Burn Rate has dropped

nagniho

I have noticed recently that the Calorie burn rate when I run, do Insanity or kick boxing has dropped:-( Previously, my HRM would show around 400+ calories burnt in an hour of kick-boxing and Insanity max cardio or an hour of running. However, over the past month or so I have been noticing that during the same amt of exercise I only burn 340 to 350 calories. During today's workout I noticed that even during the high intensity modes my heart rate was around 146 to 150 (previously it would go as high as 162-165bpm). I really pushed my self but total calorie expenditure was only 340:-(

As you can see I don't do the same type of workouts for Cardio. I suppose the body has become more efficient, so what should I do now?

Any help or ideas would be most appreciated!!

BTW - For strength I am doing Stronglifts 5x5 and now I am always hungry:-(

cortexx

If you're doing stronglifts, I personally wouldn't do intense cardio. I would focus all your strength and energy into the Lifting, then do light cardio afterwards, if you still want to. A light jog where you could hold a conversation with someone.

To stay full for longer, eat high protein meals, you won't go hungry!

I am doing a program similar to SL, and I have lost 30lbs without cardio in about 2 months.

Just be careful though when lifting, because it's easy to injure yourself if your form isn't 100%

marinebiologist_girl

If you've lost weight then you burn less calories. Once your body is carrying less weight around, cardio becomes 'easier' for your body, even if you feel you've worked out just as long, because it's not got so much to work with. So it's nothing to worry about (:

nagniho

Thank you all for the feedback. I do eat protein with every meal and the Macros are set at 40/30/30. I do exceed protein very often. I will be the first to admit that I cannot get Cardio out of my head:-( It is like a safety net. Around 9 years back when my daughter was born my husband got me a trainer who had me do very heavy weights and no cardio and I for whatever reason became really thick:-( probably to get rid of the pregnancy weight. I am only 5" tall and the looks was not appealing at all. I am also a dancer so it did not work out very well.

Anyways, I love to lift but the fear of getting thick (my word for not loosing enough body fat and gaining muscle on top) keeps me doing the cardio. I know this is a wrong way of thinking and I have cut back a lot of running and eat at TDEE -10 to 15% which is roughly 1400 to 1450 cals.

Again, I appreciate the feedback. Thanks!!!

meshashesha2012

dont worry about getting thick if you're eating below your maintenance, it's just not going to happen.

i'm actually one of those people who gain muscle easily but over the past 9 months i've actually LOST a bit of muscle even though i lift heavy because i'm eating below my maintenance in order to lose weight. getting thicker/bulkier is more a factor of how much you're eating since muscle can't be created out of thin air, unless of course your on steroids :laugh: i've been lifting hard for the past 9 months and am able to lift some things more than my current weight, yet i've gone from a size 20 to a size 12, so the weights definitely arent standing in my way of losing fat


i also do strong lifts as well as sprint HIIT and some less intense running. i do the sprints the same day i lift but i try to make them as many hours apart as possible. so i might do lifting in the AM before work and then the sprints after work. you definitely dont want to do the sprints on your lifting rest day

nagniho

dont worry about getting thick if you're eating below your maintenance, it's just not going to happen.

i'm actually one of those people who gain muscle easily but over the past 9 months i've actually LOST a bit of muscle even though i lift heavy because i'm eating below my maintenance in order to lose weight. getting thicker/bulkier is more a factor of how much you're eating since muscle can't be created out of thin air, unless of course your on steroids :laugh: i've been lifting hard for the past 9 months and am able to lift some things more than my current weight, yet i've gone from a size 20 to a size 12, so the weights definitely arent standing in my way of losing fat


i also do strong lifts as well as sprint HIIT and some less intense running. i do the sprints the same day i lift but i try to make them as many hours apart as possible. so i might do lifting in the AM before work and then the sprints after work. you definitely dont want to do the sprints on your lifting rest day

Yeah! I agree that muscle cannot be created out of thin air:-) and no I am and was not on Steroids, either. Most probably I was not eating right back then:-( I also do Insanity (Phase1 workouts only) on the day that I lift. The rest day...which is not exactly rest is some kind of activity, so I think I may need to bring the intensity down.

Thank you very much for your post, it is very reassuring:-)