Calories burned confusion…Please Help!!
ok, so I know that they say that elliptical calorie counters can be pretty skew’d….so I always just estimate 100 or so less calories than what it tells me…but I’m really interested in finding out how much I am burning…
I’m 31, my usual heart rate is between 180-190 (I like to work out at my maximum rate) and I’m pushing 200-400 watts and I using my entire body.
If I do 25 minutes like this, the machine says I am burning between 500 -600 calories.
Can somebody help me figure this out…there is so much information on the web, so many contradictions…and I’ve even read that heart rate monitors (which I thought we the best thing to use) can be really off also…
so how are we ever to know what the truth is???
October 15, 2008 at 2:45 pm
No. Do NOT try to calculate calories. It will always be wrong. If those calorie calculating systems were true then people would be perpetually gaining fat on even the smallest of portions. Don’t count your calories and don’t measure your portions. Eat as much fiber rich gran/protein/fish/complex carbs as possible and take your multivitamin.
October 15, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I have a heart rate monitor and it’s only a couple of heartbeats different than any machine I’ve been on at the gym. If you keep your heartrate that high, then you’re burning plenty of calories in the time your doing cardio.
October 15, 2008 at 3:01 pm
I think your method (taking away 100 calories) is a good way of ballparking it. It would take a VO2 max machine and you being hooked up to a device to get it dead on.
You could probably figure it out pretty close by the number of steps, the time, and your weight.
October 15, 2008 at 3:51 pm
hey sunshine! I would take one of JMorgan points as helpful: Don’t try to calculate calories! I even think that is not a very good idea to manage your cardio or workout sessions by calories burned. just count the time you’re going to spend doing exercise, along with monitoring your heart rate, depending which your goals are, and keep it up!
I hope I helped… at least a bit
October 15, 2008 at 4:35 pm
It doesn’t matter what your goals are. All people should look bulky and lean with extra super round muscles. No matter what.