Question about calories burned during Insanity

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rahlpn
rahlpn Posts: 551 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm still fairly new to this whole weight loss thing (about 4 months in) and I'm very new to Insanity. It seems I am burning less calories this week doing the same workouts than I was the first week. Not too much less but never more or equal to the first time I did it. For example, the first day I did Cardio Plyo I burned 511 cals, next time only about 487, next time 471. What does this mean exactly? Am I getting fitter already and need to push harder to get my HR up to burn more or is this a normal variant? It still feels just as difficult as week one and I'm not slacking any more than I was in the first week (I take short 5 second breaks jogging in place sometimes during the moves that are really tough like jump squats and or suicide drills, but not often). Anyone else experience the same? I've lost 5 lbs in the past 11 days (I was sick on Tuesday so I attribute some of the weight loss to dehydration and not being able to eat for a day), should I reset my HRM? I'm still using my original setting of 207lbs, I weighed in at 203 this morning. Help.

Replies

  • brutalbaby
    brutalbaby Posts: 87 Member
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    Im doing Insanity too and have been doing it for a week now, im guessing the more you loose weight the less calories you burn :) Keep at it though, will still work the same :)
  • rahlpn
    rahlpn Posts: 551 Member
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    Oh I'm not thinking of quitting! It's just a bit of a bummer seeing the calories burned on my HRM dwindling.
  • brutalbaby
    brutalbaby Posts: 87 Member
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    I get what you mean I see this myself, but it just means your getting fitter ;)
  • jnh17
    jnh17 Posts: 838 Member
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    It doesn't *necessarily* mean you're getting fitter. It means you're not pushing as hard as you did the first day OR the first day you did it, your body could've been in some state where your heart rate was elevated.

    For instance, I've done Insanity twice. The most burn ever with Pure Cardio was probably 515ish. My heart rate has never ever (not even month 2) gotten above 181. I decided to do a Pure Cardio video Tuesday (I'm doing NROL4W with some Insanity videos thrown in each week). Now, I was on antibiotics for about 8 days at that point (sinus infection) and thought I may have had an ovarian cyst burst -- anyways, my hr got up to 184 with not THAT much exertion. I took it easy and took some breaks to get it down to where I wasn't concerned and ended up burning 615 calories.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    It doesn't *necessarily* mean you're getting fitter. It means you're not pushing as hard as you did the first day OR the first day you did it, your body could've been in some state where your heart rate was elevated.

    For instance, I've done Insanity twice. The most burn ever with Pure Cardio was probably 515ish. My heart rate has never ever (not even month 2) gotten above 181. I decided to do a Pure Cardio video Tuesday (I'm doing NROL4W with some Insanity videos thrown in each week). Now, I was on antibiotics for about 8 days at that point (sinus infection) and thought I may have had an ovarian cyst burst -- anyways, my hr got up to 184 with not THAT much exertion. I took it easy and took some breaks to get it down to where I wasn't concerned and ended up burning 615 calories.

    this.
  • xokaceyb
    xokaceyb Posts: 6
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    REMEMBER!! Muscle weighs more than fat. You could be burning fat but gaining muscle, which is good! Instead of measuring weight, try taking body measurements.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I agree with the others. I will add that the body is the master of adaption. It will learnt o do the same task with the least amount of effort as quickly as it can. So you need to push yourself if you want to keep those calories burned in the high end of what you are looking for. Jump higher, sprint in place faster, do your push ups quicker...I'm sure you are doing great so don't rely 100% on what the HRM says you are burning. With the muscle you will be building, your body will burn a higher amount of calories all day just living - so there's the silver lining.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    REMEMBER!! Muscle weighs more than fat. You could be burning fat but gaining muscle, which is good! Instead of measuring weight, try taking body measurements.

    Very few people can do this, and even fewer can sustain it for any real length of time.
  • raythrasher
    raythrasher Posts: 26 Member
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    I have been using a HRM for my workouts for several months now and have experienced the same effects. The Calories burned calculation is based on average heart rate for the duration of the workout. So when I first begin a new "challenging" workout (like Insanity) the first time or two that I do it I will typically pause often to learn the exercise motions and also to catch my breath (i.e. lower my heart rate). The primary factor is that by pausing often I am extending the duration of the workout which allows me to burn more calories than I would have at shorter duration with higher heartrate. As I get more familiar, I pause less often and in effect shorten the workout and burn less total calories. Over time of performing the same type of exercise, you will also find that you must work harder to achieve the same Heart Rate level that you did in the beginning because you are becoming fitter and thus you will burn fewer calories over the same time period. This typically takes more than a few days to achieve.
  • notfattyfatfat
    notfattyfatfat Posts: 4
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    She isn't saying that she weighs more. I think she is saying that some days she burns off more calories than other days doing the same workout. I'd not worry. The calorie burn is fairly approximate and there is a good deal more to getting fit, losing weight and burning than fat than just how many calories you burned. Just keep on keeping on and fitness is not always the same as weight loss or calorie burn so don't confuse them both too much.
  • notfattyfatfat
    notfattyfatfat Posts: 4
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    reading some of these posts I am beginning to think that wearing a heart rate monitor is not such a good idea. We all know when we've done a good class and when we feel fit and fitter. A monitor shouldn't be something that puzzles or worries us. If you enjoy the class, get through it without feeling overly exhausted or finding it overly easy - then that is good enough. Especially if you are losing weight too and that is what you want to do. Is Insanity listed in our CV exercises on My Fitness Pal? I am doing it next week and LOVE seeing my calorie burn come up when I tap it in - (even if it is approximate)..

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