Some people seem to burn so many calories in exercise, how? What do you do?

bigbeff
bigbeff Posts: 83 Member
edited November 8 in Fitness and Exercise
I am curious, I am aware different size people burn different numbers of calories for the same exercise, but I am just looking for exercise ideas.
I am getting back into running, about 12 miles last week and I have started weight machines at the gym (but have no idea how many calories I burn using these?!Not too fussed, its more about strengthening up)

Who does what and how many calories do you think you burn?
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Replies

  • jessicagrieshaber
    jessicagrieshaber Posts: 167 Member
    I run 6 days a week at varying mileage. I've seen various sources saying you burn 100 calories per mile run, however having such a small frame (120ish pounds) I normally assume about (mileage*0.75*weight in lbs) calories per run.

    I lift three times a week and don't really count these towards my caloric deficit. Although I find on lift days I'm about 10x hungrier haha.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I wear a BodyMedia FIT and usually burn 800-1500 calories in a training session.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    I can burn 500-800 per session according to my HRM
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Higher body weight and / or higher intensity and / or longer duration.

    That's pretty much it.
  • cw106
    cw106 Posts: 952 Member
    msf74 wrote: »
    Higher body weight and / or higher intensity and / or longer duration.

    That's pretty much it.

    thats answers title question very aptly.

    calorie burn for strength/ weight training is listed on mfp in cardio too.

    too lose 20kg i used treadmill and vast amounts of swimming. 1000 cal burn per session.

    now i am lighter with 5kg to go, trainer has set me up a strengthlifting programme over 4 day/ different muscle group cycle.
    also now do full body cardio of rowing and elliptical.both burn 600 cals per hour approx for ME.
    swimming burns 500 per hour now.

    with only 20lbs to lose,ask a gym trainer for best advice for your goals.

    g luck
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    i run my *kitten* off. it takes about a 12 mile run to burn +1000 calories. i typically run about 9-11 miles daily. that's how i do it anyway.
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    On a 3-mile run, which takes me between 28 and 32 minutes depending on how hard I'm pushing it, I burn around 250-320 calories. I use a Garmin watch with chest strap heart rate monitor.
  • NoelFigart1
    NoelFigart1 Posts: 1,276 Member
    bigbeff wrote: »
    I am curious, I am aware different size people burn different numbers of calories for the same exercise, but I am just looking for exercise ideas.
    I am getting back into running, about 12 miles last week and I have started weight machines at the gym (but have no idea how many calories I burn using these?!Not too fussed, its more about strengthening up)

    Who does what and how many calories do you think you burn?

    I take my calcs from Runkeeper, and they base it on body weight. I suspect it's overestimating, to be honest. The idea that even at my weight it is humanly possible to burn 500 calories in forty-odd minutes is a bit suspicious. (I swim)

  • bigbeff
    bigbeff Posts: 83 Member
    Thanks. I have a garmin, but without chest strap, and it tells me about 340calories for a 5km run (based on weight/height/speed). I did 20 mins hill work on treadmill today and 15mins on cross trainer along with some weight machine work. That totalled about 350 calories according to MFP although I didn't include strength?! I am going to see a personal trainer for free assessment next week, I'll see what they advise.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    For me it's hard to say as most of mine is lifting heavy or HIIT. HRM don't estimate that well as they are only for steady state cardio.

    But since my TDEE is about 2250 I would say a fair amount. On non exercise days where I am doing normal "stuff" either working or at home I burn about 1500-1700 just doing normal stuff...add exercise in about 500-700
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
    edited October 2014
    Studies show that many overweight individuals will overestimate calories burned by as much as 50%.


    http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM199212313272701

    For a helpful response, biking or any other low impact exercise would be best if you were looking for maximum burn while allowing for recovery.
  • bigbeff
    bigbeff Posts: 83 Member
    I normally put a lower number than machines at gym...maybe I need to invest in a fitbit?
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    Yeah, it's really about getting in shape to do longer workouts. I run around 60 miles per week, plus do some riding and strength training. That's about 10 hours of working out per week. I average about 1,000 calories per day.
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  • drosebud
    drosebud Posts: 277 Member
    A Garmin with a hrm should be more accurate than a fitbit?
    I have a Polar hrm, and use just under 10 cals per minute for a 5km run at around 31mins. I'm 69kg, and 5'3", so for me that Garmin estimate wouldn't be far out. The MFP ones over-estimate, IME.
  • bigbeff
    bigbeff Posts: 83 Member
    I'm building up my running slowly. I don't want to do too much too soon - I am running Brighton marathon in April, runs will get longer and hopefully faster! ;)
  • bigbeff
    bigbeff Posts: 83 Member
    Maybe I should invest in a hrm instead. That sounds similar to my running speed.
  • kangaroux92
    kangaroux92 Posts: 188 Member
    i think the work out calories people put are grossly over estimated by my fitness pal or by some other error. im sorry but you have to work out like a super beast to burn over 800 cal in a single exercise session and maybe if you are very physically fit thats possible but not for the average joe i struggle to make it to 400/500 cal burn and i am not grossly overweight.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    3,061 on a recent cycle ride! (113 miles)

    In truth it's impossible to know. That number was from my Garmin with HRM, if I used my Polar FT60 HRM (programmable max HR and VO2 max) it would probably say about 10% higher. If I used my old Polar FT7 it would be significantly higher again.
    Runkeeper estimated 4,444!!

