I am running faster BUT...

GTI_Girl
GTI_Girl Posts: 207
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
I have been running for a few months now and I have gotten a lot faster these last few weeks... today I ran my personal 5k best of 28:58. Now The real question here is...I am going faster..but burning LESS calories!

When I was running 10 min miles I was burning around 345 calories.

Now that I am running 8-9 min miles, I am averaging around 330 calories.

I use a Polar FT4 HRM and I even adjusted the user settings to meet my lbs lost thinking that May have been it...buuuut...

So advanced fitness gurus.. What Do I have to do (besides running further lol) to burn more calories?!?! I am not completely upset about it since I run for hobby now instead of strictly fitness, but I would still like to know whats going on here. :D
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Replies

  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    BUT as you train you become more fit and your heart gets stronger. Your body becomes more efficient at running therefore your heart has to beat less to get needed oxygen to your muscles. Yoru muscles use oxygen more efficiently.

    You may be burning less calories, but that's because your cardio system is improving.
  • BaileyBoo13524
    BaileyBoo13524 Posts: 593 Member
    Try interval training it burns so many more calories than just jogging/running!
  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
    your just getting fitter, its likely that as you get fitter, you will up your mileage anyway if you catch the bug. As your base expands, you may venture into intervals, or distance or both and these will all up your calories
  • Beckym1205
    Beckym1205 Posts: 217 Member
    Are you running for the same ammount of time or for the same distance? If you are only running for the same distance and since you are running faster you are running for less time I believe that may be why you are burning less calories.
  • jessicamckay13
    jessicamckay13 Posts: 297
    Sounds like your body is getting stronger and adjusting to the demands are you putting on it, which is great news!

    Add miles to your weekly total as you feel comfortable and add in some intervals as well.

    Enjoy!
  • inchestopinch
    inchestopinch Posts: 67 Member
    Are you running for the same ammount of time or for the same distance? If you are only running for the same distance and since you are running faster you are running for less time I believe that may be why you are burning less calories.

    ^^ This is what I was thinking... your running less time... but also agree with others who are saying you are becoming more fit and heart doesn't need to work as hard.

    Congrats tho on a personal best time! I can't wait for the day I can run a 5k, let alone beat my personal time!!!!
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
    these intervals... I guess since I run out side, I don't really know how fast I am going until I reach my mile marker.. Should I rely on my HRM to switch from high intensity to lower? Or is there an actual easier process?
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
    You've lost 22 pounds. Your body doesn't have to work as hard to get you moving. It's like measuring the fuel efficiency of your empty car compared to when it is fully loaded.
  • LelliAmi
    LelliAmi Posts: 327 Member
    run longer as well as faster. increase your runs by 5-10 minutes a week.
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
    I just had a brain fart... What about adding weight?? Would that do more damage than good or would that be a good way to trick my body into working harder and using my muscles in a different way than what i trained them to?
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    these intervals... I guess since I run out side, I don't really know how fast I am going until I reach my mile marker.. Should I rely on my HRM to switch from high intensity to lower? Or is there an actual easier process?

    If I'm remembering correctly, you don't have a smart phone, right? If you did, I'd suggest downloading RunKeeper which will call out your distance every 5 minutes, and show you your min/mile any time you want to check.
  • lauradalton89
    lauradalton89 Posts: 4
    Watch how high your heart rate is going as well. If you get it up too high it stops burning fat which means less calories are burned.

    Keep your heart rate in the aerobic range (look it up for your age) to burn fat. Once you get into anaerobic you're just burning energy which in essence still burns fat but at a greatly reduced rate.

    If you don't know the basics of aerobic vx. aneaerbic do a quick google serach and you can learn a lot. Its definately something to watch if you are working out only to loose weight.
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
    Yea...I don't have smart phone technology...lol I just look at running maps and find out where 1 mile is, then look at my HRM lol
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    these intervals... I guess since I run out side, I don't really know how fast I am going until I reach my mile marker.. Should I rely on my HRM to switch from high intensity to lower? Or is there an actual easier process?

    They don't have to be regulated, try sprinting every 5th to 6th lampost.
  • SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish
    SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish Posts: 831 Member
    I have been running for a few months now and I have gotten a lot faster these last few weeks... today I ran my personal 5k best of 28:58. Now The real question here is...I am going faster..but burning LESS calories!

    When I was running 10 min miles I was burning around 345 calories.

    Now that I am running 8-9 min miles, I am averaging around 330 calories.

    I use a Polar FT4 HRM and I even adjusted the user settings to meet my lbs lost thinking that May have been it...buuuut...

