How do you calculate your calories when Spinning?

brittvas55
brittvas55 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I took an hour long cycle class today and the bike only said about 300 calories but it wasn't monitoring heart rate or asked my weight. I definitely feel like I burned more than just 300.
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Replies

  • KC4800
    KC4800 Posts: 140 Member
    heart rate monitor. I use the Polar FT4.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.
  • Chari_Jan
    Chari_Jan Posts: 157 Member
    I wear my Polar FT4 heart rate monitor and I burn anywhere from 500 - 600 in an hour.
  • bsix3
    bsix3 Posts: 291
    Yes, that's quite frustrating. Consider investing in a heart rate monitor. Yes, there are several available so do a little online research to see which features best fit you. I use the Wahoo BlueHR. It's a bluetooth HRM that connects to my phone.

    Good luck and keep crushing those workouts!!
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I don't know your measurements, body fat % or whatever... however, for me I burn in a 40-45 minute class about 400 calories.

    The leaner you are, the more calories you burn. I use an HRM.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I'd been using the database for spinning and it said around 450 calories for 45 mins. I've got a heart rate monitor now and I burned 356 calories in 45 mins of spinning this morning.
  • mviegas1
    mviegas1 Posts: 46 Member
    Per my HRM, I usually burn around 600 calories for a 55 minute spinning class. I also have the Polar FT4.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I took an hour long cycle class today and the bike only said about 300 calories but it wasn't monitoring heart rate or asked my weight. I definitely feel like I burned more than just 300.

    Your heart rate doesn't matter. The energy you expended on the bike is the amount of energy it takes to move the wheels.

    It doesn't matter if it's Lance Armstrong or Roseanne Barr on the bike - the energy consumed is pretty much the same.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Per my HRM, I usually burn around 600 calories for a 55 minute spinning class.
    About the same for me...spinning classes do burn a TON of calories!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Imagine if you hooked a light bulb up to the bike. At a given resistance and speed, the bulb will glow at a certain brightness. That's the amount of energy the rider is putting into the system.

    Will the bulb glow brighter if Lance gets on the bike and spins at the same speed? Certainly his heart rate will be significantly lower than if I was spinning.
  • pjwcampbell
    pjwcampbell Posts: 17 Member
    I use a Timex Road Trainer HRM. I usually burn about 700 calories in a spinning class but that is working as hard as I can the entire time.
  • MumOfADuo
    MumOfADuo Posts: 294 Member
    I don't know your measurements, body fat % or whatever... however, for me I burn in a 40-45 minute class about 400 calories.

    The leaner you are, the more calories you burn. I use an HRM.

    Not always true...the heavier you are the more you can burn as well because it takes more energy to MOVE your body. When I wear my hrm and am doing a VIGOROUS spin session I can burn over 1000 calories.....even our spin instructors say they burn anywhere from 800-1100 calories during their classes....spinning is a high calorie burning activity.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    If you have very heavy legs, you will burn a few more calories moving them. But that's it.
  • brittvas55
    brittvas55 Posts: 15 Member
    I took an hour long cycle class today and the bike only said about 300 calories but it wasn't monitoring heart rate or asked my weight. I definitely feel like I burned more than just 300.

    Your heart rate doesn't matter. The energy you expended on the bike is the amount of energy it takes to move the wheels.

    It doesn't matter if it's Lance Armstrong or Roseanne Barr on the bike - the energy consumed is pretty much the same.

    I'm pretty sure it does since it's your body versus the bike. Especially if I'm standing up supporting my weight.
  • SkinnyForMinnie
    SkinnyForMinnie Posts: 68 Member
    heart rate monitor. I use the Polar FT4.


    Exactly this -- I take a spinning class as well, and luckily, my Polar FT4 tells me I have burned WAY more calories that what the spinning bike has guessed. I would *highly* recommend one - it isn't too terribly expensive (compared to some of the other ones out there) and is a GREAT motivator. :)
  • TinaBean007
    TinaBean007 Posts: 273 Member
    I took spinning classes for years before I moved and loved them. However it was always a class that varied greatly from day to day. (I think because it's easy to "fake it" if you're not feeling motivated) Anyway, for 45 mins, I could vary 300 - 475. (475 was my highest ever for a spin class and I worked my tail off.

    I highly recommend a HRM- but be forewarned, they are addicting!

    GL
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.

    I don't agree with you on that one. I ca run on the treadmill for an hour and burn almost 700 calories doing that per my HRM.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.

    Depends on your size. If I could survive an hour long spin class I'd probably burn over 1000 calories. I regularly burn 900 on an elliptical in an hour at a moderate effort.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I took an hour long cycle class today and the bike only said about 300 calories but it wasn't monitoring heart rate or asked my weight. I definitely feel like I burned more than just 300.

