Did I seriously only burn 72 calories?

72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile. I def want to have a goal of loosing 3-400 calls a day but I can't do crazy exercises. I've done all the Jillian micharls DVDs and I feel like I'm gonna puke and die, so I do them for a bit but it's to hard to keep up with. So I'm starting slow so I don't give up, but at 3.5 im sweaty, when I got off my heart rate was like 135 a min..and I had stepped off for a min. How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??
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Replies

  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    How did you get that number? It might not be far off. For me, 17 minutes at 3.5 mph burns around 80 calories.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    What do you weigh? That will make a difference. If you're quite small, you burn fewer calories. I'm around 160 lbs and if I walk for 30 minutes I can burn about 200 calories, but yeah, if you are much smaller it will be less than 100 for 15 mins or so. That would be 300/hour. But it does sound a little low. What gave you that count?
  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
    When I'm on the treadmill I typically burn 500 calories an hour. 4.5 MPH average as sometimes I jog and other times Im walking fast..
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile. I def want to have a goal of loosing 3-400 calls a day but I can't do crazy exercises. I've done all the Jillian micharls DVDs and I feel like I'm gonna puke and die, so I do them for a bit but it's to hard to keep up with. So I'm starting slow so I don't give up, but at 3.5 im sweaty, when I got off my heart rate was like 135 a min..and I had stepped off for a min. How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??

    You walked for less than 20 minutes I wouldn't expect to burn that many calories, just keep picking up the pace and the calorie burns will get bigger. Maybe try doing a slow jog every 5 minutes for just a minute. So basically walk 5 minutes, jog a minute, walk 5 minutes jog a minute.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile. I def want to have a goal of loosing 3-400 calls a day but I can't do crazy exercises. I've done all the Jillian micharls DVDs and I feel like I'm gonna puke and die, so I do them for a bit but it's to hard to keep up with. So I'm starting slow so I don't give up, but at 3.5 im sweaty, when I got off my heart rate was like 135 a min..and I had stepped off for a min. How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??

    You walked for less than 2o minutes I wouldn't expect to burn that many calories, just keep picking up the pace and the calorie burns will get bigger. Maybe try doing a slow job every 5 minutes for just a minute. So basically walk 5 minutes, jog a minute, walk 5 minutes job a minute.

    Oh, that's EASY! I'd totally watch a porn with my parents. Even in their prime, I wouldn't want to see them nekkid.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile. I def want to have a goal of loosing 3-400 calls a day but I can't do crazy exercises. I've done all the Jillian micharls DVDs and I feel like I'm gonna puke and die, so I do them for a bit but it's to hard to keep up with. So I'm starting slow so I don't give up, but at 3.5 im sweaty, when I got off my heart rate was like 135 a min..and I had stepped off for a min. How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??

    You walked for less than 2o minutes I wouldn't expect to burn that many calories, just keep picking up the pace and the calorie burns will get bigger. Maybe try doing a slow job every 5 minutes for just a minute. So basically walk 5 minutes, jog a minute, walk 5 minutes job a minute.

    Oh, that's EASY! I'd totally watch a porn with my parents. Even in their prime, I wouldn't want to see them nekkid.

    Those slow jobs are the best ones aren't them?
  • denisec226
    denisec226 Posts: 16 Member
    It's hard to log inclines and some jogging cause mfp doesn't really give the option. I'm 150lbs, and it's what mfp and a few other sites gave me, around 72-80. One said 200, figured that was wrong
  • Apocalypz
    Apocalypz Posts: 155 Member
    Agreed. Based on my HR monitor, a 15 min 3.5 mph walk is only ~60kcal burned. Did you at least enjoy the walk? If not, why not find other activities which get you outside so you have fun while you burn?
  • chichi2130
    chichi2130 Posts: 65 Member
    Honestly, yes, you probably did only burn 72 calories. I usually burn 90-100 calories per mile - at 5mph, heart rate fairly steady around 165 bpm.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile.

