eating calories for weight lifting?

goochinator

I do about 30-40 minutes of cardio, and I have a HRM so I know exactly how many calories to eat- but while lifting weights, my HR is NOT that high( once I cool down from cardio0...in fact its pretty much normal- should I still be eating those calories too?
I'm thinking I shoudl cut the calories eaten at cardio...what do you think?

goochinator

I do about 30-40 minutes of cardio, and I have a HRM so I know exactly how many calories to eat- but while lifting weights, my HR is NOT that high( once I cool down from cardio0...in fact its pretty much normal- should I still be eating those calories too?
I'm thinking I shoudl cut the calories eaten at cardio...what do you think?

sblades

very good question, I'm wondering this too.
I'm about to pick up my heart rate monitor tomorrow, and would like to know how to better use my more accurate calorie count.
I was thinking that my current program which involves 5 mins high intensity cardio then 3 x super-sets of weights then more cardio, more weights, etc - I MUST be burning more than the stepper says as my HR is quite high throughout.
How do I count for this and when do I count my more accurate calories burned from my HRM?

alf1163

I can't wait to hear from everyone about your question!! I take all my exercise into consideration except for the time I spend stretching. My HR stays high usually during weight trng because I alternate between lower and upper body. I also wear an HRM. For example today I burned 489cals in 90 mins and I only did 10 mins on the elliptical to warm up. :flowerforyou:

FloridaGranny

Here's a great site for explaining calorie burn and HRM.........

http://exercise.about.com/cs/cardioworkouts/l/aa022601a.htm

It really explains all about zones and cardio workouts.

If this doesn't work for you, PM me with your direct email address and I will forward it to you....

songbyrdsweet

Weight lifting burns fewer calories than aerobic exercise, but if it burns so few that you can't count them, you're probably taking it too easy.

MisoSoup79

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

songbyrdsweet

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

What kind of heavy weights do you mean?
When I was into my heaviest powerlifting, I didn't burn a ton of calories, but that's because I was doing 1-3 repetitions and resting for 5 minutes.
If you're doing 10-12 repetitions and it's heavy, it will get your heart rate up. If I'm curling 20 lb DB's or squatting with 115 for 12-15 reps, I feel it. If I'm not burning more than I would be just sitting, there's no point in being in the gym.

hmo4

I rev my HR up with a 10 min. warm up on the treadmill, take short breaks btwn sets, dance to my tunes in between to keep my HR in my target zone. Doing P90X, there are no breaks, so your HR stays up. I burn pretty well the same amount, unless I do HIIT/Plyo which burns a lot more. Gotta work for the burn girl!:flowerforyou:

songbyrdsweet

I rev my HR up with a 10 min. warm up on the treadmill, take short breaks btwn sets, dance to my tunes in between to keep my HR in my target zone. Doing P90X, there are no breaks, so your HR stays up. I burn pretty well the same amount, unless I do HIIT/Plyo which burns a lot more. Gotta work for the burn girl!:flowerforyou:

Exactly. Lifting needs to be intense to promote any changes. If you're just going through the motions, nothing's going to happen. It should burn and cause fatigue and make you breathe heavily.

MisoSoup79

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

What kind of heavy weights do you mean?
When I was into my heaviest powerlifting, I didn't burn a ton of calories, but that's because I was doing 1-3 repetitions and resting for 5 minutes.
If you're doing 10-12 repetitions and it's heavy, it will get your heart rate up. If I'm curling 20 lb DB's or squatting with 115 for 12-15 reps, I feel it. If I'm not burning more than I would be just sitting, there's no point in being in the gym.

The point of lifting weights isn't to burn calories during your workout... it's to build muscle and increase strength. (Which will help you burn more calories at rest).

songbyrdsweet

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

What kind of heavy weights do you mean?
When I was into my heaviest powerlifting, I didn't burn a ton of calories, but that's because I was doing 1-3 repetitions and resting for 5 minutes.
If you're doing 10-12 repetitions and it's heavy, it will get your heart rate up. If I'm curling 20 lb DB's or squatting with 115 for 12-15 reps, I feel it. If I'm not burning more than I would be just sitting, there's no point in being in the gym.

The point of lifting weights isn't to burn calories during your workout... it's to build muscle and increase strength. (Which will help you burn more calories at rest).

Right, it's not the point, but if you're not working hard enough to cause lactic acid buildup and fatigue (which means your HR will increase to make up for the oxygen debt) then that muscle building and strength change won't happen. Just moving weight does nothing. Lactic acid is what causes GH to be released, which is what causes growth factors to be released. The calorie burn is a nice side-effect.

MisoSoup79

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

What kind of heavy weights do you mean?
When I was into my heaviest powerlifting, I didn't burn a ton of calories, but that's because I was doing 1-3 repetitions and resting for 5 minutes.
If you're doing 10-12 repetitions and it's heavy, it will get your heart rate up. If I'm curling 20 lb DB's or squatting with 115 for 12-15 reps, I feel it. If I'm not burning more than I would be just sitting, there's no point in being in the gym.

The point of lifting weights isn't to burn calories during your workout... it's to build muscle and increase strength. (Which will help you burn more calories at rest).

Right, it's not the point, but if you're not working hard enough to cause lactic acid buildup and fatigue (which means your HR will increase to make up for the oxygen debt) then that muscle building and strength change won't happen. Just moving weight does nothing. Lactic acid is what causes GH to be released, which is what causes growth factors to be released. The calorie burn is a nice side-effect.

