Burning 1000 Cal a workout?????

Does anybody know how much metabolism is sped up and how long it's in "burn" mode after a workout like this? I am new to this kind of tracking (where it subtracts off your exercise calories burned) -- not sure I like the way it implies to eat more... how do you figure out the balance there? Is it based on weight?

It's going to depend on a lot of factors, and from person to person. A lot of this process is figuring out what works for you. Some things work, some things won't.

To answer some of your questions when I burn 1,000 at the gym its usually by doing 1 hour on treadmill (600-700 cals- and half hour on cross trainer/eliptical 300 cal)

Does anybody know how much metabolism is sped up and how long it's in "burn" mode after a workout like this? I am new to this kind of tracking (where it subtracts off your exercise calories burned) -- not sure I like the way it implies to eat more... how do you figure out the balance there? Is it based on weight?

MFP figures out your BMR (basal metabolic rate) based on your age, height, weight, using the Mifflin Jeor formula. This is the amount of calories you need just for your body to function, they would feed you this much if you were in a coma.

Then it asks you your activity level NOT INCLUDING exercise, for what you do in your daily life, work, school, taking care of kids, etc. It figures out your needed calories not including the exercise.

Then it asks you how many pounds you want to lose per week and subtracts a set amount of calories per day, 500 for 1 pound a week, 1,000 for 2 pounds a week, etc. (note: choosing 2 pounds a week is not the right thing to choose unless you are very obese).

It subtracts those calories, but only down to a minimum of 1200 a day.

Now, notice that all of that figuring above DID NOT INCLUDE EXERCISE. This is so that you would lose weight without any exercise, many people who come here are unable to exercise. When you DO exercise, you need to add more fuel. MFP adds those calories when you log your exercise. If you do not eat them, then you are creating too much of a calorie deficit which adds stress to your body which releases stress hormones and is unhealthy for you.

All exercise is not created equal, and it really comes down to your personal intensity level. This is why you can have a 10, 15 minute HIIT workout that burns VASTLY more calories than the figure given for 'Calishtenics - vigorous' or you can be an excellent runner and not be challenged at all for 30 minutes at 'Running - 7mph' and burn far less than it gives. My weightlifting, a pro athlete's routine, and a 2nd-week-in-the-gym lady's 30 minute weightlifting routine aren't even going to be in the same league but it's all going to tell you the same thing online. I got 775 calories for 50 minute of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu this morning, just like I do 2x every week, and I can guarantee you that some practices are quite a bit harder than others.

I personally don't like HRMs either unless you are training for an endurance event and want to fact-check yourself for pace and intensity. You don't burn any fat during a workout, after all, and there are tons of factors that can seriously affect how those calories affect you in the following period. It's a little like seeing how much stronger you are right after you finish lifting instead of waiting until the next exercise.

No to mention that high intensity conditioning and strength-training both have a lot more effect during the recovery period than moderate cardio. Rebuilding the body's infrastructure while resting increases BMR, and at rest is when you burn fat. If you don't give your body a stimulus that makes it rebuild and improve, even with the same amount of calories burned during the workout you'll burn less fat because you don't have that increased BMR in the recovery period. I think that this is a big factor in many people's plateau issues. If you don't keep updating your goals, your body won't be challenged as much as so won't burn as much during the same workout, as well as not having to do much for recovery.

These are just general guides, don't take them too seriously. If you want to get serious, get yourself some calipers and keep really close track of your body fat while keeping track of any strength/fitness gains. Lower calories until fat loss plateaus and fitness gains remain consistent. This will take quite a while and plenty of dedication but it's the only way to know for sure, with your workout and your body, what the exact reality is.

Eat when your hungry. I only use my exercise calories to catch me when I go over. I am not going to eat simply because this tells me too. If I am not hungry and i burned 1000 extra calories I am not going to go shove food in my face to appease myfitnesspal!

you might end up gaining if you only take in 200 calories after burning 1000 on a 1200 cal diet. thats not enough to give your body the fuel it needs to function and your body may start storing calories which leads to weight gain, if im not mistaken. also depends on how often you excercise.

Let's all take a moment to gasp at the science in this comment. Gaining weight at a net of 200 calories!

Anyone realize this convo ended in 2011? lol. But it was still a good read

I burn 1000-1300 in a 2 hour workout. Usually, I do a lot of interval running, and a lot of weights. I'd say 1 hour of running and 1 hour of weights. I usually push extra hard once I see that im near 1000, and do more sprints.

Hello, Necromancer.