How Much Strength Training to be "Moderate"

aweigh2go

I've seen many posts on using "moderate" activity levels if working out 3-5 days a week but my mathematical mind wonders (and often wanders):

If my TDEE and daily calorie goals (less 30%) are calculated as follows based on activity levels:

Sedentary: 2,385 - 30% = 1,669 calories per day
Moderate (workout 3-5 days a week): 3,080 - 30% = 2,156 calories per day

Isn't this an assumption that I'll burn 500 calories per day to maintain weight loss?

The question becomes, while I can accurately measure calories burned from cardio via HRM, how can I measure calories burned performing strength training and subsequently how long do I have to train, to truly be considered in the "moderate" range?

(For reference, I'm a 253 lb male with 34.9% body fat. Hence the 30% deficit instead of 20).

BigGuy47

With cardio and a HRM it's relatively easy to track the calories expended. It's difficult to track calories spent weight training.

When strength training it's natural to have variance in intensity with your routines. Some days you'll hit the weights hard, other not as much. As your muscles adapt it will get easier. Add more weight and it's more difficult.

At some point you have to throw out the calculator. Track your weight, check your measurements and look in the mirror once in a while. Make your best guess on your caloric needs based on your progress.

Get plenty of water, enough protein, work hard and don't sweat the numbers.

ahamm002

The question becomes, while I can accurately measure calories burned from cardio via HRM, how can I measure calories burned performing strength training and subsequently how long do I have to train, to truly be considered in the "moderate" range?

(For reference, I'm a 253 lb male with 34.9% body fat. Hence the 30% deficit instead of 20).

You really can't accurately determine the number of calories burned from resistance training. Obviously if you workout just your arms for 30 minutes you'll be burning a lot less than if you do a full body circuit training regimen with squats, bench, and chin ups for 30 minutes. So just make a very general estimation on your TDEE based on the KM equation. It's more than sufficient, especially if you have a 30% body fat.

Aim to work out for about 30-45 minutes, with a focus on compound movements.

aweigh2go

Thanks for the feedback. Seems as if the consensus is consistent: use the "moderate" setting (and don't eat calories back)workout consistently, monitor results, adjust as necessary. Any other feedback?

WendyTerry420

Just pick a number and stick with it for a month. Then adjust your calories as needed.

jacksonpt

I've seen many posts on using "moderate" activity levels if working out 3-5 days a week but my mathematical mind wonders (and often wanders):

If my TDEE and daily calorie goals (less 30%) are calculated as follows based on activity levels:

Sedentary: 2,385 - 30% = 1,669 calories per day
Moderate (workout 3-5 days a week): 3,080 - 30% = 2,156 calories per day

Isn't this an assumption that I'll burn 500 calories per day to maintain weight loss?

The question becomes, while I can accurately measure calories burned from cardio via HRM, how can I measure calories burned performing strength training and subsequently how long do I have to train, to truly be considered in the "moderate" range?

(For reference, I'm a 253 lb male with 34.9% body fat. Hence the 30% deficit instead of 20).

It's not that exact.

First off... your calorie goals are estimates, as are your calorie burns (even the ones measured with HRMs).

Based on those numbers, yes... 500 cals per day to maintain weight loss. But it isn't necessarily through exercise exclusively (at least not what most of us consider "working out"). People who are on their feet all day for work will burn more cals over the course of a day without actually "exercising". Make sense?

Lastly... you can't accurately count cals burned from lifting. From what I've read and the people I've talked to, heavy lifting burns about the same amount of cals in 24 hours as does a good cardio workout (~10cal per minute depending). But as with everything, there are lots of variables when it comes to calculating calorie burns. Cardio burns almost all those cals during the workout, lifting burns most of them after.

On a side note... IMO, don't lift to burn cals. Lift to change how you look. If you want to burn cals (either so you can eat more or so you can get into a deficit), then do cardio. But I get the feeling that, for you, this is more about having the numbers be right than it is about needing to see a calorie burn from lifting?

It's not an exact science... and that can be really hard for some people (I'm one of them).

.

jacksonpt

Thanks for the feedback. Seems as if the consensus is consistent: use the "moderate" setting (and don't eat calories back)workout consistently, monitor results, adjust as necessary. Any other feedback?

If moderate includes your exercise (your workouts, i.e. lifting, and not just your lifestyle, i.e walking the dog), then you are right. If it doesn't include your workouts, then you will want to eat back your exercise cals.

aweigh2go

On a side note... IMO, don't lift to burn cals. Lift to change how you look. If you want to burn cals (either so you can eat more or so you can get into a deficit), then do cardio. But I get the feeling that, for you, this is more about having the numbers be right than it is about needing to see a calorie burn from lifting?

.

I'm trying to count calories expended from weight lifting to prevent reducing too many calories from my diet. Don't want to cut 1,000 calories but would rather cut 500 and exercise 500. I only have so many days a week and so many hours in the day I can get a workout in.

jacksonpt

On a side note... IMO, don't lift to burn cals. Lift to change how you look. If you want to burn cals (either so you can eat more or so you can get into a deficit), then do cardio. But I get the feeling that, for you, this is more about having the numbers be right than it is about needing to see a calorie burn from lifting?

.

I'm trying to count calories expended from weight lifting to prevent reducing too many calories from my diet. Don't want to cut 1,000 calories but would rather cut 500 and exercise 500. I only have so many days a week and so many hours in the day I can get a workout in.

A deficit is a deficit... doesn't matter if you cut 1000 and exercise 0, or cut 0 and exercise 1000. Your net energy is -1000.

Yogi_Carl

Is it not more workable to not eat back your unknown weightlifting calories and use them as an error margin in case you overeat one day in the week? Just monitor your fat loss, muscle gains each week and adjust accordingly.