Two questions regarding exercise calories

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ractayjon
ractayjon Posts: 365
in Fitness and Exercise
Thoughts -- on this.....
I understand that MFP does not track strength training calories burnt because it is such a variable and almost impossible to do in a forum like this one. I also know that they do allow us to "track" what we have done in the exercise section for our own use/tracking.
With all of that said..... I have and use a heart rate monitor. When I lift upper body for 30 minutes my hrm is reading between 120-140 calories. When I lift lower body for 30 minutes my hrm is reading between 170-190 calories.
What is the thought about adding these "exercise" calories burnt into my daily totals for further food consumption?
For example -- I burnt 120 calories lifting this morning, then continued on to do 202 calories on a stationary bike. Would you count the 202 into your journal (taking my 1200 base to 1402 available calories to eat) or would you count the 202 + 120 for 322 additional calories?
Wondering the thoughts on this one....

Also -- I have read a few times in the forums of people who exercise and burn, lets say 300 calories in 30 minutes...but rather then counting the 300 calories in their diary's they "subtract" the amount of calories they would have bunry anyway by just sitting around (say 50 calories while sitting at a desk) - so they log 250 calories rather then 300 -- thoughts??

Replies

  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    You can add "strength training" under the cardio section and it credits you with exercise calories. If you use your HRM, just create a new exercise and put in your calories burned per, say 10 minutes, so you can adjust the minutes to make the calories burned equal what your HRM says. My thought anyway - good luck. HRM's are great!

    Personally, I would add them. But remember to subtract the calories you would have burned during that time just hanging out. They say 100 - 150 per hour, generally. I estimate that I burn about 104 cal per hour just sitting around - wore HRM the other day for a period of time just sitting on the couch, drinking coffee, watching tv. Based that calculation on that - probably burn more since I don't spend much time sitting on the couch watching tv anymore :laugh:
  • kingnatalie
    kingnatalie Posts: 163
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    Add both your strength and non-strength exercises, and eat calories of both. I have never subtracted what I would have burned just sitting around. That is why you added your activity level when mfp configured your calories per day (which is already at a deficit - so you should lose weight without exercise, however, including exercise is increases your level of healthiness) Just think of the process as straight forward. You get "x" amount of calories to eat a day, which puts us at a deficit, allowing us to lose weight without exercising. Add "y" number of exercise calories burned and get a few more calories to eat for the day - maintaining the original deficit of calories as proposed by mfp when setting up your profile.
  • kcdrake
    kcdrake Posts: 512
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    I'm interested in what people have to say about subtracting the calories you'd burn anyway. I was thinking about that the other day, but I'm not sure how people go about doing that.
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    Add both your strength and non-strength exercises, and eat calories of both. I have never subtracted what I would have burned just sitting around. That is why you added your activity level when mfp configured your calories per day (which is already at a deficit - so you should lose weight without exercise, however, including exercise is increases your level of healthiness) Just think of the process as straight forward. You get "x" amount of calories to eat a day, which puts us at a deficit, allowing us to lose weight without exercising. Add "y" number of exercise calories burned and get a few more calories to eat for the day - maintaining the original deficit of calories as proposed by mfp when setting up your profile.
    This is what I do.
  • toulouse
    toulouse Posts: 3
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    I do 'body pump' classes at my gym and also have worn a heart monitor, this class is a 50 minute wieght lifting class and I have burned an average of 350 calories per class... I created a new cardio excersises for each of the classes at my gym...even yoga/pilates and I do add and eat those calories too!! I feel like if your heart rate is raised.... its excersise :0) hope this helps!
  • MTGirl
    MTGirl Posts: 1,490 Member
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    SHboss is a good one to ask about subtracting your normal calories burned from your calories burned exercising. Basically, you are crediting yourself with those calories twice. You already built them in with your activity level. So in my case I burn @104 calories per hour sitting around. In 30 minutes that would be 52. If I exercise for 30 minutes and burn 250 calories (just throwing out numbers here!) I would have burned 198 additional calories from what I would have sitting at the computer typing & browsing MFP. I've already accounted for those 52 calories, if I give them to myself again then I am eating back calories I haven't burned.

    No biggie if it's just 52. It may or may not make much difference. Now that I think about it, probably not too big of a deal. But over the course of a week, if you worked out 6 times that would be 312 calories and it would possibly slow down your rate of loss. Try it one way, then try it the other. Decide for yourself which way works better for you! If you see no difference, heck eat the extra :tongue:
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Add your strength training and eat those calories. If you find that doesn't work for you after a few weeks, modify it. I never subtract what I would have burned just sitting- I always assumed MFP did that automatically, but either way, it's all working out. :)
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    The problem with adding the strength calories is that the HR response during strength training is not the same as the HR response during cardio exercise, so the calorie readings from your HRM are not an accurate accounting of energy expended. Any agreement with your actual calories burned during strength training would be just by chance. So I would be extremely wary of using the calorie number from a strength workout to work into a food plan--the number doesn't really mean anything.

    If you feel you need to replace those calories, I would just make some incremental changes and see what the results are.

    It's the same w/rest calories -- you can do whatever makes sense. To be honest, the number is not that great. And we cannot be all that precise in the way we measure either intake or output, so, for me, it's just not worth the bother.

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