Jog vs. intervals question

kristie874
kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I've been doing intervals on my treadmill for about a week and have been enjoying it quite a bit. I was told that more calories are burned by doing intervals vs straight jogging. When I would (slowly) jog 2 of my 4 miles my treadmill (and sites) would register that I burned between 500 and 550 calories. When I do the intervals my treadmill only shows that I burn 400-425 calories. My intervals will be walking at 3.7 for 90 seconds, jog at 5.5 for 30 seconds, walk, run at 6, walk, run at 6.5, walk, and repeat several times. The HRM that I have is big ol' piece o' junk and doesn't register when I'm on the treadmill so I can't use that. Has anyone else tried this and what are your average calories burned vs. just jogging? I'm going to continue doing this for the rest of the month to see if I notice a change or extra weight loss/inch loss/stamina but I'm not sure on the calories burned.

Replies

  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
    Okay, so I've been doing intervals on my treadmill for about a week and have been enjoying it quite a bit. I was told that more calories are burned by doing intervals vs straight jogging. When I would (slowly) jog 2 of my 4 miles my treadmill (and sites) would register that I burned between 500 and 550 calories. When I do the intervals my treadmill only shows that I burn 400-425 calories. My intervals will be walking at 3.7 for 90 seconds, jog at 5.5 for 30 seconds, walk, run at 6, walk, run at 6.5, walk, and repeat several times. The HRM that I have is big ol' piece o' junk and doesn't register when I'm on the treadmill so I can't use that. Has anyone else tried this and what are your average calories burned vs. just jogging? I'm going to continue doing this for the rest of the month to see if I notice a change or extra weight loss/inch loss/stamina but I'm not sure on the calories burned.
  • VballLeash
    VballLeash Posts: 2,456 Member
    I am a runner, I usually run for distance so I don't do this interval stuff and I burn about 100 calories every mile depending on how fast I'm running. I'm sure that the interval training would be beneficial especially if you push yourself when your are going fast. I'd say just increase how much you are running but you can still stick to intervals, just make them longer, hope this helped!

    ~Leash
  • superduperbandnerd
    superduperbandnerd Posts: 80
    Well I've always been told that it doesn't actually burn more cals but that it makes you body confuesd. In a good way. The pounds will come off faster with intervals.
  • kyeshai
    kyeshai Posts: 22
    I started doing intervals too! I read some article about it last week and decided to try it...my treadmill shows that I lose less calories...but I run less when I do intervals than when I'm jogging...What I read online is that intervals are a good way to lose inches off of your butt and legs and you burn calories faster than regular jogging...and the kicker is that you don't have to work out as long as jogging to get the same results... today I ran 20 minutes doing intervals, I only ran a mile and a half....I lost 225 calories. If I jog for 40 minutes on my treadmill I run 3+ miles and burn 300 calories. I hope this made sense...
  • craigc155
    craigc155 Posts: 22
    I do intervals also - but I do run a minute - walk 50 seconds - run a minute - walk 40 seconds - run 1 min - walk 30 - run - walk 20 - run - walk 10..then go back up. My 1 minute run is the hardest I can do - usually at 7.0 and walk at 4.5 It's a workout - but you can do anything for a minute..and you go through this one cycle and you are done! Not sure about calories. I log the running and walking separate - couldn't find anything when I looked up intervals or walking/running.
  • bgarrett
    bgarrett Posts: 3
    Intervals work to burn more calories because they actually cause the body to burn calories more intensely for the next few hours after the workout, so the average calories at the time will be about the same. Intervals are also a good way to increase speed because they get the body used to a faster speed. Another good thing about intervals is that they work to train the heart in a different way than straight aerobic exercise. Interval work can be stressful and should only be done 2, maybe 3, times a week. You can also do interval work with inclines on the treadmill. You might try making the interval a little longer, 1-2 minutes, then slow down until you can breathe again. Take it back up as soon as you can. Be sure to incorporate straight aerobic work into the week also.
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
    I started doing intervals too! I read some article about it last week and decided to try it...my treadmill shows that I lose less calories...but I run less when I do intervals than when I'm jogging...What I read online is that intervals are a good way to lose inches off of your butt and legs and you burn calories faster than regular jogging...and the kicker is that you don't have to work out as long as jogging to get the same results... today I ran 20 minutes doing intervals, I only ran a mile and a half....I lost 225 calories. If I jog for 40 minutes on my treadmill I run 3+ miles and burn 300 calories. I hope this made sense...

    I think we read the same article! LOL I did/do a total of 4 miles on the treadmill with the first mile or so and the last half mile just walking. The rest of it is intervals. I burned, according to my treadmill, 425 calories. I only logged it as 350, though, just in case. I did, however, come close to reaching my goal of 4 miles in 60 minutes! I did it in 60 minutes, 43 seconds. It was closer to 64 minutes without doing the intervals and just walking and jogging. YAY!

    Thanks, everyone, for the info! :drinker:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    Kristie, my old pal. You have worked very hard and I believe you deserve to buy yourself a heart rate monitor. You can get an F6 for $100. Reward yourself for all your hard work. You deserve it!5.gif
  • kristie874
    kristie874 Posts: 774 Member
    Kristie, my old pal. You have worked very hard and I believe you deserve to buy yourself a heart rate monitor. You can get an F6 for $100. Reward yourself for all your hard work. You deserve it!5.gif

    CMR! I've missed you! I do need to get one...it's a good investment. Hmmm...okay...now I'm going to do some online shopping while at work. You're a bad influence! Better than making me eat chocolate, though! :laugh:
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    Kristie, my old pal. You have worked very hard and I believe you deserve to buy yourself a heart rate monitor. You can get an F6 for $100. Reward yourself for all your hard work. You deserve it!5.gif

    CMR! I've missed you! I do need to get one...it's a good investment. Hmmm...okay...now I'm going to do some online shopping while at work. You're a bad influence! Better than making me eat chocolate, though! :laugh:

    ...and maybe SBS can correct me if I'm wrong, but what interval training does is keep your heart rate in the "fat burning" range longer than in the "aerobic" range you are in when running. Most people can't walk fast enough to keep their HR in that important 60%-70% HR range that is optimum for fat burning. You need to keep it there for an hour or more (according to neverbeenskinny - she's my gym-rat pal here) for fat burn. I don't think you necessarily burn more calories, but it's all relative - how long you stay in the zone. And apparently interval training causes your HR to stay in the fat burning range without pushing you into an aerobic or anerobic HR for very long.
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