What do you consider a good workout (calories burned)?

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  • gpies
    gpies Posts: 56 Member
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    I tyically burn 300-400 cals in a workout. If I am less than that, I will do additional to get me to at least 330. For some reason, less than 300 is a mental thing for me. I haven't worked out for 6 months prior to signing up, so I am very happy that I have been pretty much reaching my goals since I started a month ago on MFP with 3-4 workouts per week. The only thing that is ABSOLUTELY killing me is that I haven't even lost 1 LB yet!!!!!! I'm doing it more for the "keeping healthy" factor than I am a lot of weight loss, but I did have goals of about 5-8 lbs. I'm not sure what I can fix (I've been doing pretty good with eating), but I definitely can't go below 300 or else it drives me crazy! (LoL). But, if I try to get it up to 500 or more like you great ones out there, I'd have to exercise for a longer period - which unfortunately I don't have. I have about an hour that I have to work with each day. (Any also, anything that makes my butt or stomach hurt - is a GOOD workout)
  • mommyhof3
    mommyhof3 Posts: 551 Member
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    I am a mom of 3 kids and I run a daycare. ANY exercise I get is good exercise. If I go over my allotted calories I jump on my elliptical and work my butt off until all the extra calories are taken care of. I do make sure I get exercise every day though.
  • sweetbn
    sweetbn Posts: 318
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    I like to do 10 calories per minute.

    On another note, I really just want to get to 300 calories. So, when I get to 336 in 25 minutes by running, I am happy to stop at 25. Maybe I should keep going... hmm.. ;)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    300 is my minimum unless I'm on a time crunch. Most nights, I can get on the treadmill and burn at least 300 in about 30 minutes (that's doing intervals of walking and running). I've decided to increase my workouts by 15 minutes though so I can lose a little faster. I'm about to add classes to my gym membership so I can do the Turbo Kick (faster kickboxing) every Wednesday 'cause I can burn 600-700 calories on that one, if I've got the moves down.

    I found out yesterday bike riding for about 30 minutes will burn me a little over 450 calories so I'm going to start doing that more often!! I need more cardio options so that will definitely kick my butt into gear.
  • lwebsmfp
    lwebsmfp Posts: 297 Member
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    I'm happy if I burn at least 300 calories during a workout but I strive for 400 to 500 which makes me feel great.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    see now for me, it's all about feeling the burn. I don't really care whether it's 200 or 800 calories, I care much more if I can feel the muscle burn from a really superior workout. If I get the burn, then I'm happy with myself. Other measurements are if, withing the scope of the workout, I'm on the verge of not being able to do the exercise anymore because of depletion of oxygen (for HIIT and PLYO) and/or if I was able to go to technical failure in a (weight training) workout.

    I still keep track of calories, because you really should if you want to really keep track of your energy consumption, but I don't measure my success based on the calorie burn, not any more.
  • lina1131
    lina1131 Posts: 2,246 Member
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    I also agree that any workout is a good workout. I wasn't trying to imply that unless you reach a certain amount of calories burned the workout wasn't good enough. Maybe I asked the question wrong? I have good workouts, I have great workouts, and I have days where my workout could have been a lot better. I was curious to see how the 500 that kicks my butt compares to others.

    I burned 550 during my jog today and it kicked my butt! :bigsmile:
  • ScarletTarah
    ScarletTarah Posts: 117 Member
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    If I leave sweating like a pig, I have a hard time breaking a sweat I joined a gym once upon a time ago and never broke a sweat I would have sworn up and down that I was out of my comfort zone and really pushing it, but I wasn't.
  • luciebelle
    luciebelle Posts: 11 Member
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    I heartily agree with kaitlinj that a good workout is one that you will do consistently.
    That is excellent advice!
  • pannellkat
    pannellkat Posts: 709 Member
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    Personally if I can burn 300-350 calories during a 30 minute workout I am thrilled.

    DITTO
  • Motleybird
    Motleybird Posts: 119 Member
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    I agree that a good workout is one you will keep doing. I don't really have a single workout in a day, I have several smaller rounds of exercise. I walk my daughter to and from school. I also have certain exercises I do every day. This counts as practice, not workout, but I do log it. So far today I'm over 300 and I may practice some more later. On days when I have my classes I get over 700. On other days when I feel I need a bit extra, I hop on the bike and go at about 10 calories a minute. Tai Chi only counts as 300 per hour, but it all adds up. This past weekend we had a workshop and I was really trying to pig out in order to keep up! Of course, my definition of 'pig out' has changed a bit.
  • zack1st
    zack1st Posts: 43
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    I currently burn around 300 calories in half a hour on a bike,but I'm now waiting for a rower to be delivered so I'm thinking 30mins of each.you think that would be effective?
  • itsjustmish
    itsjustmish Posts: 107 Member
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    I'm currently doing Jilian Michaels Body Revolution and (as I'm pretty small, by all accounts) I usually *only* burn between 150-200 calories in a 30 minute workout. I'm a sweaty mess by the end of the session and most definitely feel like I've worked hard. The results (in terms of the change in my body shape and the increase in strength) speak for themselves, so I can't say I'm really too bothered about the fact that my workout results in such a small calorie burn. For me, exercise is for strength, fitness, and general wellbeing whilst better eating habits create a (small) defecit in order to continue to burn the last of the fat. So, in answer to the question, I consider any workout to be a good workout! :)
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    Any workout that progresses me towards my goals rather than away from them (calories burned is not a good indicator of a workout in my estimation)
  • T_Ciku
    T_Ciku Posts: 133 Member
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    I don't focus on calories burned that much. I do a variety of exercise and some have huge calorie burns while others have teeny weeny ones. But both are good for me so I don't care. :) I feel just as proud logging a 70 calorie burn from 20 minutes of Pilates as I do logging a 400 calorie burn from Turbo Jam.
  • PrissyPisces
    PrissyPisces Posts: 117 Member
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    If I can hit near 300 in a 30 minute workout on my lunch break, I am stoked.

    Right now I'm burning about 307 calories in 31 minutes. I'm excited about that for many reasons. One, I haven't exercised in sooooo long, and I just started back Two, I'm eating to lose 2 pounds a week already, so any calories burned will be "extra" since MFP expects you to eat back calories, and I don't. Once this workout becomes less challenging for me, I'm definitely going to work on adding more. More calories burned is never a bad thing,since I have so much weight to lose.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    A good workout is any workout I come back from feeling great, energized, and motivated to go workout again in the near future. I don't care if it's only 20 minutes long and less than 50 calories burned.
  • Shauna2626
    Shauna2626 Posts: 196 Member
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    300-450 calories burned
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
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    1000 calories or I've wasted my time... like today. I'm 6'5" 220 lbs.
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
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    There's a difference here in the type of workout. Working out to burn calories/lose weight I used to shoot for a minimum of 500 calories because it was where my body felt the burn.
    I'm in maintenance (hate the term as this is my new life) now I guess as I'm pretty happy where I am but my mind is different than it used to be now I get "activity" not "exercise" in every day, most days I'd say I burn around 300 calories some more, some less but when I go for calorie burn I still shoot for that 500 it's just not a regular focus any more.

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