calorise for zumba???

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I have been reading anything from 500-1200 calories for an hour of zumba. I used my heart rate/pedometer/calorie counter today and it read 170??? I did 50 calories in a 12 minute walk with my dog. Walk. not run. So some rough math, that means I could burn twice as much doing a mellow walk with my dog? I dont know how these things work, but there is no way I only did 170 calories....I dont do the modified version and I keep my arms up high and controlled as well as pick my knees up as high as I can....any idea whats going on???

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  • nbsambucca
    nbsambucca Posts: 123 Member
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    caloriES...sorry...
  • GoldenGirl89
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    I log it in as Aerobic Exercise and for 60 minutes it says I burned 394 calories. I'm also 5'9 and 181 pounds if that helps. The bigger you are the more calories you will burn (I think).
  • shanea98
    shanea98 Posts: 32 Member
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    I usually calculate it around 500, cuz you have warm up and cool down in the hour. Now some zumba is more intense than others. I think the live strong website calulated it for me
  • niqua215
    niqua215 Posts: 283 Member
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    MFP and Zumbacalories.com really overestimates the calorie burn. I have a Polar HRM and burn anywhere from 450-565 calories for 1 hour of Zumba.
  • kiranicsmom
    kiranicsmom Posts: 63 Member
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    I wore my bodybugg while doing zumba and it was between 500-600 calories. I just put it in as aerobics but if there is a choice for intensity I put in light. Mine estimates about 522. I am usually sweating my behind off so I figure it is a fairly good estimate.
  • hahandel
    hahandel Posts: 134 Member
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    I wear a bodybugg and burn between 450-500 calories in an hour. I weigh 165.
  • kiranicsmom
    kiranicsmom Posts: 63 Member
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    I wore my bodybugg while doing zumba and it was between 500-600 calories. I just put it in as aerobics but if there is a choice for intensity I put in light. Mine estimates about 522. I am usually sweating my behind off so I figure it is a fairly good estimate.
  • RDalton84
    RDalton84 Posts: 207
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    When I go to my Zumba class I burn around 700 calories in an hour, when I do an hour at home I am lucky if I break 600. My zumba instructor really kicks our butts lol

    This is according to my Polar HRM
  • jocember
    jocember Posts: 31 Member
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    I think it depends on your Zumba workout - I know there is a HUGE difference between my burn when I do Zumba at home from a DVD and when I'm in class with an instructor pushing me to work harder. I don't have any trackers to measure, but I'm 266 and it estimates about 800+ calories for me in a 60 minute class - I'd believe that. MFP definitely over estimates for some things, though.
  • tenessaa
    tenessaa Posts: 105 Member
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    that seems really low to me. Does your hrm have a chest strap? i usually burn 600-700 calories but I weight 227lbs and am 5'8.
  • Jackie9950
    Jackie9950 Posts: 374 Member
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    Maybe your HRM needs a new battery. I ussually burn between 500-600 cals in my hour class! I once went in and my HRM said only 142 cals and I noticed that it wouldn't read my HR over 68. I put a new battery in my waist strap and it worked liked a charm.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
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    I'm 246lbs and my polar hrm calculates it more or less exactly the same as high impact aerobics - 7-800 per hour. I'm heavy though and work hard at it x
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
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    I have a polar HRM and I average about a 550-600 calorie burn at Zumba. I weigh about 162....5'6"
  • Teazybabee
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    I use a HRM, wrist band, and it shows me usually around 1200 for just over an hour. I have read that you should check your heart rate several times during the workout. That way you are getting a more accurate count. I way around 140.
  • hummingbird71
    hummingbird71 Posts: 298 Member
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    MFP and Zumbacalories.com really overestimates the calorie burn. I have a Polar HRM and burn anywhere from 450-565 calories for 1 hour of Zumba.

    I think it depends on the intensity of your work out. I just went here and put in all the info and it calculated LESS then my actual burn from last nights Zumba workout. My HRM (which is just like a watch and I have to "check in" with my heart rate regularly") caculated I burned 912 calories in an hour- zumbacalories.com calculated 802. I know my HRM is not as accurate as the ones that have the chest strap but I think it is close to what I actually burned. I check my heart rate after each song and at least once during the song while exercising, making sure on the slower ones that I check in even more often.
  • tnorth82
    tnorth82 Posts: 186
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    I asked the instructor and she said the 'average' person putting 'moderate' effort in burns 400 - 600, so I log as 500
  • branflake6
    branflake6 Posts: 115
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    yep I burn between 400-600 depending on how intense I make it.
  • ChassityGetsFit
    ChassityGetsFit Posts: 173 Member
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    160 calories definitely isn't right. But the estimated 500-1200 is absolutely right, it all depends on your intensity and the instructor's choreography intensity. My zumba instructor (who is also here on MFP) burns over 1100 calories in one of her hour classes! Her choreo is very high intensity and keeps you going at that high intensity the whole time. But the best thing about zumba is that you can do it at your own pace! So that's why I said it's all about your intensity. I think the average person with mid-intensity should burn around 400-500 calories! If your HRM isn't giving you the right calories you may need to read the instructions to ensure you are getting the most out of it! I just bought an inexpensive one from WalMart that doesn't use a strap, and it tells me that to accurately tell you your calorie burn you have to keep checking your heart rate so it can keep up with your intensity! Make sure you read the instructions, but honestly, not all HRM's are created equal. I'm almost sure mine won't give me the proper calorie burn either!