    So advanced fitness gurus.. What Do I have to do (besides running further lol) to burn more calories?!?! I am not completely upset about it since I run for hobby now instead of strictly fitness, but I would still like to know whats going on here. :D

    If you run with your above parameters on the same course, you are running 80% or 90% of the time you used to be actively running then, and since you move less mass over the same distance, that equals less calories. Just increase the run by a side street to equal the same time and your workout burns more calories. Your body also gets more efficient at the same exercise over time, so changing the type of exercise also will increase calorie burn over the same time period.
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
    Watch how high your heart rate is going as well. If you get it up too high it stops burning fat which means less calories are burned.

    Keep your heart rate in the aerobic range (look it up for your age) to burn fat. Once you get into anaerobic you're just burning energy which in essence still burns fat but at a greatly reduced rate.

    If you don't know the basics of aerobic vx. aneaerbic do a quick google serach and you can learn a lot. Its definately something to watch if you are working out only to loose weight.

    Oh cool..thanks... Thats good to know
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
    I just had a brain fart... What about adding weight?? Would that do more damage than good or would that be a good way to trick my body into working harder and using my muscles in a different way than what i trained them to?
    It won't hurt, per se, but the thing about hand or ankle weights is that your body compensates by not letting you run as fast. If you want to carry weights and/or vigorously swing your arms with weights, then go for it, but you probably won't burn more calories.

    Remember, it's not the calories per mile that's important. It's the calories per minute.
  • GTI_Girl
    GTI_Girl Posts: 207
    Ok cool..I got some good feedback and starting points... Thanks everybody! I guess now that the sun is staying out a little longer, I can start adding some distance in (I hate running in the dark where I live)
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
    Watch how high your heart rate is going as well. If you get it up too high it stops burning fat which means less calories are burned.
    True, but your body will tell you if it has switched to burning sugar instead of fat by making you get insanely tired quickly. If you are able to run at a steady pace for 30 minutes, you are burning fat.

    I don't pay *too* much attention to my HR because I know that my max HR is much higher than the 220-age formula would have me think. By that measurement, my max HR should only be 183, but I can easily get it above that. When I ran half-marathons, my HR would be in the high 160's/low 170's the whole time.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Watch how high your heart rate is going as well. If you get it up too high it stops burning fat which means less calories are burned.

    Keep your heart rate in the aerobic range (look it up for your age) to burn fat. Once you get into anaerobic you're just burning energy which in essence still burns fat but at a greatly reduced rate.

    If you don't know the basics of aerobic vx. aneaerbic do a quick google serach and you can learn a lot. Its definately something to watch if you are working out only to loose weight.

    This is not actually true. -

    Low Intensity Exercise burns about 50% fat for fuel while High Intensity Exercise burns about 40% fat for fuel. So whilst %wise Aerobic Exercise burns more fat for fuel than Anaerobic Exercise working at a higher rate of intensity is harder and you end up burning more calories in less time.

    e.g - you burn 100 calories in 20 minutes of Low Intensity Exercise (50 fat calories), and 160 calories in 10 minutes of High Intensity Exercise (64 fat calories) You would still burn more over-all fat with high intensity exercise than with low intensity exercise.

    There is another advantage of High Intensity Exercise. Working at a high rate of intensity increases your metabolism long after the exercise is completed. Since anaerobic exercise is more demanding on the body, it requires more energy to recover. So, more fat burned in less time and an increased metabolism for hours after the workout
  • MoooveOverFluffy
    MoooveOverFluffy Posts: 398 Member
    sometimes i play what i call the "HRM game". I'll sprint to get my heart rate up as high as i can for as long as i can stand it, then drop to a fast walk, then a slow walk and let my heart rate get down. The whole "game" is not to let my heart rate get under a certain # (for me it's 130). The bursts of energy you use during the sprint intervals will burn some calories!
  • PirateJohn
    PirateJohn Posts: 80
    sometimes i play what i call the "HRM game". I'll sprint to get my heart rate up as high as i can for as long as i can stand it, then drop to a fast walk, then a slow walk and let my heart rate get down. The whole "game" is not to let my heart rate get under a certain # (for me it's 130). The bursts of energy you use during the sprint intervals will burn some calories!
    Not to mention that interval training is great if you play any sports or plan to in the future.

    I tried out for the US Olympic handball team once and we had to do a series of shuttle runs. We had to run 25 meters, turn back and run 25 meters back to the start line, then after a fifteen-second rest we repeated until we had run a total of six times. I was lying supine on the gym floor for about five minutes after I finished that one...
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
    At the gym I go to they have a weighted vest type thing that I've seen people running in, it doesn't look comfy, but they look like they are working hard. LOL.
  • kyrstensmom
    kyrstensmom Posts: 297 Member
    Are you running for the same ammount of time or for the same distance? If you are only running for the same distance and since you are running faster you are running for less time I believe that may be why you are burning less calories.

