Lifting and calories

GummyHuman
GummyHuman Posts: 193 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Newbie question.

I noticed that when I added strength training to my day on the MFP app, it didn't pad me with any extra calories to intake, the way cardio does.

That seems counter-intuitive, but I am thinking maybe I didn't use enough weight for it to count as strength work. (it was less than 5 pounds, which I now know is a cardio weight, not a strength weight) Is that possibly the reason?

Just want to make sure I am not missing something.

Replies

  • Taylor0212
    Taylor0212 Posts: 72 Member
    If you look under the cardio section and type in strength training, it should allow for some extra calories. However, it wont be as many as, say running for 60 minutes.
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
    You can add strength training exercise under the cardio database. It will then show up in your calories burned. The other one is just to keep track while at the gym or something.
  • jim9097
    jim9097 Posts: 341 Member
    ^^^^
    This, it is for tracking purposes of what you did during the workout. The calories burned are only done from the cardio part.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    search function. use it.
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    MFP calories burned are generally off my more than 40% for most activities anyway. Unless you are doing monster workouts and already running in a large calorie deficit, it's best to log your exercise, but not "eat back" calroes you think you've expended.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Here are some options for you:
    Ignore the cals burned from Strength training, as caloric burn is not the benefit of strength training;
    Enter "strength training" in the cardio section of the database for an estimate of cals burned;
    Change your activity level to the next setting higher and don't add the cals burned from strength training; or
    Use the TDEE method to determine caloric intake and don't enter the cals burned from any form of exercise
  • horsiegall
    horsiegall Posts: 70
    Heart rate monitor is the best way to really know your burn ,my monitor & mfp varied significantly!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Heart rate monitor is the best way to really know your burn ,my monitor & mfp varied significantly!
    No, no and no, def not for strength training. HRM's are really only a good estimator for steady state cardio, not for strength training, intervals, or circuits.
  • VeganAmandaJ
    VeganAmandaJ Posts: 234 Member
    Can you please provide some evidence for your statement such as an article? Strength training does still involve cardiovascular activity. I would think the HRM would still be good for it, though i don't know from experience.
    Heart rate monitor is the best way to really know your burn ,my monitor & mfp varied significantly!
    No, no and no, def not for strength training. HRM's are really only a good estimator for steady state cardio, not for strength training, intervals, or circuits.
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    Absent you actually having undergone a cardiac stress test to establish maximums, even the HRM is just guessing based on generic assumptions.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Can you please provide some evidence for your statement such as an article? Strength training does still involve cardiovascular activity. I would think the HRM would still be good for it, though i don't know from experience.
    Heart rate monitor is the best way to really know your burn ,my monitor & mfp varied significantly!
    No, no and no, def not for strength training. HRM's are really only a good estimator for steady state cardio, not for strength training, intervals, or circuits.

    Your HR is elevated for a different reason during strength training than it is for cardio. read the manual from pretty much any HRM and they will tell you it is for steady state, or when HR is in a certain range in the least.

    By your interpretation of high HR = calories burned, would you then suggest that you burn as many calories watching a scary movie as you do exercising, since that elevates your HR?

    Cals burned by an HRM uses a calculation based on % Max HR to assuming a certain oxygen uptake (this is the calorie burner, not the actual HR), during strength training the oxygen uptake is not near what it is for cardio, even with similar % max HR. Completely different physiological responses to the different types of exercise.

    Sorry don't have an article on here, but do a form search for Azdack or Azdeck he has a bunch of info on oxygen uptake, HR, types of exercise and studies etc.
  • GummyHuman
    GummyHuman Posts: 193 Member
    Ahh! OK. Thanks for the helpful replies :flowerforyou:
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    Here's a nifty formula for estimating calorie burn from weight lifting! For the record, my HRM was waaaay overestimating my burns. :flowerforyou:
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    Here's a nifty formula for estimating calorie burn from weight lifting! For the record, my HRM was waaaay overestimating my burns. :flowerforyou:

    Now the formula in included .... http://www.livestrong.com/article/338469-how-to-calculate-calories-burned-weight-lifting/

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