1000 Calories in 1 Hr of Zumba- Really?!

2

Replies

  • WAHMto5
    WAHMto5 Posts: 375 Member
    Like others have said, it really depends on your stats and the intensity you do Zumba at. I use a HRM and do pretty high intensity and normally average about 500 calories for the hour.
  • viajera99
    viajera99 Posts: 252 Member
    No, you can't. Someone who weighs 140 lbs and runs 10 miles in an hour would burn 1000 calories. Vigorous exercise like that is around 7 METs (https://sites.google.com/site/compendiumofphysicalactivities/Activity-Categories/conditioning-exercise), so even if your BMR is 2400 (i.e., 100 kcal/hour) you're only going to burn about 700-750/hr. HRMs don't measure caloric burns, they estimate it, and like anything, they can be way off.

    If people want to believe they burned 1000 kcal/hr, there's no law against it, but if they eat that 1000 kcals back, they'll be unpleasantly surprised.
  • gfroniewski
    gfroniewski Posts: 168
    I think 1,000 calories for 1 hour is a pretty high estimate no matter which way you cut it. I am only 5'5" 132 lbs. so I don't know what the average burn is like for someone larger, but I just don't see it happening.
  • PelirrojaCrawley
    PelirrojaCrawley Posts: 3
    It all depends on the instructor. I had some workouts when I had problems walking out of the room afterwards :D , and some when I hardly sweated a drop and nearly fell asleep out of boredom ;)
  • kindasortachewy
    kindasortachewy Posts: 1,084 Member
    I've burned 740ish in 45 minutes of zumba - Zumba is how much effort YOU put into it, nothing more nothing less. I could do the same 30 minute session and burn 200 or 600 - thats a promise.
  • newmelady
    newmelady Posts: 132 Member
    Very true. Calorie burn really depends on the intensity of the workout.:smile:
  • LisaWilson2012
    LisaWilson2012 Posts: 118 Member
    Hiya, my mate has a heart monitor and connected calorie watch and she burns about 650 calories in an hour of Zumba. However, she works very hard all through the hour, puts everything into each move, digs deep, and really does perform every move to the best of her strength and ability.
  • LisaWilson2012
    LisaWilson2012 Posts: 118 Member
    I've burned 740ish in 45 minutes of zumba - Zumba is how much effort YOU put into it, nothing more nothing less. I could do the same 30 minute session and burn 200 or 600 - thats a promise.

    THIS!
  • quicklabs
    quicklabs Posts: 254 Member
    Pending two knee replacements, I don't exactly kill it! I use a HRM. At 5'6", 157 lbs, I burn around 420 calories in an hour.
  • jolt28
    jolt28 Posts: 218 Member
    I'm 50 yrs old and about 300# - MFP gave me 1024 calories burned for 52 min of Zumba. I checked a zumba website and entered my info - saying I did it at the lowest input and it still gave me 882. It was quite a workout for me, as I haven't done any exercise for many years. So it's not the average, but it can happen.

    And no - I didn't eat any of those calories, I actually deleted the entry because I let my fitbit do the adjustment; which ended up not being that much but I didn't do much walking that day.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
    I'm going to go ahead and safely say that no one burned 1000 calories doing 1hr of Zumba.
    I use a Polar HRM and have burned 1000+ in 1 hr.
    I've burned 740ish in 45 minutes of zumba - Zumba is how much effort YOU put into it, nothing more nothing less. I could do the same 30 minute session and burn 200 or 600 - thats a promise.

    THIS!

    Aside from effort, sex, and size also has to do with it too.
  • SurfyFriend
    SurfyFriend Posts: 362 Member
    I have to say the instructors burn the most energy because they really work it! But unless you're dripping with sweat its unlikely.
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    It depends how hard you really jump and pump.

    I use a Polar heart rate monitor, and depending on how much energy I put into the class,
    I've burned from 250-550 calories in one hour of Zumba.

    And since I'm very small, I'd say an average sized person would burn 750 max,
    and an overweight person even more. (if they're moving hard)

    So, maybe yes, close to 1000 if you REALLY work it.
  • usteward
    usteward Posts: 112 Member
    Well I can only speak for me. I am in the 170s and with my heart montior i can burn from 800 to 900 calories in that 60 mins. Zumba is a WORKOUT!
  • ShrinkingShona
    ShrinkingShona Posts: 218 Member
    You probably don't need another reply, but I wear a HRM all the time. When I first started losing weight I was 300+ lbs and very unfit. I burned between 700 - 800 an hour. Some teachers are more kickarse than others so my mileage would vary. Now I have lost 100lbs and am much fitter, I typically burn between 500 - 600 in a class.

    I would never say never though. You get the right combo of unfit person who is large, and a killer instructor and routine and I'd say you could burn 1000 cals in a n hour, for sure. I think it's an exception rather than something that applies to everyone.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    This is exactly why calorie burns are a crap shoot. Even when I put my all into very vigorous cardio, I burn right around 375 calories an hour. That's at my max.

    I'm sure that there are a few people who do burn over 750 calories, and even 1000 calories, an hour doing Zumba, but it is not as common as the 500 range.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
    This is exactly why calorie burns are a crap shoot. Even when I put my all into very vigorous cardio, I burn right around 375 calories an hour. That's at my max.

    I'm sure that there are a few people who do burn over 750 calories, and even 1000 calories, an hour doing Zumba, but it is not as common as the 500 range.

