How many calories am I burning?

[7795]

The sites cannot be right can they??

Weight - 280lbs
Age - 39
Sex - M
Exercise - road cycling
Speed - 14mph average
Duration - 1hr

Most of the sites say it will be 500cals.

Thoughts please?

[bobbo89]

500 cals seems about right for that, I used to work on 10cals a minute at a slightly higher intensity.

[Timmy45]

bobbo89 said:

500 cals seems about right for that, I used to work on 10cals a minute at a slightly higher intensity.

Agree. IIRC running, or step machine will burn more calories per hour.

[V8mate]

For a normal person, I'd say 500 is generous; 14mph is very moderate.

Probably only that high because you're so heavy.

[Willy Nilly]

In February I did a half marathon in 1:25:15, which while a little disappointing was a PB (just) and it quite a decent time. My watch said I burned 1,193 calories. I weigh a touch over 9 stone and am 44, I was also absolutely flat out, throttle hard against the stop.

100 c/miles when running is normally a good bench mark

[popeyewhite]

You're too modest WN, that's a very, very good half time. You're also very fit and lean so you'll burn less cals than someone heavier and slower. When I first started training for halves on treadmill day I'd run for an hour at 11 kph - this worked out for me (13.5 stone at the time), as 1000 cals.

[frisbee]

Cycling this morning I used 600/hour at 17mph, 1000ft climbing/hour. 150lbs, power meter and heart rate, so reasonably accurate.

[mcelliott]

This morning I did a ride - Strava had me burning just about 1,100 calories. The ride was an hour long with 700m of climbing with an average speed of 29.4kph, and I weigh approx 188lb.

[7795]

V8mate said:

For a normal person, I'd say 500 is generous; 14mph is very moderate.

Probably only that high because you're so heavy.

Fat...

Getting lighter by the week. Healthy diet and daily 1hr bike ride.

...close family friend who was obese had a heart attack 3 months ago. Change time!!!!!

[The jiffle king]

I never believe strava or Garmin estimates, but they at least provide a level of consistency if you use them regularly.

I run much more than I cycle and it's about 110 calories per mile for me based on weight/speed.

[Willy Nilly]

7795 said:

V8mate said:

For a normal person, I'd say 500 is generous; 14mph is very moderate.

Probably only that high because you're so heavy.

Fat...

Getting lighter by the week. Healthy diet and daily 1hr bike ride.

...close family friend who was obese had a heart attack 3 months ago. Change time!!!!!

Good work.

I'm not a coach, expert, counsellor or whatever, so feel free to tell me to bugger off or just plain ignore me.

You are doing the right thing, but no big lifestyle changes because you are very unlikely to keep it up. Small steps, loose (or is it lose, I never know) small amounts of weight at a time. Gentle diet change while you adjust to it, you can slowly teach yourself to cook healthier food.

It doesn't matter what exercise you choose as long as it gets your heart pumping and you enjoy it. Enjoying it really is the key, then you'll look forward to it. If possible join a club doing whatever it is you are doing, it's much better, you meet new mates, will push yourself a bit and should get some coaching.

There's lots of little things you can do like walking short journeys that you may have otherwise have driven. Park at the far end of the car park so your car doesn't get dinged and you get a little extra walk and never take a lift when there are stairs!

I hope it goes well for you

[grumbledoak]

500kcal sounds about right, or even optimistic. Cycling is better at getting you around than burning calories.

And, if you are doing exercise for fat loss, remember that your body is not stupid - it knows exactly how many calories it burned, whatever the calculators say, and it will make you eat them back!