How are you guys burning 500+ calories

I can burn 500 calories with one hour of super intense exercise,
or in two hours of moderate exercise.

Unless you're only doing 5 minutes of exercise, you must be burning more than 30 cals.

Same here. I'm 5'1" and 147

I did 45 min strength training today and 35 min of cardio - total burn was 555.

I don't trust the calorie counts on the machines at the gym. I only go by my HRM. Which is usually close to 100 cal LOWER then what the machines show. 30 minutes on the eliptical for me is usually about a 250 burn.

I burn over 600 when I run outdoors for an hour.

A big part of the machine / HRM discrepancy is that often the algorithm includes the "basal" burn.

In other words, the inflated estimate adds the sedentary burn (say, 1800 cal/day, or 75 cal/hour doing nothing) plus whatever exercise you're doing.

If you're curious, wear your HRM while you're resting. If it says it burns ANY calories it is either considering your basal burn rate (and so you should ideally deduct that from your total) or it is overestimating the exercise burn. The best HRM estimators make an estimate based on a resting HR and maximal/threshold harte to calibrate zero to maximum burn - in other words, it only starts recording calorie burn at a certain point, not when you're just patzing around.

I always use a hrm. I work at a barn, ride my horse 30-45 min almost everyday plus either lift three times a week or do some kind of additional cardio depending on the weather. Now that I've lost a significant amount of weight it is getting harder though.

This is not true...who told you that being obese makes you burn more then a thin person??? smh

I'm a little bit embarrassed for you that you actually just said that, and with attitude. Pick up 80 pound weights and go for a run - let me know how your burn is afterward.

A fitter person can burn the same as an overweight person in the same amount of time - it's about the amount of effort and getting the heartrate up - A heavier person even though they may only be walking 3 mph might burn the same as a fitter person say running 5.5 mph for the same amount of time - it's about the energy exerted not the amount a person weighs - A fitter person seems like they are working harder but they actually CAN work harder than someone who is not as fit - just my opinion - not an expert

walking @ 3mph is NOT the same activity as walking 5.5mph. Doing the SAME activity (i.e. same intensity, same speed, same distance, etc), the larger person WILL burn more calories than the other because of the increased mass being moved, resulting in more energy being exerted to move the greater mass = increased calorie burn.

Where in my response did I say it was the same activity? Maybe I worded it wrong? A heavier person walking 3 mph (which could take a lot of effort on their part) and a fitter person running 5.5 miles per hour (possibly the same amount of effort as the heavier person's walk) could burn the same amount of calories. A fitter person would have to increase their effort to get to the same heartrate as a heavier person whose heartrate would increase at a slower pace.

The premiss you responded to contains the implied assumption of the same activity. But you are right, of course a fit person will burn more calories in the same about of time running than an overweight person will burn walking. But for that matter, an overweight 240lb person will burn more calories in the same about of time running @ 5mph than another overweight 240lb person walking at 3.5mph. Therefore comparison with all variables being equal except weight is necessary for an accurate analysis.

Ahhh, but both people will burn the same calories (respectively) for the mile regardless of whether they walk or run.

My brain likes to point out the unfairness of that during the first mile of my runs when my muscles are warming up and protesting the abuse.

I bore easily and don't care for calisthenics, plus my objective is to hike up and climb mountains this summer, so for me walking is the solution. Luckily I live in a city that has numerous hiking trails, and the trails go up bluffs and follow ridge-lines and run down valleys and up again. There is no shortage of "ups and down" on the walks.

I have been working my way up to 8 miles per day, with a goal of 10 to 12 miles per day, which I hope to achieve in several more weeks or a month at most. I do have the benefit of being able to walk 3 hours per day, though I noticed that people like Peytonyoumans split their exercise into more manageable chunks--like half in the morning, half after work.

I have an HRM and activity monitor (SyncBurn), plus I used another pedometer for double-checking, and I've recently downloaded the "My Track" app (free) for Android, which doesn't use paces but instead uses GPS to track my walks/hikes. HRM/Activity Monitor runs a little short, as it doesn't take into account altitude gain or loss.

