Issue going over...

HeatherBurke
HeatherBurke Posts: 147
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have been doing really well for a couple of weeks and am starting to see progress... thank God. I have an issue though... I have been working out and despite what the machine says I burned (I dont have a HRM) I don't believe it.. I understand the concept of eating exercise calories though, I would have a problem eating all of them but at least half.. MY thing is, because these machines are often off I don't know how many more to eat back..

I'm trying to figure out dinner and what all I can have but because I don't know really what I'm burning at the gym it's hard. I don't want to slow my progress by not eating some of them and also don't want to be starving just because I'm unsure..

Any suggestions? Thanks!!!

Replies

  • smuehlbauer
    smuehlbauer Posts: 1,041 Member
    Save some money and get a HRM
    Other wise you are guessing.
    Doesn't sound like you like doing that.
  • cdavis1126
    cdavis1126 Posts: 302 Member
    if you take the total minutes worked out, add a zero and divide by 2 it should give you a pretty accurate idea of how many calories you burned. Your post didn't say exactly what you were doing at the gym. I always go by what the treadmill tells me I burned.
  • HeatherBurke
    HeatherBurke Posts: 147
    if you take the total minutes worked out, add a zero and divide by 2 it should give you a pretty accurate idea of how many calories you burned. Your post didn't say exactly what you were doing at the gym. I always go by what the treadmill tells me I burned.

    I'm not quite sure what it is... it's like a cross between an elliptical and something else... instead of your feet going around in a circle like the elliptical they just go up and down at an angle... it usually tells me that in about 35 minutes I burn roughly 300 about the same as what the regular elliptical tells me, depending on how hard I push myself...
  • nehtaeh
    nehtaeh Posts: 2,849 Member
    if you take the total minutes worked out, add a zero and divide by 2 it should give you a pretty accurate idea of how many calories you burned. Your post didn't say exactly what you were doing at the gym. I always go by what the treadmill tells me I burned.

    I'm not quite sure what it is... it's like a cross between an elliptical and something else... instead of your feet going around in a circle like the elliptical they just go up and down at an angle... it usually tells me that in about 35 minutes I burn roughly 300 about the same as what the regular elliptical tells me, depending on how hard I push myself...

    I'd go with that #. Before I got my HRM, I was roughly guessing about 100 cals per minute on my elliptical. The machine told me I burned a little less. My HRM tells me I burn about what I was estimating before, depending on how hard I push.

    300 cals for 35 mins. is about right to me.
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
    I just let MFP calculate for me. They don't have the exact exercises I do (like kettlebells), but I just pick something that seems equivalent and eat back those calories. So far I have had good results doing that.
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    I've found that it's usually safe to assume one burns around 100 calories for every 10 mins of good, hard exercise. If you workout for 20 mins, you should be close to 200 cals burnt.
  • melbhall
    melbhall Posts: 519
    I would just eat back what your machine says your burning or a little less. Just make sure the foods are eating are quality foods then you won't feel bad about it. The machine you are using, is it an Arch Trainer? I used something like that at a gym before, it was KILLER and totally shaped my legs and gave me the most amazing workout, especially when the resistance kicked in. If that is the same machine you are using I bet you are burning a ton! I even wanted to buy one for my home gym (I have an elliptical) but it was too expensive.

    Good luck! And I agree, save your money for a HRM, that's what I am doing so I won't have any issues concerning my real numbers.
  • HeatherBurke
    HeatherBurke Posts: 147
    I would just eat back what your machine says your burning or a little less. Just make sure the foods are eating are quality foods then you won't feel bad about it. The machine you are using, is it an Arch Trainer? I used something like that at a gym before, it was KILLER and totally shaped my legs and gave me the most amazing workout, especially when the resistance kicked in. If that is the same machine you are using I bet you are burning a ton! I even wanted to buy one for my home gym (I have an elliptical) but it was too expensive.

    Good luck! And I agree, save your money for a HRM, that's what I am doing so I won't have any issues concerning my real numbers.

    Lol it's not an arch trainer... me and those things do not get along... AT ALL!! I keep forgetting to ask them what they are called. I think a HRM would be best... I'm just trying to be cheap.. I figure if maybe in a couple months I'm not losing the way I think I should be I will get one and go from there and see how it goes. As for now, I think I will just add in like 200 cals at most on workout days so I don't start going crazy. I need structure so if I can zone in on no more than 1400 I should be ok.. I hope so anyways!!
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