Whining -- Why doesn't strength training burn more calories?

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  • biggsterjackster
    biggsterjackster Posts: 419 Member
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    Cardio makes you retain fat and lose muscle? After doing cardio (running, inline skating) 3 times a week and not doing any strength training I gained muscle and lost fat (according to my intelligent fat scale, lol) without changing my eating habits. To shape my body better, I should start with strength training.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    New question -- how much protein would I need? I read a lot of stuff about certain number of macros being necessary to get a certain type of energy supply and appearance. Maybe this is where I need to to be adjusting since I'm pretty near my goal weight and want to lose body fat. This thread is really educating me.

    1gram of protien for every pound of LBM. I currently try to hit min of 120g.

    and I have to ask what yogurt are you eating at 160 calories??? mine is 50calories a serving...

    For a lot of people who lift we use TDEE and that way we don't have to worry about actual burns...

    The 160 calorie yogurt is the good stuff -- Greek with fruit. If I burn only 80, then I have only 1/2 a cup. Anyway, how do I figure out my "lean body mass". I'm 120 lbs. and allegedly 34% body fat (I'm 55 and female).

    so based on your stats 79 pounds of LBM..so that's the protien for now

    Thanks for the info. Wow, it sounds like I've got an information war going on with some posters. And all I asked were a few simple questions?
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
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    Maintain or increase muscles mass = increase BMR = more calories burn daily + calories burned during lifting. Win.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I have one more question -- a technical one. If I want to reset my protein macro to 79 rather than 69, how could I do that in Settings?
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    Try "calisthenics" instead of "strength training" for better numbers. I've been following that and it works MUCH better since I KNOW I need to eat more when I lift.

    Though I know people say you only need 1g protein/pound of lean body mass, I aim for 1g/total body weight. It makes more sense, especially when you are BOTH lifting AND eating at a deficit to get more than enough protein for protein synthesis to occur. I would stay trying to get the 120 to preserve your lean body mass.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I have one more question -- a technical one. If I want to reset my protein macro to 79 rather than 69, how could I do that in Settings?

    When you go to change your "goals" you just choose "custom" instead of "guided."
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    All I can say is that despite its lower-calorie burn, I'm having far more success with it than I had when I just did a lot of cardio.
  • babyblues4
    babyblues4 Posts: 241 Member
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    I wear a HR monitor while weight training and my burns are always over 600 cal for an hour. Not a bad burn I think! Add 20 mins of cardio after and you could be 800-1000cal!
    Let alone the benefits you get after the workout
    Get a HR monitor and see what your actual burn is
  • TrailNurse
    TrailNurse Posts: 359 Member
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    OP....look at the big picture and not what MFP shows on the daily app. You have to have a long term committment to weight training and look past the low calorie burn in order to see progress. As your muscles develop they will burn more calories to keep them fueled and pumped. Next year when you weigh the same but wear a size smaller, you will get what I am saying.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Get a HR monitor and see what your actual burn is

    HRMs dont give a meaningful approximation of calorie expenditure in resistance training.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
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    I dunno why strength training burns so few calories but IT FEELS like it does! Boo hooo!
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    I'm afraid I don't have the link, but I remember reading a study sometime back about running and muscle loss. The finding was that you have to run *a lot* to experience a notable loss of muscle. You have to be a marathon runner, at least. A few five mile runs each week didn't have any notable effect, IIRC.
  • sabinekiwi
    sabinekiwi Posts: 23 Member
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    I always try to do both!
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    Thanks for all those who have given me helpful information. My son does strength training, bu he's huge -- 6'3", and gives me all kinds of crazy advice. If I did what he did, I'd have broken my back and my arteries would be rocks from eating 8 eggs a day. But it's good to hear about how it works on the body, how much protein I need for my body size, etc. I just finished a weight loss program at my workplace and lost only 4 lbs., but some good body fat % loss, and the nutritionist said I might not lose anymore because I'm at a normal weight for my height. So I want to work some other angles to improve my fitness and improve my body shape. Maybe this will all do the trick.
  • funnybun1
    funnybun1 Posts: 62 Member
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    I asked the same question!!! It feels like it takes so much more freaking effort to do lifting (I do bwe for the time being) compared to cardio. All I can say is that I find that strength training changes the shape of my body faster than just focusing on cardio alone and that to me is worth the effort.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
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    I agree. I'm already getting the V-shape, where my shoulders are bigger than my hips, and that's saying a lot, since I have 37-38" hips.

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