Working harder and burning less?

misticache
misticache Posts: 364 Member
in Motivation and Support
Okay so I have read about this before and have seen it on tv but have never truly understood it. I'm not going to let this bring me down for long but I must say I feel deflated. When I began this journey I would walk a mile and burn 140 + calories, and now that I have built my endurance and lost over 25 lbs I'm starting to realize I walk the same mile and only burn 90+ calories. You think how is this possible and you have to remind yourself you're in better shape and therefore exert less energy doing the same routine. So I guess I need to change it up a little and starting putting in more weight training. At the rate I'm going now I would have to walk 3 hours to get the same burn I used to get in 1.5 hours.

Also, my treadmill lies I believe and that's why it has taken me this long to realize what's going on. The treadmill is set to automatically count calories based on speed and time. My phone app is based on speed, time, and my weight. So when the treadmill says 500 burned and I go to log that into my cardio phone app and it comes up with 350 I need to accept the 350 and not "edit" it to 500.

In the end I've been grossly misjudging calories burned the last few weeks and have probably been overeating.

Anyone else have this problem and what did you do to change things up?

Replies

  • Jkc9059
    Jkc9059 Posts: 151 Member
    I am noticiing the same thing. I did invest in a HRM with a chest strap and love it!! I notice though that I burn less calories doing the same activities since I have lost over 30 pounds.
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    HRM is a good idea. I though about getting a fitbit but don't know enough about them. Where do you get an HRM?

    Frustrating isn't it. We should be happy we are on the right path but darn it how am I supposed to burn 4000 calories a week when I can barely get 300 a day now? rofl :ohwell:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Dont worry about the burn.
    Worry about what you use to fuel the day.
    True dieting is about food and your relationship with it.
    So now that you know you have less fat and possibly more muscle, you need to eat to fuel the muscle.
    This in turn will help burn fat.

    Diet is 80% nutrition and 20% everything else.
    If you were to work on building muscle you could get the number higher.
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    Good way of thinking. Thanks~!
  • bikinibeliever
    bikinibeliever Posts: 832 Member
    I notice I am burning less too. I wear a bodymedia so I get the feedback as I am walking (got the display too) and have noticed the same walk is as much. But that walk is so much easier now! :bigsmile:
  • HiKaren
    HiKaren Posts: 1,306 Member
    Well, from what I learned before, in regards to losing weight & exercising. From my own experience, as you lose weight and get closer to reaching your goal, you have to work harder, and longer, on the exercising.

    So in the past, I started out slowly... and did not go extreme gung-ho right off the bat... Did 20 mins... 4 x per week, then changed to 5 x's, then 6 x's, then started doing 30 mins.... I was up to 40 -45 mins... This was on the eliptical... In addition I also walked my two dogs and husband... So its seems, the closer you get, the harder you have to work...

    I have the same issue with discrepencies in the calculators that tell us just how many calories we burn... Like which one is right? I don't know... My eliptical tells me 250...... MFP tells me 300... And fitbit tells me to eat a million more calories, even thou my weight is slowly increasing.... I'm trying to lose weight here. Not gain.... Heee
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    It is crazy how you get different reads on different machines. I know I still have a long way to go and there is no perfect answer but I figure I would see who else was having issues with this. I tested this theory with a friend and it is definitely true the more you have to move the more energy you exert but I wish there was a perfect tool to use so you at least have an accurate count for what you burn based on your weight.

    Anyhoo thanks for responding all :bigsmile:
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    HRM is a good idea. I though about getting a fitbit but don't know enough about them. Where do you get an HRM?

    Frustrating isn't it. We should be happy we are on the right path but darn it how am I supposed to burn 4000 calories a week when I can barely get 300 a day now? rofl :ohwell:

    Time to up the intensity! :happy:
  • ag2ut
    ag2ut Posts: 20
    but I wish there was a perfect tool to use so you at least have an accurate count for what you burn based on your weight.

    The best tool I've found is a heart rate monitor (HRM) with a chest strap. I'm a fan of the Polar brand. I won't say it's a PERFECT tool, but it's more accurate than MFP or cardio machine estimates because it actually measures your heart rate. Wrist-only models of HRMs are less accurate than those with chest straps, too.

    Congratulations on your progress, but you're right: the more fit you get, the more you have to push yourself to get the same burn. But aren't you happy that it's easier for you to walk your mile and you don't get as winded walking up a flight of stairs? Victories!
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    My hubby went out last night and bought me a mountain bike. Everyone's right. I need to up my intensity and push myself in a different way. Walking just isn't cutting it anymore alone. Time to add in 2 days of jogging, and 3 days of biking in addition to my little lunchtime walks which are just stress relievers to get out of the office :)

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