Calories Burned from Exercise - Strength Training

vivmom2014
vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
edited November 24 in Fitness and Exercise
MFP gives 0 for calories burned if I input anything strength/weight related - biceps curls, abdominal crunches, rows, etc.

I realize not much gets burned from strength training. But nothing?! I tried putting in 500 minutes to see if that 0 would budge -- nope.

What am I missing here?

Replies

  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    Plug it in under cardio, but know that it's unlikely to be accurate: https://myfitnesspal.desk.com/customer/en/portal/articles/11170-why-don-t-you-calculate-calories-burned-for-strength-training-
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Only the cardiovascular section of the diary has calories related - search for "strength training" for a rough but believable estimate based on total duration of your workout.

    The Strength Training part of the diary is just a notebook effectively.

    You might like this thread from one of MFP's star contributors.....
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/41274982#Comment_41274982
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Thanks. Naturally I tried to search this topic every way I thought possible, and nuthin'. So I appreciate the links!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    vivmom2014 wrote: »
    MFP gives 0 for calories burned if I input anything strength/weight related - biceps curls, abdominal crunches, rows, etc.

    I realize not much gets burned from strength training. But nothing?! I tried putting in 500 minutes to see if that 0 would budge -- nope.

    What am I missing here?

    You have to put it in under cardio.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    It's under "Calisthenics" (sit ups, push ups) :D:D
  • e_v_v
    e_v_v Posts: 131 Member
    I use a "calories burned while lifting weights" calculator from Google, find out how many calories I burn in an hour, create my own "new" exercise in the MFP app, and then use that. It might not be 100% accurate, but it's a great estimation. Another general estimation: you burn approximately half the calories per minute lifting weights as you would for running. For example, I burn 300 calories running for 30 minutes but only 150 calories lifting weights for 30 minutes.
  • Marykaylady2010
    Marykaylady2010 Posts: 69 Member
    When I tried looking up how many calories I would burn lifting weights in google I got a lot of unclear answers. The amount of calories depends on a lot of factors. How heavy the weights are how fast your doing it so I simply log it in a separate app that’s easier to add my workout when I strength train. it can be similar to cardio if there are short rest periods
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    I don't think it burns a lot. Just from a physical standpoint for unaminated objects, the energy required for a machine to lift 100kg up against gravity is very low (function of gravity, density and distance), and likewise letting the same load down again in a slow and controlled manner. I doubt our bodies would use a lot more energy than this machine such that you get 100s of calories for an hour. Besides, if you only count the time where you actually lift and not the time between lifts, the actual duration of the activity is very short.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Thanks everyone!
  • MilesAddie
    MilesAddie Posts: 166 Member
    But Machines don’t get tired....people do.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    e_v_v wrote: »
    Another general estimation: you burn approximately half the calories per minute lifting weights as you would for running.

    Not even close.

  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Another general estimation: you burn approximately half the calories per minute lifting weights as you would for running. For example, I burn 300 calories running for 30 minutes but only 150 calories lifting weights for 30 minutes.[/quote]

    No
  • gymprincess1234
    gymprincess1234 Posts: 493 Member
    Depends what kind of strength training you do. I do 30min of circuits (45sec reps and 15sec breaks) of lifting, squatting, lunging, push ups, planks, machines,etc., so I it's intense and I burn about the same or more than for example, cycling.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    edited January 2018
    gymprincess1234 wrote: »
    Depends what kind of strength training you do. I do 30min of circuits (45sec reps and 15sec breaks) of lifting, squatting, lunging, push ups, planks, machines,etc., so I it's intense and I burn about the same or more than for example, cycling.

    It may and it may not.

    First, it depends on how hard you cycle. Cycling is often a lower-burn activity than running, so that makes it more likely.

    The combination of moderate-load exercises and short(ish) rest periods can increase metabolic stress and “afterburn” compared to steady state cycling (or even heavy lifting)

    However, exercises like planks and pushups are relatively low calorie burners, squats and lunges moderate (again, depending on the load). The machines, depending on type of exercise can be in between.

    So theoretically, if you are comparing the circuit to a moderate steady-state cycling workout, your circuit calories could be nearly the same. But that depends on number of variables in how the circuit is designed and performed. It’s not a given.

    And the last thing to consider. If you lower the resistance, and make the movements faster and more ballistic to increase the calorie burn, you decrease their effectiveness as strength training. For example, I would say a body weight squat is more like riding a bike than it is like doing heavy weight squats in a rack.

    There are a lot of variables and research is continuing to refine our knowledge of calorie burn during strength training. I would just say stay away from the extremes for now—both those who stay strength training burns are negligible and those wh claim outlandish burns (eg Orange Theory)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited January 2018
    christilhiggins wrote: »
    You burn more calories Overall strength training than with cardio. Your body continues to burn long after strength training if you’ve lifted challenging weight. Cardio burns only while you are doing it.
    https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_loss_training_wars.htm

    Sorry but that is a mixture of wishful thinking and utter nonsense.
    EPOC is trivial.
    Intense cardio also has an EPOC effect (although again not really significant).
    Adding muscle mass is very slow, limited and the few pounds you may add burns a tiny, tiny amount of calories. It's using your muscles (strength, cardio, general activity...) that is the really big ticket item.


    Neither strength training or cardio is for fat loss, that's a result of your calorie balance over an extended period of time.
  • Joysaz
    Joysaz Posts: 3 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    christilhiggins wrote: »
    You burn more calories Overall strength training than with cardio. Your body continues to burn long after strength training if you’ve lifted challenging weight. Cardio burns only while you are doing it.
    https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/fat_loss_training_wars.htm

    Sorry but that is a mixture of wishful thinking and utter nonsense.
    EPOC is trivial.
    Intense cardio also has an EPOC effect (although again not really significant).
    Adding muscle mass is very slow, limited and the few pounds you may add burns a tiny, tiny amount of calories. It's using your muscles (strength, cardio, general activity...) that is the really big ticket item.


    Neither strength training or cardio is for fat loss, that's a result of your calorie balance over an extended period of time.

  • huskydoo
    huskydoo Posts: 112 Member
    vivmom2014 wrote: »
    MFP gives 0 for calories burned if I input anything strength/weight related - biceps curls, abdominal crunches, rows, etc.

    I realize not much gets burned from strength training. But nothing?! I tried putting in 500 minutes to see if that 0 would budge -- nope.

    What am I missing here?
    vivmom2014 wrote: »
    MFP gives 0 for calories burned if I input anything strength/weight related - biceps curls, abdominal crunches, rows, etc.

    I realize not much gets burned from strength training. But nothing?! I tried putting in 500 minutes to see if that 0 would budge -- nope.

    What am I missing here?

    There is a “Strength training, lifting weights “ under cardio. Log only the exact minutes you are lifting weights. Do not count the rest periods between sets, exercises etc.

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