Why do I burn baby calories?

Still_Sossy
Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I work out hard, every day. I put everything I have into it. I am not in great shape (yet) cardio wise and I have very little strength (for now). One workout program I do, I can barely talk, others I am ok. Anyway for 30 minute dvd sessions, I can never seem to break above 230 cals and that was 5 lbs. ago. Is it bec/I am not badly overweight? I wear my hrm and even the data base here has be burning small calories. I see people posting crazy numbers and wonder how they do it.
I am 5"11 and now weigh 154 lbs. Is it my body composition??? I just want to be an efficient burner!

Replies

  • msemejuru
    msemejuru Posts: 229
    My husband and I both use Polar HRM and I burn 200 to 300 MORE calories than him when we work out. I'm chubby and he's not. He's skinny with washboard abs and doesn't have to expend as much energy to move. It's a good sign that you don't burn a ton of calories!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    230 for 1/2 hour sounds about right to me...
  • drog2323
    drog2323 Posts: 1,343 Member
    i am no expert - but I would have to think this is the case. you are tall and don't seem like you need to lose much at all, so i think for this your body is more efficient than someone moving around a lot more weight and fat etc. (like me).

    so if I go for a hike with my super fit bros in law - he might burn half of what i am burning, b.c he is more efficient. ( i think that's the case) at least - and I'm working harder to keep up as I've got a 60 lbs of blubber on me.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I don't have a definitive answer, but probably the fact that you aren't overweight has something to do with it - looks like you'd be right in the middle of a healthy weight range to me.
    I wonder too about how people burn really big amounts - but can only guess they are heavier to start with and are working longer and harder than me!
    Keep up the good work, your body will thank you for it.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    230 for 1/2 hour sounds about right to me...

    Yep.
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    There are a number of variables that go into that number (calories burned). Do not look at it in terms of 100, 200, 400 etc. Look at it in terms of a percentage of your BMR.

    For example....

    Me: A 31 year old 6'3" male weighing 240 lbs has a BMR of 2303 calories
    You: A 39 year old 5'11" female weighing 154 lbs has a BMR of 1475 calories.

    We both workout for 30 minutes with a good healthy level of effort. I burn 420 calories which is about 18% roughly. You burn 266 calories....the same 18% of your BMR.

    I eat more to maintain my weight. My body naturally has more muscle than yours, therefore requiring more fuel and when used, burns calories at a different rate, however our burns are proportionate to our body and BMR.

    Does that make better sense?
  • Ms_Natalie
    Ms_Natalie Posts: 1,030 Member
    That really isn't a low burn at all.

    I burn approx 570 calories for an hour run at 5mph!!

    I think your burns are completely normal :smile:
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    There are a number of variables that go into that number (calories burned). Do not look at it in terms of 100, 200, 400 etc. Look at it in terms of a percentage of your BMR.

    For example....

    Me: A 31 year old 6'3" male weighing 240 lbs has a BMR of 2303 calories.

    You: A 25 year old 5'2" female weighing 120 lbs has a BMR of 1351 calories.

    We both workout for 30 minutes with a good healthy level of effort. I burn 420 calories which is about 18% roughly. You burn 245 calories....the same 18% of your BMR.

    I eat more to maintain my weight. My body naturally has more muscle than yours, therefore requiring more fuel and when used, burns calories at a different rate, however our burns are proportionate to our body and BMR.

    Does that make better sense?

    Well said :)
  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
    It could be one or a combination of many things. Firstly, I see you've already lost 17 lbs - great job!! - and that your current weight is 154 at 5 feet 11 inches.

    It could be that you are getting closer to your ideal body weight and your body is becoming more efficient at burning less calories (all bodies are designed to do this). You might need to switch your exercise routine up, especially if you've been doing the same exercises for more than six weeks. Vary your intensity either through speed or weight or both. Sometimes doing compound body exercises are helpful if you've been working on one body part at a time and vice versa. If you've only been doing cardio, add some high intensity weight training (about 30 minutes worth) that focuses a lot on the lower half of your body where your biggest fat burning muscles are - high step leg presses, lunges, walking lunges, deadlifts, narrow foot squats, plie squats, rapid downhill ski squats, pulse squats & lunges, firewalkers, etc., and then finish off with about 30 minutes of core & upper body exercises.

    It could be that you are not eating enough calories and so your body has gone into starvation mode, meaning has automatically lowered your metabolism because it thinks you need to preserve fuel. I know it 'feels' better to see you've eaten UNDER your MFP requirements, but when it comes to burning calories sometimes you really do need to fuel to keep your metabolism operating effectively (efficient burn).

    What's your diet like? How are your sugar levels? What does your daily fat intake look like? What is your carb to fat to protein ratio? It could be that now that you've lost a significant amount of weight, your old levels are no longer adequate for the new 'less' you and might need adjusting.

    Just some thoughts to consider.
  • Still_Sossy
    Still_Sossy Posts: 868 Member
    There are a number of variables that go into that number (calories burned). Do not look at it in terms of 100, 200, 400 etc. Look at it in terms of a percentage of your BMR.

    For example....

    Me: A 31 year old 6'3" male weighing 240 lbs has a BMR of 2303 calories
    You: A 39 year old 5'11" female weighing 154 lbs has a BMR of 1475 calories.

    We both workout for 30 minutes with a good healthy level of effort. I burn 420 calories which is about 18% roughly. You burn 266 calories....the same 18% of your BMR.

    I eat more to maintain my weight. My body naturally has more muscle than yours, therefore requiring more fuel and when used, burns calories at a different rate, however our burns are proportionate to our body and BMR.

    Does that make better sense?


    Yep, a lot of sense! Thank you soooooooo very much! :flowerforyou:
  • JaredTheGeek
    JaredTheGeek Posts: 26 Member
    That sounds about right for the time.
This discussion has been closed.

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