    How dare you give a reasonable answer?
  • TriciaRoy
    TriciaRoy Posts: 4 Member
    Yes, it's possible. The more you weigh, the more calories you can burn. I knew a guy -- in his forties or fifties -- who would routinely burn 1000 calories in an awesome kickboxing class back in the day (he was wearing a heartrate monitor). In addition to your weight as a factor, some classes really are that intense. I take a Zumba class with a teacher who is a professional dancer and choreographer, and she really steps it up. Not all Zumba instructors teacher at the same intensity level.
  • goodtimezzzz
    goodtimezzzz Posts: 640 Member
    more like 300
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    This is exactly why calorie burns are a crap shoot. Even when I put my all into very vigorous cardio, I burn right around 375 calories an hour. That's at my max.

    I'm sure that there are a few people who do burn over 750 calories, and even 1000 calories, an hour doing Zumba, but it is not as common as the 500 range.

    How dare you give a reasonable answer?

    I know. I really need to watch it with the reasonable answers.
  • JessicaZen
    JessicaZen Posts: 149 Member
    Before I got my HRM I was using MFP figures and wound up gaining weight cuz MFP gives back way too many calories burned I was doing 4 hour workouts and MFP was giving me over 3000 calories burned when it was totally way less Yes Zumba is fun but you would do well to get a HRM I got a Polar FT for women an amazon for a very good price under 100 dollars and it works great.
  • sunglasses_and_ocean_waves
    sunglasses_and_ocean_waves Posts: 2,757 Member
    This is exactly why calorie burns are a crap shoot. Even when I put my all into very vigorous cardio, I burn right around 375 calories an hour. That's at my max.

    I'm sure that there are a few people who do burn over 750 calories, and even 1000 calories, an hour doing Zumba, but it is not as common as the 500 range.

    How dare you give a reasonable answer?

    Dude, no one was being unreasonable here so what are you trying to do? Or is this your attempt at flirting? :laugh:

    Zumba's not my thing (tried it once, too corny), but even doing an hour plyo, I'm hitting about 750.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    When I did Zumba weighing 230 lbs, I burned approx 550-650 calories for the full hour.
    It's pretty hard to burn a full 1000+ calories, and it usually takes me 90 mins of continuous high intense workouts.


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    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    Im 5'5", 193lbs.

    Depending on the instructor and type of class (regular or toning with hand weights) I burn between 500 and 800 cals an hour. Im sweating like crazy after the toning classes and if I pushed it more, could probably get to 1k in a 55min class. I wear a polar ft7 with chest strap to calculate calorie burn.
  • geonbaeLeilee
    geonbaeLeilee Posts: 606 Member
    Maybe depends on the weight of the person? I usually do Zumba for an hour, and the most I've come close to 1,000 is 745. HRMs are your friend.
  • deeray
    deeray Posts: 103 Member
    I've burned 1,000-1,200 during an hour of Zumba. But, that was me giving it my damn all before the gym started charging for classes, lol. I was also about 20lbs heavier. Now, I burn about 700-800 calories a class. So yeah..it is possible.
  • gfroniewski
    gfroniewski Posts: 168
    I am sorry, but I genuinely have a hard time believing some of these figures. Unless they are from chest strap HRMs (even then it's not 100%) then I can't even take it into account. I discovered my burns were very different when calculated by a site than by an HRM.

    I can get behind the point about size being an issue. I am 5'5" 132, so I wouldn't expect to burn as many calories as a 240 lb. person. However, 1,000 calories for a regular Zumba class means you are literally working your *kitten* off and must weigh a substantial amount. Most of the people closer to my size in here say 800 or less.

    I wanna do an equivalent cardio workout and see how many calories I burn. Only way to resolve the issue for me lol. I guess I am just bitter because I do heavy circuit training, HIIT, hill climbs, trail runs etc. and don't get that type of burn. There has to be something to it getting 1k from a Zumba class. Just saying!
  • lisamarie2181
    lisamarie2181 Posts: 560 Member
    It is very possible, but it does matter your weight and how hard you are actually doing the workout.

    Most people saying it isn't possible are below 200 lbs, so for them, they prob would not hit a burn that high, but for being over 200lbs, definitely possible.

    I have a body media fit, and I would hit around 700 doing the hour xhilarate DVD. When I didn't put as much intensity into my workout, it would be lower. This is a constantly moving workout, there really isn't much rest time inbetween dances except for the jump from one dance to the other. And I am dripping in sweat after my workout, so it definitely is a calorie burner.

    If you don't feel comfortable going to a class, try one of the DVD's at home, I think everyone prob looks a fool their first time or two doing it because you have to learn the dance moves, but you get used to it quick and it is a lot of fun!
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
    I hate cardio, so I'm pretty out of shape in that regard. I'm a small person and I can burn over 300 calories via HRM just going on a 30 minte walk. So, theoretically, I could probably get up to or near 1000kcals if I really, really killed myself in an hour Zumba class. But the more often I did it, the lower the calorie burn I'd get.
  • lostgrl85
    lostgrl85 Posts: 28 Member
    I'm 330 lbs and the first time I logged a Zumba workout into MFP, it told me I burned over 1300 calories. I wear a bodybugg and it shows that I usually burn around 700-800 calories for an hour, so MFP overestimated by at least 500 calories. I also walk out of those classes completely drenched. I'm sure if I tried hard enough, I could burn 1000 calories because of my weight, but most people aren't as big as me, so I'm guessing that figure is way too high.

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