    In truth it's much better to chase consistency rather than accuracy.
  • drosebud
    drosebud Posts: 277 Member
    bigbeff wrote: »
    I am running Brighton marathon in April, runs will get longer and hopefully faster! ;)

    Good luck with that! I am doing my first ever 10K race in December and want to run a HM next year sometime. I don't have any desire whatsoever to run a marathon myself, but kudos for going for it.

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Running is perhaps the most calorie-burn intensive exercise there is, given how long you can maintain it for. You will burn anything from 100-140 calories per mile, typically.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    BFDeal wrote: »
    They are delusional, lying to themselves, and/or just working off incorrect information.

    392707627.jpg
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    eldamiano wrote: »
    Running is perhaps the most calorie-burn intensive exercise there is, given how long you can maintain it for. You will burn anything from 100-140 calories per mile, typically.


    Depends on your efficiency, your body weight, and other factors. 100/mile is a common number to guesstimate, but I personally seem to be more like 75/mile.

    That said, it is still really easy for me to kill 1500 calories on a long run.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    I cycle. 600 calories per hour is what I estimate.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I cycle. 600 calories per hour is what I estimate.

    I have found that 600/hour is common no matter what you are doing if you are moving at an endurance-pace. Running, cycling, swimming, etc is all around 600/hr at least for me according to my Garmin with HRM

    Intense intervals will net me up to 800/hr.

    Then again, I had a metabolic test done this past spring that actually measured me at 830/hr at endurance power/heart rate.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    glevinso wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I cycle. 600 calories per hour is what I estimate.

    I have found that 600/hour is common no matter what you are doing if you are moving at an endurance-pace. Running, cycling, swimming, etc is all around 600/hr at least for me according to my Garmin with HRM

    Intense intervals will net me up to 800/hr.

    Then again, I had a metabolic test done this past spring that actually measured me at 830/hr at endurance power/heart rate.

    Yup, that's pretty much the philosophy I go off. 600 per hour for whatever I am doing. I don't really count lifting although I do it 5 days a week. Running and cycling I just assume 600 per hour and move on with my day. I use an HRM for training purposes and confirmed that it's always right around 600.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    My workouts are not as extensive as other people's, but here is what I do:
    3 times a week 30-45 minutes walk/run intervals + incline walking = about 300-350 calories
    2 times a week Jillian Michaels body revolution 30 minutes= about 100 calories
    2 times a week 10 minutes general strength (pushups..etc)= about 20 calories
    1 time a week yoga 20 minutes= about 40 calories.

    However, at one point I used to burn 900 net calories incline walking (about 1000 gross) in one hour, a 15 incline at 2.5 mph, but that was back when I weighed about 270 pounds, so yes, big numbers are possible for some.
  • KameHameHaaaa
    KameHameHaaaa Posts: 837 Member
    BFDeal wrote: »
    They are delusional, lying to themselves, and/or just working off incorrect information.

    Not always true, especially for those of us going by our HRMs, not MFP or machine calculations :) I do try to tell people the importance of this when I see people on my friend's list posting MFP calculated burns.
  • KameHameHaaaa
    KameHameHaaaa Posts: 837 Member
    edited October 2014
    I do a HIIT style work out on the elliptical and burn between 400 and 500 cals in 30 depending on how much I'm putting into it/how high I'm getting my HR etc. On days I break up my cardio (elliptical, bike, step ups, elliptical) I burn 600-800 in an hour. I don't always log all of it because I don't eat back all my calories. Also, I'm over 300 lbs so it's easier for me to achieve these kind of burns.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    glevinso wrote: »
    Hornsby wrote: »
    I cycle. 600 calories per hour is what I estimate.

    I have found that 600/hour is common no matter what you are doing if you are moving at an endurance-pace. Running, cycling, swimming, etc is all around 600/hr at least for me according to my Garmin with HRM

    Intense intervals will net me up to 800/hr.

    Then again, I had a metabolic test done this past spring that actually measured me at 830/hr at endurance power/heart rate.

    I think this is more realistic.

    A lot of people are overestimating IMO :\

    People sometimes blame MFP for overestimation but it's not MFP as much as it is not paying attention to what really constitutes "vigorous" and "fast." Needs to be more honesty with yourself about how hard you're pushing.

    For example, I swim for exercise now (just got back into it) and competitively swam in school. I have probably seen 3 people over the past couple of months at the gym pool that are actually doing vigorous swimming. Maybe 5 that are swimming moderate. Most swim light, if that really. When I swim, I list half as moderate and half as vigorous. That puts me between 500-550 calories for the hour. I'm generally out of breath, legs are tight and tired, arms are heavy, heart rate is up throughout the whole workout (I swim in intervals and do a lot of stroke/speed changes). I think a lot of people never experience that level of exhaustion but assume that because they are exercising for 30 minutes to an hour that it means they're working out very hard and they do feel tired.

    The whole 1000 calories burned an hour thing isn't realistic for most people. We naturally can't keep that pace up for an hour. Those that are burning that much are usually distance runners/cyclists (like the poster above who said she does 12 miles a day). Body weight does have a lot to do with how much you burn, but it still isn't as high as people assume. And no one is burning 500 calories from "vigorous" cleaning for 30 minutes.
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