Can you help me understand calories and calorie burn?

ractayjon

Two questions here --
1. I find that I burn calories at a much slower rate then others do. I have a very low resting heart rate (54-61 usually), when I exercise I get my heart rate to the 140-150 range sometimes to the 155-160 range (but cant sustain that for more then short intervals) but my caloric burn at the end of my exercise session seems to be lower then others. for example, a 45 minute spin class I had a 402 calorie burn (form hrm) and the 5 others in the class that all had hrm also had between 527 (lowest) to 571 (highest) inthe same class.
I think that weight to lose, muscle tone, age and exertion all have something to do with this - but Im just wondering if anyone can explain this all to me.

2. My other question has to do with which is better -- A 30 minute cardio exercise with a steady 125-130 heart rate or intervals that go 110, 140, 110, 140 etc etc for the 30 minutes? I find that at the end of the 30 minutes the "caloric burn "on my hrm is about the same.

dclarsh1

If you have a lower heart rate when exercising, then your HRM will show a lower calorie burn. They use a formula that is based on your age, weight etc plus your heart rate.

As for a steady rate workout vs. interval workout, studies have shown that intervals are better because that kind of workout increases the "after burn" effect. That's how many calories your body continues to burn after the workout is completed.

Magenta15

also say me at 214 pounds is going to burn more cals then you at 140 ish pound or someone who weighs less....cuz i have way more to burn off/lose