100 Calories Workout? Plausible or completely false?

xeunaex
xeunaex Posts: 10
in Fitness and Exercise
I've seen this almost ridiculous work out routine all over tumblr, that supposedly burns '100 calories'
-40 Jumping Jacks
-30 crunches
-20 squats
-10 push-ups

But doesn't everyone burn calories at a different weight? This sounds too good to be true... What would someone of my weight (120lbs) burn doing this routine, would it really burn off 100 calories? Or is it just a scam?

Replies

  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Even if the workout only burns 80 or 50 or 30 calories, what harm can there be in being more active? Eat less, move more.
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
    My answer would be false. I'm 160 lbs and I could do this and probably only burn 35-48 calories at the most. It depends on age, weight, heart rate, height, how much energy are you putting into this routine? No one can put a general number out there like that, makes no sense. Scam. It will burn calories for sure no matter how much you weigh but 100 calories for that routine is such a general number. Some people can probably burn that amount of calories, but most people would not.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    A quick search of the MFP exercise database indicates that 20 minutes of light to moderate calisthenics yield a calorie burn of 118 cals. Vigorous calisthenics yields over 200 cals.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    No, not at your weight of only 120. Plus, crunches hardly burn any calories at all. Same for the 10 push-ups.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    A quick search of the MFP exercise database indicates that 20 minutes of light to moderate calisthenics yield a calorie burn of 118 cals. Vigorous calisthenics yields over 200 cals.
    Crunches and push-ups are NOT calisthenics, they are strength training.
  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
    Yeah, that seems a bit off. If it took four whole minutes to do, and it was really hard, it might burn half that? Ish? Or it could burn 100, if you weighed 300 lbs. And it all depends on intensity.

    Not that it's a bad circuit. Looks good and good for you, but someone's stuck some weird marketing on it.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    I have tracked it with my fitbit. It was only about 25 calories for me.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    good to go!
  • DoingitWell
    DoingitWell Posts: 560 Member
    MFP exaggerates calories burned IMO
  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    Plug in the numbers for YOU below, measure your heartrate, and see how many calories YOU burn.

    Compute your calorie expenditure if you're female. This is given by the equation C = (0.4472 x H - 0.05741 x W + 0.074 x A - 20.4022) x time / 4.184. Assume you're a 31-year-old female weighing 124 pounds. Your exercise session was 30 minutes long and your average heart rate during the exercise session was 132 bpm. You burned C = (0.4472 x 132 - 0.05741 x 124 + 0.074 x 31 - 20.4022) x 30 / 4.184 = 242 calories during your exercise session.

    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/article/73386-convert-heart-rate-calories-burned/#ixzz2MzGiQwyM
  • niknokd
    niknokd Posts: 127 Member
    I really doubt that burns 100 calories. Maybe like 50. Take, for example, the crunches...as far as I know crunches really don't burn many calories at all. The muscles that get worked are a very small group, and it's a very small movement.
  • Trent62
    Trent62 Posts: 2
    Fitness pal has mean burning 10 calories for every minute of dancing....HMMMMMMMM
  • silvermist18903
    silvermist18903 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm glad you asked this! I keep seeing something similar all over Pinterest too.
  • jaygreen55
    jaygreen55 Posts: 315 Member
    I've seen this almost ridiculous work out routine all over tumblr, that supposedly burns '100 calories'
    -40 Jumping Jacks
    -30 crunches
    -20 squats
    -10 push-ups

    But doesn't everyone burn calories at a different weight? This sounds too good to be true... What would someone of my weight (120lbs) burn doing this routine, would it really burn off 100 calories? Or is it just a scam?

    I don't think so. I just did the routine and it took less than 3 minutes. I think it highly unlikely that this series of exercises burns more than 30 calories per minute
  • kaitgettingfit
    kaitgettingfit Posts: 84
    I'm 129 pounds and I don't think I'd burn 100 calories doing that. Maybe 35 tops.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    Pinterest is the WORST for workouts and diets. If you search under the fitness tag, all you get is:

    Military diet, special magic 500, 300, 800 calorie diets, juice diets
    How to get a 6 pack in 30 days, how to lose 10 pounds a week
    Do this workout to spot reduce leg, arm, belly fat.

    The people who post this *kitten* should be shot.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    It's not a scam because no one is making money off of it ? But, yea, I'd burn about 15-25 calories doing that. If I did it for 10-15 minutes over and over, it'd be close to 100. :smile:
  • pohlcm08
    pohlcm08 Posts: 61
    I don't know who makes up these workouts but I've seen them all over pinterest also. My friend was excited to tell me about a workout very similar to the one you posted but was timed to take exactly 4 minutes.. and the image claimed that it would burn as many calories as a 20 minute run! She was pretty crushed when I told her that was not even possible.
  • pohlcm08
    pohlcm08 Posts: 61
    Even if the workout only burns 80 or 50 or 30 calories, what harm can there be in being more active? Eat less, move more.

    BUT Calliope is totally right, even if these don't burn 100 calories.. they are definitely a success if it got you moving, and that's a start!
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
    It's not a scam because no one is making money off of it ? But, yea, I'd burn about 15-25 calories doing that. If I did it for 10-15 minutes over and over, it'd be close to 100. :smile:

    I dont think a scam necessarily has to be for monetary benefits, although most are. If you are making general statements that lead people to believe you will get specific results and people are following this routine based on the information given...it's a scam.
  • Fit_NYC_
    Fit_NYC_ Posts: 1,389 Member
    Yes, unfortunately that workout will probably never yield a 100 calorie burn. It just doesn't have the intensity to keep your heart rate at that level. You'd have to do some serious HIIT or tabata intervals with a heavy kettlebell for that kind of burn. And even then, at 120 lbs. it will be difficult.
  • Inarific
    Inarific Posts: 29
    I was wondering the same thing myself. So I did the workout with my HRM on. It took only 3.5 mins to complete. I burned only 25 calories.
  • poisinkandy
    poisinkandy Posts: 2
    A quick search of the MFP exercise database indicates that 20 minutes of light to moderate calisthenics yield a calorie burn of 118 cals. Vigorous calisthenics yields over 200 cals.
    Crunches and push-ups are NOT calisthenics, they are strength training.

    I think you're thinking of "cardio" not "calisthenics." Calisthenics are any rhythmic exercises that use the body's weight as resistance which help build muscle and flexibility.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I tend to not believe those infographs that float around tumblr. The calorie count will not be exact for the reasons you explained. But there's still no harm in doing the workout anyways! Even if it only burns a little, it's still getting you up and active.
  • cecesquats
    cecesquats Posts: 166 Member
    i think they're false, but the intention is good. for example, i've seen one that you do before you hop in the shower. if you do that before every shower, it might not be much, but it'll add it.

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