DEUCE119
100-249 SparkPoints 130
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Are you as confused as me?

Wednesday, October 01, 2008


Today in my emails I received one from Spark on the Weekly, I do believe.

In it was an article on calories burned during exercise. I went to it because I'm always wondering about that. Well, it didn't do anything to allieviate any of my questions. I actually added to the list. Now Ido realize that nobody will ever know exactly how many calories they are burning during their exercise, but there has to be some way of getting a medium.

I know when I check the calories burned for the number of miles i have ridden my stationary bike, it tells me about 822 for 17 miles in 40 min. then I get this article from spark that says you need to go thru this and this to get a correct total. I like having the calories burned on my bike , because I do like knowing. The problem is if it is not correct, what good is it really doing me? according to the article I read, a person in a spinning class(which whenever I saw someone doing that, it was fast) only burned 9.6 calories per minute. so in an hour they would burn 600 or so. When I read that , then it tells me that my reading is incorrect. Or that is what I think.

When I set up my cardio, Spark adjusts my calories to the amount of calories I say I'm burning. So I went and checked Spark and what it says for calories burned . It was off from mine by about 160 calories. Should that matter? Well, if you are consuming calories by in and out it does I would think. If I am off by 1200 calories for the week, i would say that makes a difference. Spark said they just give a general idea of calories burned so if you have a machine that tells you, go by that. Then I get that article and read it. It is confusing. I suppose it is hard to pin it down.

If I go by mine, then I am burning twice as much in 40 min as someone in a spinning class is in 1 hour. hmmmm!!! Sounds fishy to me. Are you as confused as I am? I guess I could split hairs and shave some off what i enter, but If even that isn't correct then it isn't helping me lose weight.

What to do, what to do!!! anybody with wisdom on this dilemna would be appreciated. If you think I should just shave some off and not be so picky say so. I have a tough hide. emoticon emoticon emoticon emoticon emoticon emoticon
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Member Comments About This Blog Post
  • MOMMA_BEAR_69
    Deuce, I no longer use the calories burned because it has always confused me with the different machines saying different amounts. I just go by how I feel, sometimes what the scales say and always by how my clothes are fitting.
    Smile and have a great day!!
    Hugs,
    Helen
    4522 days ago
  • BOXERMOM19
    Carol I love you, but weeks, maybe months ago I post "my head hurts " That was the same issue. We all get there, where am I at? \How am I doing etc.

    Sweetie I wish I had a wrote in cement answer. But You know that. Your doing great. You have so....... many issues.

    Stand Tall and tell the world " I can and I will do this". You know you can.

    We have had a long ride together already, we can continue on as strong as ever.!

    YOU CAN CONTINUE TO BE THE STRONG PERSON THAT YOU ARE, YOU WILL HAVE SUCESS. I'm betting on you. You know I only bet on a SURE deal.


    4524 days ago
  • MARLA7
    Deuce - Love your birdie! Now, sic it on Kathy! Squawk! Squawk! LOL

    If I could get away with not getting weighed except once a month I would... but I have to get weighed 3 frickin' times a week at dialysis.

    I noticed too that different exercise machines, articles, even spark people have different theories on calories burned, etc.... it's hard to know WHAT to believe. I guess the best thing to do is just pick one & go by that. Love ya, Marla
    4535 days ago
  • RUHAPPYTOSEEME
    yea its very confusing, and whats even more confusing is during the summer I was doing a LOT of swimming and water jogging (which spark and other sites say is great for burning calories, more then walking for me?) and I would put in really high weekly exercise in my spark, and set it to be higher in the summer, it never changed my diet tho? I couldnt understand that, I was burning calories like mad cause id spend 6 hours at the pool, cource not all that time was jogging or swimming but I would use a watch to check it)
    I also heard the heart moniter is the best way, but my heart rate doesnt go too fast when im water jogging, so how am I burning calories? and I did lose weight much faster when the pool was open (well I mean I lose steadily any way LOL)
    any way just keep doing what your doing, it will work out in the end, just dont stress about it cause stress is not good for dieting, or um a healthy life style change ;)
    4535 days ago
  • DENISEA1
    CAROL,I'M ONE THAT GOES BY THE SCALE.THE ONLY WAY FOR ME
    4535 days ago
  • KSNICKER
    I WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU... JUST KEEP THAT BIRD AWAY FROM ME! lol

    Deuce... I used to go round and round with this all the time too, back when I was trying to burn 500 calories a day... but got no where... so I just gave in and just went by what spark said... But I think that you should go by what your bike says... Or maybe get a monitor...

    Because I am not able to exercise like before... I just don't worry about it... but that is me...

    Hope you find the answers you are looking for...

    ((hugs))

    BIRD BE GONE! LOL
    4535 days ago
  • LINDIEMAE
    emoticon What an interesting point you bring up. I have wondered the same thing especially since I can program different things to the number of calories I want to burn. When I cycle for 30 min on the aerobic level I do not burn no more then 220 calories, however I also do not use a speed up speed down that you may be doing AND my arms do nothing while yours moves... get my drift where I am going? I have no idea what spinning is, or what tension the bike is on for spinning hence they only may be burning a smaller amount because its speed and not tention related, does that help mess you up? That's my thought...but here is something you might want to do. Try going to the local YWCA or WYCA and sign up for one class and go use their machine and see what it tells you for the same thing BUT I doubt their bikes move the arms as well... MINE does not.

    I added a chart on our site that lists calories burnt for different activities... you will never get an accurate reading not even for pedometers... so what I suggest is that you track your cycling for a month and take a mean average from that ... to get an idea... did I mess it up somemore? lol Guess we all better get researching these calories burnt...and I agree with Polly the spark articles can be confusing because they address differrent scenarios at different times... need to be a rocket scientist I think lol .. good luck there researching it all emoticon
    4535 days ago
  • COOLTWINMOM3
    Carol,
    If you truly want to know how many calories you are burning during your exercises---why not invest in a Heart Rate Monitor(HRM)??

    Thats what I use with any exercise that I do, whether its strength training or Cardio, I always make sure I have it set up and on before I start my workouts. After your workout you can manually enter the exercise you have done and the calories burned here on SP!

    To learn more about HRM's check this site out:

    www.HeartRateMonitorsUSA.co
    m/
    Even check out: www.walmart.com
    Even if you are still not sure what a HRM is I am sure there is a article here on SP that can explain it a little better.

    HRM's are pretty expensive, but if you do your homework and shop around I am pretty positive that you will find one that has exactly what you want. Even if you don't shop online, you can still find HRM's in stores like Walmart, Target, Kmart and most of your local sporting goods stores.

    I found mine on the Heartratemonitorsusa site----But I actually found it locally at Dicks Sporting Goods Store here in Rockford, it was $99.00


    Regardless if you buy one that is strapless or with the strap----Hands down it's the best investment! My only recommendation is that you make sure you get one that you can put all of your personal information in and that it can give you your heart rate as well as your calories burned. There are some HRM's out there that do one and not the other.

    Good Luck
    4535 days ago
  • POLLY20
    Carol, This proves that there are some mixed messages here about burning off cals.. I think that they have a site called Calories.com.. If this is the correct address maybe this might give you a more accurate count.. Keep moving it.. Love ya Polly
    4535 days ago
  • OUTDOORGIRL-76
    I use the calories burned on my stationary bike. I figure it is there along with the miles I went. So it is what I use.

    4535 days ago
  • no profile photo CD2948406
    yeah its true. you never reallly know. I used to get frustrated but i just now judge how my heart feels and body feels. i knwo when i have reallly a good on or not. kee up the great work!
    4535 days ago

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