Tracking calories burned during weight-strength circuit

MarkNH

Is there a good way to track and/or monitor the calories that are burned during a weight-strength circuit other than using a Heart-Rate Monitor (HRM) ?

Is there a good "rule-of-thumb" to use or should I just purchase a good HRM ?

If the only way is to use a HRM - I'm open to suggestions on which HRM would be good and affordable (less than $100).


Thanks - MarkNH

Angela4Health

Actually HRM's cannot properly calculate the calories burned doing strength training. That's why you will notice in your exercise diary, cardio and strength is listed separately. You do not gain back extra calories from strength training.

stephanielynn76

I personally do not count my strength training towards my calories burned unless I'm doing squats, lunges and deadlifts... then I give myself a just a few extra. I never count my upper body exercises though...

cjjones007

I've gotten several good comments about the Polar FT4 Male Fitness
I'm still debating on where to get one - I was honestly hoping for one a little cheaper (sub 50), but I think I'm going to bite the bullet today and just go buy one because it REALLY should be accurate...

I really want to track the same stuff you are bro - glad to see you ask it as well!!!
Was also surprised to learn that you don't really gain any calories back from strength training... SOOO much to learn!

mynameiscarrie

You CAN burn calories during strength training, but it depends on your intensity. I know my heart rate elevates when I lift. If you search under exercises in the cardio part of tracking exercise, search for weight training. I usually low-ball it, but it's there until you can save up for a heart rate moniter.

If people can burn calories for doing dishes, cooking, or cleaning, I can burn calories by lifting weights. Just saying

rachaelliversidge

Could you explain the above post? It's just I don't understand why there is a difference. I do a body pump weights class at my gym and wear my hrm and burn quite alot of calories, my heart rate gets in to the cardio zone and I sweat so why can I not count what my hrm says I burn? I am not saying your wrong I would just like to understand why. Thanks!

shaunshaikh

A few points:

1. There really ISN'T a great way to monitor calories burned during a weight lifting workout. Many of the calories burned during a weight lifting workout actually happen after you've finished the exercise. HRMs are actually not intended to be used for anaerobic work and there is a lot of error in using it this way. The user "Azdak" has a great blog outlining the limitations of HRMs and they are important to understand.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak?month=201003

2. Weight lifting also can vary wildly in caloric burn based on how intense your workout is, how much rest you have, how many muscles you are working. An hour workout where you do simple, one-muscle, lifts with breaks inbetween could only register 100-150 calories on the HRM. A half an hour workout where you alternate compound lifts that involve multiple muscle groups like lunges so that you minimize downtime might burn 300 calories according to the HRM. Therefore, there really isn't a good rule of thumb unfortunately.

3. The Polar FT4 is a very good HRM and can be found for $80 on overstock.com.

4. If I were you, I would get the HRM and track what you burn while lifting weights, with all the limitations in mind. Eat back your calories and just know that your real metabolism is higher.

5. The only reason MFP does not give calorie credit for strength training is because you have to logthat in the cardiovascular field as "strength training". The poster above is wrong -- you absolutely burn calories while lifting weights.

jbug100

My hrm seems to track cals fine with strength training. I have a polar ft4. I keep my HR up by moving quickly from set to set, or sometimes I swing a kettlebell between sets to keep the HR up. I burn as much during strength training as I do with my cardio. I try to burn 400 cals each for cardio and weights.

jdg1mfp

A HRM would probably be your best bet although I don't use one.
Weight/Strength training calories would be based on intensity, duration, amount of weight, rest periods, etc.
This would be very hard to set a value which would be representative of everyone.
I use the weight training value under cardio and just log the overall time.
This will be probably low for the type of workout I do but I like to be conservative.

MarkNH

So much still to learn about my body, health and ways to improve it - fortunately the wealth information, motivation and support provided by everyone on MFP is great and I love it - Keep it coming !!!

Thank you all - Mark

Elleinnz

The only way to measure it acurately would be HRM with chest strap - my HR swings between 110 and 170 depending on what I do. And you would not be able to pick that up without the chrst strap ibthink.
In a typical session I would have ave HR of about 132 - and burn roughly 500 cals - so not sure what some of the people above are on about!! I do work out with a trainer that keeps pushing my boundaries, so it is a pretty intense workout.

mursey

I count my strength training calories, but I try to work out with a pretty high intensity, and my calories are set pretty low so I really need those extra calories from exercise back. Sometimes I do cardio before a workout, and then I don't waste much time resting, so I can keep my heart rate up pretty high throughout the entire workout. Why wouldn't I want to count that?

I don't count when I have to walk very long distances to run errands, because that's just part of my regular lifestyle, I have no car and I live in SF which has pretty big hills everywhere I have to walk to, and I walk very briskly.

Wyoruby

Look on walmart I found one that I want with a chest strap and it's only $86 dollars!!!