How to Calculate Calories Burned When Weight Training

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Myweightlossdiary
Myweightlossdiary Posts: 185 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone,

I recently started a weight training program every other day working various muscle groups and doing cardio training on off-days. I realize myfitnesspal doesn't count calories for working out with weights because it's hard to do that without knowing how much effort (i.e HR) a person is putting into.

I know I'm keeping my heart rate at the correct level for workout effectiveness while weight training, but how can I put the approximate calories I'm burning for say an intense 30 minute weight training workout without inflating my results?

Thanks in advance for any advice or hints to help answer this question.

PS: I'm trying to build lean muscle mass to build improve my metabolism after finding out I have hypothyroidism and have a doctor recommended exercise plan. I also am doing several life changes in my diet at the same time since I've heard diet is about 70-80% of weight loss while the rest is exercise.

Replies

  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    "weight training" means different things to different people. Describe your workout. What is being lifted? How much lifting? How much resting? Are the weights part of an aerobics workout (aka, Body Pump), or it it purely weight work?
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Invest in an HRM.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    As for me, I don't even bother counting my weightlifting burns. Only cardio, as that's much easier to get a more accurate count of. I figure any extra burns I get from weights is gravy.
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
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    You must log the amount of time for "strength training" under the Cardiovascular section to get an estimate for Calories burned. You can use the Strength Training section to log sets, reps, and weights, but that section does not account for the amount of time or Calories burned.

    Add "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)" to Cardiovascular to get estimated Calories Burned added to your Diary. If desired, add individual strength training exercises, such as "Biceps Curl," to Strength Training to have a log of individual exercises.

    Please see the third article in the list of articles on this topic in the MFP Help pages...
    myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/portal/topics/455842-exercise-diary-and-exercise-database/articles
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited February 2015
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    HRMs are pointless for strength training if you care about calorie burn estimates. Unfortunately, the only real way to know how much you are burning is through trial and error.

    You can put "strength training" into the cardio section and it will give you an estimate. No telling how accurate it would be though since it is so difficult to track and lifting varies so much from one person to the next.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    As for me, I don't even bother counting my weightlifting burns. Only cardio, as that's much easier to get a more accurate count of. I figure any extra burns I get from weights is gravy.

    This is me, too. I don't log my weight training at all.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    What I used to do was log my cardio, but never my strength training. Then I'd eat back all of the cardio exercise calories, knowing they may be inflated. I was always right on track as far as weekly weight loss. I don't know if it would work for everyone though. That was when I was more strict with my deficit.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    AllOutof_Bubblegum wrote: »
    As for me, I don't even bother counting my weightlifting burns. Only cardio, as that's much easier to get a more accurate count of. I figure any extra burns I get from weights is gravy.

    This is me, too. I don't log my weight training at all.

    I log them but i dont eat back anything on those calories.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    There is no correct heart rate for effectiveness while weight training, btw
  • Myweightlossdiary
    Myweightlossdiary Posts: 185 Member
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    Thanks all for your responses. I was hoping to have something more concrete because of the exercise regime and life style changes I'm working with my doctor along first before attempting medication for the thyroid problem.

    However, to answer a few questions:
    I usually pick arms or legs and choose 4-5 machines (depends on how many people are at the gym and how sore I am but I do at least 4). Each machine I do a middle of the ground weight (not too hard and not too easy) for 6 sets with 15 per rep. My HR is usually around 140-155 when I'm doing this for about 30 minutes total by the time I get done with all of the machines.

    I have tried using the strength training feature in myfitnesspal, but like someone else mentioned, it's really hard to know for sure which is why I had this question. But now that I see the responses, I think I'm going to do what I have been doing and treat weight training as "extra gravy" (I like that analogy by the way :smile: )


    Also, thank you for the link to the article about this very question. I did not notice it before.

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