How do I calculate calories burned for a HIIT (High intensity Interval Training)?

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carriecasablanca
carriecasablanca Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I can't find it in the diary when I search and am unsure of what to put. I do 90 seconds of cardio/strength exercises paired with 1 minute rest in between. The exercises include jumping jacks, jumping rope, squats, burpees, etc. I don't want to calculate them all individualy.
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  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    select "calisthenics" perhaps
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    I log it as aerobics, or circuit training if there are weights involved, but please note that it doesn't really matter as the MFP calorie burns are way way off for most people.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    IMO, don't factor in rest time. So if you workout for 30 minutes doing 90 seconds on/60 seconds rest, that would be roughly 12 sets and 18 minutes of exercise. So base your calculations on that 18 minutes.

    Again, IMO. I'm not sure there is a right answer here as accurately measure cals burned is so difficult.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I would keep it simple and just pick one of the exercises....something in the middle in terms of intensity. Not the most intense, not the easiest...and just include the total minutes of work intervals. These things are all estimates anyway...and they probably are pretty far off for most people even for simple things like running at a steady rate. So don't waste too much time trying to get an accurate estimate.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Be wary of high calorie burn entries. MFP has absolutely no idea of your level of effort during HIIT. It's always better to underestimate rather than overestimate your calorie burns so you don't stall your weight loss.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Multiply your body weight in kg by 6 to get cals per hour and then do the math for the number of calories per workout. That's for a combo circuit that includes cardio and body weight strength exercises. If you are doing all high-intensity stuff--jumping jacks, Burpees, rope jumping, lunges, battle ropes, medium weight (e.g. 75% of 1-RM) squats and deadlifts, with NO poofy stuff like planks, or lower energy exercises like push ups and rows, you might push the multiplier to 7 or 8. And only count the workout time (including recovery intervals), not the warm up or any stretching or ab work afterwards.

    That's about as accurate as you can get and it's easy to figure.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    you need to wear a heart rate monitor like this one to calculate the calories you are burning.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Azdak wrote: »
    Multiply your body weight in kg by 6 to get cals per hour and then do the math for the number of calories per workout. That's for a combo circuit that includes cardio and body weight strength exercises. If you are doing all high-intensity stuff--jumping jacks, Burpees, rope jumping, lunges, battle ropes, medium weight (e.g. 75% of 1-RM) squats and deadlifts, with NO poofy stuff like planks, or lower energy exercises like push ups and rows, you might push the multiplier to 7 or 8. And only count the workout time (including recovery intervals), not the warm up or any stretching or ab work afterwards.

    That's about as accurate as you can get and it's easy to figure.

    I like it.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    missADS1981 wrote: »
    you need to wear a heart rate monitor like this one to calculate the calories you are burning.

    I'm sure Polar and Amazon appreciate your advertising, but HRMs are poor tools for estimating calorie burn during circuit training, resistance training, or HIIT.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Azdak wrote: »
    Multiply your body weight in kg by 6 to get cals per hour and then do the math for the number of calories per workout. That's for a combo circuit that includes cardio and body weight strength exercises. If you are doing all high-intensity stuff--jumping jacks, Burpees, rope jumping, lunges, battle ropes, medium weight (e.g. 75% of 1-RM) squats and deadlifts, with NO poofy stuff like planks, or lower energy exercises like push ups and rows, you might push the multiplier to 7 or 8. And only count the workout time (including recovery intervals), not the warm up or any stretching or ab work afterwards.

    That's about as accurate as you can get and it's easy to figure.

    I like it.


    It just so happens that a study was published today that gave me some quick data to reference :p

    http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2015/01000/Comparison_of_the_Acute_Metabolic_Responses_to.6.aspx
  • Roxiegirl2008
    Roxiegirl2008 Posts: 756 Member
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    I log it as circuit training since I have some weights involved with my workouts. I hope that helps!
  • hamoncan
    hamoncan Posts: 148 Member
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    Considering that your base calories burned per day is an estimate anyways I've never been convinced that resistance training is worth adding back calories for. Even for long bouts of cardio I only add back a very conservative number.

    If you're eating to lose weight it seems like there is a greater risk of over-estimating the calories you burn by insisting on add-backs for the modest amount burnt doing weights.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    missADS1981 wrote: »
    you need to wear a heart rate monitor like this one to calculate the calories you are burning.

    Not for the activities the OP mentioned....

  • chiilipepper
    chiilipepper Posts: 17 Member
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    with HIIT training you can burn as much as 700 calories or more and that's depending on the individual and their fitness level. I honestly have a Polar heart rate monitor and I can see exactly what my body its burning and my highs and lows.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    Use an HRM for the most accurate logging.
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    you could just use the TDEE method and log it as one calorie burned.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    No. HRMs will rarely be accurate, especially for HIIT. Please stop spreading this bad information.
  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    How accurate are the calorie burns on cardio equipment worth heart monitors?
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 897 Member
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    There is a lot of misinformation in this thread, so I wanted to share some info:

    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

    HRMs are not 100% accurate even when they are used for their intended purpose (steady state cardio). They still have a margin of error. That being said, when HRMs are used for purposes they are not intended for they can become grossly inaccurate. It really isn't much better than pulling a number out of nowhere if the device is being used for things it was never designed to handle.

    I personally have both a Bodymedia Fit (for daily activity tracking) and a HRM (for my steady state cardio). I love them both! However, it is important to know what these devices are actually designed to track. They are very helpful when they are used correctly! :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    missADS1981 wrote: »
    you need to wear a heart rate monitor like this one to calculate the calories you are burning.

    No, sorry, but that's terrible advice. HRMs can't tell the difference between resting and working - all they see is the HR. They notoriously over-estimate calorie burns for HIIT style activity. For people who aren't particularly fit, that over-estimate can be as high as 8 to 10 times to high.

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