Strength column doesn't burn calories! Help!!

Hannahbelle08
Hannahbelle08 Posts: 1
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,

I'm quite a keen squatter and do a few crunches etc.
however, I know that these types of exercises burn calories but when you enter them in the "strength" section it doesn't show you/update how many calories you have burnt!?

Is there any way around working out how many calories you have burnt or, additionally how to include the calories burnt into the "exercise calories burnt" Column!

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    That section is just to track progress. the benefits of strength training does no include caloric burn. that said if you enter "strength training, in the cardio section you will get an estimate of cals burned. If you do your weights in a circuit you can enter "circuit training"
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    What Eric said, and don't get to fixed on the calorie burn for crunches as it's barely anything to log in reality.
  • bornofthorns
    bornofthorns Posts: 143 Member
    There is definite caloric burn happening. MFP just doesn't do a good job of tracking. I made a custom exercise under cardio and used the calculations from the following site: http://www.livestrong.com/article/338469-how-to-calculate-calories-burned-weight-lifting/
  • Jsteimel
    Jsteimel Posts: 4 Member
    They give an explanation somewhere on the site that it's because calories burned on strength training vary so greatly, case to case. A person's weight, the form / quality of the strength training, number of reps, speed of reps, number of sets, amount of rest between sets, etc. As erickirb mentioned, you can add a generalized "Strength training" in the cardio section, but it's a very (very) loose estimate.
  • Tlbrown1985
    Tlbrown1985 Posts: 20
    buy an hrm... best invesment I have ever made... I no longer have to rely on sites or machines to estimate how many calories I have burnt!!
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    buy an hrm... best invesment I have ever made... I no longer have to rely on sites or machines to estimate how many calories I have burnt!!
    No.

    HRM are for steady state of cardio, not for weight training.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    My advice? Eat at maintenance or VERY SLIGHTLY below it, on weight training days, and don't log any calorie burn.

    Or follow the TDEE method.
  • bwd72
    bwd72 Posts: 5
    I'd second bornofthorns' post. I simplified calories burned by resistance training by having a few custom made "cardio" entries -- "light", "moderate", "heavy" weight training, and then using best-guess metrics for calories burned. It's imprecise, but ballpark is good enough. Use the link that bornofthorns provided above, or google for one you like better. There are plenty out there.

    DO NOT underestimate the value of resistance training in fat loss!! Cardio is great, but a training program built around high-intensity weight training with some cardio thrown in on a few off days will get you strong AND cut!

    Good luck!

    -BWD.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member


    Or follow the TDEE method.

    This. When I switched to lifting, I switched how I calculated my deficit and have been much happier every since.

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