This blog was written by Lisa Larkin. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.
It’s nice to see the number of calories burned increasing along with the time on your cardio machine. But when your machine reaches a certain number, don’t always believe what you read.
Getting the Most Accurate Calorie Count
Most machines give you a general number of calories burned that you can use as a guide. But do not think that is your exact number. It is important to always enter your age and weight to have a more accurate calorie count. Everybody burns calories differently, so I recommend that you use a heart-rate monitor to get the most accurate count.
Mix Up Your Workout and Burn More Calories
It may not seem fair, but the more you weigh, the more calories you burn in a cardio session. Also, the more fit you are, the fewer calories you will burn because your body gets used to that activity level. In other words, mix up your workouts to keep your body guessing and burning the most calories. Teaching group fitness classes at an onsite corporate fitness center gives me the opportunity to mix up the workouts for our wellness program members.
To burn the most calories, I recommend using machines that move your arms and upper body. You can also try not to hold on when walking on the treadmill or using the stair climber. This will increase the intensity, which will increase the amount of calories burned.