logging strength training time?

gradgal01

Whenever I do strength training or circuit training or anything that involves rest time, I usually subtract out that "down time" when I log it into MFP's exercise calculator. IE If I'm lifting weights for 45 minutes with ~1 min of rest between sets, I'll log it as 30 min or so. Is this how it's supposed to work, or do the MFP calorie-burning estimates (or other calorie burning estimates, as I don't have any sort of monitor) take this into account? I'm not really looking to scrape out every available calorie, but I don't want to continually be UNDERestimating my calorie burn and then under-eating in turn, especially on lifting days. So, just some friendly curiosity. How do you guys log this?

bradphil87

If you use a hrm it will tell you exactly how much you burn, no guessing needed

artbkward

I've never thought that much into it. If I spend 45 minutes lifting including rest time, I put in 45 minutes.

waldo56

During rest time your body is recharging your ability to work, which takes energy to do. Legit set to set rest (not lollygagging) should be counted as work time.

And a HRM will NOT tell you how many calories you burned strength training. It will underestimate it by quite a bit. A HRM measures the calorie burn of aerobic energy pathways, a very significant proportion of the energy burn when strength training is anaerobic; that will still cause a heart rate raise, but not nearly the same proportion as the rise aerobic energy burn. And that is completely ignoring the calorie burn required for muscle repair in the coming days, which in many instances dwarfs the energy burn of the workout itself. Strength training has a similar effect to EPOC, however it is not EPOC, and it is much, much, much stronger.

runfatmanrun

I've never thought that much into it. If I spend 45 minutes lifting including rest time, I put in 45 minutes.

This for me.

rmalford

Frankly, I prefer to over estimate cal in and under estimate cal out. Only harm is to lose more quickly. In fact it appears to be more accurate. Certainly a personel preference!

gradgal01

Thanks for the responses! Yeah, I guess it doesn't much matter due to the ~intricacies of cal burning with anaerobic exercise, but I appreciate the advice

mtaylor33557

During rest time your body is recharging your ability to work, which takes energy to do. Legit set to set rest (not lollygagging) should be counted as work time.

And a HRM will NOT tell you how many calories you burned strength training. It will underestimate it by quite a bit. A HRM measures the calorie burn of aerobic energy pathways, a very significant proportion of the energy burn when strength training is anaerobic; that will still cause a heart rate raise, but not nearly the same proportion as the rise aerobic energy burn. And that is completely ignoring the calorie burn required for muscle repair in the coming days, which in many instances dwarfs the energy burn of the workout itself. Strength training has a similar effect to EPOC, however it is not EPOC, and it is much, much, much stronger.

I needed this explanation! Thanks!

waldo56

Frankly, I prefer to over estimate cal in and under estimate cal out. Only harm is to lose more quickly. In fact it appears to be more accurate. Certainly a personel preference!

This is cool to do if you are a long way off. Once you get down to low BF%'s, a deficit of even 500 cal/day will cause a stall. You have to be much more precise with your counting if you wish to dip into the single digits of BF%.

rileamoyer

I use my HRM.

LindaCWy

Frankly, I prefer to over estimate cal in and under estimate cal out. Only harm is to lose more quickly. In fact it appears to be more accurate. Certainly a personel preference!

This is cool to do if you are a long way off. Once you get down to low BF%'s, a deficit of even 500 cal/day will cause a stall. You have to be much more precise with your counting if you wish to dip into the single digits of BF%.

Wheres Waldo when you need him?
This is all very interesting information, I think my brain just grew a little (I need more calories!)
What do you do in this instance when you weight train? I usually weight train 3x a week and takes me about 20 mins then I do 20 mins of cardio after. I usually just log the amount of cals burned according to my HRM.
I guess my question is, how do you do it?

mishkat

Since I keep hearing/reading HRM is only useful for aerobics and not lifting... which is the best way to calculate calories burned during a strength training session?