    72 calories for a mile walk would be about right if you're 250 pounds. If you weight less than that, the 72 calories is an over-estimate.
    How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??

    It means you're terribly out of shape. Keep working it, a little further each time, and you'll get there. Don't worry about the speed, it makes little difference, what matters is the distance.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    If you don't like vigorous exercise, waving your hands around slowly and walking like you're at the bottom of the sea (aka tai chi) for an hour can burn around 300 kcals and is gentle on your body.
  • shutyourpieholeandsquat
    shutyourpieholeandsquat Posts: 1,394 Member
    Not sure but is 135 for a heart-rate that high when you've been working out? Mine gets around 160. Just curious.
  • rabbyduby
    rabbyduby Posts: 123 Member
    create a workout on mfp, put walking, miles, incline and then calories burned. I usually walk at 2.5 mph at 6.5% incline for 45 minutes and i burn about 340 - 400 calories. I vary speed sometimes.
  • denisec226
    denisec226 Posts: 16 Member
    No I hate it but I have a four year old and watch a two year old so doing most stuff is out. I can get in maybe an hr before the two year old comes to my house. Plus it's freakin freezing out.
    I wanna do more but I can only stay on 30 min at a time before I loose my mind...so bored. I'd go faster but I can't do it (physically) at this point. 3.5 is top speed for me. I can do 2.5 with a 5 incline but like I said, switching it up or inclines are really hard to log
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    How are you getting 72cal, did you have a heart rate monitor on??

    As another person has suggested increase the pace to increase the heart rate, keep it easy at the start, 5min walk warm up, run a minute walk 90secs for 8reps then 5min walk cool down, when I do tabatta or fartlek training (mainly on the cross-trainer because of an injury) if I check my heart-rate using the machine it'll be over 200.

    And just remember (I dislike this saying as it's always being said to me) 'Sweat is just fat crying' so the more you sweat the better!!!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Yes. That is a pretty reasonable amount for your distance/pace/weight.
    When i was at a similar weight I was logging similar burns. A half hour walk at the same pace was less than 200 calories.


    There are more benefits to exercise than how many calories you burned. If you are improving, that is also good.

    Keep in mind that the average calorie burn for a 150 lb person for running one mile is around 100 calories. Walking burns less.
  • twilaklasen
    twilaklasen Posts: 10 Member
    Whether you run or walk, you generally lose the same calories for one mile, so don't push yourself so hard! Maybe come up with a mile goal and do it at a pace that will keep you interested but not so hard you will quit.
  • chichi2130
    chichi2130 Posts: 65 Member
    Not sure but is 135 for a heart-rate that high when you've been working out? Mine gets around 160. Just curious.

    No, it's not. Mine also gets into the 160-170 area. When I'm doing any sort of interval training, I generally increase the intensity again when my HR gets down to the 130 area.
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    72? That's not discouraging. I did a 17 min mile on the treadmill, which is an improvement from my 20min mile. I def want to have a goal of loosing 3-400 calls a day but I can't do crazy exercises. I've done all the Jillian micharls DVDs and I feel like I'm gonna puke and die, so I do them for a bit but it's to hard to keep up with. So I'm starting slow so I don't give up, but at 3.5 im sweaty, when I got off my heart rate was like 135 a min..and I had stepped off for a min. How does my body feel like it's working so hard that I need to catch my breath when I'm done and yet I burned 72 calls??

    You walked for less than 2o minutes I wouldn't expect to burn that many calories, just keep picking up the pace and the calorie burns will get bigger. Maybe try doing a slow job every 5 minutes for just a minute. So basically walk 5 minutes, jog a minute, walk 5 minutes job a minute.

    Oh, that's EASY! I'd totally watch a porn with my parents. Even in their prime, I wouldn't want to see them nekkid.

    Those slow jobs are the best ones aren't them?

