strength training

66Lulu
66Lulu Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
HI, I'm just new to this but was wondering how/why fitness pal doesn't calculate the calories burned for strength training only cardio? Or am I doing something wrong? Thanks, Lisa

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Enter it under cardio for it to count.
  • 66Lulu
    66Lulu Posts: 5
    yes but some of the work outs aren't listed
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    Enter it as Strength Training under the cardio section for it to count.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    yes but some of the work outs aren't listed

    Like what?
  • 66Lulu
    66Lulu Posts: 5
    I've tried to just enter strength training but it won't accept it, i've tried to enter crunches but only lists sits ups and only vigorous nothing in the mid range.
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
    I would generalize it under cardio ("strength training") to record the calories burned and then if you want to keep track of individual rep/sets then log it under strength training.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Just log "Strength training" under the cardiovascularsection, and the time spent on it. Or enter your own workout. If you search for a workout and it is not there click the add exercise button.
  • 66Lulu
    66Lulu Posts: 5
    I actually got it to accept strength training but would like to also know the calories for cruches etc.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    HI, I'm just new to this but was wondering how/why fitness pal doesn't calculate the calories burned for strength training only cardio? Or am I doing something wrong? Thanks, Lisa

    I use the strength training under cardio. I just ignore the calorie burn anyway. None if it is accurate. I just log the time spent for my exercise history and ignore the calories. I'm tempted to set it all to 0's.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    1. Exercise Tab
    2. In the Cardiovascular section click "Add Exercise"
    3. Search Strength Training
    4. Enter Time
    5. ?????
    6. Profit
  • 66Lulu
    66Lulu Posts: 5
    ok thanks everyone for the info! :)
  • deadheadcheri
    deadheadcheri Posts: 15
    I am saving up for a heart rate monitor and a fitbit so I can calculate my own. In the meantime I estimate the best I can and have added my own exercises based on what I have researched for myself.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    [/quote]

    Don't forget to spam that link to your work out program so you can make your money.
    [/quote]

    I'm sorry, but I found that a bit rude. Nowhere in the response to the OP was anything related to any sort of workout program.
    [/quote]


    Yep me too, there is no need to be rude like that :frown:
  • fastforlife1
    fastforlife1 Posts: 459 Member
    Well personally I'd like to know how to make money by mentioning workout programs or food!
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Good, glad you did. Jealously is not nice :wink:
  • SheilaN1976
    SheilaN1976 Posts: 266 Member
    i new as well and i had noticed that too. I just dont count any strength training calories, i enter it in so i know when i have done it though. In reality for me, it doesnt burn much anyway so wouldnt make much difference.
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
    I actually got it to accept strength training but would like to also know the calories for cruches etc.

    Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is by using a HRM. For crunches, etc. I sometimes log it as "Abs" under cardio. It doesn't give me much though, about one calorie per minute.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    LOL, everytime I see his picture I always think it's a "she" too. But nope, it's a dude.

    I wish i were a she.... so bad
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    I actually got it to accept strength training but would like to also know the calories for cruches etc.

    Unfortunately the only way to know for sure is by using a HRM. For crunches, etc. I sometimes log it as "Abs" under cardio. It doesn't give me much though, about one calorie per minute.

    HRMs do not accurately estimate calories burned for strength training. They are designed for cardio work. I do wish they worked for strength work though!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Sorry for the high jack but I wanted to remind everyone of the forum rules...


    1. No Attacks or Insults and No Reciprocation

    a) Do not attack, mock, or otherwise insult others. You can respectfully disagree with the message or topic, but you cannot attack the messenger. This includes attacks against the user’s spelling or command of written English, or belittling a user for posting a duplicate topic.

    b) If you are attacked by another user, and you reciprocate, you will also be subject to the same consequences. Defending yourself or a friend is not an excuse! Do not take matters into your own hands – instead, use the Report Post link to report an attack and we will be happy to handle the situation for you.

    You seem like a great member and we would love to continue to have you post on the site. So please help us out by making sure to follow the forum guidelines at all times.

    Our Forums work on a Three Strike system. Please be aware that subsequent to this initial warning, further violations of the forum rules will result in strikes, which can lead to a suspension of posting privileges, or in extreme cases loss of access to the site.

    Please take some time to review the site's guidelines at the following link:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/welcome/guidelines

    Thanks in advance for your cooperation. Hope you are enjoying the site.

    Best regards,
    psuLemon
    MyFitnessPal Forum Moderator
  • Xaspar
    Xaspar Posts: 726 Member
    The reason it doesn't log the calories from strength training is due to the incredible variations available. No idea how many calories any one idividual will burn because of what their muscles are already used to doing. Amount of weight to make me burn x number of calories may be miniscule compared to my weight-lifting male counterpart. and number or reps, number of sets, etc. just make it too hard for the program to be able to accurately guess.
    So, you can record it in cardio if you wish, but personally, I don't count my strength training calories, I only count cardio. and I have my calorie limit set to TDEE of my desired body weight so I only count if I go over the number of workouts already planned in or am really pushing the high end of recommended deficit. But, that's just me and everyone has to find what works for them.
    Good luck!
  • mlashay
    mlashay Posts: 166 Member
    I count my calories from strength training. I wear a HRM and my heart rate does increase just as much with strength training as it does cardio, maybe not as continuously but definitely enough to count. I enter it manually created my own exercise titled "Strength training HRM"
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    I count my calories from strength training. I wear a HRM and my heart rate does increase just as much with strength training as it does cardio, maybe not as continuously but definitely enough to count. I enter it manually created my own exercise titled "Strength training HRM"

    Sometimes I feel ignored....

