My first gym visit... is this right?!
Question: OK, here's the details. I'm 5'9", weigh 199 (post pregnancy weight). I'm trying to lose at least 40 pounds. I went to the gym yesterday for the first time (first visit) and used the elliptical. I was on it for 30 minutes plus a 5 minute cool down for a total of 35 minutes. I burned 310 calories. Is that bad? Should it be more? My heart rate was up pretty high so I didn't want to go any faster. The speed was around 3. Keep in mind, I'm just starting out. How many calories should I be burning? I will be going to the gym 3 days a week but am trying to fit in more time (it's hard with a new baby & working full time). I'm going to start strength training soon too. What do you think?
Answers: OK, here's the details. I'm 5'9", weigh 199 (post pregnancy weight). I'm trying to lose at least 40 pounds. I went to the gym yesterday for the first time (first visit) and used the elliptical. I was on it for 30 minutes plus a 5 minute cool down for a total of 35 minutes. I burned 310 calories. Is that bad? Should it be more? My heart rate was up pretty high so I didn't want to go any faster. The speed was around 3. Keep in mind, I'm just starting out. How many calories should I be burning? I will be going to the gym 3 days a week but am trying to fit in more time (it's hard with a new baby & working full time). I'm going to start strength training soon too. What do you think?
At least initially, you shouldn't obsess about calories burned given your heartrate was noticably high.
Your goal for the first few weeks should be to build a base of improved overall cardiovascular fitness. Once you're in slightly better shape you'll be able to push your pace & duration and get into higher amounts of calorie expenditure.
Also, those calorie counters on the machines are not reliable in the slightest. It simply uses a mathmatic formula which is unable to account for things like:
1)How much you leaned on the handlebars. Leaning on the handlebars makes it easier and reduces calories burned.
2.How tall you are. The longer your strides are the less you have to work to achieve a certain number of steps per minute.
3.)How strong you are. Someone with very strong legs won't find the addition of an incline to be that much more difficult than level movement and will not burn many more calories.