    That's what I'm told... oh wait... you said "SLOW"... nvrmind
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    No I hate it but I have a four year old and watch a two year old so doing most stuff is out. I can get in maybe an hr before the two year old comes to my house. Plus it's freakin freezing out.
    I wanna do more but I can only stay on 30 min at a time before I loose my mind...so bored. I'd go faster but I can't do it (physically) at this point. 3.5 is top speed for me. I can do 2.5 with a 5 incline but like I said, switching it up or inclines are really hard to log

    I do bodyweight exercises with a four year old and a two year old. We all love headstands.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Whether you run or walk, you generally lose the same calories for one mile, so don't push yourself so hard! Maybe come up with a mile goal and do it at a pace that will keep you interested but not so hard you will quit.

    You actually don't, but even if you did, liek I said, a reasonable estimate for running 1 mile is about 100 calories at her weight. Not too far off the 72 even if we go with that.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single
  • denisec226
    denisec226 Posts: 16 Member
    No I hate it but I have a four year old and watch a two year old so doing most stuff is out. I can get in maybe an hr before the two year old comes to my house. Plus it's freakin freezing out.
    I wanna do more but I can only stay on 30 min at a time before I loose my mind...so bored. I'd go faster but I can't do it (physically) at this point. 3.5 is top speed for me. I can do 2.5 with a 5 incline but like I said, switching it up or inclines are really hard to log

    I do bodyweight exercises with a four year old and a two year old. We all love headstands.


    What is that?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It's hard to log inclines and some jogging cause mfp doesn't really give the option. I'm 150lbs, and it's what mfp and a few other sites gave me, around 72-80. One said 200, figured that was wrong

    Your calorie burn is going to largely be a bi-product of the distance you cover. Yes, intensity will play a roll as will inclines and elevations and what not...but by and large, the vast majority of that burn is going to be a bi-product of distance covered combined with your weight that has to be moved that distance. For example, someone running 1 mile vs walking 1 mile with roughly equivalent stats is going to burn about the same amount of calories...slightly more for running, but not substantially so...the difference is actually pretty negligible until you really start talking about a lot of miles.

    There are a number of calculations you can use, but 72-80 calories for a mile sounds just about right to me. I'm 183 and burn around 90-100 calories per mile walking, regardless of pace. A faster pace is just going to accomplish the task faster, not necessarily burn a whole lot more calories.

    This is ultimately why it is far more efficient to build your calorie deficit into your diet (as per MFP) and simply exercise for the sake of fitness rather than calorie burn.
  • GillianMcK
    GillianMcK Posts: 401 Member
    Sorry, won't let me edit my response, there's a calculator online (not convinced about how accurate it is but makes you think)
    http://blog.spartanrace.com/burpee-equivalents-understanding-junk-food/

    It shows how many burpees the average 130lb or 180lb person would need to do to burn off fast foods

    i.e. 1 large french fries (approx 500cal) is the equivalent of 349 burpees for the heavier person, 1 creme egg is 64 burpees!!!

    I haven't touched a creme egg since, they're nice but they're not worth 124 burpees!!!

    Even if it isn't accurate it shows how much effort we have to put into burning the calories we consume and how easy it is to consume large numbers of calories without even realising it until you write it all down!!

    With the best will in the world the only way to improve is to push yourself, if someone had told me 18mnths ago I would be training for a marathon I would have laughed in their face, a lot of running is mental, it's your mind you have to convince that you can run for a minute, it's your mind that will make your legs do it.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    No I hate it but I have a four year old and watch a two year old so doing most stuff is out. I can get in maybe an hr before the two year old comes to my house. Plus it's freakin freezing out.
    I wanna do more but I can only stay on 30 min at a time before I loose my mind...so bored. I'd go faster but I can't do it (physically) at this point. 3.5 is top speed for me. I can do 2.5 with a 5 incline but like I said, switching it up or inclines are really hard to log

    I do bodyweight exercises with a four year old and a two year old. We all love headstands.


