Reasonable cal burn estimate from weight training?

timmyb057

OK, I've seen on a few other threads that the HRMs don't calculate burn as well during strength (weight) training as they do cardio activities, so I was wondering if anyone had figured out a reasonable equivalent for lifting days (like 45/60 min of pretty intense weights = 25/30 min "calisthenics" of MFP exercise).

The reason I'm hoping to find out is because my daily calorie "goal" with MFP is 2084 (barely 100 over my BMR - 1950ish). TDEE (set as lightly active because of desk job) is around 2609 (averaged from a couple different calcs), and I usually hit around 2100-2200 from food, but I don't eat back exercise cals (and tend to underestimate workout burns when I'm not sure). I do 3 days weights, and 3 days low-mid intensity cardio (take a day off because of class), and I've lost 40 lbs so far (I know my ticker says 19 - I found MFP about halfway though the journey). I'm about 10 lbs from my goal, and don't want to undereat to the point where I'm cannibalizing strength improvements. Should I eat closer to TDEE (which is probably underestimated), up cal burn per week (which I'm not 100% sure of because of the weight-training), or up my TDEE to moderate (or some combo of all above?)

Thanks in advance for any helpful advice you can give. I know I gave alot of specifics, but I'm hoping the general idea and discussion can help some other members also....we're all in this together! Also, feel free to add me, I'm much more likely to keep pushing if I know others are/can track my progress

BackTatJIM

I do not add weight training calories , I only add cardio. I wouldn't know where to start with guessing what I burn lifting weights. Maybe don't add them for 2-4 weeks weigh in and see if you are losing to slow or to fast and then adjust it from there?

shinkalork

I use my HRM.... There's not much cardio and calories burned but still...
You raise your hear bate when using strength and pushing yourself to the limit so...it does count in my point of view.

It doesn't give me much but it still does give me a good idea.
The ammount i get's similar to what endomondo etc's giving for it.

Just feel it's less cheating if I use my hrm...

half_moon

I say use your HRM. It won't count all of the calories burned, because when you weight train, you are still burning calories way after you remove the HRM (during recovery). You should be safe just using the HRM to adjust calorie intake and leaving the rest out.. as an extra bonus!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I use MFP's number for this. For me at 160lbs it's about 200 calories per hour.

vicky1804

I use my hrm for calorie burn while weight lifting. I know I burn after I stop which I cannot log but that's all ok.

I only count what I know i have burnt

DopeItUp

I used my HRM for this initially and was seeing burns of 800, 900, sometimes even 1000 calories for a 75 minute session. My weight loss all but stopped (for 3 months). So I started using MFP's calculation which is about 400 for that time period, and now I'm losing weight again just fine. Take what you will from that, but it is my belief that the HRM will give you wildly high calculations.

rebeccap13

HRM's are not accurate for most things except for steady state cardio.

200-300 cals per hour seems pretty reasonable. When I was doing CrossFit workouts, which included strength training as well as high intensity cardio, I never estimated more than 300-400 cals per hour.

half_moon

It's hard to go by MFP estimates and other people's outcomes -- the amount you burn depends on how much you weigh and how much muscle you have....

shinkalork

also, all depends on what type of weight training...if it's just weights or it's like P90X ...where you will do push up,sit up,pull ups etc...they required cardio lol...so this is different.

timmyb057

Thanks everyone for all the responses so far! Great info! Just found the "strength training" entry under cardio (thanks busylady! had tried it under the strength training part but it didn't show burn)...just getting back into the weights so this helps alot! Will give it a go for a few weeks and see how it works (Thanks JIM!). Also adding exercises into strength log for progression tracking

LorinaLynn

I use MFP's number for this. For me at 160lbs it's about 200 calories per hour.

Same. I rounded up to about 100 per half hour when I used MFP numbers.

timmyb057

MFP gives me 260 per hour at 190 lbs (if anybody wanted a comparison)

And we're just talking heavy lifting on those days (other than a short cardio warmup)...by the time I'm done with that I'm waaay too spent to think about pushups!