Lifting Weights and calories

katt742
katt742 Posts: 196 Member
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, so i switched up my routine. Previously I had been doing some jogging along with circuit training and I was torching some calories!! But...with very little results. I wasnt losing (or gaining) and I also wasn't getting any more tone. So, I decided to do some more hard core weight lifting (I LOVE IT) However, when you log it in...there are very few calories burned. Im doing 60 minutes of slow, heavy lifting....does it really not burn that many calories? AND YES I AM GETTING A HRM THIS WEEKEND! lol. Just curious if I should be eating less now...but that seems counterproductive since I want to build more muscle.

Replies

  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    The problem is the majority of the calorie burning comes from the days following a weight lifting routine, when the broken down muscles are rebuilding. It's hard to calculate this caloric burn since it varies perosn to person.
  • katt742
    katt742 Posts: 196 Member
    Hmmm well....that kinda sucks lol.
  • frenchielover
    frenchielover Posts: 44
    You could integrate some HIIT exercises between reps of weight lifting to keep your heart rate up and get a better calorie burn. Or Tabatas workouts are excellent as well.
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    If you are trying to gain muscle you should not have a huge calorie deficit. I eat around 1750 a day, sometimes higher on days I lift. I weigh about 148 lbs and I'm trying to lose 8 more lbs of fat to get down to a lean 140.. I try to get at least 150 g of protein a day. I set up my macronutrient ratios to be 40/30/30 (c/p/f) but 40/40/20 (c/p/f) would also work. :)
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    lol it is what it is. The weight lifting helps with what kind of body you will have. The cardio will make it a smaller body. I actually regret not starting consistent strength training sooner, so keep with it!
  • Shluke206
    Shluke206 Posts: 22 Member
    I just got a HRM and love it! However, I did some reading and it sounds like the consensus is that a HRM is not that great for tracking calories burned for strength training and is geared towards cardio activities. Anyway, just FYI if you are planning on depending on a HRM for accurate calorie count for weight lifting.
  • katt742
    katt742 Posts: 196 Member
    Well...i was gonna get the HRM for that purpose lol. Hmmm....
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    The HRM won't be as accurate as it is for cardio, all it has to go on is what the exercise does to your heart rate, but it will give you a pretty good idea. :smile:
  • XDoodlebugger
    XDoodlebugger Posts: 54 Member
    You can use:

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/calories.htm

    to calculate your calorie burn for weights (and about anything). I add a segment under cardio for weight lifting and put in the calorie burn according to what bodybuilding.com tells me so MFP will track it for me.

    I almost always lift in supersets or even free weight circuits with no rest between exercises. At my gym for example I will do a set of squats, isolated curls and tricep kickbacks without a break. At the end of the squats my heartrate is 140 and stays fairly high through the curls and kickbacks before a bit of rest and then repeat. My weight workout lasts about 45 mins and burns a decent amount of calories according to bodybuilding.com.
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