Stronglifts and Abs
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Maybe not! Many studies have shown that people who count calories tend to under estimate what they're eating despite what they think. So if you're not using a scale and eating every morsel on the plate, you're probably eating a lot more then you think. And it seems based on my own experiences and watching others that people forget or don't think they should account for everything that they do, so they end up under estimating what they could eat. Even I did (and I measure my food). So maybe it all balances outCalculators like Fat 2 Fit are the same way - they're only as good as the input you've given (if you under or overestimate your activity level -- and frankly everyone seems to underestimate around here) and they are based on averaged data across wide populations.
But there are all types of people in the world. Those who think that eating is bad so they go out of their way to move around and not account for it and over estimate what they're eating because if they go in the red on mfp they think they're gaining. And those who are famished and go out of their way to under estimate things so they can eat so they can stay below the red on mfp so they think they hit a goal. And both parties lose weight. When I'm concerned about it I try to be accurate because I'm a data freak. 0 -
The more movement the more like running it is the more accurate it gets. But I wouldn't say it's accurate. HRMs are mostly based on running/cycling. If you're not doing that, it''s going to be wrong...And if you are doing that, chances are it's wrong anyhow because it's based on averages. Try to be accurate, keep these things in mind (everything is based on averages), don't let do-dads control what you, do what works. I'm mostly talking to those spend the money and do it not because they're interested but they see it as the only 'completely' accurate be all end all way (there are many in that boat just because they're not informed). Heart rate monitors...they take your heart rate...they're not so great at absolutely everything. There's to many people who think they need to see a constant lowering of weight to know they're losing fat which is just completely incorrect as well. I've seen people completely panic over what I'd call a glycogen gain when they're repairing muscles. If you learn about what's going on it all seems a little silly to worry about. Omg my body is doing something to benefit me *panic mode*.<theoretical section> since Tameko is right about not stressing it in practice.
The quote is based on isolation exercises, and since SL is compounds, I'd expect a more accurate burn rate than for isolations. But I agree, I don't know how accurate it actually is.
In my experience every time I thought to myself damn I ate to much I end up lighter the next day and continue losing weight. I see to many people with giant deficits completely panicing over silly things that don't make any sense. I don't know how many people I've met here and in person who were wearing HRMs all day long. A crush walks by and bam they think they're getting slimmer lol. And they're not wearing it because they thought it was neat and liked it (I can picture myself experimenting with this for a while). But because they thought they had to and that was the only way they could 'accurately' figure out what they burned...which is completely wrong. Though I'm sure 'the deed' experiments were entertaining. Then there's the people that don't realize that if the manufacturer is assuming there are 5 nuts in that cookie and you only get one...well...have another cookie 0 -
Great thread here with a lot of great information.
One thing I wanted to add to the OP.....
Stay consistent with your calorie intake (I think you said it's at 1800 right now) for AT LEAST 4 weeks....preferably 6. You mentioned that you are going to take measurements and such in April. When you take your stats then, focus on your pics and and your measurements and NOT the scale weight. If your pics show progress and your measurements show progress and you are still feeling good while your working out at 1800 cal/day then don't change anything. Basically, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Now at that time if you are feeling your performance is suffering then look at increasing your cals slightly but assess at that time
This whole recomp process is slow and tedious and honestly requires a crap pile of patience but really the ends justify the means.....you just have stay persistent and keep at it!0 -
I would suggest against this. Just so you know the calculations for HRMs are based on cardio burns such as running, not strength training, not at all. The documentation I've seen published at universities for polar watches reflect this and those who know a lot more about this then I do have confirmed this for me. I'm sure they are not advertised for measuring strength burns. They usually always mention running and treadmills. The calculations are based on your heart rate under cardio conditions, they tend to over estimate things like strength training, or sun bathing or nothing or boogy man scare or 'the deed' etc...anything that gets your heart rate up that isn't cardio lol.I am so happy to see this question being asked and answers being provided.
I've experienced a stall recently, upped my cals, bought a HRM and turned to Stronglifts again. Some of you may remember a thread I started here about starting out. I was always curious how this workout would work the ab area as that's really the only place left to reduce for me.
Highly recommend to anyone that if you don't have a HRM, get one! Just doing everyday walking to subway/gym, strength training, 1 hr of grocery shopping and 5 minutes of soccer, I burned almost 900 cals. It's safe to say that I now understand why I am at a plateau as I underestimated my exercise and wasn't eating enough (even at 1700 a day!)
HRMs don't know when you're not doing cardio.
Steppers don't know when you're doing cardio.
It's harder to estimate the strength training burns. That's why mfp puts a strength training option in as a separate thing I suppose:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/91-doesn-t-strength-training-burn-calories-why-don-t-you-show-any-calories-burned-for-strength-training
Lots of other sources out there as well. Upon initial googling I wouldn't hold my breath for trusting a personal trainer but just to give you an example:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_experts.asp?q=75A 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
Thanks for the info, I use my HRM mostly for the latter of what I mentioned though.. for this week, I will be including everything that I am doing because I need to figure out why I've stalled and I think I have. It's pretty difficult to try and remember to press pause and continue on the HRM when doing Stronglifts anyway. 0 -
Thanks CG - that was a good quote.
Y'all need to worry less about the details honestly. Try something CONSISTENTLY for four weeks (that means log everything, even splurge/cheat days, do the same overall types of exercise and activity from week to week), and see what your results are. If you are making progress in some way (visual, measurements, scale)and feel good then keep doing it.
EVERYTHING THAT TELLS YOU YOUR CALORIC EXPENDITURE IS AN ESTIMATE.
Heart rate monitors use your heart rate, a series of calculations based on what data it has on you (your age, gender, etc) and what kind of burns it expects when it sees your heart rate go to a certain level but its ALL based on averaged data, which means its not an exact gospel truth.
Calculators like Fat 2 Fit are the same way - they're only as good as the input you've given (if you under or overestimate your activity level -- and frankly everyone seems to underestimate around here) and they are based on averaged data across wide populations.
They can't tell if you are a fidgeter, or you tend to slump over in your chair and hardly move for 8 hours, or if you gesture wildly while you talk, or what not, and all that stuff matters.
So, use them as a good starting point (and heart rate monitors are actually fantastic tools for judging your performance and for training for any kind of endurance sport, I do like them a lot for those things) but don't freak out about how correct or not correct they are.
Its all averages and estimates. All you can do is start out with some reasonable amount, try it CONSISTENTLY, and then see what happens.
I log everything.. my husband to be quite frank is annoyed at how analytical and obsessed I am about getting things right. I am happy I got a HRM because I've definitely underestimated the amount of effort I put into my workouts (by 100s and 100s of cals) and it's definitely better than not having one and continuing to stall. To me, after losing 14 lbs easily in 2 months and not seeing my measurements budge for almost two months (the scale for 1), I think it's reasonable to decide to worry a bit about the details. I found out I'm not eating enough.. My time is precious, I don't want to waste it doing something that is hindering progress whether that's fat loss or muscle growth.
I wish I never included strength in that previous post cause that's not why I got it... I got the HRM to get a closer, somewhat more accurate number doing fitness classes at the gym, 30DS, etc, instead of relying on calculators on MFP that are so off it's not even funny.0
