Calories Burned during Strength Training

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jvivio56
jvivio56 Posts: 5 Member
in Getting Started
How come MFP doesn't calculate the calories burned when doing Strength based exercises?

I have been told before the strength training exercises actually burns more calories than doing cardio. My presumed logic behind it is that strength training is inherently more strenuous, and I've also heard it continues to burn calories even after the workout is over because you body is working to repair those muscles.

If this is true how come MFP doesn't calculate them? Seems like this could cause someone to under-estimate their calories burned.

Probably should have put this in 'Fitness and Exercise'

-Jeremiah Vivio
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Replies

  • Kchloee
    Kchloee Posts: 16 Member
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    I use a Heart Rate Monitor and enter in my calories burned manually.
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
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    I think the idea of strength training burning more calories comes not so much from the strength training itself but from the amazing benefit that lean muscle mass provides in burning calories throughout the day. Plus, AFTER working out your body is actively repairing all the stuff you just tore apart so there is a raise in caloric burn then as well.

    In the end I imagine it's not in MFP because its nearly impossible to quantify with a real number the total calories burned. I would probably take on a couple hundred calories burned an hour for the workout itself if you want to keep things close, but even with a tight circuit at good intensity, isolated muscle movements if you think about it, are logically going to burn fewer calories than sustained full body movements.
  • freddi11e
    freddi11e Posts: 317 Member
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    bump
  • amongstthewildflowers
    amongstthewildflowers Posts: 89 Member
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    Bump wondering the same.
  • Kevin_Rex
    Kevin_Rex Posts: 127 Member
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    The most accurate reading for calburn that you're going to get is with an HRM - the calorie numbers that MFP have are usually a bit higher that what's really burned.

    I use an HRM for cardio, interval and weight training.

    Interval, by far, burns the most calories per minute of workout - at that moment. Cardio comes in second place and weight training is third... again, this is based on my experience.

    Now the benefit to burning via weight training is more longer term burns - meaning you gain lean muscle mass which requires more calories to maintain. I've never measured if I continue to burn after a strength training workout (but that gives me an idea - I need to do that) so I'm not certain if that's true or not. I'll take an average this coming week and let you know...)

    Use the available MFP calories numbers if you must but I highly recommend an HRM if you're a accuracy nut like me.

    Cheers!
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
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    Nowhere as many as you'd think. Unless you're doing really high intensity training, the calorie burn isn't that high on any places that list calories for physical activities.

    Think if it as an investment, though. You'll burn the extra calories over the next several hours from having your metabolism stepped up and the more muscle mass you build burns more calories, so the calorie benefits are there. They're just not immediate.
  • aduhart
    aduhart Posts: 4 Member
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    The way I go about considering my exercise for my daily calories is to adjust my calorie goal, so I use the Harris-Benedict formula which basically calculates your BMR through your weight, age and height and then multiplies it by a factor which is where the amount of exercise you do comes into play.

    So lets say your BMR is 1800 calories, and you do moderate exercise 3-5 days a week, you would then multiply it by a factor of 1.55 (table with factors comes up if you google Harris-Benedict equation) so your maintenance calories would end up in 2,790. Then all I do is manually edit the daily calorie goal in MFP to reflect this number minus my desired deficit based on my weight loss goals (so this 2,790 calories become 2092 if I want to have a 25% calorie deficit).

    I like this because you dont have to input the amount of exercise you do each day, however you have to be careful to complete the amount of exercise your using as a factor (3-5 sessions per week in the example above).

    Hope this is helpful.
    Good luck achieving your goals
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    Use MFP as a calorie/macro tracking source, not exercise logging. These rates here are inaccurate.
  • paultucker1007
    paultucker1007 Posts: 37 Member
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    Difficult to assess accurately, but 10 cals per set of 6-8 is a reasonable rule of thumb for an average person lifting "heavy". More for deadlifts/squats, less for isolation exercises obv.
  • dcresider
    dcresider Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Heart rate monitor is the way to go.
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    look for the strength training entries under the cardio section to enter the calorie burn - the strength training section just tracks what exercises you are doing - I suppose that is so you can track progress with your workouts (ie: how many reps, how much weight, etc etc)

    It's also hard to be accurate as there rests etc in between - best way would be a HRM
  • aliakynes
    aliakynes Posts: 352 Member
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    Under add cardio, type in strength training. Then type in minutes.

    A heart rate monitor is always more accurate but mfp DOES have a means to add calories burned through strength training.

    EDIT: oops, person above me mentioned it too. There you have it :-).
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    Heart rate monitor is the way to go.

    Wrong. Heart rate monitor should only be used for steady state cardio.