My bottom line, however, is "qualitative" and not "quantitative". Sure, I keep track of the numbers, but that is just double-entry bookkeeping that helps me keep in focus. My small improvements on my walks/hikes and appearance, however, are the real reward. When I first started my walks going up the first hill was a killer. I had to stop 6 or 7 or 10 times to catch my breath. Now, I just walk to the top, take a small breather, then do the next part. I listen to music on my Android, notice there were 25 robins (spring?) and 1 bluebird, a half-dozen rabbits, and a weeping willow is starting to bud out. Every day the landscape changes in small ways.

When I started this the light at the end of the tunnel looked like the tiniest star at night. Now, I can see it getting nearer and bigger. That's my big reward, and the numbers themselves are just a sideshow.

lol okay for argument's sake a fitter person will not burn as many calories doing he SAME level of activity as a heavier person - my point was that a fitter person's intensity level would be higher in order to achieve the same caloric burn in the same amount of time because it would take a higher level of activity to get to the same heartrate.

I know it's clear as mud :ohwell:

Edit - myself for example - I know that if I want to burn the same amount of calories as I get fitter - I will have to work harder as I lose weight because it will take longer to get my heartrate up to the level needed. But I won't feel that it is actually harder to do as I should be in better shape - as we improve with our fitness - things that are hard now are easier later even though it is a higher level of intensity it might feel like the same effort I put forth doing the less strenuous exercise 3 months ago. I guess I should have used myself as an example earlier - I think this made more sense? Even though it appears I will be worker harder - I actually won't because my ability to do it has improved.

I have never been obese and started MFP with 25lbs to lose. Using a HRM is MUCH BETTER than just logging your activities on MFP and letting them assume the caloric burn. A burn doing a Jillian Michaels DVD for me (which is only 30-45 minutes) will put me at 350-375 if I work my hardest (I'm not in horrible shape, but I am not in athletic shape either). This caloric burn has remained the same even before baby when I was lean and athletic.

When I am in good shape I require an hour's worth of activity. So I will do strength (a DVD usually, HIIT) and then cardio (running, fast walking uphill) for the rest of the time to make it an hour. I almost always burned 500 or more calories when I was in better shape because I had energy and power to do more.

I joined this site with 15 pounds to lose....I only burn that extreme number when I play 3 or 4 hours of tennis...or crossfit and then 2 hours of tennis at times. I do use a HRM and use to eat all my exercise calories back...1225 calories a day plus exercise, however I have NOT lost any weight in 6 plus months doing this....just maintained...this week not eating them back and boy..its HARD! Clearly the larger you are and more intense workout the more you will burn

Thank you for all of the advice and information, really helpful! I was being a bit dramatic with my 30cals. I honestly don't know how much I really do burn, my exercises go something like this:

20 squats (no weight)
80 leg kicks on each leg (I think that's what they're called, you get in doggy style position and kick your leg back, then pump it up, to the side, etc)
60 sit-ups
This weird pilates move I seen on Youtube (You lay on your side and lift your leg into the air)
A few stretches (??Don't know if this burns calories)
This other thing I seen on Youtube where you lay on the ground, bring your knees up (with your feet still on the ground firmly) and hip thrust (lol)
And this other thing I seen on Youtube where you take the same position as above, but make one leg go out straight and hip thrust.

By the end I'm pretty much a panting wreck, but if I eat even 200-300 calories more over a few exercise days, I gain a few ounces, which quickly turn into pounds. So I guess my efforts aren't as strenuous as my mind and body seem to think they are! Kudos to yall with your super endurance!

So, okay, next question (bare with me here, I'm totally new to this exercise thing):

If my TDEE is ~1,500 calories a day (sedentary), and then I do 500 calories worth of exercise but for whatever reason don't eat it back, will I enter starvation mode and start LOSING muscle mass? Do I have to eat more than my TDEE to build muscle? I know I won't get a big butt or abs overnight (lol) but it would be super awesome to tone and lift things. I hope this makes sense. Thanks again everyone!

Apart from the squats, a lot of your excercise routine seems to be on your back or on all fours. If you add something simple like a circuit of jumping jacks or other full body exercises for a few minutes (e.g. 1 min on, 1 min rest), you should see an increase in the amount of cals you burn.
Typically people need to eat above maintenance to build muscle AND do some exercises which encourage hypertrophy.