Can training reduce calories.

[Alan Lucker]

In theory being fitter (or lighter) would mean a lower calorie burn to achieve the same distance and climbs. Not sure it would be that much lower though.

[karen nash]

don't use HRM as it tells me i am dead- seems to not like my ribs.
Lost 3kg on B Smitthy- calories burnt. Or was it just dehydration as now weigh the same as usual.

JUst take the view- eat lots. drink what I like- beer and wine, plus whiskey in wn=inter. Run lots and all will be well.
Well it might not be but I will have had a good time

[beenatitforyears]

Did some digging last night. The settings are all as they were on the watch. So, the watch hasn't changed 310xt, the run hasn't changed and as far as I can tell I havn't changed. I think I may have found the answer though. According to an article by DC rainmaker the 310 has two ways of calculating calories. The distance+person suggested above when no HR monitor is linked. When you use a HR monitor it does calculate the calories on hearbeat using what sounds like complex maths. The software learns about you and changes as it understands how you work. The BG training coupled to the fact I have done a couple of bike rides without switching it to bike (didn't think it would matter) has no doubt confused it. Going to give it a reset and then while I am on holiday take it on some more normal runs to see if it goes back to sensible numbers.

[andy k]

I have a plain HRM (Polar) you put in age, weight, fitness category, max HR, rest HR.
and it tells you how many calories you have burned.
I always took the absolute values with a pinch of salt but did think the relative values might be useful.

On Sunday I was out for 7.5 hours in the Cairngorms (glorious!) and found myself wondering how many calories the HRM would tell me I had burned (therefore how big a feast was I due)
The I tolfd myself - nah its rubbish anyway
then I decided to have a think about it and came up with this.

burning calories, burns oxygen at specific rates (more oxygen required to burn fat than carbo).
so you can take the number of calories burned as directly related to the amount of oxygen aborbed,
amount of oxygen absorbed is represented by the amount of blood transported,
amount of blood transported is represented by the activity of the heart.

I did a rough calculation in my head.
Assume I normally burn 3000 kcal a day
I'm out for 8 hours = 1/3 of a day
So normally I would have used 1000kcal
but I'm running (and walking) for these 8 hours and my average heart rate is increased I guessed at this being double my daily average (HRM measured at 129 so I reckon that was a pretty good guess)
That means twice the amount of oxygen transported, therefore 2000kcal
But its not only your HR that incresaes, but also stroke volume increases( amount of blood pumped per beat of the heart).
off the top of my head I went for 2.5 times incresa in stroke volume.
giving a total of 5000kcal for the run.

Once I finished I checked the watch - 4912kcal !

so either I'm a genius, it was a lucky guess, or its not all that tricky - I'm going for the last of these.

My HRM doesn't pretend to work out how much fitter you are, it simply asks you what your level is.
Sounds like your watch is being clever and atributing a significant increase in running economy and efficiency -- perhaps too much.

[southernsoftie]

Effect of training is to improve your CV efficiency - i.e. after a period of training a given HR will equate to a quicker pace than you would have achieved at that same HR prior to training, all other things being equal.

From what you're saying, your intensity - HR - is (more or less) the same but you are now working at this intensity for a shorter period of time (because you are covering the route more quickly), ergo you have used less fuel.

If you've updated other settings, e.g. reduced weight if you've lost any over this training period, this will also go to reduce fuel used estimates (as you are effectively running with less resistance).

As to how accurate it is, well it only estimates based on certain parameters it can either measure, or are assumed based on what you tell it (i.e. the settings). It won't factor in other external factors like outside temperature, body temperature, hydration levels, etc. which can all have a bearing on the rate at which you burn fuel.

[beenatitforyears]

I said I would post when back in the country and I have a bit of a twist. My holliday dictated that I couldnt run for 2 weeks and the day I got back into the country I got a cold. Now I know that I shouldn't run with a cold but I did and the results were interesting. just short of 15 miles and I would expect something in the region of 1500 calories based on recent outings.

However the lack of training but mainly the cold put my HR through the roof, my average HR was 161 which is normally my max for a run and the max recorded was 184, I have never seen a 180 before without trying to find my max and in fact I don't think I've seen that for over 6 months. Its fair to say I was Ill, not going quick and even had to resort to walking at times. calories recorded 2650!

My conclusion, calorie burn can vary hugely with fitness and you shouldn't run with a cold.

[DrPatrickBarry]

you shouldn't run with a cold.

Unless you are trying to loose weight

[beenatitforyears]

And enjoy pain, suffering and humiliation.

Unless you are trying to loose weight

[Stolly]

..... and you shouldn't run with a cold.

Oh yes you should! (said in a pantomimey voice).

I got my first cold in about 18 months last week and, despite streaming buckets of snot and having real difficulties just trying to breath and run at the same time, I persevered. To be fair all I could manage on the first day of the cold (last Wednesday) was a pathetic one and a bit miles but a run is a run... and it has been a terrifically bad cold . I doubled that on Thursday, even though I felt even worse, and managed over 3 miles on Friday. Normal service was almost resumed on Saturday with a 11.5 miler and, in theory too, on Sunday with 7 odd miles. I actually felt completely washed out, weak and woolly on Sunday though but by then I'd broken the back of the cold and the completely gorgeous weather helped massively. Still bunged up but now back on schedule

[Rob Furness]

I don't really know whether you should or shouldn't run with a cold, my usual approach is; if I'm feeling up to a run or want to run, then I run. If I'm feeling really off and just want to rest, I chuck the schedule and don't run. Works for me.