    "SparkPeople's Fitness Tracker doesn't estimate calorie burn for strength training because so many variables are involved (how hard you're working, resting in between sets, the amount of weight you lift, etc.) that any estimate would not be very accurate. A heart rate monitor (HRM) is capable of estimating calorie burn pretty accurately—but only for aerobic (cardio) exercise, not for strength training. Here's why:

    A HRM won't give you an accurate idea of how many calories you burn during strength training, because the relationship between heart rate and calorie expenditure is not the same during strength training as during cardio exercise, which is what the HRM's estimate is based on. Unless your weight training is very vigorous circuit training, the heart rate monitor will be overestimating your calorie burn by a fair amount.

    The problem is a technical one. Calorie burning isn't determined by heart rate, it's determined by the number of muscle cells that are activated to perform a given activity. It's the working cells that actually use the energy (calories) and consume oxygen. When working muscle cells need more energy and oxygen, your heart rate goes up to deliver these things to the cells via the blood stream.

    Any muscle that performs a high intensity or maximum effort (strength training) will trigger an increase in heart rate and blood flow. But if only a single muscle group is on the receiving end to utilize that extra oxygen (doing a strength exercise that isolates your biceps, for example), only a relatively small amount of oxygen (and calories) will actually be consumed.

    So while a series of strength training exercises may elevate your heart rate like aerobic exercise does, you're not actually using as much oxygen and burning as many calories as you would be if you were steadily using several large muscles all at once, as when walking, running, swimming, or doing aerobics for example.

    The heart rate monitor doesn’t know whether your increase in heart rate is due to several large muscle groups working (cardio), an isolated muscle group lifting a weight (strength training), or even if adrenaline or excitement is increasing your heart rate. It just knows your heart rate, and the formulas it uses to estimate calories are based on studies of aerobic exercise, not other activities. So, it's going to overestimate your calorie expenditure when the rise in heart rate is stimulated by using isolated muscles at maximum intensity, which is what occurs during strength training."

    Written by Dean Anderson, Certified Personal Trainer

    http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75
  • mlashay
    mlashay Posts: 166 Member

    Sometimes I feel ignored....

    I saw your post, wasn't ignoring it, just stating that I don't agree. My trainer would beg to differ as well.
  • mlashay
    mlashay Posts: 166 Member
    And just to clarify, I work pretty damn hard when strength training. I also make sure to always stay in motion so if I'm taking a rest from lifting, I'm jogging in place. My heart rate stays elevated (I can tell this physically not just by my HRM) I sweat and work much harder than I do when just doing cardio, so I believe my burn is just as close to accurate when strength training. But no matter what you're doing a calorie burn is never going to be exactly accurate. I don't eat back my exercise cals either so the burn number is simply for the benefit of myself.
  • mcrowe1016
    mcrowe1016 Posts: 647 Member
    And just to clarify, I work pretty damn hard when strength training. I also make sure to always stay in motion so if I'm taking a rest from lifting, I'm jogging in place. My heart rate stays elevated (I can tell this physically not just by my HRM) I sweat and work much harder than I do when just doing cardio, so I believe my burn is just as close to accurate when strength training. But no matter what you're doing a calorie burn is never going to be exactly accurate. I don't eat back my exercise cals either so the burn number is simply for the benefit of myself.

    Never said you weren't working hard. For the reasons listed in the article, HRMs are not accurate for strength training. Even the instructions for my Polar said it. I am sure you kick *kitten* during work outs (and good for you!:smile: ), but that doesn't change the fact that HRMs were not designed for calculating strength training calories burned.

    I do think that there are very advanced (read: I am too cheap to buy) HRM's that are better at it, but I am not sure.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member

    Sometimes I feel ignored....

    I saw your post, wasn't ignoring it, just stating that I don't agree. My trainer would beg to differ as well.
    Glad you disagree. But basic biology disagrees with you. Cardio uses oxygen to make energy. Weight lifting does not. HRM's measure heartrate based OXYGEN consumption to guestimate calorie burn.

    Can you then pls explain to me how a device thats used to measure oxygen consumption is supposed to do so with activities that do not use oxygen???
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member

    Sometimes I feel ignored....

    I saw your post, wasn't ignoring it, just stating that I don't agree. My trainer would beg to differ as well.
    Glad you disagree. But basic biology disagrees with you. Cardio uses oxygen to make energy. Weight lifting does not. HRM's measure heart rate based OXYGEN consumption to guesstimate calorie burn.

    Can you then please explain to me how a device that's used to measure oxygen consumption is supposed to do so with activities that do not use oxygen???

    Dang that is a hard core, science filled, fact engorged, easily understandable, clean, well written response. I would love to see if she changes her ways or still tries to argue that her HRM is still accurate.

Categories