Hey weight lifters...

Robertson369
Robertson369 Posts: 1
edited November 10 in Introduce Yourself
Hi. I am new to MFP and I would like to know how people track weight lifting calories? For my weight MFP says I burn 210 calories, but my heart rate monitor says between 87 and 100 calories. Is MFP accounting for post workout caloric burning or is it just that off. I do other fitness, but my question is just about weight lifting tracking.

Replies

  • Barbellarella_
    Barbellarella_ Posts: 454 Member
    edited January 2015
    HRMs aren't accurate for weight lifting, just cardio. I'd say that MFP usually overestimates the burn as well. A good place to start would be to use 50-75% of what MFP calculates, and see how you do with that.
  • November_Fire
    November_Fire Posts: 165 Member
    You can google around for some good explanations of why HRMs are no good for strength training - basically the calories you burn while lifting weights are little to do with how fast your heart is going and more to do with the work the muscles are doing. You'll also burn calories later as the muscles replenish and repair.

    I used MFP's estimate and, like the poster above, knocked it down. So when I started out I called it 100 calories. Better to underestimate. As time went on and I sought a maintenance figure I was able to keep increasing it. Right now I call it 200 calories, but I'm cutting so I'd rather keep it low. My deficits are a bit big so I suspect it's more than 200. I'll keep logging a larger number until I reach a good maintenance figure and stop losing weight, and then I'll have a general estimate of a session's calorie burn.
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