Zumba question!

hillary124
hillary124 Posts: 112
edited November 12 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi! I'm not sure if anyone has answered this before, but I couldnt really find it anywhere.

I'm 5'3", muscular, and about 130 pounds (typically 125, I slipped up last week!) and I want to try Zumba tonight.
Does anyone know approximately how many calories I'll burn in an hour of it?
I googled it and it said like 500-800, but I don't want to give myself back too many calories and then overeat, but I also don't want to only give myself a minimal amount then not eat enough back!

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

Replies

  • LosingLizard
    LosingLizard Posts: 69
    I log it as Dancing - aerobic, modern. It's pretty close to what my BodyBugg says I burned, so it's a reasonable estimate.
  • maria_jason
    maria_jason Posts: 17 Member
    http://www.zumbacalories.com/
  • sarahkraus1982
    sarahkraus1982 Posts: 140 Member
    I log it on MFP as Dancing, Aerobic I believe and it says about 200 or so calories for 25 minutes of Zumba. The Zumba I do is on XBox Kenect and it says I burn about 418 calories in 25 minutes but I think it's a little high.
    Hope that helps :).
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    Wow, that calculator is awesome! Thank you so much :)
  • kountrygrl27
    kountrygrl27 Posts: 107 Member
    I truly depends on you, I was doing it and burning around 300 cals I purchased a hrm to make sure i calculate my calories burned accuratly, when i was posting it om mfp it was telling me i was burning 600... so i am glad i used my hrm.
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    Thanks everybody!

    I wish I had access to Zumba like on a game system, but Im at college so basically all I have for working out is whatever the gym has :ohwell:
  • Sarahmeridith
    Sarahmeridith Posts: 298 Member
    Im 218lbs and do beginner to intermediate zumba and burn about 200 calories in 20 minutes with my hrm
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    I think im going to try using a zumba calorie calculator, then using the aerobic dance method here on MFP, and maybe averaging the two amounts:)
  • Mzfoster0517
    Mzfoster0517 Posts: 83 Member
    When I do it it generally says I've burned around 500 or little more, but I also don't do everything right when doing it LOL
    Hi! I'm not sure if anyone has answered this before, but I couldnt really find it anywhere.

    I'm 5'3", muscular, and about 130 pounds (typically 125, I slipped up last week!) and I want to try Zumba tonight.
    Does anyone know approximately how many calories I'll burn in an hour of it?
    I googled it and it said like 500-800, but I don't want to give myself back too many calories and then overeat, but I also don't want to only give myself a minimal amount then not eat enough back!

    Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)
  • anolan807
    anolan807 Posts: 273 Member
    You will burn more in a class then the game anyway and the social part of it is always more fun. The best way to know is if you have a HRM . I put it in as aerobic dance.
  • EWilliamson
    EWilliamson Posts: 50 Member
    I am 5'2 and 130 (usually 125) also! I burn anywhere from 400-600! You will LOOOOVE Zumba. It is a blast. I hate to miss class because it so much fun! A lot has to do with the teacher though. My teacher is awesome...she is very in to it and makes it sooo fun! Good luck..you def will be surprised at the workout you get from it! :)
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    When I do it it generally says I've burned around 500 or little more, but I also don't do everything right when doing it LOL


    Hahahah thats what im afraid of!
    I did a cardio class once and could barely do half the stuff I felt so ashamed :P
  • sheilapierro
    sheilapierro Posts: 2 Member
    Polar Watch FT4 is amazing and will give you the exact calories you burned. I tried the www.zumbacalories.com
    and compared it with my polar watch and it was never the same. The website (zumbacalories) was always higher then what was on my watch :ohwell:
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    I am 5'2 and 130 (usually 125) also! I burn anywhere from 400-600! You will LOOOOVE Zumba. It is a blast. I hate to miss class because it so much fun! A lot has to do with the teacher though. My teacher is awesome...she is very in to it and makes it sooo fun! Good luck..you def will be surprised at the workout you get from it! :)

    Im glad you have such a positive review of it! Ive always been scared to try it but Im getting so bored doing regular cardio so im glad alot of people like it, it make me not as scared to try it!
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    Polar Watch FT4 is amazing and will give you the exact calories you burned. I tried the www.zumbacalories.com
    and compared it with my polar watch and it was never the same. The website (zumbacalories) was always higher then what was on my watch :ohwell:

    Uh oh! Ok. I think im going to try a few different things then maybe average the numbers, I just want to get as close as I can so I dont over/under eat!
  • steve3146
    steve3146 Posts: 26
    That's the question my girlfriend and I have wondered. We logged it as aerobics low intensity to mid intensity.
  • lmbigsby
    lmbigsby Posts: 36
    Purchase a HRM that calculates your calories burned. I average 800 doing a 55 minute class. I find it pretty accurate when I do Zumba on the Wii or run on a treadmill because it calculates on your heart rate. I love Zumba, totally addicted. Attending class is so much better than doing DVD's or games but I do enjoy my Zumba Fitness 1 and 2 for my Wii.
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    Purchase a HRM that calculates your calories burned. I average 800 doing a 55 minute class. I find it pretty accurate when I do Zumba on the Wii or run on a treadmill because it calculates on your heart rate. I love Zumba, totally addicted. Attending class is so much better than doing DVD's or games but I do enjoy my Zumba Fitness 1 and 2 for my Wii.