I guess the answer to the original question depends on how you're working out. The original poster stated that her HR pretty much stayed around normal while she was lifting. In her case, (if it were me, anyway) I wouldn't count them as calories burned because I would feel as if I was over-compensating for a workout. I understand what you're saying about working intensely enough for the lactic acid build-up. I often lift until failure during my last set of each activity (normally around 15 reps) and my heart rate only spikes for a very short amount of time and returns to near-resting HR during my 1-2 minute rest periods. So that's why I don't count mine. I don't want to give myself more calories to eat for a workout that really only adds up to about 10 mins of cardio in value. I always do cardio, anyway... so I get my extra calories from that.

I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" answer, but it depends on your particular workout.

songbyrdsweet

Weight lifting is not considered an aerobic exercise. Even if you are lifting heavy weights, you're not burning much more than normal activity. I don't count them at all.

If you're doing circuit training, though, you can count them.

What kind of heavy weights do you mean?
When I was into my heaviest powerlifting, I didn't burn a ton of calories, but that's because I was doing 1-3 repetitions and resting for 5 minutes.
If you're doing 10-12 repetitions and it's heavy, it will get your heart rate up. If I'm curling 20 lb DB's or squatting with 115 for 12-15 reps, I feel it. If I'm not burning more than I would be just sitting, there's no point in being in the gym.

The point of lifting weights isn't to burn calories during your workout... it's to build muscle and increase strength. (Which will help you burn more calories at rest).

Right, it's not the point, but if you're not working hard enough to cause lactic acid buildup and fatigue (which means your HR will increase to make up for the oxygen debt) then that muscle building and strength change won't happen. Just moving weight does nothing. Lactic acid is what causes GH to be released, which is what causes growth factors to be released. The calorie burn is a nice side-effect.

I guess the answer to the original question depends on how you're working out. The original poster stated that her HR pretty much stayed around normal while she was lifting. In her case, (if it were me, anyway) I wouldn't count them as calories burned because I would feel as if I was over-compensating for a workout. I understand what you're saying about working intensely enough for the lactic acid build-up. I often lift until failure during my last set of each activity (normally around 15 reps) and my heart rate only spikes for a very short amount of time and returns to near-resting HR during my 1-2 minute rest periods. So that's why I don't count mine. I don't want to give myself more calories to eat for a workout that really only adds up to about 10 mins of cardio in value. I always do cardio, anyway... so I get my extra calories from that.

I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" answer, but it depends on your particular workout.

If you're doing 15 reps, I wouldn't take 1-2 minute rests. 15 repetitions is an endurance training type, but a 1-2 minute rest is a strength-power type rest...you'll see a greater caloric burn and better results with a shorter rest period of about 30 seconds, plus your HR will remain elevated. What I said earlier was directed to her intensity--if it's that easy, it's not going to be effective.

MisoSoup79

[/quote]
If you're doing 15 reps, I wouldn't take 1-2 minute rests. 15 repetitions is an endurance training type, but a 1-2 minute rest is a strength-power type rest...you'll see a greater caloric burn and better results with a shorter rest period of about 30 seconds, plus your HR will remain elevated. What I said earlier was directed to her intensity--if it's that easy, it's not going to be effective.
[/quote]

(The above was supposed to be a quote)

I work out with a buddy, and we take turns spotting each other... so that's why my rest periods are longer. If/when I work out alone, I tend to switch back and forth between opposing muscle groups much quicker. It works okay for me. I'm definitely seeing results and I've only been at it for 3 weeks. But I'm not new to weight lifting... I just took a REALLY LONG break!

alf1163

so songbyrd, what is your final verdict, to eat them or not to eat them!!! For example today I am going to the gym and I will do a 10 min warmup on the elliptical then move on to weights and work my entire body alternating upper and lower body, resting only one part of the body while working another. I wear an HRM, I usually stay within my target zone unless I am squatting and it goes up, above target...I tend to finish up with some more cardio and then stretching. One more question, should I be just eating the calories burned only within or above target but not under? I have wondered sometimes if I am eating more than I should...Thanks!!! :flowerforyou:

fjtcjt

I recently purchased a new HRM and I think it is very helpful. However, I think it may calculate too many calories burned so I would take that into consideration. I assume all HRM use the same or a similar formula.

That said, it depends on what your goals are. If you are trying to get leaner, don't count the calories and see how you feel. As long as you have the energy and your body continues to lose fat without losing muscle then you are eating enough. If your goal is to add muscle, then you need to consume more calories and you should count the ones burned during weight training.

It is not black or white, a lot does depend on intensity of the workout and your goals and everyone is different.

Is that as clear as mud!?!

songbyrdsweet

so songbyrd, what is your final verdict, to eat them or not to eat them!!! For example today I am going to the gym and I will do a 10 min warmup on the elliptical then move on to weights and work my entire body alternating upper and lower body, resting only one part of the body while working another. I wear an HRM, I usually stay within my target zone unless I am squatting and it goes up, above target...I tend to finish up with some more cardio and then stretching. One more question, should I be just eating the calories burned only within or above target but not under? I have wondered sometimes if I am eating more than I should...Thanks!!! :flowerforyou:

In my opinion, weight lifting should be vigorous enough to burn calories. It won't always result in the same burn as aerobic training, but serious circuit training certainly will.

Whether you eat all of your exercise calories or not is really your own choice, and I think it takes trial and error to determine what will work. I have noticed the biggest improvements eating just 100 calories less than MFP says most of the time (so instead of the 1360 as my base, 1260 is my base and my known BMR. I log all of my exercise and eat all those calories. But you could look at it as eating all the calories except 100). I lose about .6 lbs per week most weeks and that's perfect for where I am right now. Some days I'm randomly starving and I'll eat 700 more than I should and lose weight the next day. Other times I gain weight as expected.

It does take time and patience to see what will work. Watching the scale, watching the tape measure, watching the mirror, taking pictures. Keep track of how much you're eating during the times you feel that you look your best.