Can't stop...

[Zozo]

I can't help but feel that my Heart Rate Monitor is bad for me. Before I had it, I would ensure that I always execrised a certain amount of time. Since I've had it, I make sure I burn a certain amount of calories... for example, each day I have my 'minimum burn'. But, the problem is, it keeps going up! And I KNOW I should just say, no, today, that's enough... but I can't seem to! I don't want to stop wearing my Heart Rate monitor, because it value it too much in telling me if I'm at a correct intensity.. also with Insanity workouts.. I find it's a bit of a safety precaution!

Does anybody else feel this? Before I did Insanity, I was less obsessive about this, but since I've stopped, I seem to be saying to myself 'when you were doing insanity, you burned more than this!'. The crazy thing is, I don't count calories! I just like to use the calorie burn count to gage how hard I worked, to make sure I worked as hard as usual. Deep down, i know this is stupid, because I did STS legs today, and that counts a a hell of a lot of work, but I added in cardio, just to get the calories up there
I guess, what I'm asking really, is if anyone else feels that, by pushing yourself continually harder... you have to KEEP pushing harder. Also, has anybody got an idea for something to gage my workouts by, other than this?
Sorry if this was confusing....

 

[jnka825]

I hear you

I don't own a HRM, but when I was running 4 days a week last year, I would use the Nike plus for the Ipod, which counted calories burned. I would tell myself to stop after a certain amount of calories burned, but then I would say, oh 50 more, and then make it an even 100 more. It got to the point where I was mad at myself if I did not pass 600 or 700 calories.

I think many of us compete with ourselves and expect a lot out of ourselves, which is why we constantly push ourselves. What helped me to get over it is just realizing that it is good to NOT burn the same number of calories each time and to listen to my body. Some days a 5 mile run was enough, sometimes 3 and I was still feeling good and losing the weight. You know, I read somewhere, maybe on this forum, if we burn the same amount of calories each workout, our bodies begin to adapt and that is when we hit plateaus, so changing up the calorie burn is good for you and helps your body burn fat and calories more efficiently. I don't know how true this is, but it does make sense to me.

Kristin

 

[AYLE09]

step away from the heart rate monitor....

Being healthy can become a bit of an obsession. I've definetely felt the pressure. But I think all of us have to be careful not to measure a workouts worth based solely on the calorie burn. There are so many different factors that go into making a workout great. Is it challenging? What muscles are are you working? Can you feel the DOMS? Are you sweating and having a great time? If you focus too much on the calories alone then you might miss out on the fun factor that goes along with your fitness routine. As long as your feeling great then take the workout as a positive, give yourself a pat on the back and give your body a well deserved rest.

Jenn

 

[Zozo]

Thank you Kirstin, and Jenn, for such wonderful replies They're so encouraging Thankyou.

I will definitely take what you said one board, Kristin, about it being perhaps beneficial to change up the calorie burn

I think you're right Jenn, healthiness is definitely an obsession (a healthy one though! ) I'm definitely going to try my best to ignore the calorie burn.

Thanks for the motivation

 

[JulesMT]

I know many people here use heart rate monitors, and I admit that I was tempted in the past to get one, but I decided that I don't want one because I like to listen to my body and adjust my exercise intensity accordingly. I don't count calories anymore either. Maybe you could try a month without it and see how it goes.

 

[lisa_la_machina]

Zozo, I can completely relate to being fixated on the numbers. I've definitely been there. One approach that has helped me lately is to plan out a rotation in advance (or use Cathe's or another advanced rotation from the Cathe Nation) and then stick to that rotation, come what may. My brain may say "must burn more calories," but my body thanks me for the variety in activities and daily calorie burns--and in the end my results are better. HTH.

 

[banslug]

I've been known to do this with both my HRM and my running Garmin. I become too obsessed with those numbers and lose all focus of the REAL reason I'm working out. When it gets to that point, I tuck the HRM or Garmin in my bathroom closet out of sight and forget about it for a while. When I return to a 'happy place' with my workouts and get re-focussed, I start using them again.

 

[double t]

I've been obsessed with my HR monitor in the past. I had to go harder and harder every time I did a workout. Eventually I ended up pushing myself into an A-flutter episode which the docs think was brought on by dehydration and just plain overdoing it. My heart is fine though and I have since learned to leave the HR monitor at home sometimes. After talking with quite a few coaches I've also since learned that the numbers on an HR monitor don't really mean a whole lot anyway in terms of training. We obsess over these numbers and they are really kind of arbitrary. VO2 max is supposed to be better. Anyway, try not to obsess over the monitor and leave it home sometimes. Exercise is supposed to be fun, not a stressor.

 

[Zozo]

Zozo, I can completely relate to being fixated on the numbers. I've definitely been there. One approach that has helped me lately is to plan out a rotation in advance (or use Cathe's or another advanced rotation from the Cathe Nation) and then stick to that rotation, come what may. My brain may say "must burn more calories," but my body thanks me for the variety in activities and daily calorie burns--and in the end my results are better. HTH.

That really does help. I already create my own rotations in advance, but I always 'tag' a little extra onto the end. BUT, from your idea, i've decided a plan of action I usually write up the results from my HRM in a diary I keep, because I've never been a fan of doing it on the computer. My idea, is to write the month's workouts in the diary, before entering the figures... that way I'd mess up my nice diary if I added in my 'tagged on' workouts It's sad that I have to resort to this... but I aggree with you all. The numbers mean so little! Yet we become obsessed by them! Evertime I promise to ignore them... I just can't. So I'll see how this goes. I'm, doing STS for the second time, just started it, and surely that's going to ensure I push to my max, whatever the reading on the HRM!!
Thank you all for your wonderful advice. I'm glad I'm not alone too

 

[lisa_la_machina]

My idea, is to write the month's workouts in the diary, before entering the figures... that way I'd mess up my nice diary if I added in my 'tagged on' workouts

Great idea, especially if you are a neat freak (like me)! I hope it works for you. Good luck, and enjoy your STS rotation.