Calorie burn frustration!!!!

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SnuggleSmacks
SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So, a couple of years ago I was fairly fit, and I would go into the gym at least 4 times a week, and I wouldn't leave until I had burned at least 1000 calories. This would only take an hour at most, usually less. I have a Polar HRM to measure this. I remember doing the elliptical for a while, then going through a weight circuit, core stuff on a bosu, then running suicides in the basketball court if there were no games going on. I didn't find this to be some overwhelming challenge.

I got busy with school and gained 20 lbs and stopped going to the gym. Now, two years later, I'm trying to get back to where I was and I'm finding it extremely difficult and frustrating. It is now a huge challenge to be able to stick to something long enough to burn 300 calories, much less 1000. And now I'm experiencing fairly debilitating soreness after each workout.

I don't remember how I got there and it's driving me nuts that I can't do the things that I could. It wasn't that long ago. I didn't gain that much weight. WTF is going on?
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Replies

  • Tinytaru
    Tinytaru Posts: 185 Member
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    I'm in a similar boat.

    I was able to burn up to 1000 or more cals at gym, stopped due to depression and now that I restarted gym, I started with 300max per workoutsession (elliptical+bycicle).

    But it will get better! I started with 200ish in 30mins elliptical and now I'm 300+.

    So just Keep doing it and it should go back to "normal" ! :flowerforyou:

    edit: then again, I don't use a HMR, just what the maschines tell me.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Be patient, it takes time to regain the fitness that you've lost.

    On another note, it's highly improbable that you were burning 1000 cal in less than an hour. The estimates given by HRMs are only accurate (and I use that word loosely.......there is a vary wide range depending on which model you're using) during steady state cardio.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Unless you were very obese, you were not burning 1000 calories in one hour, no matter what you were doing.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Unless you were the highly unusual combination of being both very heavy and very, very fit you wouldn't have been burning 1000 cals in an hour - think comparing yourself to what is an unreasonable expectation is just going to be frustrating.

    Just make a start, train sensibly, don't neglect your rest/recovery and be patient. Please stop obsessing about calorie burns, think about how you are improving fitness, strength & health.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    1000 calories in less than an hour?


    L



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  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    It probably was more than an hour, but the point is that it wasn't a big deal to burn 1000 calories and eat whatever I wanted. It wasn't that long ago. It's difficult to believe that 2 years and 20 pounds could make that huge of a difference in things like how long I can stand the elliptical, or how much weight I can leg press. It's frustrating because I still have the mindset of being able to do those things, so it's incredibly disheartening to have to stop before I'm even a third of the way to that goal.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Burning 1000 calories is the equivalent of running 10 miles in an hour. I seriously don't believe you were doing that every day.
  • shunggie
    shunggie Posts: 1,036 Member
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    I totally get what you're saying about it being frustrating. Just last year I was walking all the time. I got up to 5 miles in an hour and twenty minutes <pretty good for me>. But excuses (too hot to walk outside <I have MS and cannot tolerate heat>, knee brace, gym closed) got in the way. Now I'm back to barely making it three miles and that takes almost an hour. I keep telling myself anything is better than sitting on my ever widening *kitten*. I found a new gym and my knee is better. I will walk outside as long as possible with the weather and keep it up at the gym when I can't. I was trying to burn 500 calories a workout. I use Cardio Trainer to estimate calories burns, it's probably not 100% accurate but at least its a guideline. Keep moving, and good luck.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    Burning 1000 calories is the equivalent of running 10 miles in an hour. I seriously don't believe you were doing that every day.

    Since I stated it was around 4 times a week, you'd be completely justified in not believing I did that every day. :tongue:
  • doreenttp
    doreenttp Posts: 1
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    Been doing P90X3. 1/2 hour burns approx. 400 calories. And it's really effective to where I've lost inches.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    !quote]
    I totally get what you're saying about it being frustrating. Just last year I was walking all the time. I got up to 5 miles in an hour and twenty minutes <pretty good for me>. But excuses (too hot to walk outside <I have MS and cannot tolerate heat>, knee brace, gym closed) got in the way. Now I'm back to barely making it three miles and that takes almost an hour. I keep telling myself anything is better than sitting on my ever widening *kitten*. I found a new gym and my knee is better. I will walk outside as long as possible with the weather and keep it up at the gym when I can't. I was trying to burn 500 calories a workout. I use Cardio Trainer to estimate calories burns, it's probably not 100% accurate but at least its a guideline. Keep moving, and good luck.
    [/quote]

    Congrats on making those first steps!

    Another part that is frustrating is that 2 years ago I was a heavy smoker. Now I've given up smoking recently, but I get out of breath and exhausted after 10 minutes of doing anything remotely strenuous. I had no idea that in the past 2 years things got so bad with my strength and stamina.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Maybe more concentration on making progress and less concentration on hamster wheel calorie burns?
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    You have a misconception that once a skill is developed you have it forever. Both strength and cardiovascular abilities disappear without being continuously maintained. They will most likely be easier to reacquire since it was only two years ago, but, you need to start fresh rather than ego lift trying to compete with your former self. Forget the past and start with a clean slate. Your old "numbers" mean jack.
  • estaticaa
    estaticaa Posts: 67 Member
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    Two years and 20lbs later really doesn't sound much, but I guess it's really how you spent those 2 years and how that weight was gained. You could have lost a lot os muscle and replaced that weight with fat and then some more. You're also a bit older. Maybe there has been hormonal changes, etc. I don't know.

    I can share my own experience, though. I never worked out but I was fairly active and 6 years ago I could dance all night. Sometimes I danced more than 6 hours straight, just drinking water or orange juice and never got tired. Well, last year, when I was in really bad shape, I went dancing again, didn't last an hour and could barely move the day after. I thought I was sick and didn't even remember at first I had been dancing and that's what caused all my muscles to ache. It had never been a problem before, so it was mind boggling at the time.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Hurr Durr, the obvious answer is ZUMBA.

    ETA: okay so I just looked up Zumba in our trusty cal counting machine and it would take you 81 minutes to burn 999 calories.

    SO if each class is an hour long...that allows you to conk out of TWO classes at about the 41 minutes mark and STILL REACH YOUR 1,000 cal goal.

    So your gym time will look like this. Zumba class start strong, peter out at 41minutes on the clock. sit in back while others judge you and smirk b/c YOU HAVE A PLAN. Eat a protein bar and a shake or something for the last 20 minutes while they kill themselves with Zumba...suckers!!!!!!!!! Then when the next class starts and you are nice and rested and fed. Do your next 41 minutes and let them judge you while you head to the shower early to get to get showered and dressed without having to see any strangers nekkid. Your welcome.

    ...(I should totes be a trainer!)

    Tan-tan La Zumba Buena, tan-tan la Zumba Buenaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

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  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Real talk. You are deconditioned. You know how EVERY ATHLETE in the world has to practice pre season? It's to get back in fighting form. You are no exception. You have to stick with it and the progress with be steady and gradual so you won't see it right away. For now just focus on working out for ONE hour and little by little your workouts will produce more cal burns. Otherwise you will be there for five hours with having to rest in between. If you choose to go this route to reach your magic 1,000 cal burn number I suggest snacking to get energy for your next set or machine.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    Maybe more concentration on making progress and less concentration on hamster wheel calorie burns?

    Yeah this.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    Maybe more concentration on making progress and less concentration on hamster wheel calorie burns?

    Yeah this.

    I agree as well!!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Maybe more concentration on making progress and less concentration on hamster wheel calorie burns?

    Yeah this.

    I agree as well!!

    -1. <====see that MINUS ONE!. NO! My thing. My answer... ZUMBAH!!!!!!!!

    lemme-smang-it-girl-o.gif
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    It probably was more than an hour, but the point is that it wasn't a big deal to burn 1000 calories and eat whatever I wanted. It wasn't that long ago. It's difficult to believe that 2 years and 20 pounds could make that huge of a difference in things like how long I can stand the elliptical, or how much weight I can leg press. It's frustrating because I still have the mindset of being able to do those things, so it's incredibly disheartening to have to stop before I'm even a third of the way to that goal.

    2 years and 20 lbs could have been TWO pregnancies and two ten lb babies. Girl, you got off easy. Just get back on that hamster wheel. YOU. GOT. THIS!

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