Interesting HRM results and NSV

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mamasmaltz3
mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When figuring calories all the estimates take into consideration sex, weight, height and other variables. As your weight goes down you are supposed to burn less calories. But, since I have had my HRM I have noticed my calorie burn going up doing the same routine. It is very encouraging. I know it is because I am becoming more fit and able to workout at a higher intensity. My squats are a little lower, my jacks a little higher etc... Just an observation that I have been noticing. I still have a loooonnngg way to go but today I am encouraged by how far I have come.
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  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Bumping cause lost in the shuffle.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Wondering why my post is not showing up on recent posts?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    FWIW, "intensity" has nothing to do with burn. It's about workload and weight. Perioid. So as you lose weight, you necessarily burn fewer cals during the same workout (though, in actuality, it's hard to exactly replicate a workout).
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Thank you for your encouraging post. I am so glad that my only response was to let me know that I am wrong. I workout at home with a lot of videos and eliptical. So, if in the video I am doing I have to slow up on some moves because I am out of breath or march in place while they complete an exercise because when I was 255 lbs and couldn't physically do what they were doing and now that I have lost 42 lbs and can do those moves and exercise at a higher intensity (faster pace), you don't think that I can burn more calories? That is what my HRM says. Now, I know that it could be off but, I also know that I am working harder. Is it a coincidence that the numbers are not going down as I have increased my intensity? Btw, I have been updating my weight in my HRM as I lose weight.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    So, if in the video I am doing I have to slow up on some moves because I am out of breath or march in place while they complete an exercise because when I was 255 lbs and couldn't physically do what they were doing and now that I have lost 42 lbs and can do those moves and exercise at a higher intensity (faster pace), you don't think that I can burn more calories?
    Yes, that's what I'm saying. Same exact exercise, same exact conditions, ONLY thing changed is body weight... yes, you'll burn fewer calories regardless of your effort/intensity.
    That is what my HRM says. Now, I know that it could be off but, I also know that I am working harder. Is it a coincidence that the numbers are not going down as I have increased my intensity? Btw, I have been updating my weight in my HRM as I lose weight.
    No, it's not a coincidence - HRMs are estimates based on a mathematical formula. They don't know what activity you are actually doing, they don't know the workload, so the guestimate.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    And, you should be ashamed of yourself. You can see by my ticker that I have a long way to go as stated in my post. Why would you come on here to be a discouragement to me? All you have to do is not respond. This is the first time I have posted any kind of personal success and now I feel deflated, thank you again for your kind response.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I'm not trying to discourage you... obviously 42lbs is tremendous progress... I was merely trying to educate you about calorie burns.

    You asked a question, stating that what you are seeing goes against what you've heard or read. I was explaining why.
  • mhotch
    mhotch Posts: 901 Member
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    You're doing awesome!!! Fabulous job!!!




    better?

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • PomegranatePriestess
    PomegranatePriestess Posts: 2,455 Member
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    Hey OP: I understand what you are saying. You're completing more of the workout because you are better able to do the exercises, and therefore you are noticing a better burn. :) Nice NSV!

    Edited to add: Gotta love the edit feature, huh? Thankfully someone else decided to chime in to laugh at the joke made at the OP's expense...
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    No. I happen to think your wrong. If I am getting my heart rate up higher because I am working out harder how is it that I am not going to burn more calories? If the intensity (speed, free weight increase etc.) is increasing at a higher rate than the weight is coming off how do you figure that the calorie burn absolutely can not increase?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    No. I happen to think your wrong. If I am getting my heart rate up higher because I am working out harder how is it that I am not going to burn more calories? If the intensity (speed, free weight increase etc.) is increasing at a higher rate than the weight is coming off how do you figure that the calorie burn absolutely can not increase?

    Because intensity has no bearing on calorie burn. Calorie burn is based on 2 things: workload (difficulty of the activity, if you will) and weight.

    I think I said that already. If you don't believe me, then stop asking the question... you've obviously got your mind made up.
  • Deluxe97
    Deluxe97 Posts: 34 Member
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    Going to the gym helps me get in the "workout" mindset. Working out at home doesn't motivate me the same way (plus I don't have enough room). I think is amazing and wonderful that you have progressed so much on your own.

    Keep up the awesome work! Regardless of the calories in/and/or out, I'm sure you must be feeling a lot better and more energized. There is so much to be gained besides weight loss and numbers.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    So, the numbers I am getting on the HRM are wrong?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    So, the numbers I am getting on the HRM are wrong?

    They are an estimate. That's all they've ever been... hard to know if they are right or wrong.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Going to the gym helps me get in the "workout" mindset. Working out at home doesn't motivate me the same way (plus I don't have enough room). I think is amazing and wonderful that you have progressed so much on your own.

