Not sure I am pushing myself hard enough

[Menora]

I am not a cardio person, I really struggle with it. I have always had myself down as someone who is relatively unfit in my mind and doesn’t like exercise. I am trying to lose weight.

I did however find that I liked weights and Pilates and have been getting into it. I do a little cardio at the gym when I go alongside weights

I invested in a cheapish wearable watch (with good reviews) that tells me my heart rate etc. it seems fairly accurate - I have manually checked my pulse against it. How accurate really are these? As it turns out that I am absolutely not getting my HR up at all past 100bpm very regularly! even on a rowing machine for 5 mins I am not getting much past 110bpm? So I am not even getting into a fat burning zone 😂

My resting heart rate is between 65 and 45bpm (45 is asleep) which I assume is good, and I have better cardio fitness than I have been willing to admit…

I tested this on my nemesis…. the hateful cross trainer and got up to 130bpm.

I don’t think I am doing enough? and have better cardio fitness than I thought?

I am considering getting a training session with a PT to get me started as I am unsure where to begin. Any advice?

Ah yes, you're spot on. You have to do a walk or run workout for like 15 mins to get the data. Don't know about cycling or what else works but I know stair stepper and elliptical do not! 😡

VO2 only gives a reading after you have done a walk/run or a cycle workout with an Apple Watch.
If you want to get into the weeds you can do a workout to determine your max heart rate empirically- but I’d imagine that would be quite horrible…
Unless you are using your heart rate numbers specifically for optimising training zones for running I wouldn’t worry too much. (And then you would want to use a separate heart rate monitor because watches aren’t that accurate).

I think I just needed to check I could get into the 120’s, and I can. 120’s are the zone I am happy to be in, rowing is gonna throw it out due to movement but I was sweaty/out of breath/tired from it so that’s ok

I was worried I was just coasting along but it’s given me what I need to push myself out of my comfort zone

i just have a bad back, rowing is not very comfortable even though I try to have good posture when I am doing it, partly is as I need better core strength and this is one of my main goals, hence doing Pilates

What is your primary motivation and what role does weight loss play in that motivation ?

It's really, really difficult to loose weight by exercise alone. Exercise to improve your stats can be much more gentle if you add some changes to the quality and quantity of food you consume.

Ultimately reducing calories will work, though some people reducing carbs in order to eventually reduce calories is the more easily sustainable approach.

@FinallyHere i am in a calorie deficit so that’s my weight loss situation. I’ve lost just over 3st so far and have about 1.5st to lose now
Fitness is for mobility and strength. I want a better core and toning up of the saggy bits 😂

@Menora ah, right, got it. Absolutely right then to be using exercise.

My experience has been that I am much more likely to sustain more moderate, enjoyable exercise, rather than really having to push myself. Maybe establishing a programme with a PT might help you find the right way forward.

What does everyone else have down as their daily goals? I looked at my data before the watch and it had me pretty low on both steps and movement but I don’t always have my phone on me, so it wasn’t capturing everything.

I set myself movement goal of 450 calories a day with at least 30 mins ‘exercise’ I’m managing this - I can do far more than this on a gym day but I can’t physically get to a gym on some days and I am stuck in an office or car for a long portion of the day. I am walking around a lot more at work. Not only do I need to know I am in a deficit for food it helps if I am also adding to the deficit in exercise but never eat them back again - I’ve heard your exercise calories are never accurate.

I also think it’s important I get the 30 mins recommended exercise even on days I struggle to find specific time to exercise. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week so I need to cover the other 3-4 days. It’s so cold out early AM or late eve otherwise I would go for walks

The watch will measure your steps.

My steps is set to 10k but I don't really bother with that one. Calories 300 because I have lazy days and don't want to lose my streak but I always double that on an exercise day. Stand 12 hours and exercise 30. I was thinking of changing to 60 mins but if I train, that time spent isn't dictated through my watch so I just leave it.

I used to be a bit over the top about meeting my goals so only attempt the calories one now. Don't let it over power you, it's meant to assist only.

@NewYearNewPyjamas ours sound similar I have 450 calories but I already did it today so it’s doable and 30 mins exercise for those days when I am not going to get to the gym. Any more is a bonus!

OP, you're gonna have to get out of breath to do a proper cardio workout.
You say you get lung burn and that you feel you're holding yourself back psychologically. You need to get to the bottom of these issues really.

I don't understand why my calorie burn is so high. I burnt 704 today according to my fitbit yet only did 3300 steps. I was home all day and sitting at a desk between 9am and 2pm. The fat burn before work was just getting children ready for school. At 2pm to 3pm I did weights at home and then post 3pm just moving around the house getting dinner, sorting children out etc. If you are really unfit does this make you burn more calories? I seem to burn more calories moving around the house than during weights which seems odd.

It is also weird becuase last year I didn't have anywhere near the fat burn I do now for the same level of movement. The only difference is that now I weight train.

