How to add exercise

LaurenRitter205
LaurenRitter205 Posts: 24 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been doing weight lifting. Started out with 5 lb dumbells and found a "full" arm workout. It usually takes me 20 minutes to get done. How would I figure out how many calories I'm burning by doing this?

Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    The best bet is to not count strength training calories if you are trying to lose weight. There are a lot of variables if figuring out how many calories are burned while lifting weights, so there is not a really good, easy and accurate way to log it. I log mine, but I usually don't eat them back unless I'm just really feeling beaten down.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited September 2016
    It's not intuitive - you log weight training in your exercise diary under Cardiovascular. I use "Weight training, free weights".
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    It's not intuitive - you log weight training in your exercise diary under Cardiovascular. I use "Weight training, free weights".

    But even then, it isn't right. For example - a 20 min 5lb arm workout is a lot different than a 20 min squat workout. Smaller muscles, fewer muscle groups, different weight, etc. Intensity makes a HUGE difference in strength training. It just isn't really "safe" or conservative to eat back strength calories while trying to lose weight.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    LaurenRitter205 wrote: »
    I've been doing weight lifting. Started out with 5 lb dumbells and found a "full" arm workout. It usually takes me 20 minutes to get done. How would I figure out how many calories I'm burning by doing this?

    Some people log their strength training via "Add Exercise" then "Cardio" and "Strength Training"

    Not much of a calorie burn, but muscle built allows for more calories burned in the long run. I usually only log very intense lifts where I'm drenched in sweat by the end (which is basically every time, as how it should be in my opinion)
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    GauchoMark wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    It's not intuitive - you log weight training in your exercise diary under Cardiovascular. I use "Weight training, free weights".

    But even then, it isn't right. For example - a 20 min 5lb arm workout is a lot different than a 20 min squat workout. Smaller muscles, fewer muscle groups, different weight, etc. Intensity makes a HUGE difference in strength training. It just isn't really "safe" or conservative to eat back strength calories while trying to lose weight.


    Exactly. Never gonna get an accurate cal burn unless you have a HRM on you at all times.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    GauchoMark wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    It's not intuitive - you log weight training in your exercise diary under Cardiovascular. I use "Weight training, free weights".

    But even then, it isn't right. For example - a 20 min 5lb arm workout is a lot different than a 20 min squat workout. Smaller muscles, fewer muscle groups, different weight, etc. Intensity makes a HUGE difference in strength training. It just isn't really "safe" or conservative to eat back strength calories while trying to lose weight.

    Due to bad knees, I don't do any lower body strength training. I log my whole upper body weight training time, eat back some, but not all, of the calories I earn, and lose as expected over time.
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    I log it under cardio. Doing weights for 90 mins under cardio gives me 200 cals. I am lifting very heavy and with intensity so I doubt 200 cals is accurate. You also have to take into account after burn calories. IMO it is a reasonable estimate for the moment/for that day's work. So I log it and move on.

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