How can I increase my calorie burn?

EmBlazes
EmBlazes Posts: 374 Member
edited September 30 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been working out for quite a few months now (pretty much since the beginning of the year) and I'm finding that it is really hard for me to get a really good calorie burn from exercise no matter what I do. I have a HRM and use that to track my calories burned. I have a personal trainer and generally when I'm working with him I do burn a bit more but the maximum I seem to be able to do is about 700 calories in an hour and then I feel like I'm gonna die!!!

Probably a silly question but is it because I'm fitter than I think? How does a HRM measure your caloric burn from exercise? Should I try doing something different? I think you are supposed to work at about 70% to have maximum calorie burn but I'm not sure. If anyone can recommend a book on the subject I'd be grateful.

Also - I don't really run because I'm not really THAT fit yet. I find it difficult to run for sustained periods of time (just in case that's what you are going to suggest).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions :smile:

Replies

  • purplepollypops
    purplepollypops Posts: 323 Member
    700 cals in an hour is great!
    I did an hour on my exercise bike yesterday combined with a bit of Wii fit and only burned 350. I know that I wasn't exactly pushing myself as I didn't feel too well so could only do some light exercise.
    I think 700 cals is more than enough :smile:
  • meggers123
    meggers123 Posts: 711 Member
    700 cal/ hour? Wow! You're doing awesome! Circuit training is good (alternating cardio and strength training, but I don't know how you could do more than that... but you're doing great! Keep up the awesome work!

    If you're not seeing the results you want, I'd make sure you're eating 1200 calories net (so you don't go into starvation mode), and try to stay consistently within you calories, but not more than 200 under (unless you have more than 30 kg still to lose). Some people say jumping around with their calories has helped them if they hit a plateau, but I tend to like slow and steady... maybe someone else has more advice :)
  • teshaerwin
    teshaerwin Posts: 42
    I AGREE 700 calories and hour is great! You are doing just fine :)
  • toadiejones
    toadiejones Posts: 605 Member
    I wish I could get 700 an hour!!! I did 45 minutes going hard on the elliptical last night and only got 255. I've been doing 30 Day Shred and only average 100 calories per workout. I've been assuming that I am healthier than I thought. I'm sweating like crazy, hitting my targets and exhausted after each workout so its not like I'm slacking but just can't get that burn up. Recently finished C25K...I think it really improved my fitness level.

    I would love to hear other people's thoughts on it.
  • Tankplanker
    Tankplanker Posts: 365 Member
    700 is pretty impressive for an hour, most I've had is 865 in an hour and I suspect I weight a lot more than you do (bigger you are the more you burn for the same exercise assuming same workload).

    Do you keep track of what heart rate zones you are working out in? If you really want to burn a lot of calories you'll need to work out anaerobically for the majority of the exercise, aerobically for the rest.

    Heres how to work the zones out if you don't already know: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/hrm1.htm
  • anscombe
    anscombe Posts: 16
    Great post. I wonder the same thing. I normally burn around 400 calories a day. I want to burn more, but not kill myself. I seem to play this balancing act with the scale. I'm down and then up between 2 and 4, but can't see any consistency with losing really. I have lost, but it just seems like I'm working really hard and having only incremental success which is fine, but I would like some consistency.
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    700 is awesome!
    I burn between 300-500 depending on what I do that day. I run 4 miles, swim hard for 50 minutes, do weights, and switch it up with aerobics... of course I am on the last 10 lbs to loose too....
  • EmBlazes
    EmBlazes Posts: 374 Member
    Thank you all for your reassuring replies :happy:

    So I think I just have a lot of VERY FIT MFP friends in my timeline!!! I seem to regularly see people who burn 1000-1200 in a single session which was making me feel very inadequate. I know some of these people are guys and that they have a higher burn rate anyway though.

    Of course the other thing is that I can try to just do longer workouts. If I do circuit training (which is what I normally try to do when I'm in the gym rather than just straight cardio) then I find my burn is good anyway since I try to incorporate bursts of high HR exercises with lower ones in between. It keeps my average HR for the session higher.

    Thanks again!! Really good advice too :love:
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    700 cals in an hour is really good. I'm a fitness/dance/spin instructor and in a 45 - minute spin class (VERY high intensity), I only burn around 500-530 cals.

    The smaller you are and the more fit you are, the fewer calories you will burn during exercise, but it's ok, because when you are fitter, you have more lean muscle mass, so you get to eat more and the muscle burns calories for you even while you're sleeping!
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