How does strength training count against calories?

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HazelMcNutty
HazelMcNutty Posts: 85 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does it even count against calories? I'm guessing that you've got to be burning something by lifting and such, but I noticed that MFP doesn't count anything towards calories for it? Can you count calories burned from strength training as actual calories burned?
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  • PhoenixRising7
    PhoenixRising7 Posts: 194 Member
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    It's difficult to calculate the burn for strength training, but you can log it under the cardio section to get a rough estimate.
  • optlh0
    optlh0 Posts: 2 Member
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    I tried looking it up once and the most useful thing I could find was to use an average of burning 4 calories per minute so that's what I use now
  • HazelMcNutty
    HazelMcNutty Posts: 85 Member
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    so could you use the old calculation based on heart rate, weight, age, duration to find calories burned??
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I use my heart rate monitor when I strength train. If you don't have one, I guess it is better to underestimate than over estimate. But yes, you can log it as exercise under the cardio section. There is an entry for it.
  • HazelMcNutty
    HazelMcNutty Posts: 85 Member
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    That's what I've been doing, I was just wondering if that was cheating or something. I don't want to underestimate calories burned this week... I'll be eating a lot of cake and ice cream ;P
  • ashlinmarie
    ashlinmarie Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I've read a lot of differing views on the subject. Some people say it doesn't burn a lot of calories and some say it is akin to cardio. My heart rate is always up to where it is when I run so I definitely feel I'm getting every bit of the calorie burn in.

    It's probably still better to underestimate and go over your calories and know it than overestimate, just to see that green in your diary and then wonder why your weight went up. If you have the HRM though, go with it.
  • TyphonRex
    TyphonRex Posts: 79 Member
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    Does it even count against calories? I'm guessing that you've got to be burning something by lifting and such, but I noticed that MFP doesn't count anything towards calories for it? Can you count calories burned from strength training as actual calories burned?

    Don't. Especially using MFP to estimate calories burned, because MFP way over-estimates.

    Put in the work and calculate your calories seperately.
  • KiwipowaRoo
    KiwipowaRoo Posts: 220 Member
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    I think if you time your actual working time you can use the MFP estimation. But you have to stop and start your watch every time you are actually lifting and stopping it in rest periods. Your heart rate is up in rest periods, but you aren't burning calories.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
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    This is such a good question! When I'm lifting weights and strength training, I sweat WAYYYYYYYY more than doing cardio and my heart rate is up big time too ( I don't have a heart rate monitor...I judge by how fast I can feel my heart beating). Strength training wears me out bigtime, sometimes it feels like I've run 10 miles after lifting heavy and doing strength stuff. Maybe it's because I'm kinda new at it or something. I either don't count it or count it as general gymnastics, because that's the way I feel after my sessions--like I've just done some gymnastics or something--it's ROUGH!
  • DonFecteau
    DonFecteau Posts: 2 Member
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    If you enter exercise as cardio and then search for strength training (under cardio) you will find strength training (weight training). Choose that exercise and enter the time spent and it will add the calories to your exercise burn.

    Then if you want to track which strength exercises you did by exercise, you can enter them in the weight training exercise section - they do not count as calorie burn in myfitnesspal except when entered as a "cardio" exercsie.

    I track my weight lifting by exercise, sets, reps, weight in the weight training exercise section. Then in the cardio section I add in total time strength training and it gives me an approx calorie burn......hope that helps
  • SXMEnrico
    SXMEnrico Posts: 89 Member
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    it depends on your avg heart rate....i burn about 500-600 doing 24 sets with 1 min break between. Deadlifts and Squats get my heart rate up higher than other lifts. my avg heart rate is usually between 125-130.
  • NewLIFEstyle4ME
    NewLIFEstyle4ME Posts: 4,440 Member
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    I suppose if you really want to include it you can. But I'm afraid it will overestimate too. The cardio already overestimates.

    Hahahahha...Mfp cardio over-estimates BIG TIME! Supposedly I burned 988 cals walking for 1hr and 57 minutes today and mowing the lawns for 1 hour...I didn't even count my evening walk, because it would have kicked my supposed cal burn to over 1,000 :noway: I totally agree with you 100%!
  • HazelMcNutty
    HazelMcNutty Posts: 85 Member
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    I suppose if you really want to include it you can. But I'm afraid it will overestimate too. The cardio already overestimates.

    Hahahahha...Mfp cardio over-estimates BIG TIME! Supposedly I burned 988 cals walking for 1hr and 57 minutes today and mowing the lawns for 1 hour...I didn't even count my evening walk, because it would have kicked my supposed cal burn to over 1,000 :noway: I totally agree with you 100%!

    I got myself a heart rate monitor and a calories burned equation that gives me a better idea of what I'm burning. I stopped using MFP's overestimates by the second day. It's only been about 5 days but I feel pretty great and have been way more active every day than the last few months so I'm happy with everything so far.

    Thanks everyone!
  • DonFecteau
    DonFecteau Posts: 2 Member
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    Take the burn rate the app gives you or don't bother with it at all........either way - are you getting the RESULTS you are looking for.
    If yes, then keep on keeping on and don't get hung up on how much the system says your burned or didn't burn.
    80% of the equation is what and when you eat, not so much did you burn 400 calories or was it 476 calories.

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