Question - Caloric burn from weights. Does it include rest?

drewlfitness
drewlfitness Posts: 114 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been logging my weight lifting, 60 minutes, 70 minutes, whatever it is, I type it into myfitnesspal and it gives me an "estimate" on calories burned.

My question - If for example I take 100 minutes to complete all the lifts I want to do, and that 100 minutes includes probably about 30 minutes of rest between sets, then should I log only 70 minutes in myfitnesspal? Or should I log the whole thing, knowing that the "estimate" that myfitnesspal gives me already assumes a certain percentage of the 100 minutes I enter is spent resting?

Thanks.
«1

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I would log the full 100 minutes.
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    If you use the cardio classification "Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)", that has rest built in. That's why the logged burn is so low.
  • soccerchickie
    soccerchickie Posts: 7 Member
    I log the full work-out time. Your body continues to burn hot in between sets. You don't fully recover until the work-out is finished so let it run!! :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Yes it assumes and includes rest/recovery between sets. Log the full time.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Yes it assumes and includes rest/recovery between sets. Log the full time.
    sijomial wrote: »
    Yes it assumes and includes rest/recovery between sets. Log the full time.

    Yup!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,959 Member
    Huh. I've always subtracted it. How would MFP know how long I was resting?
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    Assumed rest time is recovering enough to complete the next set.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    VeryKatie wrote: »
    Huh. I've always subtracted it. How would MFP know how long I was resting?

    It doesn't know, or need to know. It's a standard assumption based on people strength training in a "standard" way.
    A rough estimate, which is all anybody really needs.
    Calorie estimates for something so difficult to measure and a low burn rate really aren't worth the effort in trying to be more accurate.

  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
    I've been subtracting some of the time spent resting. I'm almost giddy about this info. I get an extra snack!
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
    ar9179 wrote: »
    I've been subtracting some of the time spent resting. I'm almost giddy about this info. I get an extra snack!

    Well, since you probably haven't been subtracting your RMR, the snack will be a small one. Sorry to rain on the parade :smiley:
  • drewlfitness
    drewlfitness Posts: 114 Member
    NICE. That means I've been burning more calories than I thought over the last 6 months. That also makes sense, vs. requiring the user to guess how much total time they had been resting. And yeah, I'm pretty much out of breath between sets, so I'm definitely working. Thanks for the help all.
  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
    hill8570 wrote: »
    ar9179 wrote: »
    I've been subtracting some of the time spent resting. I'm almost giddy about this info. I get an extra snack!

    Well, since you probably haven't been subtracting your RMR, the snack will be a small one. Sorry to rain on the parade :smiley:

    You didn't. I don't get a whole lot of calories, so 50-100 is sweet!
  • FrankWhite27330
    FrankWhite27330 Posts: 316 Member
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour
  • kerbeya1
    kerbeya1 Posts: 53 Member
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....

    It's negligible anyway. The majority of expenditure during the period is BMR, so it makes an apples worth of difference.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,406 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....

    It's negligible anyway. The majority of expenditure during the period is BMR, so it makes an apples worth of difference.
    Not if you are lifting HEAVY!!!
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    rileyes wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....

    It's negligible anyway. The majority of expenditure during the period is BMR, so it makes an apples worth of difference.
    Not if you are lifting HEAVY!!!

    That would be the kool-aid that you've been drinking.

    Being generous, 150 cals per 30 minutes, ok it's 1.5 apples.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....

    It's negligible anyway. The majority of expenditure during the period is BMR, so it makes an apples worth of difference.
    Not if you are lifting HEAVY!!!

    That would be the kool-aid that you've been drinking.

    Being generous, 150 cals per 30 minutes, ok it's 1.5 apples.

    Considering the number of people on MFP who are eating 1200-1500 calories per day, I don't consider 150 calories negligible.
  • ar9179
    ar9179 Posts: 374 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    rileyes wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    kerbeya1 wrote: »
    FrankWhite27330 wrote: »
    I always subtract rest. If I'm there 1.5 hours I log 1 hour

    Why would you do that? It's not like you finish a set and your body says oh stop burning calories there not benching deadlifting or squating....

    It's negligible anyway. The majority of expenditure during the period is BMR, so it makes an apples worth of difference.
    Not if you are lifting HEAVY!!!

    That would be the kool-aid that you've been drinking.

    Being generous, 150 cals per 30 minutes, ok it's 1.5 apples.

    Considering the number of people on MFP who are eating 1200-1500 calories per day, I don't consider 150 calories negligible.

    As one of those people, neither do I.
  • VanillaGorillaUK
    VanillaGorillaUK Posts: 342 Member
    The calorie burn from strength training comes afterwards while resting, it's about raising your metabolism.

    Don't bother logging every single exercise and worrying whether you're tracked each calorie burnt. A better approach to calculate your intake based on activity level. Going to the gym 4-5 times per week for 1 hour is a moderate level.

Categories