How to know if something is getting too easy for you?

ThePinkPenguin
ThePinkPenguin Posts: 138
edited January 20 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been going to Zumba at my gym now for about a year, but I have just started tracking what I eat and my exercise more seriously. I started using MFP regularly about a month and a half ago and am down seven pounds with many more to go, but I will take the progress!

Anyway, I have been wearing my HRM to class the last two times I went. On Tuesday, I burned 414 calories for close to 60 minutes, but today, in about the same amount of time, I only burned close to 360. For the record, Zumba is not the only thing I do. I also walk my dogs 4-5 days a week for about 20 minutes and play Wii games such as the Zumba game, Just Dance, EA Sports Active, etc. I have done Pilates DVDs and Piloxing (the latter only once though), and I am currently on Level 1 of the 30 Day Shred.

I was definitely sweating my butt off in Zumba today because my instructor tends to amp up the energy on Fridays and I was having a good time, but the drop in calorie burn makes me wonder if this is getting a little too easy for me. I find that even though I still take water breaks, I didn't think it was as hard on me as it may have been in the past. I still enjoy going because my teacher is a lot of fun and the other women (and one or two guys!) that are in the class are nice, but if I'm not getting as much of a calorie burn out of it, should I try mostly focusing on other things while only doing an occasional Zumba? Or should I stop going altogether? I have about three more pounds to go until I have 10 pounds gone, so I'm sure that will lead to me making some tweaks to diet and exercise.

Replies

  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Doing any activity over and over, your body's going to become more efficient at managing it. You could use your HRM to help you push yourself just a smidge harder in your class - working the heart rate zones is really what it's for, rather than just tracking calorie burn.

    That said the burn difference you're describing is actually pretty small. Could just be a simple difference in the contact between your skin and the contact point. Not too much to worry about.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    If its zumba, its too easy already
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    Specifically for Zumba, I started wearing an HRM after about 9 months of zumba and had already lost significant weight, and was burning around 600 calories sometimes 700 a class.

    Now over a year later a "Great" class will burn me 500 calories, an average class around 400, zumba toning around 325, and the "low impact" class around 250.

    Also as you lose weight make sure you adjust your HRM settings. If it has a Vo2 comparison number do that every 6 months or so also.

    However, it's still fun so I still do it, I do have to plan ahead to do extra running or stair climbing after if I want to eat a certain dinner. I can no longer count on Zumba to do it for me.

    I also hike, run, and do core class and power class and circuit weights.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    If its zumba, its too easy already

    You obviously have not been to a kick *kitten* instructors class. I will admit MANY instructors are easy but 1 out of 10 has that something special that will make your legs burn and cry. That being said I do lift and squat and lunge with weights in power, certain zumba instructors can still burn me. I can only think of 4 at the moment and only 1 is at my gym, but they do exist, you just have to find them :)
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    If its zumba, its too easy already

    You obviously have not been to a kick *kitten* instructors class.

    Oh I dunno, I've squatted a few hundred pounds several times, and that was harder than any zumba class. Heck it took me a few years just to do get to that point... how many years did it take you to be physically able to zumba.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    If its zumba, its too easy already

    You obviously have not been to a kick *kitten* instructors class.

    Oh I dunno, I've squatted a few hundred pounds several times, and that was harder than any zumba class. Heck it took me a few years just to do get to that point... how many years did it take you to be physically able to zumba.

    Impressive though this is, and I'm sure we're all appropriately astounded, I'm not sure it's really relevant to the OP's query. After all, she didn't ask whether zumba was too easy *for you*...

    (And no, it isn't my cup of tea either.)
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    If its zumba, its too easy already

    You obviously have not been to a kick *kitten* instructors class.

    Oh I dunno, I've squatted a few hundred pounds several times, and that was harder than any zumba class. Heck it took me a few years just to do get to that point... how many years did it take you to be physically able to zumba.

    Impressive though this is, and I'm sure we're all appropriately astounded, I'm not sure it's really relevant to the OP's query. After all, she didn't ask whether zumba was too easy *for you*...

    (And no, it isn't my cup of tea either.)

    ^^ Knocking other people's exercise is not cool, dude; it's also not constructive. She's out there exercising when millions of people are sitting on their arses doing nothing. You don't like it, you don't have to do it.

    To OP: you can probably judge by how you're feeling in class. The reality is that as you get more cardiovascularly fit, your heart isn't going to have to work as hard and your burn is going to read lower. Is it possible you could amp things up a bit? I've never done Zumba so I don't know what the motions are like, but can you go lower, higher, faster? Push your body to do things you weren't able to do before. For example, I do a lot of plyometrics for cardio; I've found I can push myself when it starts to feel easier by making my lunges/squats lower, bringing my knees up higher when jumping, consciously engaging my core, etc. What other people have suggested about mixing up the workouts a bit, or adding something new, is also good advice :)
  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    Always consult a doctor before changing exercise habits, (standard disclaimer)

    Basically find your target heart rate for you body type and keep your rate with in that target range, this is where it's good to consult with a doctor, to make sure your body can handle it. It is possible that your heart is getting use to your exercise level, so you may need to add to it, remember alittle bit goes along way, you don't want to over due it, that's how injuries happen. However, if your having an easier time then that is great because it means your heart is becoming stronger.

    Another simple way to tell is if you can hold a conversation without running out of breath alot, then you may need to up your level.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
    she didn't ask whether zumba was too easy *for you*...

    "How to know if something is getting too easy for you? "
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    A smaller calorie burn comes with the territory of getting more fit and weighing less. Changing things up can help though!
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    she didn't ask whether zumba was too easy *for you*...

    "How to know if something is getting too easy for you? "

    You're funny.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories