Why don't I get exercise calories for strength training?

tamaramtz

Or am I just not understanding how to post my exercies reports properly? I work out 5-6 days a week and alternate cardio days with strength days, typically getting 3 days of strength in and 2 of cardio. It takes me between an hour and 1:20 to do all my strength and it definitely gets my heart rate up, so why no extra calories? Is there a tool on MFP I can use to calculate my burn or am I going to have to buy myself a heart rate monitor?

elizamary77

I believe that is just to chart ur progress like if you go up in reps or weight, just kinda record keeping. to log the calories log the time spend under wieght lifting in the top section.

jienelle

Under Cardio you can search for "weight training" and enter the amount of time you did it for. It's an estimate. If you want an accurate cals burned get a HR monitor.

jamie1888

use the "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)" under cardio.... or "circuit training" under cardio

msarro

Surprisingly, weight training actually *does* burn very few calories, that's why everyone always says to do cardio if you want to lose weight. The first couple sessions you may burn a bit more, however your muscles very quickly adapt to lifting. From that point the calories you burn from lifting become pretty much negligible. Don't believe me? Hook up a heart rate monitor and see for yourself (try it once when starting a lifting program, and then a few weeks later).

If you want to lift and still burn a good number of calories, check out circuit training. Its great because you get to lift, but it also ramps up the calorie burn significantly.

Keemeri

Thanks for the heads up! I have been wondering the same thing. I also have a HRM and use it religiously when exercising. But have been slacking. I starting to believe I am not doing enough strength training to keep my metabolism up....I hope it will begin to fall off once I incorporate both.