eating and lifting weights

wells0707

Now that I switched my workout to mostly weight lifting I don't know how many calories I am burning. Any suggestion on how to change my calories to fit the weight lifting? I lift about 15 pounds right now and do it about 35 to 40 minutes (Challean Extreme) I don't want to over eat, but I don't want to under eat either. Suggestions??

wells0707

Let me also add that I run a few times a week, but I already know how to figure that part in

bethanytowell

The best rule of thumb is the calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and subtract 15-20% and eat around that, it will already include your "exercise calories" so you dont have to add them in and guess. I lift havy 3x a week and do minimal cardio, my TDEE is 2089 and I subtract 20% leaving me with around 1600-1700 calories per day. Plenty to keep me full and satisfied while lifting but enough of a deficit to see about .25-.5 lb of weight loss each week. I remind myself that this is not a race.

wells0707

Thanks..I will look in to that.

wells0707

Anyone else?

JossFit

I'm going to be blunt so forgive me; lifting 15 pounds is hardly "lifting" and not really something you need to change your diet to accomodate.

Heck woman, your PURSE weighs 15 pounds! A bag of groceries weighs 15 pounds! I would consider that program more along the lines of cardio.

Regardless, the best way to figure out your calorie needs is to wear a HRM or Bodymedia device and see what your burn is. Use that to calculate your TDEE (as Bethany mentioned) and go from there.

marypatmccue

The best rule of thumb is the calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) and subtract 15-20% and eat around that, it will already include your "exercise calories" so you dont have to add them in and guess. I lift havy 3x a week and do minimal cardio, my TDEE is 2089 and I subtract 20% leaving me with around 1600-1700 calories per day. Plenty to keep me full and satisfied while lifting but enough of a deficit to see about .25-.5 lb of weight loss each week. I remind myself that this is not a race.

She hit the nail on the head...!
This group is super helpful, and chock full of people with amazing knowledge: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717565-in-place-of-a-road-map

Dan is amazing.

mom2kpr

I use this formula from www.livestrong.com./article/33469- how-to-calculate-calories-burned-weight-lifting.
Your current weght x total minutes lifting x intensity.
Body builder effort = .055, circuit training w/weight = .042, free weights =.039 & light lifting w,moderate effort = .028.
Do not use HRM for weights, only for cardio.

wells0707

It may not be lifting to you, but its a good start for me. By the time I finish my reps I can't do any more. I will lift heavy like the bad boys and girls one day, but for now..that all I got. So far I have been logging it as cardio because I can't figure out another way.

jonnythan

It may not be lifting to you, but its a good start for me. By the time I finish my reps I can't do any more. I will lift heavy like the bad boys and girls one day, but for now..that all I got. So far I have been logging it as cardio because I can't figure out another way.

In all seriousness, you will never "lift heavy like the bad boys and girls" if you're lifting 15 pounds.

I don't know what lifts you're doing, but 15 lbs is definitely insufficient for accomplishing anything worth your time, frankly.

Do you work out at home or at a gym?

cwolfman13

I use this formula from www.livestrong.com./article/33469- how-to-calculate-calories-burned-weight-lifting.
Your current weght x total minutes lifting x intensity.
Body builder effort = .055, circuit training w/weight = .042, free weights =.039 & light lifting w,moderate effort = .028.
Do not use HRM for weights, only for cardio.

I've found this formula to be helpful. That said, what kind of lifting are you doing? That level of effort is important. When you say you're lifting 15 Lbs, what does that mean? When I lift, my weight is different on all of my exercises...obviously, I squat more than I can bench because my lower body is just more powerful (as is everyone's).

Do you have a specific program you're following or are you just haphazardly picking up weights? I would recommend following an actual program that includes compound lifts like squats, bench, dead lifts, overhead press, rows, etc as the foundation of your routine. These will benefit you the most in RE to burning more calories as you are working the biggest muscles in the body. If all you're doing is 15 Lb curls or something, honestly, that isn't doing much for you. 3x5 reps for strength gains...3x8 for hypertrophy (i.e. toning)...you should be struggling mightily on your last reps to get the weight up.

marypatmccue

It may not be lifting to you, but its a good start for me. By the time I finish my reps I can't do any more. I will lift heavy like the bad boys and girls one day, but for now..that all I got. So far I have been logging it as cardio because I can't figure out another way.

