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A 40 year old male with good CR fitness (52 ml ∙ kg-1 ∙ min-1) and weighing 170 lbs wishes to burn 600 calories per exercise session. He is able to dedicate 45 minutes to each session.

A. Indicate the necessary kcal·min-1 to burn 600 kcal per session
b. What absolute and relative VO₂ will be necessary to achieve this? (Hint: Remember that 1.0 L·min-1 = 5 kcal·min-1).
c. On flat ground, what running speed (mph) will be needed to elicit the desired VO₂?

User Rmac
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Final answer:

To burn 600 kcal in 45 minutes, a person must expend 13.33 kcal·min-1. An absolute VO₂ of 2.67 L·min-1 and a relative VO₂ of 34.6 ml·kg-1·min-1 are required, usually necessitating running speeds above 6 mph.

Step-by-step explanation:

Calculating Exercise Parameters for Caloric Burn

To determine the necessary kcal·min-1 to burn 600 kcal per session, we divide the total calories by the duration of the session in minutes (600 kcal / 45 min = 13.33 kcal·min-1). To find the absolute and relative VO₂ necessary to achieve this caloric burn, we use the given conversion of 1.0 L·min-1 oxygen consumption equating to 5 kcal·min-1 energy expenditure. Hence, to burn 13.33 kcal·min-1, the oxygen consumption rate must be approximately 2.67 L·min-1 (since 13.33 kcal·min-1 / 5 kcal·min-1 per L·min-1 = 2.67 L·min-1).

For a 40-year-old male weighing 170 lbs (approximately 77.1 kg), we can calculate the relative VO₂ by dividing the absolute VO₂ by his body weight (2.67 L·min-1 / 77.1 kg = 0.0346 L·kg-1·min-1 or 34.6 ml·kg-1·min-1). This value indicates a high intensity of exercise, given that his good cardiorespiratory (CR) fitness level is at 52 ml·kg-1·min-1. Lastly, depending on equations derived from metabolic equivalents (METs) and running speeds, to achieve the required 2.67 L·min-1 VO₂, the running speed can be estimated using exercise physiology tables or calculators designed to equate VO₂ with different exercise intensities. The exact speed may vary based on the individual's efficiency and conditions such as incline and resistance, but generally, a speed above 6 mph is often required to reach such high levels of oxygen consumption.

User Sameer Kazi
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