Calories Burned Doing Squats - Database Shows ZERO

serendipity0924
serendipity0924 Posts: 26
in Fitness and Exercise
So, I have been doing plain, old fashioned squats with no weights. When I go to enter the activity in my exercise, I have noticed it doesn't show it burns any calories. I believe it does, so ... I went looking on the web and found this article. It tells how to calculate how many calories a person burns by using their weight, etc.... Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Calculation
To calculate the amount of calories you burn while doing squats without additional weights, multiply your weight by .096. Take the answer and multiply it by the amount of minutes you perform the exercise. For instance, if you weigh 160 lbs. and you take 15 minutes to complete your squats, you will burn approximately 230 calories.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/313995-calories-burned-during-squats/#ixzz2Q6l0TbrM

http://www.livestrong.com/article/313995-calories-burned-during-squats/
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Replies

  • domdoan
    domdoan Posts: 30
    just do it by intensity levels. if you workout 10 minutes of body weight squats and have a heart rate of 120-135 beats, then just estimate 70-110 calories.
  • Devilbat
    Devilbat Posts: 14
    MFP doesn't estimate calories for ANYTHING added into the strength section. It's there mostly for reference and tracking of weight/sets/reps, not calories burned.

    From the Help section:

    "Estimating the calories burned from strength training is very difficult because it depends on a variety of factors: how much weight you lifted per repetition, how vigorously you performed that exercise, how much rest you took between sets, etc. Because of this, we do not automatically calculate how many calories you burned from strength training exercises.

    However, if you'd like, you can add "Strength training" as a cardio exercise to get a rough estimate of how many calories you burned. Please be aware though that this is definitely a rough estimate and can be fairly inaccurate. "
  • serendipity0924
    serendipity0924 Posts: 26
    Ahhhhhh! Okay... Thanks guys!!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.
  • andreirotariu
    andreirotariu Posts: 23 Member
    Its definitely a pain in the *kitten*, literally! Lol, pardon the pun. But seriously, I have a few hundred more calories to burn today and I was thinking that a few reps of squats would do the trick only to find out there is no way on MFP to calculate this. Surely some nerd out there has created a calorie calculator for weights and strength training that MFP can use.
  • LilPuertarican
    LilPuertarican Posts: 10 Member
    Bump
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.

    Totally agree.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.

    Totally agree.

    I totally agree with yourself who agrees with yourself! If squats burn that kind of calories I'm going to be doing a lot more squatting!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.

    Totally agree.

    I totally agree with yourself who agrees with yourself! If squats burn that kind of calories I'm going to be doing a lot more squatting!



    ROFLMFAO

    Good catch.
  • RoyBeck
    RoyBeck Posts: 947 Member
    The formula looks out to me but I'm no expert.

    I wouldn't imagine I'd burn 200 calories doing 15 minutes of squats. They are a great way TO burn calories yes but I don't think you can safely enter an amount to eat back. Not realistically.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.

    Totally agree.

    I totally agree with yourself who agrees with yourself! If squats burn that kind of calories I'm going to be doing a lot more squatting!

    I use an HRM and I do a lot of squats, I mean A LOT of squats and I don't burn near that many calories and I use weights.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    This is what leads to the next post of "Help I'm not losing". I'm not sure why there is this obsession with logging every movement made as exercise and for sure not the eating it all back part.

    If you want to be that skinny person that everyone holds up as an example of someone who can eat 3 horse and still stay stick then you have to get beyond the mindset of a reward for every movement. Thin people don't spend all day wondering how many extra calories they burned by taking the stairs or what speed they should log their shopping trip at. They just live, probably a fairly active life, and they eat, probably not as much as you think.

    Do squats for the fitness, the muscle, the feeling good instead of worrying about finding a formula to figure out how much it might burn.
  • Qski
    Qski Posts: 246 Member
    I don't think there is anything at all wrong with trying to identify how much calories people think any exercise burns or how to track it in your diary. You are clearly here to be healthy and querying things on your journey without just following something you found (like the OP has done), is useful not only for herself but for anyone else who is curious.

    If you are doing 1hr runs each side of your squats and burning a massive amount of calories with whatever other exercise you are doing on the day, it may be useful to know the ballpark calories, just in case you are netting way too low for the day.

    I don't think most of us would try to do a huge amount of squats for a sammich or anything.

    And even if skinny people don't consciously count calories a lot of them intuitively do things to stay skinny that the rest of us dont. Like eating super light a week before a wedding or a whole month before the holidays or exercising loads before or after an event where there may be more food or alcohol involved. (and I am not talking about people who have ever been on a diet). I often hear things like my body is just crying out for exercise or I feel so sluggish today and a couple of days of fresh salads will make me feel better. - It's not calorie counting like we do it - but they are listening to their bodies requirement to stay in 'balance'
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    230 for 15 minutes sounds like way too much. I'd enter it in the cardiovascular section under calisthenics if you're not using weights.

    Totally agree.

    I totally agree with yourself who agrees with yourself! If squats burn that kind of calories I'm going to be doing a lot more squatting!



    ROFLMFAO

    Good catch.

