Calories burned

I got a new Garmin fitness watch for Christmas and I was so excited to try it out today. It tracks your workout time, calories burned, and heart rate. Plus, it's a watch and I don't have to worry about messing up my dressy watches on days when I have exercises classes or go straight to the gym after work. I will probably get the foot pod accessory to track distance, elevation, etc.

I think it's funny that my watch said that I burned over 700 calories when all I did was 45 mins of pretty intense walking on an incline and then weights. That seems really high to me. But, it's just a number and doesn't matter too much to me anyway.

Which brings me to my point of the blog, when people say they burned a crapload of calories in a short amount of time. I see that all the time on Facebook. People say "I burned 800 calories in 30 minutes on the elliptical" or whatever. The machines exaggerate a little if you are watching those and I think my watch does too. It helps if you put in your weight, but I still think they exaggerate. Especially if you are holding on while working out, because that causes less calorie burn than pumping your arms. I see people on the treadmills that incline a lot and they hold on the entire time, which makes the calorie burn a lot less than it actually says on there.

If you think about it, running is probably one of the most intense activities. Not the most, but it's up there and a good comparison. Depending on weight, you probably burn about 125 calories per mile. So, let's say you run a 10 minute mile and you run 6 miles in 60 minutes, you would burn about  750 calories. So if you only ran for 30 minutes, at a 10 minute mile pace, you would burn 375 calories. If you ran a faster pace, let's say a 6 minute mile (which is not the average exerciser's pace) you would run 10 miles in 60 minutes, thus burning 1250 calories.

So, now can you see why I am doubtful when people say they burned 800 calories in 30 minutes? Of course, it does depend on your body weight. And, your intensity matters too.

What is also interesting is how many calories you have to burn and how hard you have to workout to burn off  those unhealthy things we eat. Some desserts have upwards of 500-700 calories. You would have to run for an hour at a good pace to burn off 750 calories from your dessert. Or even better, for those people who drink regular soda. A 20 ounce bottle of soda has 250 calories. You will have to run (or walk at a good pace) about 2 miles to burn that off. It takes a whole lot less time to finish that soda than it takes you to do the 2 miles.

Those numbers are just generalizations, and the other thing is that you do burn calories all the time anyway. The more muscle you have, the more you burn. The more often you eat, the more your metabolism goes (so don't skip breakfast!!). You also burn calories during weight training as well as hours after too.

The moral of the blog is, don't worry about how many calories you burn, just get off your butt and do something! Doing something burns more calories than doing nothing.

Phones and older people

Cell phones at the gym annoy me really bad. Not so much when people use them to listen to their music, but when they are texting and talking. I was watching a girl the other day who was doing the weight machines and texting at the same time, she never even put her phone down, how can you focus? There was another guy who was walking super slow speed and texting at the same time. Another girl was telling her life story about how her boyfriend and her were wanting to buy some land and build a house there later, blah blah blah. I turned off my iPod so I could listen to her because she was so loud that I couldn't not hear her even with my music up (without blowing out my ears). Plus I was interested in her story and I figured she didn't think I was listening. I prefer to have that hour or so away from my phone. I miss being unavailable sometimes. It's nice to have a cell phone, don't get me wrong, but I miss not having constant contact sometimes. I think some people should focus on their workout a little more and texting/talking a little less.

I think it's really cute when I see older people working out at the gym. They always look so healthy and I don't mean skinny, I just mean they look healthy.  Their skin looks good and they just look healthy. They are stronger, more flexible, balance is better, among other things. I think it's great they are there. All the people in my exercise classes that have a pretty regular exercise routine look so much healthier than the people I see at WalMart with a cart full of Cheetos, Coke, Twinkies, donuts, etc etc. Those people do not look healthy. Mark my words, I will be working out until I physically cannot work out anymore. I may take a few weeks or even a month off here and there, but I will continuously always work out. Exercise really is the fountain of youth I believe.

Shaky treadmill and music

Today I was walking on the treadmill at a pretty fast speed for me and watching ESPN. I love when treadmills have a tv built on them. Even better than that is when they have a tv AND a fun. Bonus! Anyway, I noticed that the treadmill was shaking! It was like watching SportsCenter during an earthquake and that earthquake was me. I think the weight limit for treadmills is like 350 lbs or something and when I weighed myself earlier this week I wasn't that heavy. I did eat 3 mini cupcakes on the way home because I have terrible willpower when something is sitting in the front seat and I've had a 12-hour day. Anyway, that's a bit unnerving and embarrassing that the treadmill is shaking that much when I'm just walking. I guess I won't try running on that treadmill.

