Dissapointed with insanity calorie burn...
lexlyn14
Posts: 290 Member
Hi...So I like to run and I have been doing it for a while...I usually burn according to my heart rate monitor 300 calories in 30 minutes running at 6.0 with varying inclines...
I wanted to add something else to my cardio besides running so I thought I would do insanity due to the large calorie burns I have read all about...
However today I started insanity plyometric cardio circuit and after 30 minutes in realized I had only burned 220 calories...Which is less calories than I would have burned if I ran for a half hour...
However I sweat way more than I do when I am running and I felt way more exhausted...
My goal is to burn the most calories I can ...so I might just go back to running since it seems as if I burn more calories doing that...
BTW I am 5 feet 4 1/2 inches and weigh 130...My HRM is working properly and my stats are all updated...
What do you think the problem is??? Does any one else feel dissapointed at the amount of calories they are burning doing the plyometric cardio circuit from insanity???
I wanted to add something else to my cardio besides running so I thought I would do insanity due to the large calorie burns I have read all about...
However today I started insanity plyometric cardio circuit and after 30 minutes in realized I had only burned 220 calories...Which is less calories than I would have burned if I ran for a half hour...
However I sweat way more than I do when I am running and I felt way more exhausted...
My goal is to burn the most calories I can ...so I might just go back to running since it seems as if I burn more calories doing that...
BTW I am 5 feet 4 1/2 inches and weigh 130...My HRM is working properly and my stats are all updated...
What do you think the problem is??? Does any one else feel dissapointed at the amount of calories they are burning doing the plyometric cardio circuit from insanity???
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Replies
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as a general rule i try to get in shape, not burn calories. for my money, Insanity offers more bang for my buck in that i get a full body workout in addition to cardio so i don't care what the calories burned for either activity is.
but if you prefer running for the calorie burn, why not combine your running with a full body lifting program, like SL5x5 or NROLFW?0 -
Thanks...maybe I will...0
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Insanity does more muscle strength moves involved. (I haven't done it, but that's what I've heard) The thing is it also works a lot more muscle groups and will tighten and tone your whole body. I work with doctors who tell me all the time, the more muscle you have, the more calories you tend to burn in a day. It's a good thing I'd stick to it! take pictures before and after and if you do it daily you'll see results0
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Insanity is a combination of cardio and strength training. You feel more exhausted most likely due to the muscle fatigue. Have you tried kickboxing or zumba? If your main goal is calories burned, you can burn 500+ calories in an hour doing those, and the hour goes by quick. I like insanity too, but then I've never been much of a runner, I prefer doing group fitness. Good luck on your journey:)0
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Thanks so much!!!0
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Honestly for simple, on the spot, calorie burn you'll find it hard to beat running.
But there are lots of other reasons to mix it up and add in some extra exercises (and I say this as someone who burns most of her calories through running). Building more muscle will help you to burn more calories all day. So think of it as a long term investment. Not to mention how much better a strong, toned 130 looks than a weak, flabby 130 (not saying you're weak and flabby, just pointing out there's more to life than burning calories).0 -
Because of the running your aerobic fitness is super efficient, so you get a lower cal burn from insanity than a non-runner. However as others have said you're using different muscle groups that you don't use as often, which is why you're tired! You should stick with it, give the running muscles a rest and bust some new ones!0
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Because of the running your aerobic fitness is super efficient, so you get a lower cal burn from insanity than a non-runner. However as others have said you're using different muscle groups that you don't use as often, which is why you're tired! You should stick with it, give the running muscles a rest and bust some new ones!
Fitness level may affect HRM estimates, however, it does not affect actual calories burned. Calories burned is based on intensity and weight. Fitter people can usually work at a higher intensity however, two individuals (one fit, one not) doin the same work at the same intensity will burn the same amount of calories.0 -
I burned my calories doing Zumba over Insanity. I have 2.5 weeks left of Insanity before I start again..
I may not burn as many calories but Insanity is reshaping my body faster than Zumba did..I can see obliques now.. and dropped a pant size in 6 weeks.0 -
Spin classes give a great calorie burn and my fitness has improved mega!
I clock up 900+ calories burn in an hr!
Just a suggestion if u wanted to try something different
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Awesome advice!!!0
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no.. you did not..
I clock up 900+ calories burn in an hr!
if you did, you're going at a pace that tour de france riders go at. which I doubt.0 -
Honestly for simple, on the spot, calorie burn you'll find it hard to beat running.
But there are lots of other reasons to mix it up and add in some extra exercises (and I say this as someone who burns most of her calories through running). Building more muscle will help you to burn more calories all day. So think of it as a long term investment. Not to mention how much better a strong, toned 130 looks than a weak, flabby 130 (not saying you're weak and flabby, just pointing out there's more to life than burning calories).
this0 -
Spin classes give a great calorie burn and my fitness has improved mega!
