Exercise! - For those that can't afford a heart rate monitor...

How can we track how many calories we are actually burning during our workouts?

You can estimate :) Honestly, I don't think it is that important to track your exact calories, its more of a 'nice to have'.

Okay, thank you. I don't know why I let myself get so fixated on some things. I think it's an ocd thing.

When I did 30 minutes this morning of Gold's Gym Cardio for the Wii, it showed I burned 244 calories. Then when I did 30 minutes of My Fitness Coach for the Wii, and I chose a strength session on it, it showed I burned 130 calories. Does that even seem anywhere near correct?

Those are estimates and both of them may be valid although I'd opt for the lower number. It depends on how intense you were working out, how much you weigh, how much of your weight is muscle and of course how efficient your body is at burning fuel (calories).

Is there a certain amount of calories I should be trying to burn each day during my workouts?

I read the other night on a trainer's blog that you should aim for 500 calories per workout.
I don't get anywhere near that, though. I usually only do 30 minutes per day (but I've been slacking really badly this summer even on that much).

The "average" calorie burn for a 150 lb woman doing moderate aerobic activity is 100 calories per 15 minutes.
(don't ask where I read that, I read so much stuff I can't remember-haha!)

I asked for a heart rate monitor a few years ago for my birthday. I used it religiously for about 6 months, and then the newness wore off and I quit using it. It's really not necessary. Just move your body on a regular basis for at least 30 minutes per day. Oh, and lift some weights :)

Congrats on your success so far!!

I find quite often I don't burn the calories they say do on those games.