Just a curious question about MFP and strength training...

Muzica1959
Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just wondering why MFP doesn't count calories burned doing strength training. It has to use some calories the way it makes me sweat lol.

Replies

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    If you search for strength training in the cardio section, you will get a calorie value.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Because it's incredibly hard to calculate calories burnt from strength training and typically the calories burnt from the actual movements are low.

    I once knocked my heater on to full power rather than thermostatic control on a fairly hot night as it was.

    I'm not sure I burnt any more calories, despite waking up sweating with 34 degrees shown on the thermostat and two duvets over me! :)
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
    thanks for the info
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    As noted, you can log it under cardio and you will get a value. As further noted however, it is really difficult to determine that with any accuracy. There are pretty good formulas in place for steady state aerobic events like walking and running and what not...but with strength training there are just too many variables to determine an accurate calorie burn. Not to mention, with strength training you're going to have some after burn as well...but again...really hard to determine exactly what that is going to be.
  • jmadams111
    jmadams111 Posts: 145 Member
    For what its worth, everything said so far is correct as far as I can tell, however, I have some experience using strength training as a "cardio" event and the answer to the question is that it really depends on how you do it.

    If yoy stretch to warm up/loosen up and do no cardio, then follow up with a strength routine that involves long rests between sets/reps, you probably do burn a few calories.

    However, I have been successfull using a combined strength/cardio program over the last two years. My warm up includes stationary biking untill my heart rate is in the prescribed fat burning range. Then I move quickly between machines, weights etc., avoiding as best I can any rest longer than 30 seconds. Thi has worked in my estimates, but it all may be dumb luck too.

    Good luck
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
    I have decided to not count it as cardio since it is more difficult to get an accurate count. I will stick to dance aerobics and walking for my calorie burn and count my strength training as just that. Thanks again for clarifying this for me.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I have decided to not count it as cardio since it is more difficult to get an accurate count. I will stick to dance aerobics and walking for my calorie burn and count my strength training as just that. Thanks again for clarifying this for me.

    To be fair, the number they give is typically pretty low. I used to get about 200 calories an hour. For me, even if it was off it wasn't enough to throw off my calorie deficit. I'm confident I burned at least 100. Even if it was 100 over that wouldn't kill my deficit.
  • cbhubbybubble
    cbhubbybubble Posts: 465 Member
    I log it under cardio just to have something logged for accountability, but I only put it as 1 calorie. I keep track of my weight, sets, reps, in a notebook of my own. Too tedious to log it all on here. I've adjusted my calorie goal to account for lightly active, so I don't need to log my calories

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