We need sufficient strength to perform our daily activities and for that, we utilize energy available from the food we consume. The energy content of food is the calories. Excess calories, beyond our capacity to burn, get stored as fat, which is a prime reason for becoming overweight. So, how many calories should I burn at the gym? To nip this problem in the bud, we should ideally consume fewer calories than we intend to burn.

How Many Calories Should You Burn in the Gym?

Our goal of remaining slim, trim, fit, and healthy can be achieved comfortably if we are aware of the number of calories that we should we burn at the gym. Usually, a pound of fat contains 3500 calories. How many calories should I burn? The aim should ideally be to target a gym workout schedule that is capable of burning around 500 calories in a day.
We sweat at the gym in our pursuit of burning the excess calories, but to achieve this objective, we need proper guidance from a professional trainer. The trainer will map out a gym exercise program, and take our age, gender, physique, and underlying wellbeing into consideration so that we derive the maximum advantage without discomfort.

How Many Calories Can You Burn in a One-Hour-Gym-Workout?

• Treadmill

This is an excellent workout machine for burning calories by walking or running on the conveyor belt, which is moving in the opposite direction. This gives an ideal effect of walking or jogging by simulating real-life movement. Treadmills come attached with heart and pulse monitors, which give us an idea of our vitals while we indulge in physical activity. We can also choose to increase or decrease the speed to modify the effort we would want to exert and target the calories we need to burn. Calories burned in 1-hour gym workout would be around 298 for a person weighing 155 pounds, working out at 3.5 miles/hour. To learn more about how to burn calories fast on the treadmill, click here.

• Elliptical trainer

Also called a cross trainer, this is a stationary exercising machine, which gives an effect of climbing stairs or of running. This is quite a safe cardiovascular exercise device, which has a minimal impact on our joints. We can vary the impact of the workout, by altering the speed and the resistance during the exercise regime. A person who weighs 155 pounds can lose up to 570 calories in an hour with an elliptical workout.

• Stationary bike

As the name suggests, this is a stationary exercise bike for burning calories for weight loss, with the advantage of having substantially less stress on our joints. These are easy to use and also help in toning and strengthening the muscles of our legs and buttocks. A person weighing 155 lbs can lose an average of 350 calories in an hour.

• Aerobic stepper

This is an elevated pedestal device, commonly used for a complete body workout, enhancing cardiovascular output along with the strengthening of our muscles. It helps in increasing lung capacity. It works on our lower body muscles, providing great shape and tone in addition to burning 500 calories in an hour of workout.

• Dumbbell

This is a short bar with weights at each end, used in weight training and in strengthening the arm and shoulder muscles. There are different types of exercises that can be executed using dumbbells, like chest presses, side crunches, seated shoulder press, and front raises to name a few. The number of calories burned depends on our weight. A person who weighs 155 pounds can lose around 200 calories in one hour of exercises using a dumbbell, whereas a person who weighs 200 pounds can knock off close to 250 calories at the same time.

• Barbells

For those who wish to burn their calories and also strength train, a barbell is an effective tool. It comprises a long bar with weights attached at each end. These weights can be varied depending on the capacity and capability of the individual. The back squat, bench press, and the deadlift are a few common movements that work on the different muscles in our body, helping tone them. A person weighing 155 pounds can lose 266 calories per hour using a barbell.

Summary

How many calories should I burn at the gym? 500 calories are the right answer. Depending on our choice, any machine may be considered to meet the set objective of burning 500 calories in an hour at the gym. Palm C. Bragg said: "You are what you eat”. This dictum sets our goal to remain fit. We should go for nutritious food and manage our calories well by going for regular workouts.