FitSugar

Fitness Myth Busted: Cardio and Extended Calorie Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Do you work under the assumption that your aerobic workout boosts your metabolism for hours after you stop working out?
This statement is actually true -- but the calorie burn is probably not nearly as much as you think!

According to coach Eric Harr, author of The Portable Personal Trainer, your metabolism will continue to burn at a slightly higher rate after you finish an aerobic workout. Unfortunately, the amount is not statistically significant. In fact, it allows you to burn only about 20 extra calories for the day. Harr says there is a little bit more of a metabolic boost after strength training, but still he says it is marginal.

Moral of the story: Just because you are working out doesn't mean you can consume all the calories you want.

Source

What's the Diff: Total Calorie Burn and Net Calorie Burn

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Although fitness is about moving your body, there is an awful lot of jargon to follow. One seriously good side effect of exercising regularly is burning calories. But do you understand the difference between total calorie burn (TCB) and net calorie burn (NCB)?

Let's start with TCB; it refers to the number of calories you burn during exercise plus the calories your body would burn naturally just from living, even if you're just sitting on the couch all day. The readouts on cardio machines usually refer to this number.

On the other hand, NCB refers only to the number of calories burned during exercise. To calculate the NCB of a 3-mile run, you take the TCB and subtract the amount of metabolic calories your body would burn while sedentary. To do this you need to know what your daily metabolic calorie burn is. While there is little gadget that calculates the amount of calories you burn at rest – you breathe into it for about 15 minutes after fasting for 12 hours (I did this when I visited a nutritionist) – most of us don't have access to this nifty machine. You can use this basic formula: Multiply 12 calories times the number of pounds you weigh. That means a 130 pound woman burns about 1,560 calories a day just with normal activity (65 calories per hour).

So what does this have to do with losing weight? To find out read more.

NCB is rarely mentioned, let alone displayed on the readout of your cardio machine stats post workout because it's a smaller number and we like to think we are burning large amounts of calories. It is kind of like the inverse of "vanity sizing." The TCB figure is misleading though; a post-workout summary might say you burned 450 calories by running for three miles (at 6.3 mph/9:30 minute miles), but in reality, your body actually only burned about 418 net calories (or extra calories). It's not a huge difference, but working with just the TCB illustrates one reason people have trouble losing weight, since they think they're burning more calories than they really are. So keep this in mind if you're trying to shape up for Summer. You may need to work out longer and more often than you think.

Source

Increase Your Pace Slightly and Burn More Calories

FitSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:00:02 -0700

If you're trying to lose weight, cardio is your best friend. Workouts that get your heart rate up, such as running, biking, and using a cardio machine, are the best way to burn calories and reduce your percentage of body fat. Another fact to point out is that the faster you move, the more calories you'll burn. I'm not suggesting that you have to sprint through your entire workout - increasing your pace even a small amount will make a difference. Here are two ways to increase your speed when doing cardio.

Add intervals. After warming up, move at your usual pace for one minute, then increase your speed for one minute, then return to your usual pace for a minute. Repeat this sequence for 30 minutes, and then cool down. Need a plan to follow? Here are some interval workouts for all types of cardio. Remember, interval training is proven to reduce belly fat.
Increase your overall pace just sightly. Running at a pace of 5 mph (12-minute miles) burns 263 calories in 30 minutes. If you run a bit faster at 6 mph (10 minutes per mile), you'll burn 292 calories. It may not seem like a big difference, but if you run five times a week, you'll burn an extra 145 calories.

Increasing your speed when doing cardio won't take a lot more energy, but it'll sure make a difference to your body. You'll burn more calories, which translates to a slimmer, more defined frame. It will also help with your endurance, and make you stronger.

Burn Office Calories

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:30:00 -0700

So what if you sit at a desk all day? There are hundreds of opportunities to burn calories from nine to five, and avoid job-related weight gain. According to Fitness magazine, there are some easy ways to stay fit and still keep your job. To see the list, read more.

Activity	Calories Burned
Typing (120 minutes)	230
Heel raises while sitting at your desk (5 minutes)	19
Walk the stairs on your lunch break (15 minutes)	128
Touch up your makeup (5 minutes)	10
Clean your desk and drawers (15 minutes)	40
Stand while on the phone (30 minutes)	58
Desk stretches (15 minutes)	59
Go for a jog on your lunch break (20 minutes)	158
Bike to and from work (20 minutes)	118
Do some strength training with dumbbells (5 minutes)	15

Want a few more ideas on how to stay active during your workday? Check out these tips for working it.
Source

Burn a Few More Calories: Take a Self Defense Class

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Some of my favorite kinds of workouts are the ones that kill two birds with one stone. For example, I love getting in 30 minutes of cardio while watching the last episode of TopChef (yes, I watch that show too). I also love doing pull-ups and dips on the monkey bars while I am at the park with my kids.