    Keep up the awesome work! Regardless of the calories in/and/or out, I'm sure you must be feeling a lot better and more energized. There is so much to be gained besides weight loss and numbers.



    Thanks. Yes, I feel great. I didn't really post this to get in some debate over calorie burns. Would of kept it to myself, lol.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    No. I happen to think your wrong. If I am getting my heart rate up higher because I am working out harder how is it that I am not going to burn more calories? If the intensity (speed, free weight increase etc.) is increasing at a higher rate than the weight is coming off how do you figure that the calorie burn absolutely can not increase?

    Because intensity has no bearing on calorie burn. Calorie burn is based on 2 things: workload (difficulty of the activity, if you will) and weight.

    I think I said that already. If you don't believe me, then stop asking the question... you've obviously got your mind made up.


    If you notice, my original post had no question in it.
  • mssoulrebel_77
    mssoulrebel_77 Posts: 79
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    Hmmmm.... I'm also struggling to see how intensity has nothing to do with it.

    If you did the same exercises, same video, same weight, same INTENSITY - then yes, as you lost weight you would slow down calorie burn. That I can agree with.

    But if you ramp up your intensity because losing weight has allowed you to do so, and if you've increased your intensity to an extent that the delta in additional calories you burn by the increase of intensity offsets any calories you are not burning because you now have less weight to move around (i.e., you go down lower in your squats causing your muscles to work harder, if you push through and do all the jumping jacks or push ups or sit ups instead of taking random 5-10 second breaks, etc).... then you can still burn the same or more calories when you weigh less.

    For example -

    Let's say you walk for 30 minutes, and go super slow (pace of 2 miles per hour). You will burn maybe 100 calories.

    Now let's say you have lost weight, and now you're able to still do the same 30 minutes, but you've increased your INTENSITY (or your pace) and go at a 4MPH pace. You'll burn about 300 cals.

    That's why HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is such a big deal and will increase your burn and your fat loss - because intensity DOES matter.

    Don't take my word for it - google it for yourself.... here's some supporting articles i found:

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1677 (read #2)

    "Intensity means everything in when it comes to burning fat mass. Duration definitely also plays a big part, but only when it comes to how you fine tune your workouts to your personal ability (ex. out of shape = shorter workout duration). " - quote from http://fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/2509/does-duration-or-intensity-or-both-affect-how-many-calories-are-burned-in-a-card

    For a more scientific explanation, check out this link:
    http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/caloricexp.html

    I think you've done AWESOME - congrats on your weight loss!
  • neon7girl
    neon7girl Posts: 230 Member
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    One question, Have you reset your HRM to the lower weight? I just got mine and it tells me to update my weight with every 5lb loss. I set mine lower than my actual weight on purpose.

    Great weight loss btw!!! :smile:
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    Hmmmm.... I'm also struggling to see how intensity has nothing to do with it.

    If you did the same exercises, same video, same weight, same INTENSITY - then yes, as you lost weight you would slow down calorie burn. That I can agree with.

    But if you ramp up your intensity because losing weight has allowed you to do so, and if you've increased your intensity to an extent that the delta in additional calories you burn by the increase of intensity offsets any calories you are not burning because you now have less weight to move around (i.e., you go down lower in your squats causing your muscles to work harder, if you push through and do all the jumping jacks or push ups or sit ups instead of taking random 5-10 second breaks, etc).... then you can still burn the same or more calories when you weigh less.

    For example -

    Let's say you walk for 30 minutes, and go super slow (pace of 2 miles per hour). You will burn maybe 100 calories.

    Now let's say you have lost weight, and now you're able to still do the same 30 minutes, but you've increased your INTENSITY (or your pace) and go at a 4MPH pace. You'll burn about 300 cals.

    That's why HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is such a big deal and will increase your burn and your fat loss - because intensity DOES matter.

    Don't take my word for it - google it for yourself.... here's some supporting articles i found:

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1677 (read #2)

    "Intensity means everything in when it comes to burning fat mass. Duration definitely also plays a big part, but only when it comes to how you fine tune your workouts to your personal ability (ex. out of shape = shorter workout duration). " - quote from http://fitness.stackexchange.com/questions/2509/does-duration-or-intensity-or-both-affect-how-many-calories-are-burned-in-a-card

    For a more scientific explanation, check out this link:
    http://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article folder/caloricexp.html

    I think you've done AWESOME - congrats on your weight loss!



    Thank you. You stated my point much more eloquently than I did.
  • katheern
    katheern Posts: 213 Member
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    Congrats on your weight loss. I know for me now I have to practically kill myself to get my heart rate as high as I used to get when I was overweight :P, but I definitely think it's awesome that I can do so much more without my heart skyrocketing.

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