    Im so excited to try it!
    Do you usually eat before you go for a little bit of energy?
    My class is at 5:30 so I wont eat dinner till after, but I dont wanna get tired if I dont eat before!
  • amandasnow78
    amandasnow78 Posts: 11 Member
    I do Zumba as well, and according to the calculater I burn 907 calories. Zumba is what they say a party :) you have fun and burn the calories that you need to burn. I am addicted.
  • LovelyLF1
    LovelyLF1 Posts: 1
    I love Zumba too! I don't eat much right before because I always do the high intensity version and food in my stomach seems to weigh me down. About 30-45 minutes before class, I eat a Lara bar and it seems to be perfect. They are all natural so it isn't like a sugar high which will drop you half way through the hour class. The Lara bar gives me just the right amount of energy without being to heavy so I can still go all out in class.

    I have been buying my Lara bars at Whole Foods or natural food stores. I heard about them on Biggest Loser and I am now a fan. Be careful if you chose to eat a full meal before class, if you do high intensity, it may make you sick.

    Zumba is so fun! I hope you enjoy it!
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    I love Zumba too! I don't eat much right before because I always do the high intensity version and food in my stomach seems to weigh me down. About 30-45 minutes before class, I eat a Lara bar and it seems to be perfect. They are all natural so it isn't like a sugar high which will drop you half way through the hour class. The Lara bar gives me just the right amount of energy without being to heavy so I can still go all out in class.

    I have been buying my Lara bars at Whole Foods or natural food stores. I heard about them on Biggest Loser and I am now a fan. Be careful if you chose to eat a full meal before class, if you do high intensity, it may make you sick.

    Zumba is so fun! I hope you enjoy it!

    I eat Luna bars, which I get at Whole Foods or Publix or Target or Wegmans (:
    Theyre my favorite, so I should probably try one this afternoon before i go to zumba!
    Thanks for the tip :)
  • LosingLizard
    LosingLizard Posts: 69
    When I do it it generally says I've burned around 500 or little more, but I also don't do everything right when doing it LOL


    Hahahah thats what im afraid of!
    I did a cardio class once and could barely do half the stuff I felt so ashamed :P

    The cool thing about Zumba is it is very forgiving. It doesn't matter if you do it right, it just matters that you try and are moving. Believe me, I burned the same amount of calories flailing my arms and tripping over my feet in effort as I did when I finally got that salsa right. LOL And almost no one in the class can dance...at all. It's just fun. No one cares how you look.
  • missym357
    missym357 Posts: 210 Member
    According to my hrm I burn between 400 and 450 kcals. I love zumba- it is so much fun for me that I don't feel like it is a workout and I get a better workout there than in just about any other class. I hope you enjoy it!:)
  • Pigpug100
    Pigpug100 Posts: 24
    In order to truly know how many calories you will burn, you must take into account your age, height, weight and intensity of the workout. This is where a heart rate monitor comes in handy. I am 45, 5'6" and weigh more than I should. I typically burn between 650 and 750 calories per hour of zumba. Tonight, for instance, we did a nice variety for arms, butt, abs and cardio so I burnt 650 calories. Wednesday was cardio and butt so I burned 708. I would invest in a heart rate monitor. Mine is made by New Balance and was around $50. I'm so glad I got it, I like knowing how many calories I burn each workout. I even put it on for when I have all the fun snow shoveling or raking leaves---hey, it all burns calories! I do love zumba, I have never had to force myself to go, I love the workout and the hour just flies by.
  • daphnemoon
    daphnemoon Posts: 216 Member
    Also, it will depend on the intensity of the class. I've been to lots of different teachers and have burned wildly differing amounts (lowest @300 for a pretty pedestrian class to 580 for a more aerobic-based class) so different teachers will have different styles.
    It is a lot of fun though!
  • SarLem81
    SarLem81 Posts: 115 Member
    I'm 5'2", 153 lbs, a Zumba instructor part time and I take classes with other instructors as well. Honestly, the HRM is the best way to go for an accurate calorie count. If you can manage to get your HRM for a gift (I got it for a birthday present last year after telling people for months that it was the only thing I wanted), I say go for it. College is tough and these things aren't cheap, but they work for every workout. I wear mine almost daily. How much I burn in a Zumba class depends on how well I know the choreography (you don't have to do it perfectly, you just have to feel confident in what you're doing. And honestly, most people in a class are too focused on what they're doing to notice what you're doing, so just have fun with it!) and how much energy you put into it. I was off all this week for some reason and only burned 600-700 calories in class. I normally burn 800-900. Having the HRM makes all the difference in knowing how you're doing.
  • mheightchew
    mheightchew Posts: 334
    I love zumba!!! I make sure I keep the intensity up (arms up high, stay loose, jump when possible, etc) and I burn about 750 per class.
  • hillary124
    hillary124 Posts: 112
    Thanks for all your input! Ive been averaging putting it into MFP as 450 calories, just because I dont have a HRM and dont have alot of money to get one being the poor college student that I am :) I love it though, im having alot of fun! :D
  • lmbigsby
    lmbigsby Posts: 36
    I eat breakfast at 6 am, am snack around 10:30 then off to Zumba at noon and lunch after. Some days it depends but for the most part that is my schedule.
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