i need help!

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sammer825
sammer825 Posts: 50 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
so this might be a dumb question, but i want to make sure that i am doing everything right!

i have been lifting weights at the gym (because i really hate cardio) and i sweat and everything. so my question is, am i burning calories from lifting weight and if so, how many am i burning??

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  • melissat888250
    melissat888250 Posts: 79 Member
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    Try this website: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc

    I don't think lifting is the best way to go if you're trying to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. I'm starting out with swimming because it builds muscle and burns a significant amount of calories.
  • sammer825
    sammer825 Posts: 50 Member
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    youre probably right but i just cant stand the thought of being on a machine for even 10 minutes i hate the treadmill! i am doing a sculpting class tonight so hopefully i will start getting in to classes and stay away from those evil machines.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
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    Even just walking is good cardio. It helps me a lot to listen to music and to put a towel or something over the clock on the machine so I am not looking at it constantly. Swimming is a good idea too or a workout video/class like zumba...something off of a machine might be more your style.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    so this might be a dumb question, but i want to make sure that i am doing everything right!

    i have been lifting weights at the gym (because i really hate cardio) and i sweat and everything. so my question is, am i burning calories from lifting weight and if so, how many am i burning??
    You are burning calories while you're sleeping - so yes, lifting weights does burn cals - being alive burns cals. :tongue: Of course something like running might burn more cals in a half hour than lifting does, but that doesn't mean the weight lifting isn't good for you. They say resistance/strength/weight training can cause more calories burnt for hours after your workout.

    I do strength and cardio, usually less than a hour workout for either one - but if I had to give up one or the other, I'd ditch the cardio and stick with strength, or at least a combination of the two in a HIIT workout or something like that.
  • kdillson70
    kdillson70 Posts: 63
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    Even just walking is good cardio. It helps me a lot to listen to music and to put a towel or something over the clock on the machine so I am not looking at it constantly. Swimming is a good idea too or a workout video/class like zumba...something off of a machine might be more your style.

    Zumba is awesome cardio! Being a Zumba instructor I may be a bit bias, but it's a fun workout that will burn between 400-700 calories an hour. Also a 30 minute brisk walk burns about 130 calories. Strength training is great for building muscles, but you definitely need some cardio.
  • brinabj
    brinabj Posts: 28
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    i use to be like that about the treadmill i didn't believe in it and i hated running or any form of it but thats what gives me the most results cardio so i started doing a lil bit and it gradulally got easier now i can run for like 30-40 min and be ok and i would have never thought i could do that... i lift as well but that just helps me keep things tight and build muscle, i also take classes to disguise the cardio like zumba, tabata, kickboxing and spinning
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Weight lifting burns far fewer calories than cardio, true. However, strength training will help you preserve muscle mass during you losses such that you end up with a lower body fat percentage at the end due to a higher muscle mass. There is a weight lifting option under the cardio exercise section in MFP that you can use for a rough estimate of how much you’re burning. Due to a whole host of reasons, it is difficult to estimate calorie burn from weight lifting. I personally like to combine the two, doing SL 5x5 three days a week and running one or two different days, based on how I’m feeling.
  • sammer825
    sammer825 Posts: 50 Member
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    thanks for the help everyone! i guess im just going to have to suck it up and get some form of cardio in. UGH! ahah but after im done with it ill probably feel a lot better
  • algelman122
    algelman122 Posts: 2
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    In my experience weight training has always gotten me 'there' quicker than cardio since you're toning muscles that will continue to burn calories while your body is at rest. Cardio (at least to me) is a necessary evil that I include once or twice a week. Generally I do feel better afterwards but ugh. Take measurements on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule, take photos and have fun.

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