    Yep.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,340 Member
    Run up hills. Presto!!! Higher cal burn.
  • Nikstergirl
    Nikstergirl Posts: 1,549 Member
    I totally recommend the sprints, but only once a week. The other runs should be easier and one should be "long". Adding distance will increase your endurance and burn big calories. If you don't have a smartphone, no worries... you can map out a route before hand at runkeeper.com or something like that and just get out there and enjoy the fresh air! Once you're sufficiently warmed up, pick a landmark (a sign, telephone pole, the next intersection) and run as fast as you can until then. Once you get there, jog a bit until you recover/catch your breath. Do it again! Adding these sprints will make you faster and acutally able to run farther as well.

    I would not recommend adding weight. Everything I've read will say that it can throw off your stride and lead to injury. Of course, I wear a fuel belt when I go long or it's really hot in the summer, which does add a little, but it keeps it right at my center of gravity so it works well. Just my 2 cents!

    Congrats on the great 5k time! Took me over a year to get that fast!!!!
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Congrats on the running!

    You're getting stronger, lungs and heart are getting better at passing oxygen, etc., etc. so your hard work is paying off.

    Ways to burn more cals?

    Run further - I'm getting back to where 6 miles is my short run (I damaged my Achilles so I had to rest for three weeks).

    Run with more weight - we tromped around with 50+ pounds in our rucksack when I was in the Army. That is "good training" (especially when you carry an M60 machine gun!) but a little heavy for civilians. Now, I have a civilian backpack and I put a big can of tomatoes (from CostCo) in it.

    Another alternative is to run with a water pack. I bought a "fuel belt" and a "water belt" manufactured by Nathan. Got them on Amazon and they're worth every penny. I bought a Camelbak 70 oz bladder in place of the Nathan bladder. 70 oz of H2O = 70 oz that you're adding but you're also bringing your water along with you. Here in Southern California, I need the water on runs > 6 miles.

    Run hills - going up is builds muscle though coming down can be hard on your knees.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    Do a google search on Fartlek training. Someone already mentioned the gist of it. Increase your speed from one landmark to another.

    I wouldn't get too excited over a 15 calorie difference. That could be anything. A head wind. A different course. A different hill.

    Just because you are going faster doesn't mean you are actually exerting more effort then you used to.
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,247 Member
    I have been running for a few months now and I have gotten a lot faster these last few weeks... today I ran my personal 5k best of 28:58. Now The real question here is...I am going faster..but burning LESS calories!

    When I was running 10 min miles I was burning around 345 calories.

    Now that I am running 8-9 min miles, I am averaging around 330 calories.

    I use a Polar FT4 HRM and I even adjusted the user settings to meet my lbs lost thinking that May have been it...buuuut...

    So advanced fitness gurus.. What Do I have to do (besides running further lol) to burn more calories?!?! I am not completely upset about it since I run for hobby now instead of strictly fitness, but I would still like to know whats going on here. :D

    The fitter you are, the more efficiently your body uses energy.

    To burn more calories, you will either have to train for longer or fasten up the pace.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    I have been running for a few months now and I have gotten a lot faster these last few weeks... today I ran my personal 5k best of 28:58. Now The real question here is...I am going faster..but burning LESS calories!

    When I was running 10 min miles I was burning around 345 calories.

    Now that I am running 8-9 min miles, I am averaging around 330 calories.

    I use a Polar FT4 HRM and I even adjusted the user settings to meet my lbs lost thinking that May have been it...buuuut...

    So advanced fitness gurus.. What Do I have to do (besides running further lol) to burn more calories?!?! I am not completely upset about it since I run for hobby now instead of strictly fitness, but I would still like to know whats going on here. :D

    I am approximating this based on your ticker and your reported running times.

    The decrease in calories is due to your decreased body weight. You have increased your speed, but not enough to account for the decrease in body wt.

    Again, based on your numbers:

    Running 10 min mile: 5K time 31:08, Intensity: 10.2 METs; Weight (est) 75 Kg (165 lb) --total burn 395 calories.

    Running 28.58 5K : Pace ~9:20 per mile. Intensity 10.8 METs; Weight (est) 65 kg (143 lb) -- total burn 337 calories

    It often happens that weight loss occurs faster than increases in fitness level. If you continued to train and improve, eventually you should speed up to the point where you will equal your previous burn.
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