    OP, there are several equations you can use. Remember though that it's all an estimation (calories in and calories out) so try to err on the side of caution. I usually use 150 kCal per hour. Try googling a weight lifting calories burned calculator (unless another poster/lurker has a reliable equation?), use that estimation for a few months and see if your weight is moving in the direction you want it to go. If not, make some sight adjustments.
  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
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    Heart rate monitor is absolutely not the way to go with regards to strength training.

    First thing to understand: HRMs do not measure calories burned! They measure Heart Rate.

    Second thing to understand: Your HR can change for any number of reasons. Caffeine, fear, adrenaline, excitement, etc.

    Third thing to understand: A faster beating heart does not burn significantly more Calories. You can check this yourself by sitting perfectly still and hold your breath as long as you can. Repeat over and over. Watch your HR soar. Are you burning more calories? No. What if you burn 100 calories in a walk, then repeat the walk the next day immediately after having 3 cups of espresso. Are you burning more calories? No. Well, your HRM will say you did.

    Important bit about HRMs: They use a calculation based on the volume load from steady state aerobic exercise to estimate the calories burned.

    Volume load: When doing aerobics, your HR rises to move a greater volume of oxygen through your body. When you lift weights, your HR rises while blood vessels constrict to increase the blood pressure in the appropriate area. This is called Pressure Load. You can see this for yourself by examining someone on an elliptical at 85% max HR and someone lifting weights at 85% max HR. The person on the elliptical will be flushed and gasping for breath. The person lifting weights will have veins popping out all over the place and will just have slightly elevated breathing. Pressure load is not volume load. Your heart is beating faster for a different reason with weights than with aerobics. So, the calorie formula is no longer accurate.

    Steady state: When you are doing aerobics, you are constantly moving with very little rest, and you are moving large portions of your body. When you lift weight, you are often not using your whole body, and taking longer rests. So, it's not accurate.

    Aerobic exercise: Aerobic exercise is when your body mixes oxygen and fat to produce energy. This happens when the energy requirement is low. Lifting weights is anaerobic exercise. That means it uses the glycogen stored in the muscles for energy. Different energy source from aerobics (what most people call cardio), so the formula is inaccurate. (This is a simplifed explanation, the reality is a little more complicated, but the effect is the same).

    To recap: The three important factors in determining a calorie burn from HR are all using different things. There is NO WAY for it to be even remotely accurate. Ditch the HRM for weights.

    Use the Strength Training entry in the cardio section as a rough entry, or use the basic formula of Pounds Lifted * .0125 to calculate calories burned.
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
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    look for the strength training entries under the cardio section to enter the calorie burn - the strength training section just tracks what exercises you are doing - I suppose that is so you can track progress with your workouts (ie: how many reps, how much weight, etc etc)

    It's also hard to be accurate as there rests etc in between - best way would be a HRM


    I use this (above).....I found it under the cardio section for strength training. It says I burn about 180 calories for 45 minutes. As the other poster said HRM is not accurate for lifting. I just switched to a more heavy lifting less cardio focussed program and the first thing I noticed is how hungry I get the next day. My body feels like it's just burning through its fuel. I think as other posters said you continue to burn calories even after your workout.
  • aliakynes
    aliakynes Posts: 352 Member
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    Here's another calculator you can try: https://www.exercise.com/activity/weight-lifting
  • MelonJMusic
    MelonJMusic Posts: 121 Member
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    look for the strength training entries under the cardio section to enter the calorie burn - the strength training section just tracks what exercises you are doing - I suppose that is so you can track progress with your workouts (ie: how many reps, how much weight, etc etc)

    It's also hard to be accurate as there rests etc in between - best way would be a HRM

    ^ Yup, that's what I do. Log it as cardio and search strength training and you'll find it there. :)

    No clue why it even offers the strength training option outside of that. I guess perhaps for people to quickly log it manually?
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    I just use mfp's strength training calorie burn in the cardio section and subtract the time of my lifting breaks. This is the best strategy that I have been able to come up with so far, and I am still steadily losing pounds and inches. I lift extremely heavy, so I am pretty sure that I am burning more than I am logging. However, I would rather underestimate than overestimate. As others have mentioned, a HRM is not accurate for lifting calorie burns.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    My understanding is that a HRM will not be accurate for strength training-- only for steady state cardio.

    If you log strength training as cardio MFP will give you some calories for it, although it's not likely to be terribly accurate.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/hrms-cannot-count-calories-during-strength-training-17698

    http://livehealthy.chron.com/can-heart-rate-monitors-measure-calories-weight-lifting-4910.html

    YMMV, I've never personally cared to own a HRM
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    Nowhere as many as you'd think. Unless you're doing really high intensity training, the calorie burn isn't that high on any places that list calories for physical activities.

    Think if it as an investment, though. You'll burn the extra calories over the next several hours from having your metabolism stepped up and the more muscle mass you build burns more calories, so the calorie benefits are there. They're just not immediate.

    This is what he asked. He's asking if it's going to cause calories to continue to be burned why aren't those accounted for?

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