    Omg lmao. The first post of mine that I quoted was from April and when i responded today I didn't realize it was my post lol. Can't see to the very left on my iPad mini when I zoom in.
  • Manda_1986
    Manda_1986 Posts: 42 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor to get the calories burnt for any kind of strength training. I did an hour of different strength exercises yesterday and that burnt 415 calories.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor to get the calories burnt for any kind of strength training. I did an hour of different strength exercises yesterday and that burnt 415 calories.

    No, it didn't. HRM's are not accurate unless you HR is significantly raised for an extended period of time. The algorithms are set up for steady state cardio and as you've found out give inflated burns for things like strength training.
  • LishLash79
    LishLash79 Posts: 562 Member
    230 is a tonne for 15 mins.. I do about 30 min cardio everyday, which ends up being about 300 cals for that time (its usually sprint intervals, stairs, or a 5k run) . I wear a HRM with chest strap (polar FT4) I do about 45-60 of weights, wearing my HRM as well, I do record the End calorie results, but I know they are inaccurate. I generally only eat back my Cardio cals so I don't usually worry about it ;)

    ps.. Keep Squating, so good for you ;)
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    I use a heart rate monitor to get the calories burnt for any kind of strength training. I did an hour of different strength exercises yesterday and that burnt 415 calories.

    No, it didn't. HRM's are not accurate unless you HR is significantly raised for an extended period of time. The algorithms are set up for steady state cardio and as you've found out give inflated burns for things like strength training.

    ^This.

    HRMs are for tracking steady state cardio only. It is important to note that HRMs are not accurate for weight lifting and will not give you an accurate burn. They are also not meant for HIIT. Temperature extremes and daily burn tracking (e.g. I wear it all day to find out what I should be taking in) are also inaccurate. HRMs are for steady state aerobic exercise only!

    This is a helpful blog post for understanding HRMs:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472
  • mymy3690
    mymy3690 Posts: 1 Member
    how many calories burned in 4 min squats if i am 164 5'1
  • crazy8ccc
    crazy8ccc Posts: 2
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/313995-calories-burned-during-squats/#page=3
    This is the original article that gives the same equation.
  • Aes37850
    Aes37850 Posts: 48
    I know this is super late post, buttt! I found a different site that calculates different exercise and calories according to weight. With my weight (197lbs) it evens out to about 5.1calories per min. So definitely a small amount. But if agree with another poster about it being nice to know how much you're burning! It's a good feeling. :) it was the first thing that came up when I googled "squats calorie calculator". Hope that helps anyone else coming along this post!
  • larrodarro
    larrodarro Posts: 2,512 Member
    I have found a little time to do squats every day. I do them in the shower while I'm waiting on the water to get warm. {I have a big shower} So far I am up to 45 a day. The good thing about working out in the shower, you are in the shower. Wash that sweat off.
    Larro
  • growtinymuscles
    growtinymuscles Posts: 37 Member
    Seems easier to go out and get a Polar FT4 (this is what I use anyway) and let it track that for you...no calculations, no guessing.
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
    Like others said, that number is really high for regular body weight squats. I doubt you'd burn that much in 15 minutes even if you were doing jump squats.
  • weinerdude
    weinerdude Posts: 7
    I think knowing calories from squats or any strength training exercise is good to know. If you are setting a calorie limit to lose weight with diet and exercise, you want to make sure you are consuming enough calories to give enough energy to your body to burn the extra muscle building and toning work outs
  • eespinosa520
    eespinosa520 Posts: 2
    I definitely would love to be able to input a number so that I may offset the calories consumed. I did a workout of BW squats followed by uphill sprints and I have no idea what I've burned..
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    Seems easier to go out and get a Polar FT4 (this is what I use anyway) and let it track that for you...no calculations, no guessing.

    How do you think the Polar generates a calorie number?

    Hint: through calculations and guessing
  • anthonyiorio88
    anthonyiorio88 Posts: 3
    MFP doesn't estimate calories for ANYTHING added into the strength section. It's there mostly for reference and tracking of weight/sets/reps, not calories burned.

    From the Help section:

    "Estimating the calories burned from strength training is very difficult because it depends on a variety of factors: how much weight you lifted per repetition, how vigorously you performed that exercise, how much rest you took between sets, etc. Because of this, we do not automatically calculate how many calories you burned from strength training exercises.

    However, if you'd like, you can add "Strength training" as a cardio exercise to get a rough estimate of how many calories you burned. Please be aware though that this is definitely a rough estimate and can be fairly inaccurate. "

    Great post. That pretty much sums it up, it is extremely difficult to draw calorie expenditure figures from strength based activity. The good thing is that squats provide much more for you than a simple calorie burn. They build muscle, effectively work your entire body, and have the largest hormone release of any other exercise which allows you to burn fat for longer periods of time.
  • domdupjill
    domdupjill Posts: 1
    That being said.. are you really doing 15 minutes of straight squats.. Like it does sound high but doesn't seem too ridiculous
  • larrodarro
    larrodarro Posts: 2,512 Member
    That being said.. are you really doing 15 minutes of straight squats.. Like it does sound high but doesn't seem too ridiculous

    I do 80 squats in 2 minutes most days. And it is always the most intense 2 minutes of my workout day. There is no way I could do 15 minutes of them. That would be 600 squats. I think my 2 minutes show up as 39 calories burned. I don't care how small that sounds. As tough as they are to do, I'm logging it.

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