I clock up 900+ calories burn in an hr!
Just a suggestion if u wanted to try something different
I teach several cycling classes a week. Several of my members wear heart rate monitors. I'm saying - this doesn't happen. May want to double check your heart rate monitor.0 -
Honestly it's all about your breathing and muscle control keep doing it and remember you want results toned lean muscles and not just calories burned..give it 30 days then examine the change. I do P90x and it's worth it..0
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cycling is a kick butt workout used to conduct classes ages ago and when you finish a session you feel 20lbs lighter.Spin classes give a great calorie burn and my fitness has improved mega!
I clock up 900+ calories burn in an hr!
Just a suggestion if u wanted to try something different
I teach several cycling classes a week. Several of my members wear heart rate monitors. I'm saying - this doesn't happen. May want to double check your heart rate monitor.0 -
I'm having the same issue with Insanity, but I'm seeing results, so I keep going. For the Plyo workout, I burned 300 calories...I was dripping with sweat (ewe) and I really feel like I put a good effort into it, but that's what I burned. I have noticed that I typically burn 100 calories during just the warm up. I was running a lot beforehand as well (still do on the rest days..I miss running) and I was burning more calories running as well, but I really feel like I'm getting more of a true work out with Insanity. I'm at the end of week 2 now, so I'm going to finish and see how things go there, but like I said, I'm seeing results with it even though I don't have the higher calorie burn. I'm 5'6 and weigh a little over 150, so I don't know if that counts for anything.0
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I feel your frustration. I am in week 4 of Insanity and burn on average 400 calories per workout. I was disappointed as well with my calorie burn because I burn way more calories when I run. (I am a numbers person so I like to see higher numbers on my HRM). As the others have said, it is a full body workout so you aren't going to burn as much as if you were doing straight cardio, I have to constantly remind myself of this. Our stats are the same (I'm 5'4 3/4 133lb) so it makes me feel better that someone else is burning the same as I am.0
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Are you completely exhausted lying on the floor covered in sweat and breathing heavily at the end of your Insanity workout? If not, I'd guess you might not be pushing yourself hard enough. Insanity is designed to be a maximum effort workout. If you're not giving it you're all, you won't get the type of results you're looking for. This is different from running a a pace you're comfortable with for however long you run. During Insanity you want to go 100% during the exercises to shoot your heart rate up and then let it fall back down during the rest periods. It's essentially like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Do you think it's possible that you could push yourself more?0 -
Are you completely exhausted lying on the floor covered in sweat and breathing heavily at the end of your Insanity workout? If not, I'd guess you might not be pushing yourself hard enough. Insanity is designed to be a maximum effort workout. If you're not giving it you're all, you won't get the type of results you're looking for. This is different from running a a pace you're comfortable with for however long you run. During Insanity you want to go 100% during the exercises to shoot your heart rate up and then let it fall back down during the rest periods. It's essentially like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Do you think it's possible that you could push yourself more?
I'm having a hard time getting my heart rate to drop down in a 30 second break...what am I supposed to do, stop the DVD to let my heart rate drop to an acceptable number before starting again? This has always confused me a little.0 -
When I did Insanity, only for 4 weeks, it was not a huge calorie burner. However, it was great at increasing my endurance and stamina, not only on the video but in my other cardio classes I take at the gym. I felt better and the sweat was definitely dripping off of me! I plan to restart and do the full 60 days in June/July.0
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Are you completely exhausted lying on the floor covered in sweat and breathing heavily at the end of your Insanity workout? If not, I'd guess you might not be pushing yourself hard enough. Insanity is designed to be a maximum effort workout. If you're not giving it you're all, you won't get the type of results you're looking for. This is different from running a a pace you're comfortable with for however long you run. During Insanity you want to go 100% during the exercises to shoot your heart rate up and then let it fall back down during the rest periods. It's essentially like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Do you think it's possible that you could push yourself more?
I'm having a hard time getting my heart rate to drop down in a 30 second break...what am I supposed to do, stop the DVD to let my heart rate drop to an acceptable number before starting again? This has always confused me a little.
I had the same problem for the first couple weeks..I took a longer break until it went down.. after about 3 weeks my HR started to recover faster and now that I am almost done it happens so quick now isn't funny..
I think it is all part of the conditioning process...
and I didn't pause the DVD..I just waited and picked up again.. it will improve..0 -
I would encourage you to keep at it. And people are absolutely right--the stronger you are (I mean, the more muscle you have), the easier it will be to burn off fat and calories. That's why I do both HIIT cardio and weight training and lifting.0
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Hi...So I like to run and I have been doing it for a while...I usually burn according to my heart rate monitor 300 calories in 30 minutes running at 6.0 with varying inclines...
