calories burned vs feeling a good workout

azlady7
azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I am curious to see which you all feel is more important....how many calories you have burned or feeling the workout more.

For example:

When I do my aerobics I burn twice as much in calories and I feel like I have done pretty good. I dont breathe super heavy though...and my heart rate does go up but not as much as when I walk.

Now when I walk 4 mph for 15-20 min I FEEL the burn, my heart rate goes way up and I sweat (not as much as with aerobics) but I only burn half the cals.

So....which do you prefer or do you think is most important? Burning more cals or FEELING the burn? :)

Replies

  • prdough
    prdough Posts: 76 Member
    what kind of aerobics are you doing? and how are you measuring calories?

    I believe the burn is from you using your muscle in a more rigorous way then when during your aerobics.

    Do both!
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
    IMO - burning more calories always trumps how I feel at the moment. Burning more calories will get me to how I want to feel beyond the burn.
  • JMun
    JMun Posts: 409
    I vote w/ feeling a good workout.

    I wear a HRM so I tend to push myself harder when I notice my heart rate declining out of optimal range... but generally I gage my workout on my sweat and if I'm feeling nice and energized when I'm done.

    :smile:
  • Victoriav99
    Victoriav99 Posts: 260 Member
    A feel good workout for me is when I DO burn lots of calories.
  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600
    If you are not getting your heart rate up in to your aerobic heart rate zone, then you are not doing aerobics. It averages from 120- 150 bpm, but everyone is different for many reasons.

    Work harder at it and you will feel the burn there too.
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
    what kind of aerobics are you doing? and how are you measuring calories?

    I believe the burn is from you using your muscle in a more rigorous way then when during your aerobics.

    Do both!

    I do crunch videos...imparticularly Jennifer Galardi. I like dance so those are my favorite...but this time of year I looooove to walk. So yes I do both :D

    I use calorie calculators...I am hoping to get an HRM for christmas though!
  • dmoses
    dmoses Posts: 786 Member
    It probably is going to depend on where you are on your goals. I'm in maintenance mode, and I'm after how the workout makes me feel. I do the elliptical every day during the week, and on the weekends, I run. I abhor running, but I LOVE the way it makes my butt muscles feel!!!
  • veganjeanie
    veganjeanie Posts: 158 Member
    For me, I want to burn those calories, cuz I want to EAT those calories. But I found that I feel that burn when I've truly burned a lot of calories. I use a HRM to track them, so I know it's not just my perception.
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
    i think the guys are getting the wrong idea here lol. I am looking for your prefrences lol I totally get a good workout with aerobics and/or walking since I have lost 90 lbs doing it lol. I am just curious about everyone else and what they like :)
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
    For me, I want to burn those calories, cuz I want to EAT those calories. But I found that I feel that burn when I've truly burned a lot of calories. I use a HRM to track them, so I know it's not just my perception.

    hahaha me too! i will workout more to get more cals if i know i am going out :D
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Calories burned sounds good to me but I don't lose unless I change my workout up. I prefer strength training then aerobics in my workouts. Helps to feel good later too.
  • kassied09
    kassied09 Posts: 397
    Lots of cals = good workout :D
  • veganjeanie
    veganjeanie Posts: 158 Member
    Oh, well I want to burn the calories (so I can eat them back), and I want to have fun and not hate my workout. For me, that usually means Zumba. The class I go to is very high energy and so much fun that it spoils me for any other workouts.
  • azlady7
    azlady7 Posts: 471 Member
    Oh, well I want to burn the calories (so I can eat them back), and I want to have fun and not hate my workout. For me, that usually means Zumba. The class I go to is very high energy and so much fun that it spoils me for any other workouts.

    it most definitely needs to be fun...thats why i loooove dance aerobics. I am wanting to try zumba soon, but the cost is kinda scaring me off :P
  • Zen_Master_B
    Zen_Master_B Posts: 78
    Well, IMO, I would say the feeling good is more important. If you exercise and feel good your more likely to do it again, I could easily kill myself at the gym but I wouldn't want to, nor could my body take that kind of abuse.

    I have always kinda battled depression, so the high of exercising is super important to me. As of writing this I haven't exercised in almost four days and it has been a miserable four days in all honesty.
  • sarahwright01
    sarahwright01 Posts: 229 Member
    Depends on the type of goal you are striving to achieve. I think for over all fitness and health you should do a combination of the both. Feeling the burn/breathing heavy is good for working out your heart while the higher calorie burn is good for weight loss which over all is good for your whole body.

    Are you trying to achieve cardiovascular fitness only, weight loss, or a combination of both?
  • flabulous4
    flabulous4 Posts: 599 Member
    Endorphin junkie...would much rather do a run and get the high than do a long walk and burn more...although often I do both. The short days are killing me at the moment!
  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
    exactlllllllly. yoga says i burn soooo little calories but i feel the burn so much more then other things
  • silversong24
    silversong24 Posts: 409 Member
    I like to do stuff that achieves both =P

    But I only do things if I like it. I have a hella time sticking with it if I don't like the way it feels at the end. Not saying I don't cuss in the midst of it but if I feel good at the end then I keep it around longer lol... Especially if I get good numbers on the HRM LOL...
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