If you calculate your BMR and TDEE, and manually set yourself up in MFP with a 10-20% deficit of your TDEE, there is NO reason you actually need to LOG your exercise. The deficit is already there....

And, Jonny is right...

TonyStark30

Don't Log it as any Calories, use it as a buffer for all the times you eyeball foods to log them.

wells0707

I work out at home. I just started Chalean Extreme. There are different moves throughout the entire workout. Before that I was doing P90X with 12 lbs. I couldn't do some of the moves with heavier weights if I tried. I'm sure I will get stronger as it goes on and increase again, but for now...15lbs is where I am. So far it has been effective for my current goals. I have definately lost inches from arms and legs and have decent muscle definition. Thanks for all the info so far.

Camille0502

When I do my strength training DVS, I wear a heart rate monitor and log the exercise as "circuit training" in the cardio category. The calories burns varies greatly. For an upper body workout, I may burn 250 calories in an hour. For a lower body workout that really gets my heart going, I may burn 450 calories.

I found I really needed to measure how many calories I was burning during strength training because at first I would not count them and was undereating - and that caused me to plateau.

airen123

Just try to lift more than 15 lbs...a good program is 3x5 or 3x8 reps.

I'm 5'3, 137 lbs, and right now I squat 115 lbs at 3x8, bench 75 3x8. Just an example... 15 lbs is definitely different for upper and lower, depending on the types of lifting you're doing. I use 15 lbs for side lateral raises.

squirrell79

"15lbs is where I am"

Goodness, people. 15 lbs is where she is, period. She didn't say "15 lbs is all I ever want to lift." Let us assume that she'll lift more when she can and that she'll push herself along as best she can.

Encourage her, but please -- do try and remember that every bad boy and girl was once a beginner.

jonnythan

"15lbs is where I am"

Goodness, people. 15 lbs is where she is, period. She didn't say "15 lbs is all I ever want to lift." Let us assume that she'll lift more when she can and that she'll push herself along as best she can.

Encourage her, but please -- do try and remember that every bad boy and girl was once a beginner.

She can lift a lot more than 15 pounds. I absolutely guarantee it.

An average baby weighs more than that at 6 months old. Do you think she was incapable of picking up her baby?

shortchange1

"15lbs is where I am"

Goodness, people. 15 lbs is where she is, period. She didn't say "15 lbs is all I ever want to lift." Let us assume that she'll lift more when she can and that she'll push herself along as best she can.

Encourage her, but please -- do try and remember that every bad boy and girl was once a beginner.

She can lift a lot more than 15 pounds. I absolutely guarantee it.

An average baby weighs more than that at 6 months old. Do you think she was incapable of picking up her baby?

Yeah, but do you lift a baby with one arm and then press them up over your head??

glennstoudt

I work out at home. I just started Chalean Extreme. There are different moves throughout the entire workout. Before that I was doing P90X with 12 lbs. I couldn't do some of the moves with heavier weights if I tried. I'm sure I will get stronger as it goes on and increase again, but for now...15lbs is where I am. So far it has been effective for my current goals. I have definately lost inches from arms and legs and have decent muscle definition. Thanks for all the info so far.

I use the MFP calorie number for circuit training, as my lifting is continuous as if it would be a circuit. Take the number of minutes, say 30, and cut it in half, and use that calorie number. Works for me over the years. If I burn a little more or less, no big deal. Good luck in your journey and stay with it.

__RANDY__

So far I have been logging it as cardio because I can't figure out another way.

Keep logging it as cardio, it's not "lifting". I'm not saying your 15lbs isnt lifting, I'm saying holding a weight while doing a work out video isn't lifting.