benefit you more than changing routines.

    Not marketing garbage at all, ask almost any trainer or athlete. On top of hurting progress not changing up your routine can lead to repetitive strain injuries (RSI). If you don't change up routines, not just intensity you will plateau on your progress whether it is to lose weight, gain weight, run faster, farther, or get stronger.

    Take a look at Bill Star, Reg Park, Mark Ripptoe, Dave Tate, Arnold Schwarzenegger; the entire beginning portion of their training was a single repetitive 5x5 routine that lasted for months or years in some cases. If training properly a beginner weight lifter can increase weight every time they are in the gym up until above body weight numbers on squat and deadlift regardless of duration.

    I have been on a 5x5 routine for over 6 months. I increase the weight on the bar every gym day and am still progressing past body weight numbers. I weight 238 and squatted 265 on Monday and will be squatting 275 tomorrow. My body weight is going down very gradually while I am losing inches on my waist, which means I am continuing to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. So I am either extremely gifted, or the "have to change it up" mentality is nonsense.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Take a look at Bill Star, Reg Park, Mark Ripptoe, Dave Tate, Arnold Schwarzenegger; the entire beginning portion of their training was a single repetitive 5x5 routine that lasted for months or years in some cases. If training properly a beginner weight lifter can increase weight every time they are in the gym up until above body weight numbers on squat and deadlift regardless of duration.

    I have been on a 5x5 routine for over 6 months. I increase the weight on the bar every gym day and am still progressing past body weight numbers. I weight 238 and squatted 265 on Monday and will be squatting 275 tomorrow. My body weight is going down very gradually while I am losing inches on my waist, which means I am continuing to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. So I am either extremely gifted, or the "have to change it up" mentality is nonsense.

    I do agree that when starting a workout routine you may be able to do it for more than 4-6 weeks but should not do the same routine for months at a time maybe 3 months 4 tops. I have a couple of body builder friends and body builders do change their workout routines a few times a year. Their workouts for cutting for a show is completely different than their bulk phases. If you do 2 shows a year, that would be at least 4 routine changes.
    1. Bulk phase
    2. Cut for a show
    3. Bulk phase
    4. Cut for another show

    I learned from experience with doing the same routines for months. After a few months of the same routine, increasing weight my shoulder would act up. After some rest time when back to the same routine and again months later the shoulder got injured again. RSI.

    I know all about lifting more than body weight. When I ran track in university I was squatting 265, dead lifting 285 benching 180, incline bench with 80 lb dumbbells (160) for 5-6 reps each at 140 lbs body weight.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
    Options
    Take a look at Bill Star, Reg Park, Mark Ripptoe, Dave Tate, Arnold Schwarzenegger; the entire beginning portion of their training was a single repetitive 5x5 routine that lasted for months or years in some cases. If training properly a beginner weight lifter can increase weight every time they are in the gym up until above body weight numbers on squat and deadlift regardless of duration.

    I have been on a 5x5 routine for over 6 months. I increase the weight on the bar every gym day and am still progressing past body weight numbers. I weight 238 and squatted 265 on Monday and will be squatting 275 tomorrow. My body weight is going down very gradually while I am losing inches on my waist, which means I am continuing to burn fat and build muscle at the same time. So I am either extremely gifted, or the "have to change it up" mentality is nonsense.

    I do agree that when starting a workout routine you may be able to do it for more than 4-6 weeks but should not do the same routine for months at a time maybe 3 months 4 tops. I have a couple of body builder friends and body builders do change their workout routines a few times a year. Their workouts for cutting for a show is completely different than their bulk phases. If you do 2 shows a year, that would be at least 4 routine changes.
    1. Bulk phase
    2. Cut for a show
    3. Bulk phase
    4. Cut for another show

    I learned from experience with doing the same routines for months. After a few months of the same routine, increasing weight my shoulder would act up. After some rest time when back to the same routine and again months later the shoulder got injured again. RSI.

    I know all about lifting more than body weight. When I ran track in university I was squatting 265, dead lifting 285 benching 180, incline bench with 80 lb dumbbells (160) for 5-6 reps each at 140 lbs body weight.
    I learned from experience with doing the same routines for months. After a few months of the same routine, increasing weight my shoulder would act up. After some rest time when back to the same routine and again months later the shoulder got injured again. RSI.

    Or bad technique/form through pointless iso exercises. (sorry, I have a bias against isolation work)

    Bodybuilding and strength training (i.e. power lifting style) are two completely different things (isolation vs compound movements). and again if it doesn't work after 4 months, then I must be extremely gifted.

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