I wanted to add something else to my cardio besides running so I thought I would do insanity due to the large calorie burns I have read all about...
However today I started insanity plyometric cardio circuit and after 30 minutes in realized I had only burned 220 calories...Which is less calories than I would have burned if I ran for a half hour...
However I sweat way more than I do when I am running and I felt way more exhausted...
My goal is to burn the most calories I can ...so I might just go back to running since it seems as if I burn more calories doing that...
BTW I am 5 feet 4 1/2 inches and weigh 130...My HRM is working properly and my stats are all updated...
What do you think the problem is??? Does any one else feel dissapointed at the amount of calories they are burning doing the plyometric cardio circuit from insanity???
I have this too. I burn the same amount of calories (sometimes less) than i do with my "normal" celebrity workout dvds. I found it abit disappointing at the beginning but i have noticed a difference with my body and i like what i'm seeing. Yesterday i did the power and resistance, burnt like 230 calories and then did another dvd and burnt 250. I'm 5"2 and 117lbs.0 -
I'm having the same issue with Insanity, but I'm seeing results, so I keep going. For the Plyo workout, I burned 300 calories...I was dripping with sweat (ewe) and I really feel like I put a good effort into it, but that's what I burned. I have noticed that I typically burn 100 calories during just the warm up. I was running a lot beforehand as well (still do on the rest days..I miss running) and I was burning more calories running as well, but I really feel like I'm getting more of a true work out with Insanity. I'm at the end of week 2 now, so I'm going to finish and see how things go there, but like I said, I'm seeing results with it even though I don't have the higher calorie burn. I'm 5'6 and weigh a little over 150, so I don't know if that counts for anything.
This is exactly what is going on for me...But I will continue it and see what happens...thanks0 -
aiming for high calorie burn just means that when you plateau you'll have to eat less because you're already doing way too much exercise... food for thought0
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Are you completely exhausted lying on the floor covered in sweat and breathing heavily at the end of your Insanity workout? If not, I'd guess you might not be pushing yourself hard enough. Insanity is designed to be a maximum effort workout. If you're not giving it you're all, you won't get the type of results you're looking for. This is different from running a a pace you're comfortable with for however long you run. During Insanity you want to go 100% during the exercises to shoot your heart rate up and then let it fall back down during the rest periods. It's essentially like High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
Do you think it's possible that you could push yourself more?
I'm having a hard time getting my heart rate to drop down in a 30 second break...what am I supposed to do, stop the DVD to let my heart rate drop to an acceptable number before starting again? This has always confused me a little.
I had the same problem for the first couple weeks..I took a longer break until it went down.. after about 3 weeks my HR started to recover faster and now that I am almost done it happens so quick now isn't funny..
I think it is all part of the conditioning process...
and I didn't pause the DVD..I just waited and picked up again.. it will improve..
Yep, same here. I would just wait until my HR dropped below 160 and then start up again. At the beginning when I needed more time I'd pause the DVD but as I needed shorter and shorter rest, I'd just let it play and catch up when I could. Eventually, your heart rate drops significantly during the 30 second break once your fitness level increases.0 -
Firstly, well done for committing to the 60-day program. Having done it myself, I know it's tough.
As for your calorie burns, I still manage to burn 600+ cals in a 50 minute Insanity: Asylum workout, but what's important to remember is that, when you strip it down to its bare bones, it's HIIT training. This means that not only do you burn calories during the workout, but you've also got the 'afterburn effect', which states that, even when you've stopped exercising, you will continue to burn calories at a higher rate than you would if you had done steady-state cardio. This extra post-workout calorie burn will not be reflected in your HRM readings, but will certainly contribute to your daily calorie burn.
Don't be disheartened by the figure on your HRM. Keep that information in your head, it'll help you feel more motivated and rewarded. Insanity is a wonderful tool to reshape your body and if you enjoy your running, it'll help you aerobically so much. Stick at it...I wish you the best of luck with the rest of the program.0 -
Aside from the fact that the workout is called Insanity, its a HIIT style workout. One of the reasons HIIT is popular is not just the burn during the workout, but the thermogenic effect (or EPOC effect) that kind of workout has on your body.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excess_post-exercise_oxygen_consumption
FYI you can also do HIIT anaerobic workouts with weights. Those are my favorite kind these days. If you do it right, you should be close to throwing up and/or tasting the last meal you ate over and over again.0 -
For the love of everything holy, are you people trying to get in a workout or trying to play with your HRMs? It's a 30 second break. Not a "watch for when my heart rate goes down break". It's a workout, not a calorie burning competition or a heart rate competition.
Insanity isn't a long term workout solution because it's too hard on your joints. But it DOES work well if you use it the way it's designed. If you'll put down your HRMs long enough to let it, anyway.0
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