I also don't understand why my fitbit says my vo2 max is 48 to 51. I hate cardio and only do weight training so surely my vo2 max shouldn't be this high?

@Bubbles254 it sounds like your fat burn zone is set too low. I thinks it's something like 80% your max HR. You shouldn't be reaching that just getting yourself up and out for the day.
Or are you getting out breath doing these things ie not very fit?

No not getting out of breath, I did a bit during the strength training but that doesn't correspond with the high heart rate.

I didn't know you could set the fat burning zone in fitbit and cannot find any options to do so.

I’ve been like this for years. I’m not sure if the lung burn is me not knowing how to breathe effectively when I get breathless but I am asthmatic and it completely puts me off getting intensively out of breath because it is painful and horrible. I’m better indoors than outdoors. I do get out of breath and sweat and feel it more now I am pushing myself a bit more.

Tonight I did 15 mins on cross trainer, 7 mins on rowing, 15 mins walking uphill fast on treadmill, a lot of sit ups, squats with a weight, leg press, some arm work and other bits. I’ve got visible arm and calf definition now, my core is a lot stronger as I can balance more easily in Pilates. My inner thighs are coming on well. Glutes and abs are still covered in some flab 😂.

I think psychologically I just need to work up to doing more at a slow pace. I was very burnt in the past by hardcore PT’s, a few years ago I joined a very expensive gym and they didn’t tailor the HIIT to each person very well and I would vomit it was so intense and I then picked up an Injury and was afraid to go back!

@Bubbles254
You can set zones in Fitbit - I just googled. I have a garmin so can't advise.
That said I haven't set mine. I love my Garmin but tend to go on feel when it comes to what sort of exercise I'm doing. HR is affected by so many things.

@Menora it sounds like you're being quite tough on yourself and are doing very well.
Asthma will def make things feel harder, hopefully others who have it can advise.

I've got a bust foot so am doing swimming with a pull buoy between my legs (can't kick). My activity levels have fallen down a mine shaft! But the extra time means I can hang about on this board with my oh so wise words

I think arses are meant to have fat on them. 🍑

One hours weight training will be 3-500 calories on a watch. As you do more weights, your fat burning amount will go up because more muscle burns more fat. Your cardio fitness is also improved by weights so none of what you have stated reads as unusual. I didn't see your age but vo2 seems good but average. Mine is low for an unhealthy 50 year old despite me being many years younger. Let me get a screen shot for what Apple says is healthy.

@Menora can I suggest 60 mins on the cross trainer? I find that the first 15 mins my body is trying to work out what it needs to do. By the time it has, you've moved on to another machine so you're not getting that second wind feeling where your body is relatively at ease to move.

@Bubbles254

According to Apple you're a superstar athlete so I'd be giving myself a pat on the back! You're fitter than you think you are and take a little off for accuracy of these things but 🥳🥂

Yes 48 - 51 is very, very good and indicates a high level of athletic performance.
My watch says mine is 42. I am 53 and do a lot of sport (competitive running mainly).

@NewYearNewPyjamas I just find this very boring… what do you do for an hour on a cross trainer 😂 I end up staring at the clock. Maybe I need some riveting podcast? 15 mins is an improvement for me from 0 mins that I could manage before. I am going to build up. I get bored easily I think and run around the gym going on all the things like a child 😂

I'm with you. I love to run, walk and cycle outside. Whenever I've had to use a treadmill (travelling for work and don't trust myself not to get lost!) it just feels like an exercise in keeping fit rather than something really enjoyable (tough, but enjoyable).
I think it's about finding what you enjoy. I enjoy going for a march around the fields in the dark with my head torch and podcast. Even in the cold and wet.

You need better music. But yes it is incredibly dull. I'm doing it right now.

A guy next to me watches YouTube. I think about doing that but I reckon I'd forget to move.

I'd run instead if I could but my legs can't handle my massive weight

I'm full of shit because I just gave up after 45 ish mins due to the hatred.

I started cardio purely because of the hatred, it's hard work so should inspire me to eat less so I don't have to do as much. It mostly does.

I set myself little challenges while I do it. So I have an app from work called YuLife and you get coins for challenges. I set it to brisk walk and have to do 1100 steps in 10 mins (easy) and I do that 4 times.

I set the machine to show me distance and RPM and my distance must be x amount higher than time spent so 8 mins must be 0.9km and the gap must grow.
I imagine I'm the bus in the film speed and can't go under x RPM.
I have secret races with the people on the machines near me.
I have a special cardio playlist blasting in my ear.
I must burn x amount of calories on my watch.
I usually spend the last half km on about 100RPM to meet the target.
I people watch. There's a man that looks like Chris Eubanks here today and everyone is fawning over him.
I laugh at what I must sound like if someone hasn't got headphones on because I'm bright red, sweating like a pig and gasping for air.

What zone does your watch say your heart is in?