Another way to get fit and accomplish something (aside from plain ol' getting healthy) while you're exercising is to take a self-defense class. Here's why: Your first defense in self-defense is to run (run Forest, run...), and we all know how good running is at burning calories. Your next defense in self-defense is to try to fight off a possible attacker, which means you'll be learning how to protect yourself with specialized moves. Perfecting moves such as the Hammer Fist and Elbow Shots is an excellent method for burning calories as well as empowering yourself too. Check around for self-defense classes near you. A lot of local YMCAs offer them as well as community centers, and even gyms, nationwide.

Unique Ways to Burn 100 Calories

FitSugar — Sun, 17 Jun 2007 03:00:00 -0700

We are always looking for new ways to burn an extra hundred calories throughout our days, right? Women's Health has come up with 100 unique, and I mean unique, ways to burn 100 more calories this summer. Some of them are downright silly, but heck, maybe shearing sheep is in your future so check out my ten favorites from their list:

1. Slather on lip balm 765 times.
2. Relive the '80s. Lip sync George Michael's Faith 16 times.
19. Swing a lasso over your head 375 times.
21. Shear three sheep (6 minutes per sheep).
35. Put a 42-pound 4-year-old in the child seat and it'll only take half an hour.
40. Wash, halve, and seed two acorn squash, then watch them bake for 30 minutes.
42. Play "Chopsticks" on the piano incessantly for 41 minutes.
49. Sing the Grease original soundtrack from start to finish.
52. Have fun when you get back to work: Twirl 123 times in your office chair (try not to puke).
71. No game necessary: Do 780 jumping jacks. Yes, 780.

To see the full list in all its glory, check out WomensHealth.com.

Source

Can You Burn Off Those S'mores?

FitSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 04:30:00 -0700

One thing I love about camping and backpacking is that you stay very active, from pitching tents to building fires to hiking. So I don't have to feel guilty about enjoying a few s'mores.

Of course, lounging around the campfire isn't going to burn off those calories, but a few good old-fashioned camping activities will. Take my quiz to find out how much you have to work to feel better about those choco-marshmallow treats. (All calorie calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.)

Take the quiz

Spring Into Action and Guess the Calories Burned!

FitSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:30:00 -0700

Ah, Spring, I'm so glad you're here. After all those short Winter days, I'm anxious to hop on my bike and enjoy the evening sun. But cycling is just one of many ways to get moving and burn off those lingering cold-weather calories. So take my quiz and see if you know how many calories a 130-pound woman burns doing these springtime activities.

Source

Take the quiz

Burn Some Holiday Calories

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:30:00 -0800

For me, the holidays are all about eating, drinking, and general merry making with friends and family. All that celebrating can add up to gaining at least five unnecessary pounds. That is no way to ring in the New Year. If you can't make it to the gym, you can maximize the calorie burning potential in your holiday chores. I have made a little chart to help find some ways to burn those extra holiday calories. All the calculations are based on a 130 to 140 pound woman.

To see how you can burn it up, just read more.

Activity	Calories burned
Go shopping. After each store, instead of lugging your bags around, walk back to your car. The extra trips back and forth will burn more calories.	1 hour burns 207 calories.
Wrap gifts.	30 minutes burns 48 calories.
Vacuum, dust, wash floors, scrub the bathrooms, and do other house cleaning to get ready for guests.	1 hour burns 191 calories.
Drive to the Christmas Tree Farm, hike around to find the perfect tree and cut it down.	30 minutes burns 100 calories.
Decorate the tree, and go up and down the ladder to decorate your house with lights.	1 hour burns 250 calories.
Light holiday baking.	1 hour burns 159 calories.
Shoveling snow from your driveway and walkway by hand.	1 hour burns 374 calories.
Take a walk around your neighborhood to deliver holiday cards.	1 hour burns 207 calories.
Nature hike before dinner.	30 minutes burns 190 calories.

Source

Ways to Burn 300 Calories in the Crisp Fall Air

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:50:00 -0700

The crisp air of Autumn inspires me to get outside and move. You can burn it up in the great outdoors while soaking in the colors of the season. Here some autumnal ways to burn 300 calories. All calculations are based on a 130-pound woman.
Source: Getty

View Slideshow ›