How many calories does weightlifting burn?

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Scubdup
Scubdup Posts: 104 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
This is a question I don't need answered for a looooooong time!

I was at the gym today, trying to PB my deadlift, while I'm eating in a deficit to lose weight, and now I'm trying to blame the deficit for my failure to do very well.

Anyway, it got me to thinking - while I'm in a deficit, my mindset is very much, "Any sort of performance in terms of weightlifting or general fitness is fine - all that really matters is losing weight".*

That led me to thinking about that magical day when I can increase my calorie intake and start seriously trying to lift heavier, row faster etc.

My concern is how do I make sure I'm eating enough calories to allow muscle to develop, without eating so much I gain fat?

(*Obviously I'm also worried that if I'm not pushing hard enough now, I'm going to lose muscle rather than fat, but I think that might be the same question)

Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    All calculators are estimates, so when the time comes you'll increase calories until you find your sweet spot. It really is just a guess as to how many calories your body needs and how many you burn lifting. When it comes to maintaining or even bulking you have to watch scale trends and adjust calories off of that.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    if you want to maintain muscle while losing weight you need to keep protein high, and get on structured lifting program...
  • misnomer1
    misnomer1 Posts: 646 Member
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    i run stronglifts 5x5 and log 250 kcalories for 90 minutes. i have no idea how accurate it is, but im progressing fine.

    I also tracked my weight loss for 40 days, and back calculated my NEAT maintenance. That allowed me to eat more as I was losing weight a lot faster than expected.

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