Went longer, faster, farther... burned less??

Terrymichelle
Terrymichelle Posts: 49 Member
edited January 18 in Fitness and Exercise
I have started doing C25K and I did my first run on Sunday. Then I did my second last night. I have been doing walks/jogs/runs on the other days also without the C25K.

So I went farther, at a higher pace, for longer last night than I did on Sunday however I burned less calories... this doesn't make any sense to me. Does it make sense to anyone else?? I am NOT a runner, so maybe this is normal and I just don't know it yet hahah.

Here are my stats:
Sunday- Overall Pace : 15:43 min/mile
Overall distance 1.63 miles
Overall time 25:40
Calories burned 235

Thursday's run
Overall pace 15:32 min/mile
Overall Distance 1.73 miles
Overall time 26:51
Calories Burned 196

Replies

  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
    did you change your weight at all between the 2 runs?
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
    i'm noticing it takes more effort to burn the same amount of calories. If you body is conditioning and you were able to do that second run without your heart rate being as high as the first time, that would account for the difference.
  • Terrymichelle
    Terrymichelle Posts: 49 Member
    Bradwwood. I kinda thought the same thing. The second run was easier...

    I don't know if their was a change in weight between the two runs, I didn't change it on the app at all because I didn't weigh myself this week at all.
  • samhelen
    samhelen Posts: 98
    Its the change in heart rate that will effect how many calories you are going to burn.
  • Linda916
    Linda916 Posts: 124 Member
    I know that when I run 10-11 minute miles I burn less than when I run a 12-13 minute mile. I have played around with distance and time. Now I just run for the exercise and whatever calorie burned is not as much of the point.....Try to do some short sprints- like 25 steps worth and increase gradually until you can sprint 100 steps. That's how I started running in the first place. I used to be a walker but started to jog for 25 steps at a time.... then one day I started to run and I felt like Forrest Gump when his braces fell off! lol!

    Good Luck!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I am not a runner but this is normal. Your body is becoming more efficient. That is a good thing if you are training for an event. Not so much if you are exercising to eat more. LOL

    When I first started on the elliptical, 7mph for 10 minutes would just about kill me. Now I dont even start breaking a sweat until 10 minutes at 12mph. I dont do it to eat more though so I am happy that my conditioning is being maintained in such a short amount of time.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Did you run the same route? If not, you may have been running uphill more on the Sunday run, which increased your heartrate more. Or had more caffeine or something else that caused your heartrate to be higher.
  • Terrymichelle
    Terrymichelle Posts: 49 Member
    I am running to train for a 5K!!!!! So the calorie burn isn't extremly important so I guess I will get over it. it just boggled my mind how it was possible. I do get it though that my body is just getting more used to it. I kinda figured that was the case when I didn't collapse on the floor when I walked in the door last night like I did on Sunday hehe!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I am running to train for a 5K!!!!! So the calorie burn isn't extremly important so I guess I will get over it. it just boggled my mind how it was possible. I do get it though that my body is just getting more used to it. I kinda figured that was the case when I didn't collapse on the floor when I walked in the door last night like I did on Sunday hehe!

    Sometimes we just have good and bad day also. Could be something we ate, amount of sleep, who knows. Some days it is just a struggle to do a normal workout.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Change in heart rate does not affect actual calories burned. (Ie - getting "fitter") It may affect the estimate an HRM gives you.

    Calories burned is affected by weight and intensity. That's it. When you lose weight (which often comes along with getting fitter) you burn less calories doing the same intensity.

    If two people, one who is very it and one who is not, who weigh the same do the identical workout, they burn the same amount of calories.

    As for your answer - where did you get your calorie estimates?


    A great read
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak?month=201208
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak?month=201003
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