Burn going down and down

joannathechef

When I started I would burn about 250 cals in 30 mins (Polar HRM) now it's round 155 for the same work out.

I did adjust my weight down as I went along and that now I have moderate setting for activity instead of sedentary/low on my HRM.

I am just checking but I am presuming this is from getting lighter and fitter so the only thing I can do is either work harder or for longer to get my calorie burn rate back?

I know this may be a stupid question but please just humor me here?

Carfoodel

in a word - yes. less weight means lower burns and getting fitter means lower burns - so you don't necessarily need to work longer - HIIT is the way to go. Aslo weights will make that muscle work harder for longer so even if your count drops down you get a more efficient burn for longer anyway

my target is to still get the same calorie burn regardless of size - but don't know if that will be possible when I have lost all my weight but I am going to give it a good try.

joannathechef

Thanks - HIIT = High Impact Interval Training - correct? I don't think I can do this my knee is in terrible shape from surgery.

I lift weights, I row, I swim and treadmill walk right now...they are all giving lower burn rates.

Azdak

Lower weight = lower burns, but lower heart rate does not necessarily mean you are burning fewer calories. It just means your HRM settings are no longer accurate for your level of conditioning.

This is more true for workouts that have a fixed intensity component -- e.g. running, or working out on gym cardio equipment. If you don't change the workload (e.g. running 6.0 mph on the treadmill), then exercise HR will start to go down as your fitness level improves. (If weight is the same) you are still burning the same number of calories--but your aerobic maximum has gone up, so the 6.0 mph running speed now represents a lower percentage of maximum. In other words, if your max is 12 and the intensity for running 6.0 mph is 10, then running that speed intially was 83% of your maximum. If, through training your max is now 15, running 6 mph is STILL a 10, but now it represents only 67% of your maximum. So HR is lower and it feels easier, but since the intensity is still 10, you are burning the same number of calories.

Doing group classes is different, because intensity is based on coordination, familarity and skill with the movements, etc. It you get to be very good at the movements and the class is structured with challenging movements, then you often burn MORE calories as you become accustomed to the movement, because you are more coordinated and can push yourself harder.

If the class has more mediocre movements then, yes, you can reach a point where no matter how hard you can or want to push, you just can't work any harder (e.g. a movement like walking in place). In that case, you do have to choose a different class to keep calorie burn up and to keep making progress.

The idea that "as you become more fit you burn fewer calories" is wrong in most cases. It's a problem with your HRM, not with your calorie burn.

Azdak

Thanks - HIIT = High Impact Interval Training - correct? I don't think I can do this my knee is in terrible shape from surgery.

I lift weights, I row, I swim and treadmill walk right now...they are all giving lower burn rates.

See my other reply for an explanation as to why you probably aren't burning fewer calories -- just getting a more inaccurate reading from your HRM.

That being said, one of the benefits of exercise training is that, as fitness level improves, you can work HARDER at the same perceived intensity and actually burn more calories. Unless your knee prevents it, there is no reason why you just can't up the treadmill speed, or increase the incline or row harder.

joannathechef

Thanks very much