    Your heart rate doesn't matter. The energy you expended on the bike is the amount of energy it takes to move the wheels.

    It doesn't matter if it's Lance Armstrong or Roseanne Barr on the bike - the energy consumed is pretty much the same.

    I'm pretty sure it does since it's your body versus the bike. Especially if I'm standing up supporting my weight.

    It doesn't. It really doesn't. You're burning calories by putting energy into the bike. It's not like running where your effort goes into moving your body.

    The energy your body burns is the energy it takes to move the pedals, which the bike can calculate very accurately. Very little of the energy used goes to actually moving your legs themselves.
  • KC4800
    KC4800 Posts: 140 Member
    Imagine if you hooked a light bulb up to the bike. At a given resistance and speed, the bulb will glow at a certain brightness. That's the amount of energy the rider is putting into the system.

    Will the bulb glow brighter if Lance gets on the bike and spins at the same speed? Certainly his heart rate will be significantly lower than if I was spinning.

    This is correct only if you ignore the efficiency.
    Which is more efficient a brand new corvette with fresh oil change or a 72 Chrysler that hasnt had its oil changed in 2 years?

    Your "machine" doesnt just put energy into lighting the light bulb it also expels heat, pumps blood, burns fuel. Yes Lance will burn less calories than Roseanne, but he will be a lot more efficient at doing it.
  • brittvas55
    brittvas55 Posts: 15 Member
    Imagine if you hooked a light bulb up to the bike. At a given resistance and speed, the bulb will glow at a certain brightness. That's the amount of energy the rider is putting into the system.

    Will the bulb glow brighter if Lance gets on the bike and spins at the same speed? Certainly his heart rate will be significantly lower than if I was spinning.

    The energy the bike would putting into the light bulb doesn't equal the energy I'm outputting into the bike because I'm also losing energy through heat. That's physics.
  • DaffyGirl88
    DaffyGirl88 Posts: 5,176 Member
    I have polar P4 HRM. I weigh 165 lbs, am 52 YO, and typically register ~ 300 for a 45 minute class. Maybe a bit more for an interval class or a bit less for a strength class.
  • Sweet_Potato
    Sweet_Potato Posts: 1,119 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.

    I don't agree with you on that one. I ca run on the treadmill for an hour and burn almost 700 calories doing that per my HRM.

    Well according the almost everyone on the forums the MFP database overestimates calories burned... so I suppose I'm really only burning around 150!
  • runningathena
    runningathena Posts: 218 Member
    heart rate monitor. I use the Polar FT4.

    THIS! Heart rate monitors are the best way to measure calorie burn. The database is usually off for just about everything I put in, so I manually enter the data from my HRM. It's a worthwhile investment - this is a lifestyle change, after all!
  • ndearing0501
    ndearing0501 Posts: 145 Member
    Agreed with the hrm. It's the best and most accurate way to estimate calories burned. Bikes and other machines don't take into effect your different size and shape. If you don't already have one, deff make the investment. It's worth it! I have the polar ft7! Love it!
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
    Definitely invest in a HRM...I have the Polar FT4 as well. LOVE it!!
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.

    I don't agree with you on that one. I ca run on the treadmill for an hour and burn almost 700 calories doing that per my HRM.
    MFP does overestimate in a lot of cases, but anyone who has taken a GOOD spin class, knows it burns a lot. I've compared my HRM to those with other people in the class as well, and they all burn high in spinning....

    I can generally get 10 calories per minute out of intense workouts like spin class or the crosstrainer/elliptical. I've compared my HRM to the machine estimates at my gym (when I put in my weight & age and regularly use the HR reader). I never use the MFP estimates, except for strenght training (which only gives me a small number anyway).
  • brittvas55
    brittvas55 Posts: 15 Member
    300 is a lot of calories to be burning in one hour! I use the MFP estimate which gives me 257 for a 45-minute class, so your bike isn't too far off assuming you're somewhat close to my size.

    I don't agree with you on that one. I ca run on the treadmill for an hour and burn almost 700 calories doing that per my HRM.

    Well according the almost everyone on the forums the MFP database overestimates calories burned... so I suppose I'm really only burning around 150!

    150 in an hour isn't very much. You can easily burn 100 in ten minutes for aerobic exercises.
  • brittvas55
    brittvas55 Posts: 15 Member
    Well anyways, I guess I'll invest in a HRM. Thanks everyone.
  • Whipppets
    Whipppets Posts: 267
    women burn 200-500 depending on your skill level.. Men burn between 6- and 900....
    It really depends on the teacher and how warm it is in the room.
    The numbers above are unscientific, I jus ask spinners after the class and they tell me.
    Yesterday 3 of us guys compared and were all in the 700s. The women in the 400s.

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