how to count a weight lifting workout?

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Schwiggity
Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I don't have an HRM, and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to count the entire weight lifting workout including rests, moving to different areas, etc. or if I should just estimate how much time was spent on the actual exercises. If it's the latter, does anyone know what a good estimation would be?

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  • ChristinaRamos
    ChristinaRamos Posts: 226
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    I just estimate based on the total length of time. If I burn 400 cal in 30 min doing cardio, I estimate my 30 min weight training as 300 calories. Great job on the weight loss!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • cowpacino
    cowpacino Posts: 77 Member
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    on MFP, I don't think it matters, it doesn't calculate how many calories you burn with weights like it does for cardio, or maybe I'm wrong, but I didn't think it did.

    as far as calories go, I on days I lift, I go for my BMR resting maintenance calories, and on days I don't lift I go for a 500 deficit
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    go under cardio in the exercise data base, weight lifting is in there...if you sit for more than 15 seconds for a rest, I wouldn't count it. but less than 15 and count it with your weight lifting
  • whouwannab
    whouwannab Posts: 350 Member
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    I log mine under strength training. I enter total time because I dont really rest between sets. Calories burned on MFP was pretty much spot on compared to my HRM.
  • RProhofsky
    RProhofsky Posts: 32 Member
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    Basically weight lifting work outs DO NOT count. If you have a HRM and keep your heart rate up you will burn some calories.

    How do I know this? I googled how many calories do you burn if you lift a one pound bar one foot. The answer is . . .

    1 ft lb is 1.3558179483314004 joules.
    1 dietary calorie = 4,186.8 joules
    cal per ft. lb = 1.3558179483314004 /4186.8 = .00032383155353286529091430209229005 calories

    In other words, you would need to lift the bar 3088 times to burn one calorie.

    Of course, in reality you would burn more calories than this due to inefficiencies in the lifting process.

    You may need to hire a staff to count your reps

    Good Luck on your journey toward health,
    Rick
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    I just estimate based on the total length of time. If I burn 400 cal in 30 min doing cardio, I estimate my 30 min weight training as 300 calories. Great job on the weight loss!!!!!!!!!!!!

    my $.02 - it sounds like you are over-estimating your calories on the weights, 75% of pure cardio sounds way too high to me
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    Yeah that does sound high...I burn 115 calories doing 25 minutes of weights and 409 calories doing 1 hour of cardio
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
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    lifting weights isn't a huge calorie burn...but there's tons of other benefits
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
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    lifting weights isn't a huge calorie burn...but there's tons of other benefits

    exactly!

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