There is a little hole on this particular treadmill where you can put your phone, iPod, etc. It reminded me of when I was in college and had to use my Discman to listen to music when I worked out. Remember those things? I had to workout on a treadmill next to a ledge because the huge Discman wouldn't balance on the treadmill anywhere or in the hole on the treadmill display. I had to make sure and pick out my very favorite CD and only one because I didn't want to bring my entire CD case with me. But, I guess at least I had music.


Around 2004, I got my first mp3 player. That thing was tiny compared to my dinosaur Discman but it was so ugly AND it only held 30 songs. It was dark green, so I tried to use a permanent marker to color it black but that didn't last long. It did have a band for my arm so I didn't have to hold it or put it somewhere on the treadmill (or find a ledge like the Discman). The 30 song maximum was a little bit annoying because I would get really tired of the music and I'd have to delete a song to put a new one on there. Plus I had to change the batteries all the time.

For Christmas about 4-5 years ago, I got my iPod that I still use today. I love that thing. If I could pick one electronic (besides a laptop and phone) that has gotten more use, it would be that. It has only given me a problem once and I just reset it and it was back to new. While my mp3 player held 30 songs, this will hold a lot. I'm not sure how many because I have 600 on there and there's room for plenty more, I just can't think of more songs that I want. I didn't like the fact that I would have to pay for my songs instead of illegally downloading them anymore, but it hasn't been too bad. I've gotten some iTunes gift cards that also help.

So just in 10 years, I've went from a Discman that had one CD and was bulky to a tiny iPod that will hold over 600 songs. I wonder what music device I will be using in 10 more years. 

I found this funny picture while looking through backgrounds for my blog.

Makeup and the gym

I have never been one to care what I look like at the gym. I've heard of girls who do their hair, their makeup, and pick out their best outfit to go work out. Well, I tend to sweat a lot....and it's not pretty. I would sweat all that makeup off in 5 minutes. My hair would look flat like it normally does. Usually I try to pick clothes that aren't too wrinkly and match, but sometimes I fail at that too. Sometimes I pick a shirt that has holes in the armpits on the day when I'm doing mostly exercises above my head, yikes.

Here are my thoughts while on the treadmill tonight.

• What a cute outfit she has on. It matches perfectly and even that jacket is cute. How are you not sweating your a$$ like I am over here? How can you work out in a hoodie?? It looks cute because it's cropped and your outfit is very layered, which is in style. I am sweating so much over here that I could wring my shirt out and make a miniature Lake of the Ozarks. 

•  Your makeup and hair look perfect. You know who would win in a beauty contest between you and I? Yep, that's right, you. You know who would win in a race around the block? Well, probably you because I'm slow. You know who would win in a push-up contest? Maybe you, I can only do a few boy push-ups but I'm getting better. I'm not much competition right now. Let me pick something I am good at...hmm. Do you know who would win in a leg press competition? Yep, that's me. And I'll even let you pick if we do 1 rep max or multiple reps. You would win the beauty contest and I win the leg press.

My treadmill thoughts

I thought by starting a new blog, two purposes would be served:

1. I can share all my crazy thoughts that I have while I am working out. Most of the time they stay bottled in my head and I really believe they are worthwhile.

2. Because I have to actually be at a gym to have these thoughts (mostly, I guess I could have them on a run or something), then I consider that extra motivation to keep in shape. I am pretty motivated, but who doesn't need more?

I love watching people work out, I mean LOVE it. I started loving it in college. I guess I probably picked a good major (Exercise Science) if I love it that much. But, I don't work in a fitness center so it's not like I can have this comedy show all day long. Instead I can have it for an hour or so each day and probably 4-5 days a week.

I really have to be sneaky when I watch people work out. Who wants to be known as the crazy lady at the gym who stares at everyone? I use mirrors and reflective stuff to my advantage. I pretend that I'm really absorbed in my workout (sometimes I really am) and listening to my iPod.

I have a hypothesis for why I have so many thoughts in my head at the gym. Exercise stimulates your heart rate and breathing rate. Red blood cells are moving around, transporting oxygen where it needs to go. I am usually out of breath when I'm on the treadmill, so I think the oxygen is somehow concentrating in my brain with my neurons and making my brain go on overdrive. Scientific, I think not. Believable, yes.

And here we go...