How to determine # of minutes to log on strength training

Westfit2015

I know it's not a precise estimate of calories, but when I log in Strength Training under cardiovascular (all the machines for chest, arms, back, etc.), should I log in the total minutes I'm going through and using the various machines, or should I deduct some or all of the rest periods between sets? For example, some days I go through pretty quickly from machine to machine (different machines), only resting 30 seconds or less between sets, whereas other times, it may be 1-2 minutes between sets. This will affect the number of calories it calculates (I understand that this isn't precise, just wanting to know what to use for minutes. Thanks!

cmriverside

Since you already accept that it's an imperfect system (like all exercise calories are...) then just pick a method and stick to it. I'd say whatever is easier, so if it were me I'd just pick the total time I spent at it.


Then after tracking for 4-6 weeks, adjust based on your weight results. It's what we all do, pick a method, use it for a while and see if things are working as planned. If not, make small adjustments and try it for another month, etc.

sijomial

Off the top of my head the study that is the source for the estimates assumed rest periods of 2 - 4 minutes between sets. You would log the total time.

If you use shorter rest periods there's a reasonable chance you wouldn't be lifting as much weight per rep but do more reps.

As you say it's an approximation, two people same weight but different strength and different amount of total weight lifted in the session would be credited with the same estimate. It's not such a big number to make a huge difference.

If you did a complete session with short or no rests there's a circuit training option you could use (which seems rather generous IMHO).

middlehaitch

I follow the rest periods between sets that my programme advises. My rest period between exercise is 1-2 min longer sometimes, but I know what my rest periods as per programme are, know the time it takes to run the programme, and log that time into MFP no matter if I take a longer rest between exercise.

The MFP weight lifting (or similar title), under cardio, is a good starting point. Adjust as needed.

If you are not following a programme you may find you will progress and get better results doing so.

Cheers, h.
ETA Lots of great programmes here

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

Westfit2015

Thanks guys!

DoubleG2

Log elapsed time under Cardio > Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)
Note that lifting will not net a significant calorie burn - though there are many many benefits. If weight loss is one of your primary goals, adding cardio will help (walking, running, rowing, etc.) I would definitely consider a structured lifting progam as @middlehaitch mentioned above.

springlering62

Don’t shoot me, but I don’t log lifting at all, and never have, because it’s so stop & start.

I just let it fall under my “very active” setting and reserve the calorie burn/buyback for other pursuits.

Should I duck for cover?

middlehaitch

Nope don’t duck for cover.

I, when I started lifting, had my self apropriatly set at sedentary and logged my exercise. However the theme at the time on MFP was lifting doesn’t give you enough calories to be worth counting, so I didn’t.

Within a month my 100lbs soaking wet self was losing weight fast, and absolutely exhausted.

A break, recovering those lost 4-5 lbs plus energy levels, and I was back on track.
Including my 150cal burn made a whole lot of difference.

It is a relative thing, but I do think knowing your approximate burn is a thing worth knowing. Just incase you can’t lift!

Cheers, h.

NorthCascades

springlering62 wrote: »

Don’t shoot me, but I don’t log lifting at all, and never have, because it’s so stop & start.

I just let it fall under my “very active” setting and reserve the calorie burn/buyback for other pursuits.

Should I duck for cover?

Weight loss is a math problem.

You can use an abacus, a calculator, an app, or your gut hunches.

It isn't immoral to add 7 and 3 and get 9. This is a tool. You aren't using it the technically correct way, I don't track things like how much butter I cooked with so I'm out of spec too. The question is whether we're using the tool in a way that makes it useful.

You can go too far in the other direction and make it more pain in the *kitten* than it's worth. Everybody ultimately has to find a balance that works for them.

AnnPT77

I do log strength training, using the MFP database cardio estimate for calories, even though I don't log yoga/stretching, which isn't that different a per-minute calorie expenditure. Why? I found that strength training made me mysteriously more crave-y, and those few extra calories (properly timed) really helped with that, while still leaving me with the psychological satisfaction of hitting my calorie goal. Yoga/stretching doesn't make me hungry. 😆 Neither one burns very many calories, AFAIK.

I'm with NorthCascades on using the tool in ways that are useful.

I'm with pretty much everyone else above on MFP's cardiovascular section "Strength Training" entry being about the best estimate one's going to get for standard rep/set/rest-interval strength training, which IMU is pretty hard to estimate even theoretically. Heart rate estimates tend to be terrible, for strength training (but not all fitness tracker devices these days use HR to estimate that type of workout, either, it seems - some seem to do what MFP does, i.e. use METS estimates).