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Why doesn't strength training add calories back on MFP?

Erthlvr78
Erthlvr78 Posts: 13 Member
edited February 17 in Fitness and Exercise
I have started strength training, and noticed MFP only gives you calories burned for cardio, not lifting. So, yesterday, I did 5x5 squats (front and back), overhead presses, deadlifts, and pushups (plus warm up sets). Is there a way to estimate the calories burned from strength training, or is the number so inconsequential it doesn't matter? I would find that hard to believe, since I was breathing harder during those 45 minutes than I was on an 8 mile walk the day before.

Thanks in advance - I am new to all of this!

Replies

  • gkauf744
    gkauf744 Posts: 128 Member
    If you want to see a calorie burn, you can add it as a cardio exercise. General "strength training" is one of the options. But then you wouldn't log how many of what exercise you were doing.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    it does- but it's laughable how low they are.

    I use Calisthenics in the cardio entry- and do a percentage (based on my personal rate of exertion) of time spent.

    So if it took me 2 hrs to lift- but I had a few sessions chatting- or had some longer rests- I might put in 75 minutes rather than 120.
    If I was there for an hour and literally FLEW through my workout- I might put all 60 minutes in.

    Worked pretty well thus far for me.
  • Erthlvr78
    Erthlvr78 Posts: 13 Member
    Great, thanks! I definitely need to include these calories, as I am nursing an infant and don't want my supply to drop.
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
    I've always wondered this, but was just too lazy to really figure it out. i just dont beat myself up if I go a few calories over my daily goal because I know I was lifting.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
    You have to add it under "strength training" in the cardio section - the strength section just logs the exercises you did without calculating caloric burn. The reason is (to the best of my knowledge) because it's difficult to accurately estimate how many calories you burn from lifting. More recent studies have shown it's more than previously thought, but it also depends on what lifts you're doing on a given day, how long you're resting in between sets, and so on. Your best bet is to go with a conservative guestimate and adjust as needed over time.
This discussion has been closed.

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