You’ll have seen the various magazines promoting workouts that will burn 500 calories in 30 minutes or torch fat/drop a dress size or get a bikini or beach body by following their specific plans but did you know that the headlines are misleading and there’s a good chance your calorie burning workout won’t do what it says on the tin.

It’s easy to be tempted by these workouts, and the workouts can be pretty good, it’s just that the premise of it burning a certain number of calories is wrong. Other common headlines like ‘Torch Fat’, ‘Drop A Dress Size’, ‘6 Pack Abs’, ‘Get A Beach/Bikini Body’ and similar are little more than attention-grabbing headlines to drive you to make a purchase. Sure, some people will get great results if they stick to the program but there will be many more who don’t.

Calorie expenditure in a workout depends on a number of things like:

  • Intensity of workout
  • Duration of workout
  • Your weight
  • Age
  • Body Composition

Essentially, any workout will burn 500 calories and some will take longer than others to achieve. A heavier person will burn more calories and take less time to burn them than lighter people and younger people will burn calories quicker than older people and so on.

Potentially, doing housework and moving things around can burn just as many calories as your gym workout. Going to the supermarket to do your food shopping, carrying bags a certain distance then bringing them in from the car and packing them away can burn as many calories as your workout, possibly more.

I’m not saying to not do these workouts, look beyond the headline and go for the one that feels right for you. Another thing to be careful of is the calorie expenditure on the machines at the gym like Bikes, Crosstrainers, Treadmills etc. The machine knows nothing about you and so the calories they tell you you’ve burned are not in the least bit accurate.

What Workouts Should I Do To Burn More Calories?

I try to encourage my clients to forget about calories, do the type of exercise they enjoy and focus on being consistent with them. For example, going for a 30 minute walk every day can do more for your health than 1-2 visits a week to the gym.

Instead of thinking of calorie expenditure, do what makes you happy, what challenges you to get out of your comfort zone and never be afraid to try something new. You never know, you may discover you love something you’ve previously never considered trying.

Looking for something different in your workouts? Check out my Workout Wednesday videos on YouTube. I don’t know how many calories they burn!

If you need any help or advice on your workouts, feel free to ask.

Steve