    What is that?

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR3hzTKFE5LDsRAwFwWPSka4bvWZrfazLcgt-fdgcUvKanxG1Mk

    But seriously, look at this to start.

    http://greatist.com/fitness/50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-anywhere
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Whether you run or walk, you generally lose the same calories for one mile, so don't push yourself so hard! Maybe come up with a mile goal and do it at a pace that will keep you interested but not so hard you will quit.

    no, no, no, no, no...........

    Running burns approximately double the net calories as walking does (unless you're race / speed walking which doesn't apply to most people going 3.5 to 4 mph)

    Walking: .30 x weight (in lbs) x distance (in miles)

    Running: .63 x weight(in lbs) x distance (in miles)


    source: http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single

    Please note ......these are net caloric expenditures ie additional calories expended as a direct result of the activity (gross calories include BMR - you'd be burning that portion lying in bed)

    To the OP It would be reasonable to assume that a steeper incline would result in a higher caloric expenditure but 72 cal for 1 mile for a 150lb person would be high for a level surface.
  • thomaszabel
    thomaszabel Posts: 203 Member
    If you are using a treadmill, most estimate how many calories you burned. They take into account speed, your weight (if you type it in), and incline. Then once you are done, write down or remember the minutes and calories so you can enter them into MFP. As soon as I enter the minutes into MFP, it gives me the MFP calculation, based on the minutes and what general speed I selected. But I always overwrite the calories with what the treadmill says.

    If you are wanting to up your calories, simply add in a bit of jogging. Don't go all out. Just try a quarter mile, and stick with it for a week. So if you usually walk 1.25 miles in your 20 minute treadmill session, try walking for 0.25 miles, then jog at a decent pace (6 mph) for 0.25 miles, then walk the remaining 0.75. Repeat this for 3-4 days of workouts, and then try adding on by replacing another quarter mile walk with a quarter mile run.

    That's how I got back into running after being a couch potato. Quarter mile walk, quarter mile run, quarter mile walk, quarter mile run, etc. etc. Then I started going quarter mile walk, half mile run, quarter mile walk, half mile run, etc. After a few months of this, you'll find that you are running 2 - 3 miles a day, and still keeping your exercise time between 20-30 minutes.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Whether you run or walk, you generally lose the same calories for one mile, so don't push yourself so hard! Maybe come up with a mile goal and do it at a pace that will keep you interested but not so hard you will quit.

    You actually don't, but even if you did, liek I said, a reasonable estimate for running 1 mile is about 100 calories at her weight. Not too far off the 72 even if we go with that.

    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single

    ^ This. And here's the follow-up article:
    http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/running-v-walking-how-many-calories-will-you-burn

    It is just not true that running and walking 1 mile burn the same number of calories. You burn much higher running. It is far more taxing to lift yourself off the ground between every step than it is to leave your body weight on one foot at a time.
  • Yeah; that sounds about right.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Whether you run or walk, you generally lose the same calories for one mile, so don't push yourself so hard! Maybe come up with a mile goal and do it at a pace that will keep you interested but not so hard you will quit.

    no, no, no, no, no...........

    Running burns approximately double the net calories as walking does (unless you're race / speed walking which doesn't apply to most people going 3.5 to 4 mph)

    Walking: .30 x weight (in lbs) x distance (in miles)

    Running: .63 x weight(in lbs) x distance (in miles)


    source: http://www.runnersworld.com/weight-loss/how-many-calories-are-you-really-burning?page=single

    Please note ......these are net caloric expenditures ie additional calories expended as a direct result of the activity (gross calories include BMR - you'd be burning that portion lying in bed)

    To the OP It would be reasonable to assume that a steeper incline would result in a higher caloric expenditure but 72 cal for 1 mile for a 150lb person would be high for a level surface.

    Beat me to it.